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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 4:23 p.m., Tuesday, October 14, 2008

NBA: 76ers beat Knicks in D'Antoni's home debut

By BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer

NEW YORK — Andre Miller scored 22 points, and the Philadelphia 76ers spoiled Mike D'Antoni's first preseason home game at Madison Square Garden with a 116-109 victory over the New York Knicks tonight.

Andre Iguodala added 18 points and Thaddeus Young had 16 for the 76ers in the second meeting between the Atlantic Division rivals in five nights. The Knicks won 110-104 last Friday night in Philadelphia.

Reserves Nate Robinson scored 21 points and Wilson Chandler 20 for the Knicks, who were 15-of-32 (47 percent) from 3-point range but allowed the 76ers to shoot 51 percent from the floor.

Elton Brand, Philadelphia's key offseason addition, was only 3-of-12 but finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

D'Antoni was hired in May, bringing his high-scoring brand of basketball that turned the Phoenix Suns into one of the NBA's top teams over the last four seasons. And while the Knicks appear much better offensively, they struggled to get stops, essentially trading baskets for most of the second half.

Zach Randolph and David Lee each finished with 17 points for New York. Mardy Collins added 10 points, making all five shots in 11 minutes.

D'Antoni has been keeping to a tighter rotation than many coaches do in the preseason while trying to figure out exactly what he inherited from Isiah Thomas. He didn't use three healthy players and two others played less than 10 minutes. Stephon Marbury, now a reserve, was scoreless in 21 minutes.

Eddy Curry made his preseason debut late in first quarter. He missed the entire first week of practice with a bacterial infection, and D'Antoni felt he wasn't ready to play in either of the first two games.

Curry played 6 minutes in the first half, missing both shots from the field and scoring one point, then didn't return for the second because of an upset stomach.

Miller was 6-of-7 in the first quarter for 12 points, leading Philadelphia to a 32-24 lead. The Knicks cut it to 59-57 at halftime and grabbed the lead early in the third before the Sixers went back ahead 89-85 heading to the fourth.