Game analysis / Published 2026-10-26

The late defensive possessions behind Philadelphia’s season opener

Philadelphia used switches, a hard show and a weak-side rotation to meet New York’s late ball-screen actions. The numbers describe one game, not a season-long guarantee.

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THE SHORT VERSION

  • The late stretch centered on how Philadelphia handled screens involving Joel Embiid’s defender.
  • New York repeatedly tried to bring Embiid into the action, while Philadelphia used switches, pressure and a weak-side rotation.
  • One opener can show the choices made in that game. It cannot settle how either team will defend or score over a full season.

The late question was about the screen

Philadelphia’s season opener against New York ended 106-100, but the most useful part of the game to study is a short defensive sequence rather than the final number. The Knicks had tried to make Joel Embiid defend Jalen Brunson in ball-screen actions. That matchup had been a feature of their playoff series five months earlier, and the NBA’s game analysis shows Philadelphia spending the night trying to keep Embiid away from it.

The choice mattered because a screen forces two defenders to decide who will contain the ball, who will take the screener and whether another teammate must rotate. If Embiid switched onto Brunson, New York could attack a guard against a larger center. If he stayed back, Brunson could use the space to pull up or turn the corner. The possession record does not show every option the Knicks considered, but it does show which routes Philadelphia used when the game tightened.

Eight possessions changed the closing read

The NBA’s breakdown places the key stretch after Karl-Anthony Towns made a three-pointer with 4:37 left. That shot brought the Knicks within one. Across their next eight possessions, New York scored only twice. Philadelphia had missed three shots at the other end before the Knicks had a chance to move in front, so the defensive work occurred while the margin was still fragile.

One possession began with Brown switching onto Towns before Towns could set a screen for Brunson. Brown then took Brunson himself and forced a difficult attempt. Later, New York did get Embiid into the action. He came out hard at Brunson, making him give up the ball. Towns appeared available on the roll or pop, but James rotated from the weak side and cut off the pass. On a later trip Maxey read an Anunoby pass, intercepted it and finished at the rim. Those are distinct decisions: switch early, pressure the ball, then help behind the first defender.

The screen numbers point to a matchup adjustment

The NBA reported 14 possessions in which the Knicks used at least one Brunson ball screen with the player guarded by Embiid involved in the action. New York scored five points on those possessions, or 0.36 points per chance. In the teams’ playoff series five months earlier, the same general action produced 1.24 points per chance. The difference gives a concrete reason to focus on the matchup instead of treating the finish as a generic story about effort.

That comparison has a narrow scope. It refers to this defined type of possession, and the source does not say that every screen was identical or that the same coverage was used on each one. A few possessions can move a per-chance figure sharply. The number is useful because it identifies an area where the opening-night approach differed from the prior series. It cannot by itself prove that Philadelphia has solved the matchup for future games.

Embiid’s offense and defense moved in opposite directions

Embiid had a difficult shooting night: 13 points on 4-for-15 shooting, with only four attempts in the paint and four trips to the free-throw line. The NBA analysis described him as too willing to settle for jumpers and not getting fully to the basket when a path opened. That matters to the offensive side of the matchup. A center who draws attention with post position or a direct roll can force different help decisions from the defense.

His defensive line told another story. He recorded two steals and three blocks, including a recovery that let him block Andre Drummond after first stopping Brunson’s drive. With Embiid on the floor, the Knicks scored 61 points on 72 possessions, about 85 per 100. With him off, they scored 39 on 31 possessions, about 126 per 100. Those on-off totals come from one game and short stretches, so they describe the night’s pattern rather than a stable estimate of Embiid’s full-season impact.

The offense also tried to use several stars at once

The opening play showed what Philadelphia wanted to test. Brown set an off-ball screen for James while Embiid set a ball screen for him; at the same time, Maxey screened the defender responsible for Embiid. The NBA called it a Spain pick-and-roll variation. New York did not complete a clean three-player switch, and Maxey found space for an open three-pointer.

The value of that action comes from the defenders’ attention. A player who can shoot or create is harder to leave alone, even when he is setting a screen rather than handling the ball. The sequence forced New York to decide whether to switch, follow a cutter or protect the lane. The 76ers later ran the shape with Adem Bona in Embiid’s place. The Knicks covered it better, but Maxey attacked the closeout and drew a foul. The second example matters because it shows a repeatable idea being tested with a different center, not because it guarantees the same result each time.

James at center created a different spacing problem

Philadelphia also used James as a center for a few minutes after its preseason backup-center injury. During one second-quarter span, the team scored eight points in five offensive possessions. On one of those plays, James rolled after Maxey rejected a screen, drew defenders into the paint and found Brown underneath for a dunk.

This lineup offers a different question from the Embiid minutes. With James screening and rolling, Philadelphia can put another shooter or ball-handler outside the lane. That may open a passing angle. The team can also lose size on the glass and have trouble protecting the rim, as the NBA analysis noted. A short run does not tell us whether the trade will work over a longer stint, against a different opponent or when the game demands more rebounding.

The supporting cast had to make the defense pay

The four headline players all recorded at least five assists, according to the NBA’s game analysis. Maxey scored 28 points; Brown, James and Embiid added 19, 14 and 13. The Associated Press report adds that Anfernee Simons made three three-pointers and fellow newcomer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made two. Its account says those reserves found open looks when New York focused on Philadelphia’s better-known scorers.

That detail connects the defense and offense. If New York commits extra attention to Maxey or James, the next pass has to reach someone who can make the open shot or attack the closeout. If the perimeter players cannot punish that decision, the defense can keep its shape. The opener supplied examples on both sides: a crowded screen action led to an open Maxey look, while the late defensive rotation cut off the pass to Towns and created the steal opportunity.

One game sets questions for the next film session

The Knicks finished with 100 points on 102 possessions, fewer than one point per possession. The NBA noted that New York had reached that level only six times across its previous season’s 101 games. The Associated Press also reported that the Knicks shot 37 percent overall and 33.3 percent from three. Those figures support a description of an inefficient night. They do not tell us whether the cause was primarily Philadelphia’s coverage, New York’s shot-making, early-season timing or some mix of all three.

The useful follow-up is specific: Will the 76ers keep switching Brown onto screeners, or will opponents target a different defender? Can Embiid remain involved in the action without leaving the lane exposed? Will the same multi-player screen create open shots when defenses are prepared for it? These are questions for later game evidence. The opening-night tape shows that Philadelphia had more than one defensive answer and more than one way to involve its stars. It does not yet establish a season-long formula.

Sources & reporting limits

  1. 4 takeaways: New-look 76ers deliver at MSG to win season opener
  2. 76ers rally past Knicks 106-100 as LeBron James and Jaylen Brown debut
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