In their first playoff game against the New York Knicks, the Sixers dominated the first five minutes so much that it seemed like they might win the entire series in just four games.
They played rough against Jalen Brunson, a player who is being considered for the title of most valuable player. Joel Embiid took charge and the Sixers quickly established a significant lead.
However, the Knicks stayed persistent, taking control in the second quarter and finishing with a strong performance, including Josh Hart making three three-pointers in the final period, resulting in a 111-104 victory at Madison Square Garden.
Even though Embiid once again injured his left knee which has been prone to injuries, he managed to score 29 points, grab eight rebounds and make six assists. Tyrese Maxey also contributed 33 points.
As Nick Nurse mentioned after the game, the Sixers not only struggled with rebounding throughout the evening, but they also faced other challenges that led to their defeat.
Hart scored 22 points and secured 13 rebounds, while his fellow graduate from Villanova, Brunson, scored 22 points from 26 shots.
Hart expressed his encouragement regarding the Knicks taking a hard-earned 1-0 lead in the series and emphasized the importance of rebounding, which is a point of pride for their team.
Backup big man Mitchell Robinson made sure that Embiid had to work hard for every opportunity and also contributed eight points, twelve rebounds, four blocked shots, and two crucial free throws. Miles McBride, who has performed well against the Sixers, scored 21 points coming off the bench.
After the game, the primary concern was the condition of Embiid, who played for 36 minutes. He suffered an injury while attempting a play similar to those seen in All-Star games, during which he threw the ball off the backboard, caught the rebound, and dunked. Unfortunately, he landed awkwardly on his left leg and had to leave the game with less than three minutes left in the first half.
It appears that Embiid is doing fine, as he returned to the game after the break. Nurse does not believe that taking a game off would provide much benefit to the big guy who has undergone two surgeries on that knee.
Nurse stated, “I don’t think so. He’s truly a fighter and he's putting up a battle. I believe he definitely wants to play. Let's wait and see how he fares tonight.”
Stopping Embiid from playing for an extended period during this series could be risky for the Sixers' chances in the playoffs. They were outscored by 21 points while he was off the court. Nurse attributed it to breakdowns in their performance.
“We experienced another one of those poor starts in the second quarter where we didn't defend anyone,” Nurse commented. “We had a fantastic first quarter, and the second quarter got off to a really bad start.”
The Knicks survived the strong start by the Sixers, who obtained an 18-5 lead, and began to gradually work their way back into the game on their home court. They did exactly what the Sixers expected them to do, playing at a fast pace.
Hart made a three-pointer to begin the game. Embiid responded with a three-point shot and a reverse layup that resulted in a three-point play, giving them a 6-3 lead. Brunson made a jump shot, but Embiid posted up and completed another three-point play for a 9-5 advantage.
This set the tone for the back-and-forth nature of the night, along with the Knicks suddenly finding themselves behind and resorting to aimless three-point shots. However, in a game of alternating periods of scoring, the Knicks scored eight consecutive points to excite the crowd at the Garden.
Embiid scored 15 points and played the entire first quarter, giving the Sixers a 34-25 lead. However, the Knicks ended the first half with a 33-12 advantage, surpassing the Sixers.
Comfortably, meaning a 12-point lead, and comfortably meaning watching Embiid, who had almost half of the Sixers’ points early on, leave the game. He was exhausted and slightly limping, eager to get to the locker room.
With Maxey outplaying the Knicks in the third quarter, the Sixers outscored the Knicks 36-21, leading 82-79 going into the final period.
Even with the Sixers playing stronger defense in the fourth quarter, Villanova player Hart excelled with three-pointers, energizing the Garden and boosting the Knicks. The crowd cheered as Robinson and McBride clashed, with McBride enduring physical play and delivering some of his own.
Kyle Lowry scored 18 points, including 4 out of 7 from 3-point range. However, the 76ers only made 12 out of 35 attempts (34.3 percent) from beyond the arc. Tobias Harris only scored seven points, but grabbed nine rebounds in 31 minutes.
Nic Batum, a hero in the play-in game, scored three points and had a minus-20 in 26 minutes coming off the bench. Paul Reed had a minus-21 in 11 minutes.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, a bench player for the Knicks, stood out with 14 points, seven rebounds, and a plus-27 in 25 minutes.
