Knicks manage just enough offense in the fourth quarter to take Game 2 against the 76ers
The 76ers came up with an inspired effort while playing shorthanded but they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, allowing the Knicks to emerge with a 108-102 victory Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
After he was unable to go in the morning shoot around, the 76ers ruled Joel Embiid out for the game. Shortly before tip, the Knicks announced that Mitchell Robinson would miss the game with an illness. The lack of post players for each team came into play in this one.
The 76ers played quicker without Embiid and shot much better from the floor in this one. It was an up-and-down, back-and-forth contest thru three periods, with Philadelphia taking a one-point lead into the final period.
In addition to their own hot shooting, the 76ers were in the game because Karl-Anthony Towns was in foul trouble and had to sit for long stretches. While he was on the floor, Towns had his way. In 27 minutes, he had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists.
Ariel Hukporti also got into foul trouble, forcing the Knicks to play without a center on the floor at times in this one. The same thing happened to the visitors, as their two remaining centers got into foul trouble, too.
But the biggest issue for the 76ers happened in the fourth quarter, when the shots stopped falling. After converting 12-25 shots from behind the arc in the first three periods, they made just 1-9 attempts from three in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks didn’t have a sterling final period, either. Not often in the NBA do you trail by a point after three quarters, score 19 in the fourth and come away with a win. But that’s what happened in this one, as the 76ers scored just 12 in the final stanza.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points, OG Anunoby added 24 and Mikal Bridges had another good shooting night, connecting on 9-13 from the floor to finish with 18 points.
New York once again took advantage both down low and off turnovers. The Knicks out-scored the 76ers 56-30 in the paint, helped by converting 18 turnovers into 23 points.
The series resumes Friday night in Philadelphia. It remains to be seen if Game 2 will be the best fight the 76ers can give the Knicks or if they’ll be rejuvenated by returning home. Hopefully both teams will be at full strength for the rest of the series.
Nice win for the Knicks. Funny how the absence of the two big men caused a change in how each team played. Robinson definitely makes a huge difference when he is in. I saw at least four three pointers that went in and out for the Knicks showing how close they were to giving them the ample breathing room they needed. They did make their own trouble with some avoidable aggressive fouls especially from the backup center, who quite frankly I’d never heard of before last night. They need to keep it up when the series moves to Philly Friday night.