New York Knicks defeat Philadelphia 76ers to secure 2-0 play-off lead
Jalen Brunson scored 26 points as the New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 in their Eastern Conference semi-final on Wednesday to take a 2-0 series lead.
Playing without their injured superstar Joel Embiid, the visiting side put up a significantly stronger fight than during their heavy 137-98 defeat in the series opener.
The closely fought contest featured 25 lead changes and 14 ties, with neither franchise managing to build an advantage larger than seven points.
Brunson delivers in clutch moments
However, the tense environment proved ideal for New York’s talismanic point guard.
The former Villanova standout hit a crucial tie-breaking basket with just over five minutes remaining to shift momentum in his team’s favour.
He subsequently added another vital jumper to establish a 103-99 advantage before Mikal Bridges extended the margin to six points.
Supporting cast steps up
OG Anunoby provided excellent scoring support by contributing 24 points to the vital home victory.
Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns dominated the paint, securing a comprehensive double-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
This commanding performance follows a historic run for the Eastern Conference contenders, who recently became the first team to win three consecutive post-season games by 25 points or more.
Sixers face uphill battle
Tyrese Maxey led the resistance for the visitors with 26 points, but his impressive efforts were ultimately not enough to prevent a second successive defeat.
The Pennsylvania franchise now faces another steep mountain to climb, mirroring the adversity they experienced when falling 3-1 behind against the Boston Celtics in the opening round.
The series will now transition to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday.
All eyes will be on whether Embiid can return from injury to rejuvenate his struggling squad in front of what promises to be a fiercely partisan home crowd.