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High-octane Knicks attack faces off against 76ers

Oct 31, 2008 - 10:55 AM New York (1-0) at Philadelphia (0-1), 7:00pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- A pair of teams that defied expectations in their season openers will square off on Friday, as the new-look New York Knicks visit the Philadelphia 76ers in an Atlantic Division clash.

The Knicks, expected to be more of a long-term project under new head coach Mike D'Antoni, put their new offense on full display on Wednesday. Thanks to Jamal Crawford's 29 points and Zach Randolph's 20 and nine boards, the Knicks edged the Miami Heat, 120-115, to open up the season with a bang.

While the team failed to shed the contractual deadweight of Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry this offseason, it wasn't a problem for D'Antoni, who has left the pair out of his regular rotation. That opened the door for the likes of David Lee, Quentin Richardson and Wilson Chandler, three players who seem tailor-made for such a system.

They did not disappoint. Lee registered the team's only double-double with 20 points and 11 boards, Richardson had 16 and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Chandler - a first-round pick last year who emerged this preseason - added 17 off the bench.

The Sixers, on the other hand, were not as fortunate. Considered a rising contender in the Eastern Conference after the offseason pickup of All-Star forward Elton Brand, they stumbled out of the gate at home on Wednesday, falling to the Toronto Raptors, 95-84.

The new-look offense looked out of sync in its first regular season appearance, as the Sixers shot just 34.5 percent from the field. Brand and Andre Iguodala combined to go 10-for-32.

The Sixers have won nine of their last 12 meetings with the Knicks.