Embiid Fouls Out In Crucial Game 6
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Richard Jean
Maxey Held To 17 Points in game 6 Loss
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
The idyllic scenario for a common NBA fan would have been be a game seven being played at Madison Square Garden this upcoming weekend for the first time since 1994. A narrative well deserved for what has been an instant classic of a series between two northeast based professional clubs squaring off in the playoffs for the first time in 35 seasons.
That fantasy perished Thursday night as the #2 seed New York Knicks survived a maelstrom of an affair against the #7 seed Philadelphia 76ers, winning the contest 118-115, and securing consecutive postseason first-round victories for the first time since the 2000-1999 postseasons.
Jalen Brunson delivered for the Knicks faithful as he dropped a game-high 41 points, his third straight 40+ performance, and propelled the Knicks to win their second straight road playoff game.
The Knicks started the contest on a 7-0 run and led by as many as 22 in the first quarter. New York appeared to run away with the game after leading by 14 points in the first 12 minutes, but then the second quarter began and 76ers head coach Nick Nurse inserted Buddy Hield into the lineup. Hield, who is synonymous for his bright smile and three-point shooting prowls, had the Philly faithful in the arena fervidly beaming with joy as he scored 17 points in the quarter, shooting 5-7 from deep and galvanizing the 76ers will their way back into the contest. Hield finished with 20 points off the bench for the Sixers.
Philadelphia tightened up its defense in the second holding the Knicks to 15 points and gained its first lead of the game off a Kelly Oubre Jr. three-pointer with 98 seconds left in the first half making 49-47. The Sixers led 54-51 at the break.
The 76ers started the third with back-to-back threes from reigning league MVP Joel Embiid and led by 10 following a Tyreese Maxey jumper 5:06 into the quarter. The Knicks did not fold as they rallied back, tying the game at 83 a piece via OG Anunoby three pointer towards the end of the period.
In the fourth, Philadelphia tied it up at 111 following a defensive goaltending violation against New York and Maxey made a free throw with 34.2 seconds left on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Brunson found his former Villanova Wildcat teammate, Josh Hart, at the top of the arch for the three to put the Knicks up for good with 25.1 seconds left in regulation. The final plays featured a chess match of back and forth free throws, with the Knicks going 4-4, preserving the win.
All five Knicks starters scored in double figures with Hart finishing with 16 points and 14 rebounds and Anunoby scoring 19 points. Donte DiVincenzo and Isaish Hartenstien scored 21 and 14 points, respectively for New York.
Embiid led Philadelphia with 39 points while Maxey and Oubre Jr. each scored 17 points. The 76ers have now not advanced past the second round of the NBA playoffs in their last 14 consecutive postseason trips.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau praised the 76ers for the fierce level of competition throughout the series “Every game was hard fought, it was a great series, each game could have gone either way, but it was a hard fought series and we’re fortunate and now we know we’ve got to get ready for Indiana.”
The Knicks now focus their attention on the #6 seed Indiana Pacers, who upset the injury-riddled #3 Milwaukee Bucks earlier in the day, winning their respective series in six games.
The Knicks and Pacers last faced each other in the playoffs in the 2013 conference semifinals with the Pacers winning the series in six games. While the lure of game seven at the world’s most famous arena has subsided for now, Knicks fans can be relieved that game one of the conference semifinals is Monday night in New York.
