The New York Knicks did not just sweep the Philadelphia 76ers – they did it with a three-point exhibition that will be discussed for years. New York connected on 25 three-pointers Sunday, matching the NBA playoff record, in a 144-114 demolition that completed the sweep and booked a second straight trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.
An opening quarter like no other
Eleven of those threes came in the first quarter alone, tying the NBA postseason record for the most in a single period. The 76ers had no answers. Philadelphia’s defense, already stretched thin by a roster depleted by Joel Embiid’s absence, collapsed as New York shot 11-for-14 from beyond the arc in the opening 12 minutes. By halftime the game was effectively over.
McBride leads the charge
Miles McBride – starting in place of the injured OG Anunoby – finished with 25 points on 7-of-11 shooting from three, providing the most emphatic possible answer to any questions about New York’s depth. Jalen Brunson (22 points) orchestrated the offense with efficiency, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart each added 17. The Knicks shot 25-for-55 from three as a team (45.5 percent), which would be an impressive line in a regular-season game and is remarkable in a playoff elimination context.
Series summary and what it means
New York swept four games by a combined margin of 81 points: 137-98, 108-102, 108-94, 144-114. The 76ers, missing their franchise centerpiece in Embiid, were never truly competitive. But a sweep of a second-round opponent still speaks to the completeness and depth of a Knicks roster that has been quietly assembled over multiple offseasons into one of the Eastern Conference’s most balanced teams.
New York now waits for the winner of the Detroit Pistons-Cleveland Cavaliers series – currently with Detroit leading 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Monday. A second straight ECF appearance, and the swagger this shooting display projects, makes the Knicks a team no one in the East wants to face.
