New York, NY (Sports Network) - Jamal Crawford scored 18 points and dished out five assists as New York held off Philadelphia, 89-81, at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks were missing point guard Stephon Marbury, who is out indefinitely after he had surgery Tuesday to remove bone spurs from his left ankle.

Marbury, who has missed seven straight games and 17 of New York's last 26, said last week he would try to return this season.

Zach Randolph added 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who have won two of three and six of their last 10 games overall. They also snapped a four-game skid against Philadelphia.

"As a team, everybody is really stepping up," said Crawford. "As a team, we don't care who gets the credit. We're playing together, helping each other on defense, helping each other offensively. We're just playing better right now.

I think we're getting better in the stretch of taking teams, that's it. When they come back we don't fold. We don't put our heads down and think we're gonna lose. We get together and try to come out with a win."

Andre Iguodala scored a game-high 24 points for the Sixers, losers of three straight and four of five. Philadelphia won nine of its last 13 games in 2007, but is just 2-11 in the new year.

Willie Green chipped in with 13 points, Samuel Dalembert had 12 and Andre Miller ended with 10 for the Sixers. Reggie Evans, meanwhile, played more than 31 minutes and scored just two points to go along with nine rebounds.

"It's tough when you're right there in all the games and always look back and say "could've, should've, would've," said Green. "Teams are beating us, and we have to find some way to get over that hump. It's tough. You gotta give the Knicks credit too, because they did a great job of what they had to do to win the game."

New York opened a double-digit lead early in the contest, but the Sixers quickly closed the gap with a 9-3 run, highlighted by Miller's driving layup at 2:25 and a subsequent free throw that cut it to 21-17.

The Knicks responded and held a 28-21 edge at the end of the first quarter, but that also evaporated, as a Jason Smith tip shot for the Sixers made it 32- all at 9:11.

New York then reeled off 13 of the next 15 points, good for a 45-34 cushion, but then endured a cold spell that allowed the visitors to pull within five.

It was a 50-46 Knicks' lead at intermission, and New York used a 12-6 spurt to close out the third quarter. New York led 72-66 heading to the fourth.

Philadelphia couldn't get over the hump in the final 12 minutes, despite making it a two-point game with just under five minutes to play on an Iguodala jumper. Both teams then combined to miss seven shots in nearly two minutes, before the Knicks pulled away.

A three-point play by Crawford was the final nail in the coffin, opening an 85-80 Knicks lead. Crawford also added a jumper with 57 seconds left that sealed the victory.

The Sixers did not hit a bucket from the field in the final 4:59 of the contest.