The New York Knicks are back in the Eastern Conference finals, setting an NBA postseason record with 11 three-pointers in the first quarter in front of a raucous crowd mostly rooting for the road team in Philadelphia.
The Knicks’ 144-114 win on Sunday completed their series sweep of the 76ers. Deuce McBride hit seven of New York’s NBA postseason record-tying 25 three-pointers and scored 25 points. Jalen Brunson had 22 points and Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 17 in the Knicks’ latest lopsided playoff victory.
The Knicks advanced to the East finals for the second straight season and will play the winner of the Cleveland-Detroit series, which the Pistons lead 2-1.
Last season the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years before losing to Indiana. The Knicks then fired coach Tom Thibodeau, and replaced him with Mike Brown, who has guided the team to seven straight playoff wins, starting with the last three games against Atlanta.
Knicks fans have made a habit of scooping up tickets by the thousands at the Sixers’ arena for playoffs games over the years, and in Game 4 they may have made the loudest statement yet. Knicks fans raised brooms outside the arena and waved “Always Knicks” towels once inside, all while noisily neutering the 76ers fans in attendance.
The home fans didn’t miss much from the 76ers. Game 4 was a laugher from the tip, with the Knicks using the three-point arc as a starting point for their pop-a-shot game.
With Knicks fans on their feet and exclaiming “Deuuuce,” McBride hit four three-pointers in succession for a fast 20-6 lead and the Sixers were already on their heels. McBride became the first Knick since play-by-play tracking began in 1997 to hit four threes in the first quarter of a playoff game.
New York’s three-point records were just heating up though.
Brunson added two in the first quarter (six total) to help make the Knicks 11 of 13, which tied the NBA mark for most makes in a quarter.
The Knicks totaled 18 threes 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 toward their first best-of-seven series sweep since the 1999 East semis against Atlanta.
The Knicks scored 80-plus points in the first half twice in five road playoff games this season. The second half was a mere formality, and the Sixers are headed home after a gutsy 3-1 series comeback to beat Boston in the first round.
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.
If the sweep and the Knicks’ fan takeover didn’t saddle the Sixers with enough bad news, there was one final cutting blow to the ego – Philadelphia’s two first-round 2018 draft picks are still playing: Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet, of course, for the Knicks.