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Sixers visit Knicks for key Atlantic Division battle

Mar 11, 2012 - 2:32 PM (Sports Network) - The New York Knicks return home after a disastrous road trip this afternoon to face the Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks' struggles continued on Friday in Milwaukee, as they played out a familiar script. Without Tyson Chandler (hamstring), New York fell behind by double digits in the second half, managed to get the deficit down to one by turning up the defensive pressure, but ultimately fell to the Bucks, 119-114.

Amare Stoudemire paced the Knicks offense with 27 points to go with 11 rebounds and Carmelo Anthony added 22 points. Jeremy Lin chipped in a double- double with 20 points and 13 assists, but turned the ball over five times as New York fell for the fifth time in six tries.

"They hit some tough shots," Lin said after the game. "We didn't get all the rebounds we should have gotten. Tonight wasn't a lack of energy, it wasn't a lack of heart or will. They just came out with this win, but we played extremely hard."

The Knicks, who trail the Sixers by 5 1/2 games in the division, are expected to have Chandler back which should help on the defensive end, where they have allowed 11.8 points over the slide. Another defensive stalwart, forward Jared Jeffries is questionable for the contest with a sore right knee.

"I just think there's too many lapses and our defense has been slipping," Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Then when we went out with Jared and with Tyson out, we didn't slip. It slid a long way. That's not good. We explained the urgency to them. Hopefully they know and I think they do."

New York, which has won seven of nine at home, is still trying to figure things out, Philadelphia has seemingly righted its ship after inserting Evan Turner into the team's starting lineup.

On Friday, Turner filled the stat sheet with 16 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, helping the 76ers get past the Utah Jazz, 104-91.

"Evan is such a versatile player," Elton Brand said. "He's such a threat out there on the court."

Lou Williams and Thaddeus Young chipped in 21 points apiece off the bench for the 76ers, who have won two straight since losing eight of their prior 10 contests.

"When you got your guys off the bench, and two of them are your leading scorers, that kind of lets you know what kind of team that they have. They do a great job of spreading the ball around. They play unselfishly," Utah point guard Devin Harris said of Williams and Young.

The Sixers shot 52.6 percent from the floor and tallied 25 fastbreak points.

"That was a great, great win for our guys tonight. Utah is a very, very tough team to play against. They have a distinctive style offensively. They have some post players who cause a ton of problems for you. They cut hard. If you turn your back at all, they're cutting behind you," Philadelphia head coach Doug Collins said.

The Sixers, though, play four of their next five on the road, where they have lost five of six.

New York beat the Sixers back on January 11 and has won the last three and six of the last eight meetings. Philadelphia has also dropped three of its last four at MSG.