Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid remains unfazed by their 0-2 deficit against the New York Knicks in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Despite the Knicks’ strong performance at home, Embiid believes Philadelphia has the potential to win the series. He cited their ability to score over 100 points in both games and the emergence of Tyrese Maxey as an All-Star caliber player. Embiid acknowledged the need for improvement in rebounding and the play of Tobias Harris, but he expressed confidence that these issues could be addressed. The Knicks have a narrow lead in rebounding and steals, while the 76ers have the edge in field goal percentage. As the series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3, the Knicks will attempt to contain Embiid and Maxey while capitalizing on Embiid’s lingering knee injury.
Results for: New York Knicks
Despite Jalen Brunson’s shooting struggles in the first two playoff games against the Philadelphia 76ers, the New York Knicks have found ways to win. Brunson is shooting just 16 of 55 from the field and 2 of 12 from three-point range, but the Knicks have still managed to take a 2-0 series lead. The Sixers have been able to effectively double-team Brunson in the paint, resulting in his efficiency on the court dropping significantly. His three-point shooting has also been stunted by Kelly Oubre Jr. and Tobias Harris, who are both over 6 feet 8 inches tall compared to Brunson’s 6-foot-2 frame. However, the Knicks have found other ways to score, and Brunson has still been effective in his stop-and-pop game around the baseline.
The New York Knicks, once focused on acquiring superstars, have emerged as a formidable playoff team with a roster built on hard work and overachievers. Without a single lottery pick in their rotation, the Knicks have defeated the Philadelphia 76ers twice. Their success is attributed to their relentless effort, superior basketball instincts, and blue-collar approach. This scrappy mentality, reminiscent of the Knicks teams of the 1990s, has allowed them to overcome talent deficiencies and emerge as a team with a 93% chance of advancing in the playoffs.
The Philadelphia 76ers lost game 2 to the New York Knicks 104-101 on Monday, leaving them with a 0-2 deficit in the series and facing an uphill battle to avoid a sweep.
Despite holding a 101-96 lead with under 30 seconds remaining, Philadelphia surrendered a three-pointer to Donte DiVincenzo after a controversial non-call on a turnover by Tyrese Maxey.
76ers head coach Nick Nurse and Joel Embiid expressed outrage at the officiating, claiming that a timeout should have been called before Maxey’s turnover. Embiid called the incident “f—ing unacceptable.”
Despite the setback, Embiid remains confident in the 76ers’ ability to rally and win the series. He stated, “We’re gonna win this series. We know what we’ve got to fix. We did a better job today, so we’re gonna fix it. We’re the better team and we’re gonna keep fighting.”
The Knicks, on the other hand, are not fully satisfied with their performance and recognize the need to improve their defense as the series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Thursday.
The New York Knicks have made a significant jump in the Eastern Conference title odds after their 2-0 start against the Philadelphia 76ers. They now have the second-best odds (+650) at BetMGM Sportsbook, trailing only the Boston Celtics (-250). Philadelphia’s struggles, including Joel Embiid’s injury issues, have seen their odds drop to +1400, while the Milwaukee Bucks, despite a Game 1 win over the Indiana Pacers, are now at +700 due to health concerns. The Knicks and Bucks are both tied at +1600 to win the NBA Championship, the fifth-lowest odds behind the Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers has been named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2023-24 season, an honor that Knicks star Donte DiVincenzo was ineligible to win due to league rules. DiVincenzo’s impressive performance, averaging 15.5 points and a record 283 3-pointers, fell short of the 65-game requirement with at least 20 minutes played in each game. Meanwhile, Maxey ranked 11th in the NBA for points per game and 20th for assists per contest, showcasing his exceptional growth. Despite their loss in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series against the Knicks, Maxey’s award serves as a reminder of his remarkable season and a possible consolation after a controversial finish due to missed fouls.
Joel Embiid, the star center for the Philadelphia 76ers, made a disturbing gesture during the second game of their first round NBA Playoff series against the New York Knicks. The incident occurred when Embiid was at the free throw line. The 76ers ultimately lost the game 104-101, putting them in a 2-0 deficit in the series. Philadelphia will hope to bounce back in Game 3, which will be played at their home arena, the Wells Fargo Center Sports Pavilion, on Thursday, April 25.
The NBA has released a report detailing several controversial calls in the New York Knicks’ 104-101 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2. The report confirmed that 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey was fouled twice before Donte DiVincenzo’s go-ahead 3-pointer. It also stated that 76ers coach Nick Nurse attempted to call two timeouts that were not granted. Despite the officiating issues, Maxey has urged his team to move on and focus on winning the series. The 76ers now trail the series 2-0 and will look to turn things around in Game 3.
The Philadelphia 76ers will not file an official protest over their Game 2 loss to the New York Knicks, but they will file a complaint to the league over the officiating in Games 1 and 2. According to the Last Two Minutes Report, officials made several mistakes during the inbound sequence that gave New York the possession it needed to take the lead. These mistakes were not the only ones made in the final two minutes, as there were two more misses, one that benefitted each team. The 76ers were the most disadvantaged team in the NBA this season when it came to officiating late in close games. Daryl Morey, the team’s president, notably filed a similar complaint during the 2019 postseason when his Houston Rockets were playing the Golden State Warriors.
Despite Joel Embiid’s strong performance and declaration of victory, the Philadelphia 76ers succumbed to a 104-101 loss against the New York Knicks in Game 2 of their playoff series, leaving them trailing 0-2. Embiid criticized the officiating, but acknowledged the Knicks’ relentless determination. The Sixers must now rally in Game 3 at their home court, facing an uphill battle against a formidable opponent with a deep bench and unwavering spirit.