Knicks flat in 106-100 loss to 76ers on banner night

The championship hangover is very much real, and the New York Knicks' first test against one of the beasts of the East ultimately was a failure.  On a night in which they raised their championship banner and received their rings, the Knicks' largest contributors came up small in a 106-100 opening-night loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.  "I understand we're human," head coach Mike Brown said about the letdown from an emotional pregame ceremony. "For me, it's about trying to keep taking steps up and climbing forward and not giving any excuses. We had to lace 'em up and play, and we didn't get the job done.  Forced to play catch-up in the fourth quarter after a miserable showing in the third, the Knicks were able to get within touching distance of the Sixers, but could not find the last piece to get over the hump.   Trailing by as much as nine with 10:26 to go, an 8-1 run sparked by a Jose Alvarado steal and three brought the Knicks to within tw