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Knicks defeat 76ers as Mike Brown offers glimpse at starting lineup plans

Head coach Mike Brownwon his Knicks preseason debut at the NBA’s Abu Dhabi Games, 99-84, against the Philadelphia 76ers. Miles McBrideled the effort with 12 points off the bench, with Karl-Anthony Towns adding 11 points in 17 minutes.

Mitchell Robinson was in postseason form, scoring seven points and grabbing 16 boards in 18 minutes. Mikal Bridges added 10 while the captain Jalen Brunson had a quiet six points and four assists.

The Knicks were without OG Anunoby due to a sprained left hand; starting in his place was Pacome Dadiet. Robinson was the fifth starter after much training camp mystery.

Here are the key takeaways…

— It sure looked like an overseas preseason opener out of the gates with some ugly turnovers and sloppy play early. A Dadiet offensive rebound and reverse and-one putback was the first bucket for the Knicks this season.

Tyrese Maxey looked in midseason form early with 10 first-quarter points on some quick takes inside. It took some time for New York to find their flow, but eventually Towns got some looks in transition and at the free throw line, scoring seven points in the first frame.

— It was McBride who exploded late in the period, hitting a couple threes and a fading two in a confident stint. He played alongside newcomer Jordan Clarksonand Brunson in a sneak peek at a new three-guard set as the teams went into the second tied at 25.

— As the first ended, Maxey tried to intercept Josh Hart’s dribble, and the Knick wing fell and hurt his lower back, flinging the ball into the stands in the process. The officials ejected Hart, ending his afternoon as he was helped back to the locker room area. After the game, the Knicks confirmed that Hart is dealing with a sore lower back, and the team will wait to see how he feels on Friday before deciding next steps.

— Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe ignited in the second quarter, going viral for a ludicrous attempted poster over Robinson, and finishing the half with nine points. Both teams kept it tight for most of the half, until the starters returned and got to work.

Brunson slipped inside for a couple floaters while Bridges hit a couple as the Knicks used a 15-6 run to close the half up 53-43 as the Sixers shot 1-20 from three as a team.

— New York pulled the starters at halftime, letting the second and third units get some real burn after taking the long flight. The three guards fighting for one roster spot – Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon and Garrison Mathews – got in early in the third and shared the court for a strong stretch to extend the league.

Brogdon hit a three, got a couple paint touches that led to corner threes, and recorded a steal and assist in his first six minutes. Mathews splashed three threes as part of a 22-5 run to give the Knicks an 81-55 advantage after three.

— Ariel Hukportiplayed his only six minutes in the third quarter, scoring six points and grabbing six rebounds in a team-high +13 stint.

The Knicks coasted from there, playing every member of their extended training camp roster.

Highlights

Up next

The Knicks take on the Sixers once again in Abu Dhabi on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.

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Knicks’ Josh Hart ejected from preseason opener after apparent injury, flinging ball into the stands

New York Knicks forward Josh Hart was ejected from the teamâ€s 2025-26 NBA preseason-opening matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for throwing the ball into the stands after appearing to suffer a non-contact injury early in the second quarter.

After rebounding a missed 3-pointer from Sixers rookie Johni Broome, Hart turned and began to dribble up the court. As Philadelphia guard Kennedy Chandler gave chase, Hart stumbled and slipped down to the floor, wincing in pain as he went down; Chandler reached down to tie him up, forcing a jump ball.

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Once the whistle blew, a frustrated Hart flung the ball away before rolling and writhing in front of the 76ers†bench, with Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse leaning down to check on him. Hart stayed down for a few moments before getting up, seemingly favoring his lower back and walking gingerly back to the Knicks†locker room. He wouldnâ€t come back out: The ball-toss earned him a technical foul and an ejection, bringing a premature end to his preseason debut. Hart finished with 2 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist in just over seven minutes of playing time.

After starting all 77 of his regular-season appearances in 2024-25, Hart came off the bench for the preseason opener, as new Knicks head coach Mike Brown opted to start big men Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns together — in keeping with a change that predecessor Tom Thibodeau made (at Hartâ€s behest) during the Knicks†Eastern Conference finals loss to the Pacers in May and in a potential preview of a starting lineup change that was one of a number of topics of discussion at Knicks media day prior to their trip to Abu Dhabi. Brown cautioned against reading too much into preseason practices and combinations, saying the teamâ€s starting lineup “will materialize throughout camp†and he planned to “be methodical with [his] approach†in determining a starting five for the beginning of the regular season.

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Whether he starts or comes off the bench, though, Hart — fresh off a career year, averaging 13.6 points on 52.5% shooting to go with 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals in a league-leading 37.6 minutes per game last season — is expected to play a major role on a Knicks team that enters the season harboring championship aspirations. Heâ€s already working through an issue with his right ring finger that has him playing with a splint on his shooting hand; the Knicks and their fans will hope that the back injury that led to him grimacing on the ground before heaving the ball and getting the heave-ho isnâ€t serious enough to compound his physical woes at the start of the season.

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Knicks, 76ers explore Abu Dhabi before preseason doubleheader

The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers are in Abu Dhabi for a preseason doubleheader beginning Thursday.

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The trip marks the fourth year of the NBA’s games in the United Arab Emirates, with action held at the Etihad Arena on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island and the game marking one of seven international NBA games in the preseason and regular season.

From visiting the desert to getting in a round of golf, the 76ers and Knicks were plenty busy before they faced off.

Here are the top scenes from the 2025 Abu Dhabi games.

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Teams touch down in Abu Dhabi

The Knicks and 76ers received a warm welcome to Abu Dhabi. They were greeted with singing from locals and a quick beverage. Knicks coach Mike Brown pulled out his phone to record the festivities while Knicks guard Landry Shamet carried a falcon, as did Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr.

Taking in the Abu Dhabi desert

No different than the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves two years ago, the Knicks took a trip to the desert. Patrick Ewing and OG Anunoby were among the Knicks contingent to ride a camel, while Josh Hart held onto a falcon.

Postcard-esque photo for the 76ers

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one of the world’s largest mosques and served as the perfect backdrop for a Philadelphia team photo. It is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE.

Working on the greens

Being on a different continent didn’t stop 76ers head coach Nick Nurse and guard Kyle Lowry from putting in work on their golf swings.

Knicks getting artistic

Cool streetwear and on-court kicks are one thing, but to customize them is another story. New York took some time with young fans to draw and color pictures of sneakers.

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Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson ate healthier this offseason — by starting his own farm

And on that farm he had some… buckets?

As Knicks center Mitchell Robinson prepared this offseason for what will be his eighth NBA season, he didn’t just work on his hoops game.

He also worked on his coops game.

In an effort to eat healthier and drop some weight, the 27-year-old Robinson made an effort to eat healthier by learning the art of farming in Nashville.

“I started my own farm, so all of my stuff is legit fresh, organic, stuff like that, so kind of moving forward with that,” Robinson said. “Chickens, all kinds of stuff.”

Asked how he learned to farm, Robinson replied: ‘You gotta know people, they’ll teach you a lot.”

Farmer Robinson acknowledged that he did lose weight this offseason, saying he’s around the same weight he was last season, which he says is the right range for him to play at his best.

And that should go hand-in-hand with playing under new head coach Mike Brown, who likes to push the pace at a much faster rate than previous head coach Tom Thibodeau.

“I’m excited to play for him,” Robinson said of Brown. “I’ve been here going on eight years now, third coach. Just get in there and give the same energy I gave the other coaches. Hard work and keep it moving.”

“A lot of conditioning, getting up and down the court,” he later added about Brown’s coaching style. “Putting in a lot of new things that I’ve never seen before. It’s going to be a process, but I’m all for it.”

While injuries limited Robinson to just 17 regular season games last year, he made a big impact in the postseason, playing 18 playoff games and eventually moving into the starting lineup.

Robinson said he doesn’t care whether he starts or comes off the bench this season, and that he’s ready to adjust to playing with whomever he’s on the floor with.

“Same approach as last year,” Robinson said. “We had a lot of success last season, so we just come in with that mindset and see how [Brown] likes us to play and adjust to that.”

Robinson has established himself as one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA, and his relentlessness on the glass makes him a huge asset for a Knicks team in search of an NBA championship.

And while it sounds like Robinson is ready to cook on the floor, don’t expect him to do much cooking in the kitchen.

“No,” Robinson replied when asked if he cooks the food his farm provides.

“Hell no.”

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Knicks’ Josh Hart will play season with reaggravated injury

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    Tim BontempsSep 23, 2025, 12:43 PM ET

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      Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. – New York Knicks guard Josh Hart said Tuesday that he reaggravated the right finger injury that he had a procedure on back in June, and said that he plans to play the entire season without fixing the problem for a second time.

“I’m just trying to get used to it, and then get through the season with it,” Hart said Tuesday at New York’s season-opening media day at its Westchester practice facility.

“I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I obviously got a procedure on it and then kinda re-aggravated it somewhat recently. So probably just rock out with a splint this season and try to fix it again next summer.”

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The Knicks announced Hart underwent a procedure on his right ring finger back on July 16 to correct an injury sustained during New York’s run to the Eastern Conference finals – the first time the Knicks advanced that far in a quarter century. They also said, at the time, that Hart would resume basketball activities later this summer but Hart said, Tuesday, he realized he was still having issues with the finger.

And while he indicated he will play through the injury, he also didn’t directly answer when he was asked if surgery is completely off the table to correct the issue before next offseason.

“It’s something that a lot of people have,” Hart said. “I don’t think about it too much. I just try to go out there and play how I play, and if I can’t play how I play and be aggressive and kind of have that toughness mentality I normally play with, then I have to figure out a different path.

“But right now, the full expectation is to go out there and hoop and help this team be successful.”

Hart admitted playing with a splint is less than ideal and that he still is getting his head around playing with it on all season.

“I hope not,” he said with a smile, when asked if the splint will cause him any issues. “I’m still trying to figure it out. Me personally, I hate playing with anything on my hand. I don’t feel like I have a good feel for it. It might take a little getting used to, but that’s the best scenario for me right now…And I’m going to do everything I can to be out there with these guys.”

One of the looming questions over the franchise heading into training camp was whether Hart would once again be in the starting lineup, like he was for the vast majority of last season, or whether Mitchell Robinson would take his place like he did during the Knicks’ playoff run, partially at Hart’s urging.

Hart is coming off the best season of his career, having averaged 13.6 points and career-highs of 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals last season in 77 regular season games – all starts – for the Knicks. On multiple occasions, head coach Mike Brown declined to say in what direction he’ll go when everyone is healthy.

But Hart, while admitting he believes he should be a starter, said he will ultimately be fine with whatever direction Brown chooses.

“Yeah, if I don’t start, I’ll probably ask for a trade, go somewhere else,” Hart joked. “I had the best year of my career last year, but that’s in the past.

“I think I deserve to be a starter in the league. But, at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the team. Last year, I talked about sacrifice the whole time and kind of being that separate mentality and being a good steward of my gifts and those kinds of things. So I think it would be extremely selfish for me to go out there and demand to start and all those kinds of things.”

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Knicks hosting free agent guard Dennis Smith Jr. for workout…

The Knicks are hosting free agent guard Dennis Smith Jr.for a workout, according to a report from The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy.

Smith, 27, appeared in 58 games with New York over three seasons, after arriving in the deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in January 2019. New York eventually dealt the guard to the Detroit Pistons ahead of the 2021 trade deadline in a deal that brought Derrick Rose to the Garden.

New York has limited roster and salary cap flexibility, especially after signing veterans Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon to deals, if they look to keep Smith around for a second stint.

After the Pistons, he signed with Portland and Charlotte before landing in Brooklyn. He last played in Spain, appearing with Real Madrid.

The well-traveled veteran’s most recent NBA experience came during the 2023-24 campaign with the Nets. In 56 games (two starts), he averaged 6.6 points on 43.5 percent shooting with 3.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 18.9 minutes.

The ninth overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft out of N.C. State, the 6-foot-3 guard had his best year in Dallas when he was fifth in Rookie of the Year voting.

In 326 career games (152 starts), he averaged 9.7 points on 40.7 percent shooting (29.8 percent from three) with 4.2 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 23.3 minutes. He has never played in the playoffs.

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