The New York Knicks also won Game 2 of the series against the Philadelphia 76ers. The visitors had to play without Joel Embiid and ultimately lost by a narrow margin of 102–108.
Embiid was ruled out around noon local time; the center had hip and ankle issues after getting out of bed and was therefore unable to participate in the shootaround. Without their star center, the visitors still put up a valiant fight and kept the game close until the end.
It wasn’t until the final six minutes that Philadelphia ran out of steam; after a three-pointer by Kelly Oubre Jr. (96-99), the Sixers managed only one more field goal, while the Knicks closed out the game with a 12-3 run over the final 6:52. Two jumpers by Jalen Brunson and another long two-pointer by Mikal Bridges put the Knicks on the path to victory, while the Sixers missed shot after shot (1/9 FG).
Symbolic of this was an attempt by Paul George, who took a wild three-pointer with 25 seconds left that turned out to be an airball. That sealed the deal for New York, and Miles McBride sealed the victory with a free throw. Prior to that, the game had gone back and forth for over 42 minutes. The game featured 25 lead changes, the most in a playoff game in eleven years (since Spurs vs. Clippers in 2015).
Hukporti steps in for injured Robinson
No team led by more than seven points, yet in the end the Knicks prevailed, thanks largely to top scorer Brunson (26, 9/21 FG). O.G. Anunoby contributed 24 points but injured his thigh in the final quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 20 points (6/8), ten rebounds, and seven assists. The visitors’ top scorers were Tyrese Maxey (26, 9/23), Oubre Jr., and George (19 each).
For the Knicks, Ariel Hukporti got just under seven minutes of playing time because backup big man Mitchell Robinson was out sick. The former Ludwigsburg player used this opportunity to score two points and grab three rebounds, but also committed four fouls.
The Knicks now lead the series 2-0 and are well on their way to reaching the Conference Finals for the second consecutive year. The series now moves to Philadelphia, with Game 3 taking place Saturday night in the City of Brotherly Love.