Knicks-Sixers: 5 takeaways from dramatic, series-clinching Game 6

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PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers had been leaving Josh Hart open behind the 3-point line all collection. It’s not that they have been comfortable to go away someone alone past the arc. However you’ll be able to’t guard every little thing on this league, and that was poison they picked of their first-round collection towards the New York Knicks.

And it was the poison that finally killed the Sixers’ season.

With the sport tied and Philly scrambling to maintain Jalen Brunson contained on the left aspect of the ground, Hart was open on the prime of the arc. Tyrese Maxey stunted towards Hart however selected to retreat to Donte DiVincenzo on the best wing.

“My first intuition was, in the event that they rotate, make the cross to [DiVincenzo],” Hart stated afterward. “Clearly, the sport plan was to not rotate to me.

“I used to be in a position to get my ft set and shoot an uncontested, open shot.”

His 3-pointer swished via the online with 24.4 seconds left, giving the Knicks the lead and, finally, a 118-115 victory in Recreation 6 that takes them into an Japanese Convention semifinals collection towards the Indiana Pacers that begins Monday (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT) at Madison Sq. Backyard.

Listed here are some notes, quotes, numbers and movie because the Knicks superior to the convention semis for the second straight yr …

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1. The up-15 Knicks are nonetheless undefeated

After scoring a tremendous 33 factors on their first 16 possessions, the Knicks led Recreation 6 by 22. Earlier than Thursday, they have been the league’s solely undefeated workforce in video games they led by 15 factors or extra.

However that 22-point lead rapidly started to soften away. The Sixers went on an 11-0 run late within the first quarter earlier than Hart ended the Knicks’ drought with a transition 3-pointer. Then Philly, regularly working via Joel Embiid within the publish, outscored New York by 17 factors (32-15) within the second to take a three-point halftime lead.

However the Knicks responded, scoring a tremendous 67 factors on 45 second-half possessions (1.49 per) to win the sport.

So, whereas they blew a 22-point lead, they continue to be undefeated (38-0) when main by no less than 15 factors.

Finest information when main by no less than 15 factors, 2023-24

Consists of common season, Play-In and playoffs

The Sixers, in the meantime, completed the season 0-18 in video games they trailed by no less than 20. Comebacks are slightly extra widespread now than they have been 10 years in the past, however they’re nonetheless not simple.

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2. Knicks win the power battle

They’re particularly not simple towards a workforce that may play with as a lot fourth-quarter power because the Knicks.

With Bojan Bogdanovic struggling a season-ending foot damage in Recreation 4, the Knicks used simply seven gamers within the final two video games of this collection. DiVincenzo was the one who performed all 48 minutes on Thursday, however Hart (who performed all 53 two nights earlier), Brunson and OG Anunoby additionally barely left the ground, all logging no less than 43 1/2 minutes.

But it was the Knicks who, collectively, once more had probably the most power down the stretch.

With each defenses stretched out to include the opposing level guards, there have been offensive rebounds available. The groups mixed for 9 offensive boards and 17 second-chance factors within the remaining interval.

Hart had three of these fourth-quarter offensive boards, ending with six within the sport and 22 for the collection.

The Knicks’ power additionally confirmed up in transition, with their three Villanova guys combining for an enormous fast-break 3-pointer (following certainly one of Hart’s eight defensive rebounds) halfway via the interval.

The one 76er in a position to match the Knicks’ power was Maxey. However New York was slightly extra aggressive in its pick-and-roll protection on Thursday, doing a greater job of getting the ball out of his fingers. After scoring 46 factors in Recreation 5, Maxey had simply 17 (on 6-for-18 taking pictures) in Recreation 6.

The Knicks’ pick-and-roll protection typically left Joel Embiid open on the foul line. However Embiid wasn’t in a position to assault the rotating protection. If he did drive, he didn’t do it with a lot burst, seemingly hoping to attract a foul.

This was nonetheless the Sixers’ second best offensive sport of the collection. However the Knicks simply had slightly extra down the stretch.

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3. Brunson wasn’t environment friendly, however he acquired the job completed

By way of Thursday, 13 gamers (three on this collection) have averaged no less than 25 factors within the playoffs. And among the many 13, Brunson has had the bottom true taking pictures proportion (52.5%), which means he’s been the least environment friendly of these high-volume scorers.

However there’s little question the Knicks wanted every little thing their level guard may give them. Solely Embiid has a better utilization charge in these playoffs than Brunson, who has accounted for 37% of the Knicks’ factors and 43% of their assists whereas on the ground.

The eye paid to Brunson created loads of the Knicks’ photographs, whether or not he assisted on them or not. And he had a few robust buckets of his personal down the stretch in Recreation 6.

Halfway via the fourth, he picked up his dribble with simply seven seconds left on the shot clock. He nearly acquired caught within the air however acquired the ball to Isaiah Hartenstein. Earlier than he hit the bottom, he was chasing his personal cross and gaining a step on his defender as he acquired the ball again.

When the Sixers seemingly had him trapped, Brunson discovered house to launch a leaning 15-footer that rattled in and put the Knicks up 5 …

Within the remaining two minutes, the Sixers double-teamed Brunson in the beginning of each possession. However after Oubre was referred to as for a foul making an attempt to disclaim him the ball, Philly did not ship one other double-team on the following inbounds play. Brunson drove previous Oubre, slammed on the brakes, drew contact, and acquired a floater to fall …

Brunson averaged 35.5 factors over the collection, the seventh most for any participant in a collection of no less than six video games within the final 25 years.

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4. Even a less-than-100-percent Embiid makes a giant distinction

Embiid bounced again from a tough Recreation 5 to attain 39 factors in Recreation 6, taking pictures 12-for-25 from the sector and 13-for-13 from the road.

Huge image, it was one other postseason by which the reigning Kia MVP was not at his greatest, both coping with an damage or getting back from one. Embiid was not in nice form on this collection, having not too long ago returned from an prolonged absence. He seemingly re-aggravated his knee damage in Recreation 1, was coping with a case of Bell’s Palsy and was listed as questionable earlier than Recreation 5 with a migraine.

However any Embiid is best than no Embiid. On this collection, the Sixers outscored the Knicks by 46 factors (9.3 per 100 possessions) in his 248 minutes on the ground, they usually have been outscored by 47 (52.4 per 100 possessions) in his 45 minutes on the bench.

It was paying homage to the 2019 Japanese Convention semifinals, when the Sixers have been outscored by 109 factors in Embiid’s 99 minutes off the ground, dropping on the buzzer in Recreation 7.

For the season, Philly was 34-12 (.730) when Embiid performed and 16-27 (.372) when he didn’t. He wasn’t eligible for a second straight Kia MVP award, however he nonetheless stands out as the most respected participant within the league.

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5. Sixers head into the summer time with a largely clean slate

Philly is amongst 4 groups to win over 60% of their video games over the past seven common seasons. The opposite three — the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets — have all been to the Finals in that stretch, and two of them received championships.

The Sixers (347-208, .625) haven’t reached the convention finals since 2001. They now head into one other offseason that would change the franchise dramatically.

It’s been a wild trip for the reason that begin of “The Course of,” with extremely paid gamers like Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, J.J. Redick and Tobias Harris biking out and in round Embiid.

Of the 16 gamers on the Sixers’ present roster, solely Embiid has a assured contract for subsequent season. Everybody else is both a free agent, a possible free agent (Philly has a workforce choice on little-used guard Jeff Dowtin), or has a non-guaranteed contract for 2024-25.

Precedence No. 1, in fact, is re-signing Maxey (a restricted free agent). After that, workforce president Daryl Morey is working with a really clean slate, although the listing of obtainable, star-level free brokers is proscribed.

One of many highest-paid gamers who will likely be a free agent is the Sixers’ personal Harris, who averaged simply 9 factors per sport on this collection. Given his underwhelming efficiency this season, his return doesn’t appear doubtless, however will probably be fascinating to see the phrases of Harris’ subsequent contract — wherever he lands.

The Sixers do have some additional picks in future Drafts, so they may additionally discover the commerce market. It doesn’t matter what, with Embiid now 30 years outdated, will probably be a essential offseason for one of many league’s marquee franchises.

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John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You’ll be able to e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and follow him on X. 

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