New York routed Philadelphia to sweep the second-round series and advance to the Eastern Conference
The New York Knicks are headed back to the Eastern Conference finals, and they made sure nobody would forget how they got there. Behind a historic 3-point performance and a hostile road crowd that felt anything but hostile, the Knicks dismantled the Philadelphia 76ers 144-114 on Sunday to complete a four-game sweep and punch their ticket to the conference’s final four for the second straight season.
Deuce McBride, stepping into the starting lineup for the second consecutive game with OG Anunoby sidelined by a hamstring injury, was the catalyst from the opening tip. He connected on four consecutive 3-pointers in the first quarter alone, becoming the first Knick since play-by-play tracking began in 1997 to hit four triples in a single playoff quarter. The crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, heavily dominated by Knicks fans who had purchased tickets in large numbers, erupted with chants of his name after each one landed.
McBride leads a historic 3-point onslaught
By halftime, McBride had six 3-pointers and 20 points. The Knicks as a team were 18 of 29 from beyond the arc in the first half, tying an NBA playoff record. Their 11 made threes in the first quarter alone also tied the league mark for most in a single quarter during the postseason.
New York carried an 81-57 lead into the break, nearly matching Philadelphia’s entire first-half output with 3-point attempts alone. The second half was largely a formality. By the final buzzer, the Knicks had connected on 25 of 44 attempts from distance, tying the record for most 3-pointers by a single team in a playoff game.
McBride finished with 25 points. Jalen Brunson added 22, going six for six from three at various points. Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns each contributed 17 as the Knicks spread the scoring across the roster and never let Philadelphia back into the game.
76ers fall short again
For Philadelphia, the loss capped a deflating postseason exit that followed an improbable first-round comeback. The 76ers had rallied from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate Boston, only to run headlong into a Knicks team that showed no signs of slowing down.
Joel Embiid, battling through another injury-shortened campaign, closed with 24 points. Tyrese Maxey added 17. But the 76ers still have not advanced past the second round since 2001, a streak that Today’s performance did nothing to interrupt.
One final sting for Philadelphia came in the form of a familiar number on the opposing roster. Mikal Bridges, selected by the 76ers with their first-round pick in 2018, was on the floor celebrating a sweep wearing Knicks blue.
What comes next for New York
The Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference finals riding a seven-game winning streak, having swept Atlanta in the first round and now Philadelphia in four straight. They will face the winner of the Cleveland-Detroit series, where Detroit currently leads 2-1.
New York last reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2025, the first time in 25 years, before falling to Indiana. This time, under first-year head coach Mike Brown, the Knicks look sharper and deeper, and a first NBA Finals appearance since their 1999 loss to San Antonio no longer feels like a distant ambition.