MSG takes its toll: Knicks overwhelm exhausted Sixers

There’s no better way to open a series than how the New York Knicks did on Monday night. New York rallied behind their team, now listed as the favorite in the Eastern Conference by betting markets, to provide the push needed in the second round of the playoffs.

They claimed the first game of the series against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was an opportunity they had to take. In a display of superiority, they overwhelmed the Sixers and tied them up at Madison Square Garden, a venue that seemed to expose the toll of the effort from a team coming off a Game 7 against the Boston Celtics in Boston.

One lasting image was Joel Embiid lying on the floor while trainers worked on him during their final game against Boston, a vivid reminder of the physical toll at this stage of the playoffs. Exhausted, he embodied how poorly Philadelphia arrived for this game: 3-of-11 shooting, 11 points, and just 25 minutes on the floor.

There was no need for more. A steamroller ran them over.

The Knicks, by contrast, had taken care of the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the first round, a clean job that allowed for extra rest.

The Sixers had battled through seven games over the weekend and were back on the court just two days later. The lack of recovery was evident in this opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinals. From here on, the only direction for them is up, because it can’t get worse.

Jalen Brunson led the way at MSG with 35 points - 12-of-18 from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. He wasn’t even pushed to his limits, something rare in the playoffs, as coach Tom Thibodeau was able to manage minutes.

OG Anunoby (18), along with Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns (17 each), provided strong offensive support. For Philadelphia, Paul George led the scoring with 17.

Very little was seen of the Sixers team that had eliminated the Celtics, one widely considered a favorite to win the East and reach the Finals. Fatigue weighed heavily on coach Nick Nurse’s squad. They lost every quarter and left a bitter impression. They neither could nor knew how to compete.

Now they’ll get two days of rest and try, at the very least, to compete against a well-organized Knicks team. The 137–98 scoreline told the story. It was about digging a hole for your opponent and deciding how deep to make it. The Knicks dictated the pace and dismantled the Sixers, who offered no response.

The gap began to open late in the first quarter, threes from Brunson, Anunoby, and McBride, while Philadelphia couldn’t find any rhythm. Between the first and second quarters, the Sixers went more than five minutes without a field goal. In that second period alone, they gave up 41 points.

The lead surpassed 20 when Brunson buried a three just before halftime to make it 74–51. Philadelphia briefly tried to respond midway through the third quarter by increasing pressure and physicality, and it worked for a few minutes, but the burden they carried was too heavy.

The Knicks’ lead peaked at 40. There was never any doubt. A completely one-sided opener. Advantage: New York.

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