LeBron James closes out Knicks as 76ers win NBA Cup opener 98-93 and move to 5-1

The Philadelphia 76ers are 2-0 against the defending champion New York Knicks this season. On Friday night LeBron James handled the final minute, and Philadelphia won its NBA Cup group opener 98-93 at Xfinity Mobile Arena to move to 5-1.

According to ESPN, James finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. ESPN called it perhaps his best game since he joined the Sixers. He shot 8-of-15, and Bleacher Report noted it was his first 20-point game in a Philadelphia uniform. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 27 points. Anfernee Simons added 21 off the bench. NBC Sports Philadelphia counted 68 of the team's 98 points from those three. Philadelphia played without Jaylen Brown, who sat out with a left knee injury, Bleacher Report said.

The Sixers led for most of the night after a 29-21 first quarter. They were up 77-68 going into the fourth before New York came back. Jalen Brunson's 3-pointer put the Knicks ahead by one with 1:32 to play. James answered with a fadeaway over OG Anunoby to retake the lead. After a Brunson miss, VJ Edgecombe beat the shot clock with a 3 for a 94-90 edge, Yardbarker reported. With 11.9 seconds left, James tipped in Maxey's airball to make it a five-point game. The Philadelphia Inquirer called it the best performance of James' young Sixers career.

Joel Embiid had 10 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Edgecombe finished with 13. Brunson led New York with 24 points. The Knicks fell to 2-4.

The win means something beyond the head-to-head record. With Brown out, the 41-year-old James scored more than he usually has, and the offense still worked. For the Sixers, that matters as much as the result.

What it means for Charlotte

Philadelphia has won two straight and five of six. The only loss was a 106-93 home defeat to Detroit. Those wins include 114-109 at Indiana, 127-116 over Milwaukee and 114-106 over Cleveland, along with both games against New York. The next game is the second half of a back-to-back: Saturday at the Charlotte Hornets on NBA TV. Charlotte is also playing on consecutive nights after Washington beat it 95-79 on Friday, according to ESPN.

The board has the Sixers as narrow road favorites. Novig, one of 11 venues on this game's page, lists Philadelphia at -115 to win outright. The best price anywhere is FanDuel's -112. Novig has Charlotte at +108. The venues are close on this one: sportsbook hold on the moneyline ranges from 3.8% to 5.3%. On the spread, Novig has the Sixers at -1.5 for -108. BetRivers has them at -0.5 for -120. Novig sets the total at 215.5, with the over at -111 and the under at even money. BetRivers lists the under at 217.5 for -113.

If Brown can't play Saturday, Philadelphia will need the same kind of help from Maxey, Simons and James on the second night of the back-to-back.