The New York Knicks walked into Philadelphia with a desperate 76ers team awaiting them, and left with more than just a road victory. Powered by another late-game surge from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks secured a 108-94 win on Friday night, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
New York is now just one win away from a second consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference finals, while the pressure on Philadelphia has reached a breaking point.
Brunson once again proved his postseason mettle. After starting the night just 2-of-8 from the field, the Knicks star settled into a rhythm, finishing with 33 points and nine assists while controlling the game down the stretch.
The decisive sequence arrived midway through the fourth quarter when Philadelphia cut the deficit to four. Quentin Grimes hit consecutive three-pointers to make it 88-84, briefly igniting the arena. But the Villanova core that has reshaped the Knicks quickly responded. Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges scored on back-to-back possessions, and then Brunson buried a deep three from the top of the key to push the lead to 95-86 during a crushing 9-0 run. Thousands of Knicks fans inside Xfinity Mobile Arena erupted as Philadelphia’s momentum evaporated.
Bridges added 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while Hart contributed 12 points and 11 rebounds. The trio repeatedly exploited Philadelphia’s defensive breakdowns in transition and half-court actions during winning time.
The Knicks also received a major boost from Landry Shamet, who entered the night with only 14 total postseason points. He scored 15 off the bench and knocked down a key three late in the third quarter that stretched the lead to nine.
New York won despite missing OG Anunoby, who remained sidelined with a strained right hamstring. The Knicks have now won six straight playoff games and continue to look deeper and more connected with each round.
Philadelphia had its chances early. Paul George scored 15 points in the first quarter as the Sixers built a 12-point lead, and Joel Embiid—returning after missing Game 2 with a sprained right ankle and sore right hip—finished with 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists. But the game turned after halftime. George failed to score after the opening quarter and missed his final nine shots.
