Knicks lurch ahead 2-0 behind a furious fourth quarter comeback that stuns Sixers 104-101

23/04/2024 04:48

Bojan Bogdanovic kicked off a fourth quarter comeback, and a block by Isaiah Hartenstein seals it for the Knicks tonight

After a frantic and hypercompetitive fourth quarter, a missed three at the buzzer from Joel Embiid secured a New York win to put them up 2-0. New York snatched a game 2 win over Philadelphia, despite the Sixers' trio of Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Joel Embiid teaming up to score 87% of the team's first half points and overcame a late 18-6 surge by the losing visitors.

Maxey (35 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds) and Embiid (34 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists) were the most productive duo this evening, but the lack of support outside of Tobias Harris (10 points and 7 rebounds) cost them a chance to even the series.

New York's Villanova alumni Jalen Brunson (24 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists), Josh Hart (21 points and 15 rebounds), and Donte DiVincenzo (19 point and 4 assists) had strong opening halves and leveraged superior hustle and effort, with a raucous home court advantage to stage a furious rally in the third quarter to take their first lead. The Knicks also had a decided advantage in second half bench points along with a sturdy performance by Isaiah Hartenstein (14 points and 4 blocks).

Philadelphia, intent on grabbing a firm grip of the lead, fed the Knicks a steady diet of Maxey from the perimeter and Embiid inside the paint to stake themselves to a nine point lead. The Wildcat alumni, Hart, DiVincenzo, and Brunson, made up the majority of their prodjuction. Despite the opening frame being mostly a 3 (NYK)-on-2 (PHI) matchup, the Sixers left the quarter up seven.

The Knicks' bench players, particularly OG Anunoby, found some footing on offense, while Maxey and Embiid continued their hot shooting. Philadelphia found a third scorer in Harris, who hit key corner threes in tense moments. Hart and Brunson shredded the Sixers' perimeter defense and scored at-will late in the first half to get New York within two possessions. Philadelphia was fortunate that the period ended when it did and to make it to halftime up four.

The hungrier Knicks took it to the Sixers in the third period, as Isaiah Hartenstein's energy contributed to eight points as a safety valve for his guards. The Villanova contingent got New York enough stops to pull even and even ahead of Philadelphia late in the frame. Brunson's brilliance and his teammates' ability to draw fouls in the halfcourt stood out, and their team went to the final quarter up five.

Observations

• For pure nostalgia and awesomeness, nothing beats the organ music they use for 'DEFENSE' chants in Madison Square Garden.
• This series may lead the other ones in bodies hitting the floor. The over/under is roughly 17 times per game.
• In the 'old vets who can help accelerate Wemby's growth' category, why not countryman Nic Batum for San Antonio?
• The Embiid / Maxey battery on the side and high pick-and-rolls makes me salivate as to what Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell can do in future seasons.
• Josh Hart. An appreciative sentence about his hustle and motor.
• The wife sits down late in the game and quips "This is the first time I've cheered for the New York Knicks. I love Tom Thibodeau."
• Buddy Hield's frigid shooting reminds me of the '02-03 playoff run Robert Horry (2-for-38 from three) had with the Lakers before he joined the Spurs.
• New York tumbled out of the game point-less for the first three minutes, while Maxey nailed his first three threes from the corners and straightaway. Embiid, self-reported at '70-80%', hit his first jumper to put the Sixers up nine. DiVincenzo and Brunson were able to slice into the early Philadelphia deficit, and their Villanova teammate, Hart, got on the board with two threes of his own. In a play where Hart fell back after contact with Embiid, the officials ruled it incidental contact. In a first period teleported out of the 90s, the Sixers left it up 25-18.
• Harris' turnaround bucket jumpstarted Philadelphia's second period. Maxey took advantage of Embiid's bench rest to pad his scoring total. After drawing a shooting foul on Embiid, the Sixers center used the ball to shove DiVincenzo back, and earned a technical. The teams surprisingly lit up the scoreboard late in the frame. Brunson did a Kyle Lowry in using his body to draw and convert an and-1. Harris' corner three pushed the lead back out to ten. Hart answered for the Knicks to keep the pressure on the visitors, and he helped draw them to 49-53 at the break.
• The opportunistic Knicks took advantage of sluggish Philadelphia with Brunson's stepback tying the game. Lowry and DiVincenzo traded threes, but Isaiah Hartenstein pieced together two dunks and layup to keep New York close. A foul committed on Lowry was challenged and overturned. DiVincenzo's free throws and floater brought the Knicks within one, and he drew a charge on Harris shortly after. Despite Embiid's rest on the bench, Batum's three and Paul Reed's putback nudged the Sixers ahead. New York's free throws allowed it to head into the fourth up 79-74.
• After Embiid and Maxey notched scores in the fourth, Mitchell Robinson kept possessions alive, and Bogdanovic's threes pushed the New York lead to seven. Deuce McBride ripped the loose ball away from several Sixers to bank home a floater and later willed home an and-1. Brunson and Maxey matched stepback swishes. Embiid chucked a desperation jumper and was gifted an and-1. Maxey's slithering layup tied things at 94.
• In the waning minutes, the Sixers used several offensive rebounds to get Lowry a free throw. Lowry and the Sixers were the beneficiaries of a dubious replay decision that gave them possession, and Maxey hit a jumper. Maxey's catch-and-shoot three put his team up four. Several increasingly chaotic sequences resulted in a lucky bounce three for Brunson, a botched inbounds for the Sixers, and a straightaway three for DiVincenzo. Hartenstein blocked a desperate Maxey attempt, Anunoby provided the clinching points.

The teams head to Philadelphia for a Game 3 matchup on Thursday night at 7:30 PM CDT.