The New York Knicks delivered a dominant performance to complete a 4-0 series sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season.
New York set an NBA postseason record with 11 three-pointers in the first quarter, playing in front of a raucous crowd that was overwhelmingly in favor of the road team at the Wells Fargo Center. The Knicks’ 144-114 victory on Sunday was their most lopsided of the series.
Deuce McBride knocked down seven of the team’s record-tying 25 three-pointers and finished with 25 points. Jalen Brunson added 22 points, while Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns each contributed 17 as the Knicks continued their playoff dominance.
The Knicks will now face the winner of the Cleveland-Detroit series, with the Pistons currently leading 2-1. This marks New York’s second consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference finals after ending a 25-year drought last season, when they lost to Indiana. Following that defeat, the Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau and replaced him with Mike Brown, who has since guided the team to seven straight playoff wins, including the final three games of the first-round series against Atlanta.
Knicks fans have long been known for buying up thousands of tickets at the 76ers’ home arena during playoff games, and Game 4 featured perhaps their loudest takeover yet. Fans waved brooms outside the venue and waved “Always Knicks” towels inside, effectively drowning out the home supporters.
The 76ers had little to cheer about. Game 4 was decided early as the Knicks used the three-point line as a launching pad. With fans chanting “Deuuuce,” McBride hit four consecutive three-pointers to spark a 20-6 run, putting Philadelphia on the defensive from the start. McBride became the first Knick since play-by-play tracking began in 1997 to hit four threes in the first quarter of a playoff game.
The three-point barrage continued. Brunson added two in the first quarter (six total) as the Knicks went 11-of-13 from deep, tying the NBA record for most makes in a quarter. By halftime, New York had 18 three-pointers, scoring 54 points from long range compared to 57 total points for the 76ers. The 81-57 halftime lead helped the Knicks secure their first best-of-seven series sweep since the 1999 Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta.
The Knicks scored 80-plus points in the first half twice in five road playoff games this season. The second half was a formality, sending the 76ers home after their gutsy 3-1 first-round comeback against Boston.
Joel Embiid finished with 24 points in another injury-riddled season, and Tyrese Maxey added 17. The 76ers have not advanced past the second round since 2001.
Adding insult to injury, Philadelphia’s two first-round draft picks from 2018—Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet—are still playing, and both are now with the Knicks.