The New York Knicks moved to the brink of a second-round sweep after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 108-94 on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Joel Embiid returned from a two-game absence due to ankle and hip injuries, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists. However, the Knicks’ duo of Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges proved too much to handle.
Brunson controlled the tempo once again, recording 33 points, five rebounds, and nine assists, while Bridges chipped in 23 points. Philadelphia started strong, building a 12-point lead, but New York responded with several scoring runs that flipped the momentum, with Knicks fans in attendance adding to the atmosphere.
Tyrese Maxey contributed 17 points and seven assists for the 76ers, while Kelly Oubre Jr. led all scorers with 22 points. Facing elimination, Philadelphia will attempt to avoid the 17th playoff sweep in franchise history — the second-most all-time — when the series returns to Philadelphia for Game 4 on Sunday.
Here are the key takeaways heading into Game 4.
Knicks Dominate the Glass, Ruin Philly’s Party
The Knicks don’t miss many shots, but when they do, securing the rebound is crucial. The 76ers failed to do so. New York grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and scored over 20 second-chance points en route to a 3-0 series lead. Karl-Anthony Towns led the charge with four offensive boards, and four other players had at least two. Early on, crashing the offensive glass was New York’s only offense as Philadelphia built a large lead.
During the regular season, the Knicks ranked sixth in offensive rebounds per game and seventh in second-chance points. In the playoffs, they entered Game 3 ranked 13th in offensive rebounds but second in second-chance points, meaning they still score even after misses. Philadelphia has struggled on the boards all season, and if New York continues to dominate the glass, it’s hard to see the 76ers avoiding a sweep.
If the Knicks keep scoring second-chance points at this rate, they will be tough to beat. Game 3 showed they can win in multiple ways.
— James Edwards III, Knicks beat writer
Knicks Play with Grit and Hart
Josh Hart plays with relentless energy, throwing his body around like a cannonball and accepting the hard landings. He did all this while playing through an injured left thumb. Before Game 3, he got an X-ray. “It wasn’t broken,” Hart said, and that was that. He played with the same high-octane style because it’s the only way he knows.
In the first three and a half minutes, Hart scored four points and grabbed four rebounds, yet he still faced social-media criticism for his offensive shortcomings. He is far from a perfect player — the 76ers had Embiid guard him for a reason. But at 31 and in his ninth season, Hart brings the ferocity on both ends that a true contender needs. He doesn’t worry about his injury, saying he’ll address it in the offseason, and he wasn’t about to sit out while OG Anunoby (hamstring) was already sidelined.
He added of the 76ers: “They got somebody on…”