The New York Knicks rallied in the fourth quarter and averted a late Philadelphia comeback, beating the 76ers 108-102 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the report says. Philadelphia went nearly six minutes without a basket late in the fourth and New York produced a nine-point run over more than four minutes to pull ahead, the report says.
The 76ers entered Wednesday in the same position they faced a round earlier against Boston — down 1-0, coming off a lopsided loss and without Joel Embiid — and held a lead in the middle of the fourth with a chance to even the series, per the report. Unlike their Game 2 comeback against Boston, Philadelphia was unable to convert late opportunities this time, the report says.
Philadelphia missed 11 of its final 12 3-point attempts as the closing stretch slipped away, and Jalen Brunson hit a pair of big baskets over 76ers forward Dominick Barlow that put New York ahead for good, the report says. Coach Nick Nurse praised the team’s effort but said a few better shots down the stretch could have changed the ending, per the report.
Tyrese Maxey played all but 72 seconds and scored 26 points while aggravating a right pinkie that had been bothering him, the report says. Maxey described the series as expected to be physical and competitive and said it will come down to who makes plays late, the report adds.
Embiid was ruled out about six hours before tip with a right ankle sprain and right hip soreness after being listed as probable, and he did not participate in shootaround, the report says. The team sat him with the aim of having him available for Game 3 in Philadelphia on Friday, and coach Nick Nurse characterized Embiid’s status as day-to-day, per the report.
The teams traded the lead 25 times — the most in any playoff game in more than a decade — the report says. Since returning from an emergency appendectomy, Embiid has played five playoff games and is averaging 25.2 points, 8 rebounds and 5.8 assists in the postseason; he played 38 regular-season games and averaged 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds, per the report.
