The Knicks took a 2-0 series lead Wednesday night, grinding out a 108-102 victory over the 76ers at Madison Square Garden. New York trailed after the first quarter, 33-31, and stayed close through three, tied at 89 heading into the fourth. The relentless Knicks defense gradually wore down Tyrese Maxey (47 MIN, 26 PTS) and Paul George (43 MIN, 19 PTS)—and maybe both sides were a little gassed. Philly managed just 12 points in the final frame, and each team squeaked out just three points in the final three minutes.
This wasn’t the blowout that we’ve become accustomed to, and the offense faltered at times (7-of-26 3PT), but the paint dominance (56 points), a 20-10-7 line from KAT, and Anunoby’s two-way bullying were enough to claim the victory.
Jalen Brunson
41 minutes, 26 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers, 9-21 FG, 1-5 3PT, +7
Brunson was the engine, as usual, but it wasn’t easy. Kelly Oubre, Jr. and VJ Edgecombe took turns harassing JB through most of the first quarter, and he worked hard just to make 9-of-21 from the floor. He made up for it at the free throw line, where he converted 7-of-8. Those trips to the stripe were crucial in the fourth quarter when Philly was clinging to their lead. Given how well he was guarded, a 6:3 assist-to-turnover ratio ain’t too shabby. Cap still found his spots, still made the right reads, and outdueled Maxey yet again. Grade: B+
Karl-Anthony Towns
27 minutes, 20 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 3 turnovers, 6-8 FG, 7-9 FT, 1-1 3PT, +6
This was a KAT performance that reminds you of what he can do when he’s aggressive. He shot 75% from the field, drew eight fouls, and dished seven dimes. The double-double was almost a footnote given how efficient he was. Without Joel Embiid (ankle/hip), Philly had no answer for Karl inside or as a passer at the elbow. His free throw trips kept the Sixers in foul trouble all night. Three turnovers and that silly foul right after halftime keep the grade from climbing higher. Grade: A-
OG Anunoby
37 minutes, 24 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers, 9-17 FG, 2-7 3PT, +12
Best player on the floor last night? Quite possibly. OG logged four steals, zero turnovers, and 24 points on clean, efficient shotmaking. He generated 11 points off turnovers by himself and added six fast-break points, turning defense into offense while demoralizing Philly. Add to that a perfect 4-for-4 from the stripe. The three-point shooting was a little off, but who cares when he’s so active and impactful everywhere else? The Knicks needed a difference maker in a close game, and OG answered the call. The only dark cloud? Late in the game, he tweaked something in his leg and exited. Say your prayers it’s merely something minor. Grade: A
Mikal Bridges
38 minutes, 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 0 turnovers, 9-13 FG, 0-2 3PT, +7
A quietly terrific game. ’Kal shot 69 percent from the field, did his damage in the mid-range and at the rim (with very encouraging aggression). Crashing the glass and running hard, he hustled to score four second-chance points and four fast-break points. The threes weren’t falling, but he wasn’t the only one with that problem last night. Defensively, he was excellent, with more of an impact than his one steal and one block suggest. Consistent, efficient, low-noise production. Two more points and the Knicks would have had four starters with 20 or more. Grade: A-
Josh Hart
44 minutes, 5 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 0 blocks, 4 turnovers, 2-6 FG, 1-5 3PT, +5
The stat line is a tale of two halves. The good: seven boards, six assists, three steals, a +5. The bad: four turnovers, a tech foul, and 2-of-6 shooting. Hart’s energy is essential to the team’s success, and his playmaking and defensive activity were genuine contributions. One of the game’s biggest moments came when, after jamming his thumb in the third quarter, he returned in the fourth to make a back-breaking triple. The turnovers were costly, though, and the shooting kept him from having a complete game. By our count, Josh must have a splint on two of his 10 digits—and the series is still young. Grade: B-
Ariel Hukporti
7 minutes, 2 points, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 0 blocks, 0 turnovers
The tall sophomore’s main crime was the foul trouble. With Mitchell Robinson sidelined by illness, and two first-quarter fouls on Towns, coach Mike Brown needed a clean game from his back-up center. Instead, Huk (who played very well in Game One) registered four personal fouls that limited his impact and shortened his stint. He grabbed three boards and had a second-chance bucket, but he fell short of expectation. Grade: C+
Miles McBride
21 minutes, 4 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, 1-5 FG, 1-4 3PT, -2
Defense was Deuce’s saving grace yesterday. He had a rough shooting night, making 1-of-5 from the field. One turnover, one assist, and a -2 in his stint. Sure, he canned a timely triple in the fourth, but he wasn’t a factor on offense otherwise. He’ll need to be more of a threat from deep as the playoffs continue, and if Anunoby misses any time, expect Deuce to play bigger minutes. Grade: B-
Landry Shamet
8 minutes, 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steal, 0 TO, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, +6
Shamet’s night was the definition of “cardio” in the box score, but don’t be fooled. That +6 in his eight minutes of action tells a truer tale. While Landry didn’t record a single counting stat, the Knicks went on one of their better mini-runs while he was on the floor. he functioned purely as a floor spacer tonight, and supplied some solid defense on the other end. Nothing memorable, but sometimes that’s exactly what’s needed. All those blanks bring down his mark. Grade: C+
Jordan Clarkson
8 minutes, 6 points, 5 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 turnover, 2-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, -6
A mixed bag. Clarkson went 2-of-4 from the field and grabbed five boards (three offensive), which is the hustle we like to see from him. The -6 in his minutes was a bummer. Grade: C
Bench / Rotation Notes
Jose Alvarado chipped in three points on 1-of-2 shooting, with one assist and one turnover in a seven-minute cameo. Overall, six NY reserves combined for 15 points and 52 minutes. Conversely, Nick Nurse played just three bench guys, who also scored 15 points. So far, New York’s depth is fine against Philly. It might prove less so in other rounds. Grade: C+
Coach Mike Brown
Battling poor officiating in addition to a well-coached opponent, Brown made the right adjustments heading into the fourth. The Knicks allowed 13 triples on 34 attempts, which is a bit concerning, but the overall defensive structure was sound, and New York outscored the Phillies 19-12 in the fourth to close it out. Up 2-0, no complaints. Grade: B+
The Knicks are in the driver’s seat heading to Philadelphia. Game Two was less pretty than Game One, but not unexpected. We figured the Sixers would come back with a strong counterpunch—and maybe play better without Embiid sucking up so much oxygen, frankly. Games Three and Four will be played in a tougher environment, but despite Philly’s attempts to block their attendance, Knicks fans should be present and vocal. Let’s hope the ‘Bockers give them something to cheer about.
Go Knicks!
