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Sixers and Knicks jockey for playoff position in Philly

Apr 6, 2011 - 3:09 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Knicks can take over the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference with a win tonight against the rival Philadelphia 76ers from Wells Fargo Center.

New York has been playing well lately with four straight wins following a grueling six-game losing streak. The high-scoring Knicks have eclipsed the century mark in scoring in each of their last five games and handed the Toronto Raptors a 131-118 beating last night at Madison Square Garden.

Toney Douglas scored a team-high 28 points off the bench, Carmelo Anthony added 23 points and Amare Stoudemire also finished with 23 for playoff-bound New York, which is a half-game behind Philadelphia for the No. 6 spot in the conference. The Knicks shot 57.7 percent for the game and hit 15-of-27 three- pointers.

"Overall, not bad, the ball movement was good," Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni said about the offense.

The Knicks will also visit New Jersey and Indiana on their three-game trek and are 16-21 away from the Big Apple. They are, however, winless in the previous five games as the guest.

Philadelphia is also headed to the postseason, but has dropped back-to-back games since a three-game winning streak and will begin a regular-season ending four-game homestand Wednesday night.

The Sixers are coming off last night's 99-82 loss in Boston, as rookie Evan Turner filled in for an injured Lou Williams and posted a team-high 21 points in a reserve role. Elton Brand had 12 points and Jrue Holiday chipped in 11 for Philadelphia, which will be without Williams for the remainder of the regular season because of a hamstring injury suffered at Milwaukee.

"We fought to get back in, and we cut it to four again, and then they had another defensive spurt," said Sixers coach Doug Collins. "I told our guys how that's really what championship teams do. They might not play it for 48 minutes, but they're going to lock you down for stretches, and win those what I call five-minute skirmishes."

Collins' squad will also host the Raptors, Magic and Pistons and is 25-12 in the City of Brotherly Love. The 76ers are 15-7 at home against the East.

Philadelphia has won two of three meetings with New York this season and is 12-5 in the past 17 meetings in the series. The Knicks have dropped 10 of 12 trips to south Philly.