So, there was this moment when Josh Hart’s shot hit the rim—kind of odd for the Knicks, really. But then Mikal Bridges quickly grabbed the rebound and passed it to Jalen Brunson.
Brunson, of course, nailed the shot just before the end of the half. Were we really surprised? For most of the first half, he seemed to do whatever he pleased against the 76ers’ defense.
This basket stretched the Knicks’ lead to 23 points at halftime, bringing Brunson’s tally to a remarkable 27 points, including all of the Knicks’ last 11 points before the break.
The fans at Madison Square Garden erupted, standing and cheering. There was a unique energy in the arena, far more intense than anything felt during the first round.
The Knicks shot just under 66 percent from the field and were practically smothering the 76ers on the other end.
Honestly, they made it look easy.
Not long after the second half began, the lead swelled to 31 points. The 76ers attempted to recover, but it was kind of a lost cause.
They had no answer, really. It felt like a party at MSG, and the Knicks showed no intentions of spoiling it. They coasted to a 137-98 victory, taking a decisive 1-0 lead in the series.
You want to know how well it went? Bridges earned a standing ovation when he left the game near the end of the third quarter. Just a few games back, he had been on the bench and feeling the fans’ frustration.
But, right now, the Knicks are the center of attention in the NBA. Their momentum from the first round is still strong.
Over their last four games—counting the last three from the first round and Monday’s Game 1—they’ve outscored opponents by a total of 135 points. They became the first team in the play-by-play era to lead by at least 30 points in three straight playoff games. They were just one point shy of being the first team to win back-to-back games by 40 points or more during the playoffs.
Only one team previously finished a series with a lead of 30 points and started one in the same way—the 1986 Celtics.
Well, now there are two.
The Knicks wrapped up shooting 63.1 percent from the field and 51.4 percent from beyond the arc. Both teams brought in their bench players during the fourth quarter, and again, a Knicks starter didn’t play a minute in that last quarter. Fans cheered for Tyler Kolek, just like during the regular season.
Brunson exploited the pick-and-roll against Joel Embiid, scoring 35 points while hitting 12 of 18 attempts and 3 of 6 from three. He also had three assists and just one turnover. VJ Edgecomb was supposed to help, but he often found himself at a disadvantage due to constant screens.
Brunson’s teammates rallied in the second quarter, and the Knicks really took off. Karl-Anthony Towns and Bridges added seven points each during that time, with OG Anunoby contributing six. Before that, Anunoby scored seven of the Knicks’ last nine points in the first quarter, giving them an eight-point advantage to start the second.
Anunoby seems to be on quite the postseason roll, finishing with 18 points on 7 of 8 shooting. Bridges and Towns also chipped in with 17 points each. Hart was everywhere, with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Miles McBride came off the bench with some energy.
Maybe the only issue for the Knicks was a bit of foul trouble. Embiid tied Towns and Mitchell Robinson on points, forcing Ariel Hukporti to step up in crucial moments.
Otherwise, though, Embiid struggled, scoring just 14 points on 3 of 11 shooting. Bridges did a solid job containing Tyrese Maxey, who only managed 13 points on 3 of 9 shooting.
Maxey didn’t register a field goal until the second quarter when the Knicks were already building their lead. This was the lowest score for the 76ers since January 26. Paul George was pretty much an afterthought in this game. It was a thorough defeat.
Maybe the 76ers just didn’t have enough time to recuperate after a grueling seven-game series in the first round.
Or perhaps, this is just the Knicks, showing their strength as they keep pushing forward.
