Knicks Defeat 76ers 137-98 in Game 1 of Eastern Conference Semifinals

Jalen Brunson scored 35 points, including 27 in the first half, while the Knicks shot 63 percent from the field and led by as many as 40 points. This win made the Knicks the first team in NBA history to secure three straight postseason victories by at least 25 points, according to records.

OG Anunoby contributed 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each added 17 points, with Towns also recording six rebounds and six assists in 20 minutes of play. The Knicks' run began midway through their first-round series against Atlanta, where they won four straight games by a combined 135 points after trailing 2-1 in that series.

The Knicks are the first team since detailed play-by-play data began in the 1996-97 season to lead three straight playoff games by at least 30 points, as reported by Sportradar. In their previous game, the Knicks defeated Atlanta 140-89 in Game 6 of the first round, setting a postseason record with a 47-point halftime lead.

Game 2 of the current series is scheduled for Wednesday night in New York, before shifting to Philadelphia. Joel Embiid, a 76ers player, asked fans not to sell tickets to Knicks supporters for the upcoming games in Philadelphia. For the 76ers, Paul George scored 17 points, Embiid had 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting, and Tyrese Maxey scored 13 points, making his first basket five minutes into the second quarter.

The 76ers had one full day off after completing a comeback from a 3-1 deficit against Boston on Saturday night, marking the NBA's 14th such comeback.

The 76ers lost the first two games of their Boston series by 32 points each but won the next three to advance. Brunson then scored the team's final 11 points of the half, including a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left, resulting in a 74-51 halftime score.

Towns' 3-pointer early in the third quarter extended the lead to 90-60, after which reserves played most of the remaining time. Brunson played 31 minutes and has averaged 35.5 points in a prior first-round series against the 76ers in 2024, including three straight 40-point games to close that series.

The 76ers have not developed an effective defense against him in postseason play.