Overview

• New York won 99-84 at Etihad Arena to open the NBA preseason, with starters on managed minutes and a second matchup set for Oct. 4.
• Josh Hart slipped on a push in transition, then flung the ball into the stands and was ejected; the team listed him as day-to-day with lower back soreness pending Friday evaluation.
• Conflicting explanations surfaced on Hart’s absence from the game, with ESPN reporting the ejection as the reason he did not return while the Knicks and Mike Brown cited back soreness.
• Brown’s first look featured Mitchell Robinson starting next to Karl-Anthony Towns with OG Anunoby out (sprained hand), and New York emphasized pace, spacing and deeper bench usage.
• Miles McBride scored 12 to lead the Knicks as Robinson grabbed 16 rebounds in 18 minutes; Philadelphia, missing Joel Embiid and Paul George, shot 3-for-35 from three with Tyrese Maxey scoring 14 and rookie VJ Edgecombe making his preseason debut.