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NEW YORK — Sport 1 of the primary spherical collection between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers was a curler coaster trip, with each groups erasing deficits of at the least 13 factors. In the long run, it was the Knicks that got here out on high, enhancing to 20-2 (12-0 at residence) in video games wherein they’ve had each Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby.
Listed here are some notes, numbers and movie from New York’s 111-104 victory at Madison Sq. Backyard on Saturday.
1. Embiid throws down, goes down and comes again
The large query of the collection shortly went from “how properly will Joel Embiid play” to “how a lot will he play.”
Embiid had the spotlight of the night time late within the second quarter when he tossed the ball off the backboard to himself, grabbed it with one hand and threw down a dunk over OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. However Embiid then landed on his left leg, spun round, grabbed his left knee and fell to the ground.
The left knee, in fact, is similar one which required meniscus surgical procedure in February, inflicting Embiid to overlook 29 straight video games. He went to the locker room with 2:37 left within the half and issues appeared fairly bleak for the Sixers, who trailed by 12 on the break to the one undefeated group (28-0) in video games it led by at the least 5 factors at halftime.
After which Embiid emerged from the locker room shortly earlier than the third quarter started. After Philly missed a shot on its first possession of the second half, it proceeded to attain 32 factors on its subsequent 15 journeys down the ground, turning a 14-point deficit into six-point lead.
Embiid additionally supplied the spotlight of that run, an absolute dime to Kelly Oubre Jr. on the break.
Alas, whereas the Sixers received the primary and third quarters by a complete of 24 factors (70-46), they misplaced the second and fourth by a complete of 31 (65-34).
Embiid’s 36:33 of taking part in time was rather less than he logged within the Sixers’ Play-In victory on Wednesday, however nonetheless his second-highest whole within the seven video games he’s performed since getting back from harm.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse didn’t have a postame replace on Embiid, who selected to not communicate with the media after the sport.
2. Knicks’ new bench comes up huge
The Knicks’ midseason commerce for Anunoby supplied an improve to their beginning lineup, however the departure of Immanuel Quickley was a success to what was the league’s sixth-ranked bench on the time of the commerce. Josh Hart shifting into the beginning lineup rather than the injured Julius Randle on Jan. 29 was one other hit.
From that time on, the Knicks’ bench ranked nineteenth and the group was outscored by 11.6 factors per 100 possessions with Jalen Brunson off the ground. They traded for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks on the deadline, and their minutes weren’t good.
However the Knicks’ bench was big in Sport 1. The beginning lineup was outscored by 18 factors in rather less than 16 minutes on Saturday, however New York outscored Philly by 25 in somewhat greater than 32 minutes with at the least one reserve on the ground.
Solely three reserves performed, however all of them performed huge. Miles McBride scored 21 factors in 28 minutes, taking pictures 5-for-7 from 3-point vary. He closed the sport as an alternative of Donte DiVincenzo and made a giant pull-up 3 to place the Knicks up 5 with 7:37 left.
“It’s not simply the shot-making,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau stated about McBride’s efficiency. “But it surely’s the vitality. It’s the protection. It’s the hustle. That goes a great distance.”
Like McBride, Robinson performed the whole fourth quarter. He completed with 12 rebounds (seven offensive) and 4 blocks in half-hour, simply essentially the most he’s performed in 11 video games since getting back from an prolonged absence. He grabbed a giant offensive rebound and tipped in his personal miss to place the Knicks up 4 with 4:25 left.
Bogdanovic had 13 factors and 7 boards in lower than 25 minutes, along with his largest moments (two 3-pointers) coming when the Knicks started the second quarter on an 11-2 run with Brunson off the ground.
3. Knicks dominate the glass once more
Final season, the Knicks ranked second in offensive rebounding share after which destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers on the glass of their first spherical collection. This season, they led the league in offensive rebound share, they usually destroyed the Sixers on the glass in Sport 1.
Philly grabbed 24 defensive rebounds. New York grabbed 23 offensive rebounds. Once you rely rebounds that went out of bounds and loose-ball fouls, the Knicks had an offensive rebounding share of 51.8%, the second-highest mark for any group in a recreation this season.
Led by Robinson, 4 Knicks (together with the 6-foot-4 Hart) had at the least 4 offensive boards. Anunoby had only one, nevertheless it was a very vicious one which resulted in a bucket for Brunson:
“We prioritize [offensive rebounds],” Thibodeau stated. “The nights wherein we’re not taking pictures properly, they provide us an opportunity.”
The Sixers had the higher half-court offense on Saturday, nevertheless it was 27-11 Knicks on quick break factors and 26-8 on second probability factors, with these 26 second probability factors being essentially the most the Sixers have allowed this season.
4. Teammates reward Brunson for making the appropriate performs
Brunson didn’t have his greatest taking pictures recreation. The Sixers defended him with dimension (Oubre and Nicolas Batum have been his main defenders) and confirmed him additional our bodies when he drove. The All-NBA candidate completed with 22 factors on 8-for-26 taking pictures, additionally committing 5 turnovers.
However Brunson made the appropriate performs late. With the Knicks up three and simply two minutes left, the Sixers’ janky zone was shaded his method, with Tyrese Maxey on the ball and Oubre past the nail. Brunson didn’t power issues and as an alternative swung the ball to Hart, who drained an enormous 3 to double the lead:
The lead was again all the way down to 4 on the following possession when Brunson was doubled on the appropriate facet of the ground. He then fired a skip cross to the left wing, the place Anunoby drained one other 3:
Whereas Brunson shot 1-for-6 from 3-point vary, his teammates have been 15-for-29 (52%). It’s a make-or-miss league and the Knicks at the moment are 38-6 (third greatest) once they’ve outscored their opponent from past the arc.
5. Embiid settles an excessive amount of
Embiid had a few sturdy publish ups in Sport 1, in addition to a few good reactions when the Knicks despatched a double-team. However too usually, his catches have been 25 toes from the basket. And too usually, he settled for lengthy jumpers as an alternative of making an attempt to get inside:
Embiid was 11-for-12 from the free throw line, however simply 8-for-22 from the sector, together with 4-for-16 from exterior the restricted space.
His presence alone means so much. But when Embiid isn’t simpler going ahead, the Sixers are in bother.
Sport 2 is Monday (7:30 ET, TNT).
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John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You’ll be able to e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and comply with him on X.
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