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United States. The Knicks took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, in a game marked by the absence of Joel Embiid.
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New York once again leaned on the offensive leadership of Jalen Brunson, who finished with 26 points, while Dominican-American Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds, in addition to dishing out seven assists. With the victory, the Knicks are two wins away from returning to the Eastern Conference Finals, a stage where they were eliminated last season by the Indiana Pacers. Philadelphia, despite not having Embiid due to hip discomfort and a sprained right ankle, showed a better version than in the first game of the series. Tyrese Maxey led the offense with 26 points, while Paul George had an explosive start and helped keep the Sixers in the fight for much of the game. The visitors dominated several stretches of the game and went into halftime with a minimal lead of 62-61, supported by effective long-distance shooting and a defensive strategy that quickly put Towns in foul trouble. However, in the final quarter, the Sixers suffered a prolonged offensive slump and went nearly six minutes without scoring. The Knicks took advantage of the moment to pull away on the scoreboard thanks to Brunson, who scored five consecutive points during a decisive 9-0 rally. OG Anunoby also had a significant role with 24 points, while Mikal Bridges added 18 for a Knicks team that defended their home court and maintains control of the series before traveling to Philadelphia. In the other conference semifinal played on Wednesday, the San Antonio Spurs faced the Minnesota Timberwolves seeking to tie the Western series.
