The New York Knicks moved within two wins of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 in Game 2 of their semifinal matchup at home.
New York now holds a commanding 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series, with Game 3 set for Friday evening in Philadelphia.
Jalen Brunson delivered when it mattered most, contributing 26 points overall with eight critical points in the final quarter to help his team pull away. The Knicks finished the contest with a decisive 12-3 scoring run in a back-and-forth battle that featured 14 ties and 25 lead changes.
“Being down 2-0 after coming back to win in the first round, I think it’s more of a challenge,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “It was 1-1 after two games (against the Boston Celtics in the first round), right? So it’s 2-0. Puts a lot on this next game for sure, but that’s OK.”
Karl-Anthony Towns contributed a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds despite being limited to just 27 minutes due to foul difficulties. OG Anunoby added 24 points before leaving the game with 2:31 remaining after suffering what appeared to be a right leg injury, while Mikal Bridges chipped in 18 points.
“He looked like he was hopping,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said of Anunoby. “I have not talked to medical yet.”
The victory extended New York’s winning streak to five games, with their previous four wins coming by an average margin of 33.8 points. Center Mitchell Robinson was ruled out just before tipoff due to illness.
Philadelphia received 26 points from Tyrese Maxey, but the team struggled mightily in the final quarter, managing only 12 points on 4-of-19 shooting (21.1%). The 76ers held their last lead at 99-96 following a Kelly Oubre Jr. three-pointer with 6:52 remaining, but managed just one field goal in their next 10 attempts while committing two turnovers.
“At the end of the day, it came down to who was going to get more stops in that fourth quarter,” Brown said. “To hold a team like that to 12 points – and they missed some shots, we know that – to have them only score 12 points in that fourth quarter, it’s huge.”
Oubre and Paul George each scored 19 points for Philadelphia, while VJ Edgecombe added 17. Star center Joel Embiid remained sidelined with ankle and hip injuries.
Philadelphia opened strong, building their largest advantage with a 15-8 start as George scored 11 early points. New York responded with a 10-2 run to take their first lead at 18-17, setting the stage for the competitive affair that followed.
The 76ers maintained narrow leads at the end of each of the first three quarters: 33-31 after one, 62-61 at halftime, and 90-89 through three periods.
“We felt like we should’ve won it,” Edgecombe said. “It came down to shot-making at the end of the game. They were making shots, we (weren’t).”
The game’s turning point came midway through the fourth quarter when Josh Hart responded to Oubre’s three-pointer with one of his own, sparking a crucial 9-0 New York run. The Knicks extended their largest lead to that point at 105-99 on a Bridges jumper with 2:56 left on the clock.
Both teams struggled offensively in the final minutes, with four consecutive empty possessions before Maxey made one of two free throws with 1:33 remaining. Brunson answered with a pair of successful foul shots, and after Maxey’s layup cut the deficit to five points, Hart and George both missed three-point attempts. Miles McBride connected on one of two free throws with 22.1 seconds left to help seal the victory.
Maxey’s 26-foot three-point attempt missed the mark, and Brunson secured the rebound with 12.6 seconds remaining, dribbling out the remaining time to secure the win.
