The Philadelphia 76ers took on the New York Knicks for game two of the Eastern Conference semifinal series. New York won game one in blowout fashion 137-98. Joel Embiid got ruled out of game two, hours before tip-off with ankle and hip injuries. This game would be a much closer duel than game one.
Kelly Oubre Jr. got an easy dunk to get the scoring started. Mikal Bridges made a reverse layup to respond. Paul George was cooking early as he had 11 points and shot 4-of-4 from the field along with three threes. OG Anunoby finished a reverse jam in transition after a Philadelphia turnover. Oubre Jr. made back-to-back corner threes in different corners for the Sixers. Jalen Brunson hit a tough stepback jumper over VJ Edgecombe. Philly led 33-31 at the end of the first quarter.
Tyrese Maxey was able to cut baseline and finish with the slam to begin the second quarter. Anunoby blocked Quentin Grimes which led to a Jose Alvarado pull-up three that got the Garden crowd on their feet. Maxey hit back-to-back jumpers that pushed the Sixers lead to five. Brunson faked a euro step and banked in the layup. Josh Hart threw a lob to Bridges that forced a time out for the 76ers.
George got an insane bounce for the and-one against Hart. Another defense-to-offense possession for the Knicks with an Anunoby layup gave them back the lead. Hart finished a tough layup against George and yelled “And-one”. Then, Edgecombe nailed a three with 3.9 seconds left in the quarter. Maxey had 15 points in the second quarter. Philadelphia led 62-61 at halftime.
Edgecombe and Karl-Anthony Towns traded threes early in the third. Towns flipped up a wild circus layup against Andre Drummond for the and-one. George hit a stepback three over Brunson which was his fifth three. Grimes drove baseline and found Dominick Barlow for the easy dunk. Hart tried to contest but ran into Grimes and hurt his hand. Landry Shamet subbed in for him but Hart would return soon. Philadelphia led 90-89 at the end of the third quarter.
Deuce McBride started the fourth quarter by cashing in a three to tie the game at 92. Maxey hit a snatchback jumper over McBride on the next possession. Barlow blocked an Anunoby three which led to an Oubre Jr. corner three that regained the lead for the Sixers. Hart responded with a three to tie the game. Brunson hit two straight buckets over Barlow that made it a four-point lead for New York. Bridges hit a mid range jumper with the shot clock winding down.
Also on that play, Anunoby subbed himself out after an apparent leg injury on the dunk attempt and did not return. Maxey raced up the floor to cut the Knicks lead to five. Maxey tried to make a three but could not hit as Brunson ran up the court and dribbled the clock out. New York won 108-102 to take game two.
This game was close throughout with 25 different lead changes which is the most in 11 years. Both teams’ largest leads of the game was only seven. Maxey led the way for the Sixers with 26 points. George and Oubre Jr. both had 19 points. Edgecombe had 17 points. Philadelphia shot 4-of-19 in the fourth quarter.
Brunson led the way for the Knicks with 26 points. Towns was in foul trouble throughout the game but had a near triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Anunoby had 24 points. An update from Shams Charania just came out saying Anunoby is listed day-to-day with a hamstring injury and is questionable for game three. Bridges finished with 18 points. The Knicks had 56 points in the paint compared to Philly’s 30.
New York leads the series 2-0. Game three will be in Philadelphia Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m.
