Magic Johnson watched the 76ers rally past the defending champion Knicks and found one thing he could not stop praising. It was not the comeback itself. It was Anfernee Simons, whose scoring punch flipped the game’s direction in a 106-100 win.
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The Sixers entered the season with a star-studded lineup featuring LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid. Yet, their first major test was not simply about how the new-look starting five would fit together. They also needed timely contributions from their supporting cast to finish a comeback at Madison Square Garden.
“I was very impressed with the Sixers defense in the second half of the Sixers vs. Knicks game! They had six guys end in double figures led by Tyrese Maxey with 28 points. The key to the Sixers victory was Anfernee Simons’s 3 threes in the second half and 13 total points off the bench,” Johnson’s X post read.
Philadelphia trailed 58-54 at halftime before tightening up defensively and finding its rhythm after the break. Johnson highlighted that turnaround in his October 21 post on X, pointing to Maxey’s team-leading scoring and Simons’ impact from the bench.
Johnson’s comments focused on how Philadelphia’s collective effort helped secure the win. While Maxey led the scoring, Simons provided an additional perimeter threat when the Sixers needed to turn their improved defense into points.
Simons finished with 13 points and two rebounds in 25 minutes, shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 3-of-8 from three-point range. His three second-half triples helped Philadelphia build momentum during a decisive third quarter.
The Sixers outscored New York 29-18 in the period and closed it with an 11-0 run, turning their halftime deficit into a lead heading into the final quarter. As NBA.com’s recap of the opening-night matchup details, Philadelphia’s defensive improvement was central to the comeback.
Simons’ contribution mattered because the Sixers did not have to depend entirely on their leading scorers to generate offense. His shooting created another threat from the perimeter, helping Philadelphia make the most of its improved play after halftime.
The performance also offered an early glimpse of how the team’s bench could complement its high-profile starters. Simons was not the only reserve to make an impact: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 10 points, giving Philadelphia another source of scoring outside its starting lineup.
That depth could become important as the season progresses. With opposing defenses likely to devote considerable attention to Maxey, Brown, James, and Embiid, reliable production from the bench would give Philadelphia more ways to respond when its primary options are contained. One game cannot establish whether that balance will last, but the opening-night result offered an encouraging example.
Brown finished his Philadelphia debut with 19 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. James recorded 14 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, while Embiid added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Maxey’s 28 points led the team, and the Sixers’ defense helped protect their advantage when New York attempted to fight back late.
The result was therefore about more than the arrival of two major names. Philadelphia needed its stars to contribute, its reserves to make timely shots, and its defense to execute under pressure. Simons supplied an important part of that equation with his second-half shooting.
For the Sixers, the 106-100 victory provides an early foundation to build on as the roster develops chemistry. Johnson’s praise of Simons underscores why Philadelphia’s supporting cast could matter just as much as its headline names when the team faces tougher tests ahead.