Knicks Sweep Sixers, Hit 25 Threes, and Look Like the Real Deal in the East
The New York Knicks did not just beat the Philadelphia 76ers. They humiliated them. A 144-114 win in Game 4 finished off a clean 4-0 sweep, sent the Sixers home early, and pushed the Knicks into their second straight Eastern Conference Finals.
This was the most efficient offensive performance through three quarters of any NBA playoff game in the last 30 years. New York drained 25 threes, a franchise playoff record that also tied the all-time mark for any NBA playoff game. The Sixers had no answer. Nobody did.
The Knicks have now won seven consecutive playoff games, breaking a franchise record that had stood since 1999. Think about that. The team that has been called soft, called overrated, called every name in the book for the better part of three decades, is playing the best basketball in the East right now.
Jalen Brunson keeps being Jalen Brunson. He has been the steadying force, the closer, the guy who never blinks. But this series proved New York is no longer a one-man operation. Karl-Anthony Towns has been a problem on the offensive end. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby smothered Tyrese Maxey and Paul George whenever it mattered. Josh Hart hit the glass like the playoffs were a rebounding combine.
Tom Thibodeau finally has the depth he has always wanted, and the Knicks are punishing teams for trying to switch up coverages. When defenses sag off, New York launches. When they extend, the Knicks attack the rim. There is no clean answer.
The Sixers, meanwhile, look broken. Joel Embiid was a step slow all series. Maxey could not get clean looks against Bridges. Daryl Morey is going to have a long offseason to figure out whether this core can ever break through, or whether the roster needs to be torn down.
Now the Knicks wait. Cleveland and Detroit are still scrapping in their semifinal series, with the Cavaliers up 3-2 after stealing Game 5 in overtime. Whoever survives walks into Madison Square Garden against a Knicks team that is rested, healthy, and playing with absolute confidence.
The NBA had penciled in Tuesday, May 19 as the start of the Eastern Conference Finals. There is also an expedited start date of Sunday, May 17 if the Cleveland-Detroit series ends early. The Knicks will be ready either way.
The Cavaliers are the better matchup for New York on paper. Cleveland’s defense is excellent, but their offense is more isolation heavy than Detroit’s. Brunson can survive that. The Pistons would actually be the tougher draw because of Cunningham’s ability to attack switches, but Detroit has to win two straight just to extend its season.
You can argue the Knicks have not been tested. The Hawks were undermanned in the first round. The Sixers were never really healthy. That is a fair criticism, and the Conference Finals will be the real measuring stick. But the way New York is moving the ball and shooting the lights out, they are not going to be easy to beat regardless of who shows up.
Two years ago, the Knicks were a feel-good story. One year ago, they were a contender that fell short. Right now, they are a legitimate threat to make the NBA Finals, and the East might be theirs for the taking.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
