On Thursday, the Philadelphia 76ers are set to make their return from the 2024 NBA All-Star break. They’ll kick off the home stretch with a second matchup against the New York Knicks.
When the Sixers hosted the Knicks for the first of four meetings between the two Atlantic Division rivals, Philly didn’t have an answer for New York’s attack. Suffering a 128-92 beatdown, the Sixers got off on the wrong foot in the regular season series against the Knicks.
Thursday’s matchup doesn’t get much easier for Philadelphia, but there are positive developments for the Sixers, which could help better their chances of climbing out of their current slump, which features a 3-7 record in their previous ten games.
The Debut of Kyle Lowry
Before heading into the All-Star break, the Sixers added a veteran guard in Kyle Lowry. After the former Miami Heat guard landed on the Charlotte Hornets via trade, weeks before the deadline, it was only a matter of when Lowry would reach a buyout and become a free agent.
Once Lowry hit the open market after Charlotte cut him loose, he announced a return home to the City of Brotherly Love.
As expected, Lowry didn’t make his Sixers debut before the All-Star break. Considering he hadn’t suited up in weeks, the veteran guard planned to go through a quick ramp-up phase before throwing on a uniform and giving it a go in Philadelphia before the break.
Barring any unexpected setbacks, Thursday’s game against the Knicks is set to become Lowry’s first opportunity to get some action with the Sixers. With Lowry available for the matchup, he could take the floor for the first time since his last appearance on the Heat, which took place on January 21 against the Orlando Magic.
This season, Lowry appeared in 37 games with the Heat, averaging 28 minutes on the floor. Before getting swapped out for Terry Rozier, Lowry produced an average of eight points, four rebounds, and four assists per game while shooting 43 percent from the field, knocking down 39 percent of his threes.
The Sixers and the Knicks will tip off at 7:00 PM ET in South Philly on Thursday.
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