Playoff Game 1 saw the Knicks defeat the 76ers 111-104. With 22 points each from Brunson and Hart, the backups shine.

In the first game of their Eastern Conference first-round series, the Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 111-104 on Saturday night. Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart both scored 22 points, while Deuce McBride spearheaded a tremendous effort by scoring 21 points.
Joel Embiid was forced to exit the game when it seemed that he had re-injured his surgically repaired left knee after a dunk, and McBride alone outscored the 76ers with 13 points in the second quarter. After his comeback, he helped the 76ers take the lead in the second half. However, the Knicks won it thanks to a few clutch 3-pointers by Josh Hart in the fourth quarter.

For the Knicks, who had lost the first game of their last three home series, Hart added 13 rebounds. Monday is Game 2’s host.
Embiid finished with eight rebounds, six assists, and 29 points. With 33 points, Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers.
Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks’ former center starter who has been a reserve since recovering from ankle surgery, led the team’s effort against Embiid with eight points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes of play after coming off the bench with 13 points.
Embiid missed over two months after his meniscus surgery on February 6 and was only able to play in 39 games this season. Even though he still seems restricted and isn’t the same player who set a franchise record with 70 points just before being hurt, he still managed to assist the 76ers defeat Miami in a play-in game to secure the seventh spot.
Embiid was classified by the 76ers as doubtful to play, and head coach Nick Nurse said before to tip-off that his big man would warm up before the club decided whether he would play.
While he was playing, he performed well, but the Knicks, who were 54-28 in 2012–13, had a far more balanced group and were the first team to win 50 games.
The main contributor to it has been first-time All-Star Brunson, who was fourth in the league in scoring. Although he only shot 8 for 26, the Madison Square Garden crowd’s wild pregame cries of “MVP! MVP!” were replaced in the second quarter by the sound of “Deuce!” as the Knicks, led by Miles, a former second-round choice whose true first name is really Miles, outscored the 76ers 33-12.
With 2:49 left, Embiid fell down after his dunk made the score 49–46. The Knicks lead 58-46 at the half after scoring the last nine points of the quarter.
However, Embiid came back to begin the second half, and the 76ers swiftly won the game. His 3-point shot ended a 23-11 run out of the locker room and knotted the score at 69. The Knicks were outscored 32-14 to start the third quarter, which was later followed by a 78-72 victory for Philadelphia.
The Knicks took a lead again in the fourth quarter thanks to baskets from Bogdanovic, Robinson, and McBride, and Hart kept them ahead.

More in Sports: https://buzzing.today/sports/
Photo Credits: https://commons.wikimedia.org/