Knicks-Sixers: 5 takeaways from New York’s Game 1 comeback

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NEW YORK — Sport 1 of the primary spherical collection between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers was a curler coaster experience, with each groups erasing deficits of not less than 13 factors. Ultimately, it was the Knicks that got here out on high, enhancing to 20-2 (12-0 at residence) in video games wherein they’ve had each Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby.

Listed below are some notes, numbers and movie from New York’s 111-104 victory at Madison Sq. Backyard on Saturday.

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1. Embiid throws down, goes down and comes again

The massive query of the collection shortly went from “how effectively will Joel Embiid play” to “how a lot will he play.”

Embiid had the spotlight of the evening late within the second quarter when he tossed the ball off the backboard to himself, grabbed it with one hand and threw down a dunk over OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. However Embiid then landed on his left leg, spun round, grabbed his left knee and fell to the ground.

The left knee, in fact, is identical one which required meniscus surgical procedure in February, inflicting Embiid to overlook 29 straight video games. He went to the locker room with 2:37 left within the half and issues appeared fairly bleak for the Sixers, who trailed by 12 on the break to the one undefeated crew (28-0) in video games it led by not less than 5 factors at halftime.

After which Embiid emerged from the locker room shortly earlier than the third quarter started. After Philly missed a shot on its first possession of the second half, it proceeded to attain 32 factors on its subsequent 15 journeys down the ground, turning a 14-point deficit into six-point lead.

Embiid additionally offered the spotlight of that run, an absolute dime to Kelly Oubre Jr. on the break.

Alas, whereas the Sixers gained the primary and third quarters by a complete of 24 factors (70-46), they misplaced the second and fourth by a complete of 31 (65-34).

Embiid’s 36:33 of enjoying time was rather less than he logged within the Sixers’ Play-In victory on Wednesday, however nonetheless his second-highest whole within the seven video games he’s performed since getting back from damage.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse didn’t have a postame replace on Embiid, who selected to not converse with the media after the sport.

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2. Knicks’ new bench comes up massive

The Knicks’ midseason commerce for Anunoby offered an improve to their beginning lineup, however the departure of Immanuel Quickley was successful to what was the league’s sixth-ranked bench on the time of the commerce. Josh Hart shifting into the beginning lineup instead of the injured Julius Randle on Jan. 29 was one other hit.

From that time on, the Knicks’ bench ranked nineteenth and the crew was outscored by 11.6 factors per 100 possessions with Jalen Brunson off the ground. They traded for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks on the deadline, and their minutes weren’t good.

However the Knicks’ bench was large in Sport 1. The beginning lineup was outscored by 18 factors in rather less than 16 minutes on Saturday, however New York outscored Philly by 25 in somewhat greater than 32 minutes with not less than one reserve on the ground.

Solely three reserves performed, however all of them performed massive. Miles McBride scored 21 factors in 28 minutes, capturing 5-for-7 from 3-point vary. He closed the sport as a substitute of Donte DiVincenzo and made an enormous pull-up 3 to place the Knicks up 5 with 7:37 left.

“It’s not simply the shot-making,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned about McBride’s efficiency. “Nevertheless it’s the power. It’s the protection. It’s the hustle. That goes a good distance.”

Like McBride, Robinson performed all the fourth quarter. He completed with 12 rebounds (seven offensive) and 4 blocks in half-hour, simply essentially the most he’s performed in 11 video games since getting back from an prolonged absence. He grabbed an enormous offensive rebound and tipped in his personal miss to place the Knicks up 4 with 4:25 left.

Bogdanovic had 13 factors and 7 boards in lower than 25 minutes, together with his greatest moments (two 3-pointers) coming when the Knicks started the second quarter on an 11-2 run with Brunson off the ground.

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3. Knicks dominate the glass once more

Final season, the Knicks ranked second in offensive rebounding share after which destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers on the glass of their first spherical collection. This season, they led the league in offensive rebound share, they usually destroyed the Sixers on the glass in Sport 1.

Philly grabbed 24 defensive rebounds. New York grabbed 23 offensive rebounds. While you depend rebounds that went out of bounds and loose-ball fouls, the Knicks had an offensive rebounding share of 51.8%, the second-highest mark for any crew in a recreation this season.

Led by Robinson, 4 Knicks (together with the 6-foot-4 Hart) had not less than 4 offensive boards. Anunoby had only one, nevertheless it was a very vicious one which resulted in a bucket for Brunson:

“We prioritize [offensive rebounds],” Thibodeau mentioned. “The nights wherein we’re not capturing effectively, they provide us an opportunity.”

The Sixers had the higher half-court offense on Saturday, nevertheless it was 27-11 Knicks on quick break factors and 26-8 on second likelihood factors, with these 26 second likelihood factors being essentially the most the Sixers have allowed this season.

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4. Teammates reward Brunson for making the best performs

Brunson didn’t have his finest capturing recreation. The Sixers defended him with measurement (Oubre and Nicolas Batum have been his major defenders) and confirmed him further our bodies when he drove. The All-NBA candidate completed with 22 factors on 8-for-26 capturing, additionally committing 5 turnovers.

However Brunson made the best performs late. With the Knicks up three and simply two minutes left, the Sixers’ janky zone was shaded his approach, with Tyrese Maxey on the ball and Oubre past the nail. Brunson didn’t power issues and as a substitute swung the ball to Hart, who drained an enormous 3 to double the lead:

The lead was again all the way down to 4 on the subsequent possession when Brunson was doubled on the best facet of the ground. He then fired a skip cross to the left wing, the place Anunoby drained one other 3:

Whereas Brunson shot 1-for-6 from 3-point vary, his teammates have been 15-for-29 (52%). It’s a make-or-miss league and the Knicks at the moment are 38-6 (third finest) after they’ve outscored their opponent from past the arc.

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5. Embiid settles an excessive amount of

Embiid had a few robust publish ups in Sport 1, in addition to a few good reactions when the Knicks despatched a double-team. However too usually, his catches have been 25 ft from the basket. And too usually, he settled for lengthy jumpers as a substitute of attempting to get inside:

Embiid was 11-for-12 from the free throw line, however simply 8-for-22 from the sector, together with 4-for-16 from outdoors the restricted space.

His presence alone means so much. But when Embiid isn’t simpler going ahead, the Sixers are in hassle.

Sport 2 is Monday (7:30 ET, TNT).

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John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You possibly can e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and follow him on X. 

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