The New York Knicks were the only team in the Eastern Conference that was not actively ducking a first-round matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. They knew how difficult it would be playing against a team that, which normal circumstances, would have finished much higher in the standings.
But, to find success in the NBA Playoffs, you are going to have to beat some good teams along the way. So, why not get it out of the way early, building confidence and momentum for the rest of the way?
That is exactly what New York did, as they defeated Philadelphia in six games in what could be one of the best first-round series ever. It was a slugfest between two evenly matched teams, as the Knicks 118-115 victory in Game 6 gave them a 4-2 series victory.
The matchup could not have been a more competitive one, as virtually every game went right down to the wire. As shared by Mike Vornukov of The Athletic, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by one point in the six games combined.
The difference was razor thin, as one call or shot determined the outcome more often than not. An early 22-point lead for the Knicks was erased before halftime by the 76ers, who led by as many as 10 in the third quarter. In Game 6, it was the brilliance of Jalen Brunson and the trust he had in his teammates that won out in the end.
He finished the game with 41 points, 12 assists and three rebounds. When the 76ers blitzed him with double teams, he found the open man. On the biggest play of the season for New York, he made a pass to Josh Hart, reminiscent of the play he didn’t make when the Knicks were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
Hart made it count, knocking down the 3-pointer with 25.1 seconds remaining to give New York a 114-111 lead. They played the foul game from that point out as Donte DiVincenzo and Brunson went 4-for-4 from the line to ice the game.
In an arena Brunson, DiVincenzo and Hart called home playing collegiately for Villanova, playing under the championship banners they helped win, they came up clutch once again. New York will now have a few days off until they start their semifinal series against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
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