It had been a struggle and a slog all game. This was a whole different vibe than what existed the past few games. 

The Knicks had trailed after the first, second and third quarters. The 76ers were playing more freely — and more efficiently — without Joel Embiid. Jalen Brunson was having a clunker. 

Then the NBA’s best fourth-quarter team emerged. 

It’s something that had not been needed for some time. Two straight historic blowouts meant Knicks starters hadn’t played a single minute of the fourth quarter the past two games. 

There were no records this time. There was no extended garbage time. It was the first late-game test for the Knicks since the middle of the first round. And they aced it. 

With the game in the balance, the Knicks put their foot down and took over with a 108-102 win over the 76ers in Game 2 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. 

“It was just us executing, being disciplined,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Finding a way to get a gritty win. Something that, for better or for worse, haven’t been in our cards the last four games. But this showed a lot about our locker room and our team.” 

After the 76ers took a 3-point lead with 6:52 left in the game, the Knicks closed with a 12-3 run. Brunson had six of those points — on two jumpers and a pair of free throws. Josh Hart drilled a 3-pointer, Mikal Bridges hit a midrange jumper and Miles McBride had a free throw in that stretch. The 76ers, meanwhile, went 1-for-10. 

And the Knicks largely did it without OG Anunoby, who had been terrific but was in the locker room with a suspected hamstring injury down the stretch. 

In total, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by seven in the fourth quarter, holding them to just 12 points. Once the Knicks took the lead — which was the 25th lead change of the game, the most in a playoff game in 13 years — they never relinquished it. 

It was something unique so far this postseason. The Knicks had actually lost both close games they were in previously — Games 2 and 3 against the Hawks. All their wins had been blowouts. 

Without Embiid, it meant a faster and more connected 76ers offense, and the Knicks struggled with it. For three quarters, at least. 

Maxey had 21 points after three quarters, but finished with 26. Paul George had 19 after three quarters, and went scoreless after that. Edgecombe had 17 after three quarters and also went scoreless in the fourth quarter. Bridges’ defense, in particular, was excellent on Maxey down the stretch. 

“At the end of the day, it came down to who’s gonna get more stops in that fourth quarter,” coach Mike Brown said. “They missed some shots, we know that, but to have them only score 12 points in that fourth quarter is huge.” 

Brunson finished with a team-high 26 points — eight of which came in the fourth quarter — along with six assists. 

Towns was dominant — but the only thing that stopped him was himself. He picked up his second foul with 4:29 left in the first quarter, picked up his third foul less than a minute after checking back into the game to start the second quarter and picked up his fourth foul with 4:31 left in the third quarter. And he didn’t even have Embiid to deal with on the defensive end. 

It meant he was limited to 27 minutes. But when he was actually on the floor, the 76ers had no answer. He finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Eleven of those points came in the third quarter. 

And without Mitchell Robinson, who was out with an illness, Towns’ foul trouble meant minutes for Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan. But Hukporti picked up four fouls in seven minutes, forcing Brown to give Landry Shamet his first meaningful minutes — since the middle of the first round — in a small-ball lineup. 

Anunoby, before exiting, continued his superb postseason with 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting from the field. But it’s a major concern that he may now have to miss time. 

Bridges finished with 18 points, continuing his resurgence since his first-round benchings. Hart had just five points but added seven rebounds and six assists. 

“Most importantly, staying poised and staying composed,” Brunson said. “Just figuring out one play at a time, one stop at a time. Not looking too far ahead. When they make a basket, when they go up one, when we take the lead back, just focusing and paying attention to the details. 

“Find a way to make the next play on either side of the ball.” 

No Embiid meant the Knicks had no defensive weak link to torment. They shot just 26.9 percent from 3-point range as a team. The shot selection overall was worse. 

But they were at their best when their best was needed. That’s their specialty.