NBA Playoffs: New York Knicks sweep Philadelphia 76ers with resounding 30-point road victory
Knicks sweep the Sixers in a 4-0 series victory to send the New York side to the Eastern Conference Finals; Deuce McBride and Jalen Brunson starred with 25 and 22 points respectively in a dominant 144-114 win
Monday 11 May 2026 08:53, UK
The New York Knicks dominated the Philadelphia 76ers in a 144-114 win that secured a 4-0 series victory and their place in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Sixers entered the series buoyed coming off the back of their 4-3 series win over the No 2 sees Celtics, but beating the Knicks proved a step too far. With their opponent's 19.4 point-per-game margin of victory being the largest through two rounds since the playoffs went to 16 teams in 1984.
The Knicks totalled 18 three-pointers in the first half to score 54 points off the long ball, compared to 57 total for the 76ers. Overall, that was an 81-57 lead and helped power the Knicks towards their first best-of-seven series sweep since the 1999 East semi-finals against Atlanta.
New York have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season and will play the winner of the Cleveland Cavaliers-Detroit Pistons series. The Pistons currently lead 2-1.
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Deuce McBride started in place of the injured wing OG Anunoby, and hit seven three-pointers, going four for four in the first quarter when the Knicks had another record with 11, and scored 25 points. Star point guard Jalen Brunson had 22 points, with Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns each scoring 17 to boot.
Knicks fans made a habit of scooping up tickets by the thousands at the Sixers' arena for playoffs games over the years, and in game four, they may have made the loudest statement yet. They raised brooms outside the arena and waved 'Always Knicks', towels once inside, jeering the few Sixers fans that remained.
"Our guys tried to take it to another level with their focus on the details and their energy and effort level," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said. "That's a lot of the reason why we're playing pretty good basketball."
Joel Embiid ended another injury-riddled season with 24 points, Tyrese Maxey had 17 and the Sixers still have not advanced out of the second round since 2001.
"I came into this year not knowing where I was going to be [with health], how long I was going to play, if I was even going to play based on how the knee was the last few years." Embiid said.
"I came in just hoping for the best and I feel like we're in a position where we figured out the knee. It hasn't been an issue."
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