After finishing the highest-scoring game of his playoff career—the highest-scoring playoffs game ever for a New York Knicks player—Jalen Brunson was pleased.
not based on his own work. Brunson detests discussing it.
What he intended to say was that Joel Embiid was as sad as the men in blue when the Knicks supporters invaded Philadelphia and took over the stadium.
With a career-high 47 points and ten assists on Sunday, Brunson helped the Knicks defeat the 76ers 97-92 to grab a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
In 2022, Brunson scored 41 points in a game for Dallas against Utah. The previous season, he scored 41 points against Miami for the Knicks, but it was in the Game 6 that decided the Knicks’ fate.
He wouldn’t allow them to lose on Sunday, and the last minutes had a very Knicks vibe to it despite the audience seeming divided across major Northeast cities.
“As I’ve mentioned previously, the Philadelphia fan base is very devoted and persistent. As an Eagles supporter, I would know, Brunson said. Brunson played collegiately for Villanova and was the winner of two national titles. “However, it was really cool and fantastic to see and hear the Knicks here.”
Not for Embiid, who had to listen to Brunson get more vociferous cries of “MVP! MVP!” than the winner of the trophy from the previous season.
It’s disappointing. It’s regrettable, Embiid remarked. “I’m not criticizing them, but it is disheartening,” he said, saying that he was aware that Knicks supporters often traveled by short train to the away games.
But in my ten years here, I have never seen it (like Sunday). Absolutely, that sort of (ticks) me off, particularly because Philly is known as a sports town.
However, Brunson’s performance was so amazing that it was impossible not to applaud, as he eclipsed Bernard King’s 1984 record of 46 points.
OG In the fourth quarter, Anunoby assumed some of the defensive responsibilities against Embiid, contributing 16 points and 14 rebounds, and helping the Knicks come within one win of advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second consecutive season.
A win on Tuesday night at home would allow the second-seeded Knicks to do that.
The 76ers suffered a major setback when Embiid sat out the first half, and he played the whole second half. But the All-Star center, who was recently diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a kind of facial paralysis, was unable to generate a basket in the fourth quarter. Bell has been suffering with lingering issues from his surgically repaired left knee, which he looked to reinjure after a slam in Game 1.
Embiid said, “I felt like they always came back in the game in this series. Your competitive nature is going to take over.” “I decided to push myself because I had nothing to lose, and obviously it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped.”
Embiid ended with six assists, ten rebounds, and 27 points. The 76ers, who will attempt to force another game at home on Thursday, will have Tyrese Maxey contribute 23 points.
Donte DiVincenzo missed his first seven shots, while Josh Hart missed all seven. Despite Embiid’s obvious lack of energy, Hart pulled down 17 rebounds, and the Knicks capitalized on 21 second-chance points as they continued to chase down missed attempts.
The Knicks, who had a 52-42 rebounding lead in the end, saw offensive rebounds as crucial opportunities, according to head coach Tom Thibodeau.
He said, “So we know how crucial it is, and we have certain men who are very good at it. They don’t give up easily.
After spending the first few minutes of the fourth quarter in the locker room, Brunson came out to score a basket over Embiid as the Knicks went on a 6-0 run that put them up 86-81.
In Game 3, Embiid recorded his highest point total of the postseason—50—to help the 76ers win. In Game 4, he gave them a terrific start, but Brunson quickly established himself as the team’s most important player, becoming the first All-Star to shoot 18 of 34 from the field.
Although Brunson’s shooting was poor in the two games played in New York, the Sixers’ strategy against him at the time is no longer in effect. With his 39 points on Thursday, the point guard seems to be the same guy that finished fourth in the NBA in scoring (287.7) per game.
Embiid attempted to stay up. He demonstrated how much the current Philadelphia squad depends on him playing on the court with 76ers Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Allen Iverson seated behind the baseline. However, he failed to take a break and withdrew, missing all five of the fourth’s strokes to end with a 7 for 19.
when just one minute of play, reserve swingman Bojan Bogdanovic suffered a damaged left ankle when Nicolas Batum landed on him while chasing a loose ball, forcing the Knicks to play without backup big Mitchell Robinson.
The Knicks had to rely on their current roster, which included Anunoby (47 minutes), Hart (46), and Brunson (43).
After one quarter, the 76ers lead by ten points. However, with Embiid sitting out the first part of the second half, Philadelphia was unable to muster any offensive momentum, and New York took advantage.
The Knicks outscored the 76ers 12-2 to start the quarter and prevented them from making a field goal. Soon after Embiid returned, Brunson’s shot tied the score at 29. Almost halfway through the quarter, Maxey made the opening basket for Philadelphia with a 3-pointer.
More in Sports: https://buzzing.today/sports/
Photo Credits: https://commons.wikimedia.org/