In a game that defied logic and had the Wells Fargo Center crowd experiencing whiplash, the New York Knicks pulled off an absolute heist – defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 118-115 in Game 6 to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The heroics of Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart will be etched into Knicks playoff lore. Brunson was borderline unconscious, torching Philly for 41 points while dishing 12 dimes. But it was his picture-perfect feed to Hart for a wide-open triple with 24 ticks left that ripped out the hearts of the Sixers faithful.
Early on, it was all Knicks. New York came out breathing fire, jumping out to a startling 33-11 lead after one quarter of play. Bewildered Philly fans wondered if the squad had shown up ready to put forth a effort worthy of the postseason.
Then the pendulum swung violently. Enter Buddy Hield, an unlikely savior for the 76ers. The former sharpshooter who had been glued to the bench finally got the call – and he responded with a vengeance. Hield erupted for 17 points, burying a barrage of five three-balls to key a 43-18 run that incredibly staked Philly to a 54-51 halftime advantage.
If the first half was bizarro world, the second half featured even more twists and turns worthy of a psychological thriller. The lead was a proverbial hot potato, with both teams riding rollercoasters of momentum-shifting runs.
Whenever it appeared the Knicks were headed for a comfortable win, the 76ers countered with a haymaker. New York’s 10-point third quarter lead? Erased in the blink of an eye, with the scored knotted at 83 heading to the fourth.
Down the stretch, it was Brunson putting the Knicks on his back with a series of cold-blooded buckets. His twisting runner gave New York a 107-99 cushion with 3:26 remaining, prompting choruses of “Let’s Go Knicks!” chants from the sizable New York contingent that infiltrated the arena.
The Sixers showed championship mettle, clawing back to tie it at 115 on a Tyrese Maxey three-point play with under 35 ticks left. But just when it looked like we were headed for overtime, Hart silenced the crowd with histrionics to match Brunson.
In a sequence that will live on in Knicks lore, Brunson snaked his way into the lane from the wing before kicking to a wide-open Hart on the wing. After a split-second hesitation, the undrafted journeyman calmly stroked the triple that proved to be the dagger, thrusting his arms skyward in sheer jubilation.
Despite a heroic 39-point, 13-rebound effort from Joel Embiid, the 76ers were unable to muster one final comeback. Hield’s potential game-tying three at the buzzer was no good, setting off a raucous Knicks celebration.
For the Knicks, it’s their first trip to the second round in consecutive seasons since the glory days of the late 90s-early 2000s. For the 76ers, it’s just the latest agonizing home playoff exit to digest, adding to a laundry list that already includes the Ben Simmons’Game 7 disaster versus Atlanta in 2021 and last year’s Game 6 meltdown against Boston.
Next up for this resilient, battle-tested Knicks squad is a date with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Semis beginning Monday at MSG. Armed with the insane shotmaking of Brunson and the clutch gene of Hart, who’s to say this magical run can’t continue?
This was a game, a series, and a win for the ages for the New York Knicks. Down and seemingly out multiple times, they displayed a refuse-to-die spirit befitting of the city they represent. Brunson and Hart have etched their names into folklore with a performance that will go down as an all-time classic in this storied franchise’s rich playoff history.
