Sports · October 31, 2026

76ers Beat Knicks 98–93: LeBron James, Maxey and the NBA Cup Finish

New York briefly grabbed the lead late, but Philadelphia answered in the final minute to secure a 98–93 NBA Cup victory.

By NewsTrendus Editorial Desk · October 31, 2026 · Independently written from linked sources · Representative editorial photograph

Representative licensed photograph of a basketball on an empty court, not a photograph of the Knicks versus 76ers NBA Cup game

Representative licensed photograph, not a photo of the reported event or named people/products. Photo: Onur Bahadır / Pexels (free-use license).

Final score: Philadelphia 76ers 98, New York Knicks 93, on Friday, October 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 27 points, and LeBron James contributed 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers held off a late Knicks comeback for a 98–93 victory in NBA Cup East Group B play Friday night. The game was tightest at the end: New York moved ahead late in the fourth quarter, but Philadelphia answered with critical possessions from LeBron James and VJ Edgecombe, according to Reuters' October 31 game report and the published score records.

Knicks vs. 76ers final score and leading scorers

Philadelphia won 98–93 after building an early advantage and absorbing a New York push. Tyrese Maxey finished with 27 points for the 76ers, while Anfernee Simons added 21. James posted 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, helping control the final possessions.

For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson scored 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns supplied 22 points and 12 rebounds. Those individual totals did not overcome Philadelphia's late execution. The final result and matchup can be checked against the NBA's official game page.

How Philadelphia won the closing minutes

New York worked back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit. With about 1:32 remaining, Brunson hit a three-pointer to move the Knicks ahead 90–89. That brief lead made the last possessions decisive instead of a routine finish.

James responded with a fadeaway basket to put Philadelphia back in front. Edgecombe then hit a critical three, and James followed with an offensive rebound and putback with roughly 12 seconds left. Those plays provided the cushion needed to hold off New York's final attempts. The CBS Sports game tracker offers an independent sequence and box-score reference.

Why the result matters in NBA Cup group play

The game counted in East Group B of the NBA Cup, not merely as an exhibition. Philadelphia improved to 5–1 overall while New York fell to 2–4, based on postgame reporting. Those records describe the teams after Friday's matchup and should not be confused with final group standings or a guaranteed knockout berth.

The immediate takeaway for New York is that its fourth-quarter response was not enough without cleaner late possessions. For Philadelphia, the combination of Maxey's scoring and James' finishing gave it an answer when the game briefly turned. These are observations from the reported sequence, not a prediction about either team's season.

What's next?

Upcoming matchups and NBA Cup implications can change as other teams play. Readers seeking live schedules and official results should use the NBA schedule. For earlier Knicks coverage, see our Knicks–Bulls October 28 recap.

Sources and verification

Verified October 31, 2026. The basketball photograph is representative and is not presented as an image of this game or its athletes.