Knicks vs. 76ers preview: Key matchups, series prediction and more
It’s hard to imagine that the Knicks, after building their roster using Boston as the foil that they had to surpass, have found a path through the postseason that doesn’t include the Celtics. But that doesn’t mean the path isn’t without its challenges, and the arrival of the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals may be unexpected, but it won’t be easy.
The Knicks and 76ers meet in a rematch of the 2024 opening round series that was far closer than you might remember from the wild celebrations of Knicks fans in Philadelphia. The total point differential in the series was one point. And it could have swung to the 76ers, as could have the series, if Donte DiVincenzo’s second-chance three-pointer in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden didn’t fall through the net. The teams have changed in the two years since then and provide different and tougher challenges.
Here are some of the matchups that will determine if the Knicks' path, with homecourt in this round, is a stepping stone to places the team hasn’t reached in decades or another roadblock to the long title chase.
Speed kills
If the Knicks duo of OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges were put in place to match up with Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, they weren’t built to keep up with the 76ers backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe. Actually, few in the NBA are built for this. Maxey averaged 30 points 5.3 assists against the Knicks this season while Edgecombe averaged 19.3 points. Even with that elite Knicks defensive duo, it was Josh Hart who stepped up to take on the task of defending Atlanta’s CJ McCollum, but Hart doesn’t possess the speed to keep up with Maxey. Mikal Bridges has gotten the call more than anyone with the Knicks this season and was reasonably effective, holding Maxey to 46.7% shooting (42.9% from three). Hart will likely get Edgecombe unless Mike Brown lets Jalen Brunson take time on the rookie. Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride got more time on Maxey (with little success) than any of the Knicks starters other than Bridges.
So what can the Knicks do?
“Ask Tyrese to slow down a little bit,” Hart said. “That would be nice. The style of defense is going to be totally different (from Atlanta). CJ doesn’t have that quick acceleration at his age so you can be more physical with him. Tyrese and Edgecombe, they are on the young side. They are quick and explosive. So, there’s definitely a different style of defense. Hopefully, they can slow down a little bit so I can get my hands on them and be physical.”
On the other hand
While these two teams have changed a lot since their meeting in the playoffs two years ago, Jalen Brunson is still the most dangerous playoff performer, which he was in that series, too. Brunson topped 40 points in each of the three final games of that series. Philadelphia tried length on him with Kelly Oubre the primary defender more than any other player in the postseason two years ago and that didn’t work. They tried the speedy Maxey next most and results were slightly better.
Battle of the bigs
The 76ers likely wouldn’t be here if Joel Embiid didn’t make a quicker than expected return from emergency appendectomy surgery, missing just two and a half weeks and getting back in time to help Philadelphia upset the Celtics. The missing pieces for Philadelphia had a large part of why they finished as the seventh seed in the playoffs this season with Embiid battling his usual assortment of injuries and Paul George sidelined for a 25-game suspension after testing positive for a performance enhancing drug.
When Embiid was in the lineup he was as difficult to handle as ever, scoring 26 points in the second meeting of the season, then 38 when the Knicks won in Philadelphia in the only game that both sides had all five of their regular starters. The Knicks blew out Philadelphia in the last meeting but Embiid and George were both out. Karl-Anthony Towns had just 10 points in that second meeting of the season that Embiid had 38. But he seems to have found his footing on both ends of the floor in the Knicks' system., but he’s seemed to find his footing on both ends of the floor with the Knicks system. He now helps orchestrate the offense and is much more active on defense. That said, the 76ers sometimes have opted to use Embiid on Josh Hart, but after what Towns did to smaller defenders against Atlanta that’s a huge risk.
An X-factor for the Knicks is using OG Anunoby on Embiid with his defensive acumen while giving up size.
“OG is unique and special,” Mike Brown said. “He gives us, like Josh, the ability to throw different defenses at our opponents. And he can guard ones, twos, threes, fours, fives. We always try to mix it up with him. We will continue to try to do it going forward. So wherever we need to adjust, no matter who he is guarding at this point of the season, we have a pretty good feel of what we may need to do to shore up this area or that area and help him when he’s guarding this point guard or this center.”
Speaking of X-factors
Bridges seemed lost in the Atlanta series, but Brown stuck with him in the starting lineup and Bridges excelled in Game 6 as the Knicks closed the series out. He likely will have to use most of his energy trying to contain Maxey, but if he can use his length offensively over the Philly guards that could create an advantage for the Knicks. While he struggled much of the time against the Hawks, it is a far different type of matchup against the 76ers.
An X-factor for Philadelphia? How about former Knicks wing Quentin Grimes, who played well against Boston, and would love a shot at the team that dealt him away.
Prediction
It wasn’t easy two years ago. It wasn’t easy in the regular season. But it’s hard to imagine that a Knicks team that seems to be clicking as well as they have all season can’t find a way get past the 76ers while Embiid always seems to be hobbling through the games. He joked that he was faking the injuries in the last round, but even at full strength the Knicks just have the better, deeper team. Still, the speed of the Philadelphia backcourt will make this a tough test.
Knicks in 6, closing it out in Madison Square Garden East, as Knicks fans affectionately call the 76ers home court.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
