The New York Knicks are heading back to the Eastern Conference Finals after a dominant 144-114 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4, completing a 4-0 series sweep. The win was never in doubt, as the Knicks exploded for 81 first-half points, including 18 three-pointers, to take a commanding 54-point advantage from beyond the arc. The 30-point margin of victory continued a trend of lopsided wins for New York, which posted an average margin of 19.4 points per game through the first two rounds—the largest through two rounds since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984.
Deuce McBride, starting in place of the injured OG Anunoby, was the unlikely hero, scoring 25 points on 7-of-10 shooting from three-point range. He hit four triples in the first quarter alone, helping the Knicks set a team record with 11 three-pointers in the opening period. Star point guard Jalen Brunson added 22 points, while Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 17 each. The balanced attack overwhelmed a Sixers defense that had no answer for New York's pace and spacing.
"Our guys tried to take it to another level with their focus on the details and their energy and effort level," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. "That's a lot of the reason why we're playing pretty good basketball." Brown's squad has now won eight straight playoff games and will face the winner of the Cleveland Cavaliers-Detroit Pistons series, with Detroit currently leading 2-1.
For the Sixers, the loss marked another early playoff exit. Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 24 points, and Tyrese Maxey added 17, but the duo received little support. The Sixers shot just 37% from three-point range and were outrebounded 48-36. Embiid, who battled knee issues throughout the season, reflected on his health after the game: "I came into this year not knowing where I was going to be [with health], how long I was going to play, if I was even going to play based on how the knee was the last few years. I came in just hoping for the best and I feel like we're in a position where we figured out the knee. It hasn't been an issue."
Philadelphia has not advanced past the second round since 2001, and this sweep raises serious questions about the team's future. Embiid's health will remain a storyline, but the roster's depth and coaching decisions will also face scrutiny.
The Knicks, meanwhile, are peaking at the right time. Their 18 three-pointers in the first half tied a franchise playoff record for a half, and they finished with 22 from deep. The crowd at the Wells Fargo Center was notably pro-Knicks, with fans waving brooms and "Always Knicks" towels, jeering the few remaining Sixers supporters. New York's sweep is its first since the 1999 Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta, and the team is now one step closer to its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
Up next, the Knicks await the winner of the Cavaliers-Pistons series. If Detroit advances, it would set up a matchup between the top-seeded Knicks and the upstart Pistons. Cleveland, however, has the experience of Donovan Mitchell and a strong defense. Regardless, New York has shown it can dominate on both ends of the floor, and the Eastern Conference Finals promise to be a thriller.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.