Nothing beats NBA Playoff basketball. The matchup between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers has been a clash of titans up to this point. The series currently sits at 3-1 in favor of New York. Knicks guard Miles McBride has been tearing it up thus far, willing the Knicks to a 111-104 win in game one. “Deuce,” as fans have dubbed him for the #2 jersey he dawns, shot 7/12 from the field, including an impressive 5/7 from beyond the arc. His efforts turned in 21 points, and with help from fellow guards Jalen Brunson, 22, and Josh Hart, 22, the Knicks offense rolled right past Philly. The Sixers duo of guard Tyrese Maxey, who put up an impressive 33 points in a 14/26 effort, and star center Joel Embiid, who still put up 29 points and 8 boards despite going down with a knee injury before halftime, fought hard to keep The City of Brotherly Love hopeful. Their efforts came to no avail, with a hurt Embiid and a stacked Knicks defense on the floor it was hard for Philly to keep up. In the end, the Knicks came out with the win, and for the first time in years, Knicks fans had some hope of things to come.
Game two ended in stunning fashion, as the Knicks toughed out a gutsy 104-101 win at the Garden. Despite Embiid and Maxey combining for 70, New York’s defense stood their ground and forced a turnover late that resulted in a Donte DiVincenzo three-pointer to take the lead by three. Although the call was controversial, the steal still counted and a rebound by Isaiah Hartenstein off the first Divo miss sparked a second chance opportunity, one that Donte took full advantage of and cashed in. He turned in a 19-point performance, while teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart had 24 and 21 respectively. Embiid had 34 for Philly while Maxey put up 35 in the loss.
Both games three and four came down to the wire at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers took the first of their two games at home, besting the Knicks 125-114. Tensions were high in game 3, and the Sixers took advantage of this and ran with it. Embiid dropped 50 to silence the Knicks fans in attendance, coupled with a 25-point performance by Tyrese Maxey. Jalen Brunson caught fire with 39 points and Josh Hart handed in 20 to combine with Brunson for 59 total, but their efforts came to no avail as Embiid was flat-out unstoppable in game 3. Game four was a different story, as Knicks fans stormed Wells Fargo Center and actually outshowed the hometeam crowd. Boos and other negative chants directed towards the Sixers echoed throughout the stadium. MVP chants roared in for Jalen Brunson, and this drove him to a playoff-best 47-point performance in the Knicks 97-92 win. Embiid (27) and Maxey (23) combined for 50 on the other side but the Knicks’ defense was too stifling in the fourth quarter, and New York was able to shut down Joel entirely in the fourth quarter allowing just one point from the free throw line. OG Annunoby performed very well on defense with 3 blocks on the day.
The series turns back to New York now as game 5 is played on their turf. It’s going to be interesting to see how all the drama between fanbases and players turns out. Can Brunson keep it going and stay hot, or will Embiid and Maxey get going like they did in game three? Despite the Knicks 3-1 lead, this series is a true toss-up and is far from over until the final whistle. I predict the Knicks will take it home in game 5, springing their second consecutive Conference Semifinal appearance. It’ll be fun to see whether the Sixers can respond with a win or if New York will take the series Tuesday night.
