Knicks-Sixers: 5 takeaways from New York's Recreation 1 comeback – NBA.com

New York's bench offers an unlimited edge in each scoring and rebounding within the sequence opener.
John Schuhmann
Mitchell Robinson was a key cause why New York dominated the glass and bench manufacturing.
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NEW YORK — Recreation 1 of the first round series between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers was a curler coaster experience, with each groups erasing deficits of at least 13 points. Ultimately, it was the Knicks that got here out on prime, enhancing to 20-2 (12-0 at house) in video games during which they’ve had each Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby.
Listed here are some notes, numbers and movie from New York’s 111-104 victory at Madison Sq. Backyard on Saturday.
1. Embiid throws down, goes down and comes again
The large query of the sequence rapidly went from “how nicely will Joel Embiid play” to “how a lot will he play.”
Embiid had the spotlight of the evening late within the second quarter when he tossed the ball off the backboard to himself, grabbed it with one hand and threw down a dunk over OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. However Embiid then landed on his left leg, spun round, grabbed his left knee and fell to the floor.
The left knee, in fact, is identical one which required meniscus surgical procedure in February, inflicting Embiid to overlook 29 straight video games. He went to the locker room with 2:37 left within the half and issues appeared fairly bleak for the Sixers, who trailed by 12 on the break to the one undefeated group (28-0) in video games it led by a minimum of 5 factors at halftime.
After which Embiid emerged from the locker room shortly earlier than the third quarter started. After Philly missed a shot on its first possession of the second half, it proceeded to attain 32 factors on its subsequent 15 journeys down the ground, turning a 14-point deficit into six-point lead.
Embiid additionally supplied the spotlight of that run, an absolute dime to Kelly Oubre Jr. on the break.

Alas, whereas the Sixers received the primary and third quarters by a complete of 24 factors (70-46), they misplaced the second and fourth by a complete of 31 (65-34).
Embiid’s 36:33 of enjoying time was rather less than he logged within the Sixers’ Play-In victory on Wednesday, however nonetheless his second-highest complete within the seven video games he’s performed since getting back from harm.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse didn’t have a postame replace on Embiid, who selected to not converse with the media after the sport.
2. Knicks’ new bench comes up massive
The Knicks’ midseason commerce for Anunoby supplied an improve to their beginning lineup, however the departure of Immanuel Quickley was successful to what was the league’s sixth-ranked bench on the time of the commerce. Josh Hart transferring into the beginning lineup rather than the injured Julius Randle on Jan. 29 was one other hit.
From that time on, the Knicks’ bench ranked 19th and the group was outscored by 11.6 points per 100 possessions with Jalen Brunson off the ground. They traded for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks on the deadline, and their minutes weren’t good.
However the Knicks’ bench was big in Recreation 1. The beginning lineup was outscored by 18 points in rather less than 16 minutes on Saturday, however New York outscored Philly by 25 in a bit of greater than 32 minutes with a minimum of one reserve on the ground.
Solely three reserves performed, however all of them performed massive. Miles McBride scored 21 factors in 28 minutes, capturing 5-for-7 from 3-point vary. He closed the sport as an alternative of Donte DiVincenzo and made a big pull-up 3 to place the Knicks up 5 with 7:37 left.
“It’s not simply the shot-making,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned about McBride’s efficiency. “However it’s the vitality. It’s the protection. It’s the hustle. That goes a good distance.”
Like McBride, Robinson performed all the fourth quarter. He completed with 12 rebounds (seven offensive) and 4 blocks in half-hour, simply probably the most he’s performed in 11 video games since getting back from an prolonged absence. He grabbed a giant offensive rebound and tipped in his own miss to place the Knicks up 4 with 4:25 left.
Bogdanovic had 13 factors and 7 boards in lower than 25 minutes, together with his greatest moments (two 3-pointers) coming when the Knicks started the second quarter on an 11-2 run with Brunson off the ground.
3. Knicks dominate the glass once more
Final season, the Knicks ranked second in offensive rebounding share after which destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers on the glass of their first spherical sequence. This season, they led the league in offensive rebound share, and so they destroyed the Sixers on the glass in Recreation 1.
Philly grabbed 24 defensive rebounds. New York grabbed 23 offensive rebounds. If you depend rebounds that went out of bounds and loose-ball fouls, the Knicks had an offensive rebounding percentage of 51.8%, the second-highest mark for any group in a recreation this season.
Led by Robinson, 4 Knicks (together with the 6-foot-4 Hart) had a minimum of 4 offensive boards. Anunoby had only one, but it surely was a very vicious one which resulted in a bucket for Brunson:

“We prioritize [offensive rebounds],” Thibodeau mentioned. “The nights during which we’re not capturing nicely, they offer us an opportunity.”
The Sixers had the higher half-court offense on Saturday, but it surely was 27-11 Knicks on quick break factors and 26-8 on second likelihood factors, with these 26 second likelihood factors being probably the most the Sixers have allowed this season.
4. Teammates reward Brunson for making the appropriate performs
Brunson didn’t have his finest capturing recreation. The Sixers defended him with dimension (Oubre and Nicolas Batum have been his major defenders) and confirmed him further our bodies when he drove. The All-NBA candidate completed with 22 factors on 8-for-26 capturing, additionally committing 5 turnovers.
However Brunson made the appropriate performs late. With the Knicks up three and simply two minutes left, the Sixers’ janky zone was shaded his manner, with Tyrese Maxey on the ball and Oubre past the nail. Brunson didn’t power issues and as an alternative swung the ball to Hart, who drained an enormous 3 to double the lead:

The lead was again all the way down to 4 on the following possession when Brunson was doubled on the appropriate aspect of the ground. He then fired a skip go to the left wing, the place Anunoby drained one other 3:

Whereas Brunson shot 1-for-6 from 3-point vary, his teammates have been 15-for-29 (52%). It’s a make-or-miss league and the Knicks at the moment are 38-6 (third finest) after they’ve outscored their opponent from past the arc.
5. Embiid settles an excessive amount of
Embiid had a few robust publish ups in Recreation 1, in addition to a few good reactions when the Knicks despatched a double-team. However too typically, his catches have been 25 ft from the basket. And too typically, he settled for lengthy jumpers as an alternative of attempting to get inside:

Embiid was 11-for-12 from the free throw line, however simply 8-for-22 from the sector, together with 4-for-16 from outdoors the restricted space.
His presence alone means lots. But when Embiid isn’t more practical going ahead, the Sixers are in hassle.
Recreation 2 is Monday (7:30 ET, TNT).
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John Schuhmann is a senior stats analyst for NBA.com. You may e-mail him here, discover his archive here and follow him on X. 
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