The Philadelphia 76ers host the New York Knicks in South Philly on Sunday afternoon as they hope to steal a win, avoid a sweep, and make an epic comeback. After the 108-94 loss on Friday night, things don't look good for the team, but the same was said just a short while ago when they were down 3-1 against the Celtics.
Who: New York Knicks (3-0) at Philadelphia 76ers (0-3)
When: 3:30 p.m. EST
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pa.
Watch: ESPN
The Sixers have their backs against the wall, being down 3-0 in the series and facing a Knicks team that doesn't seem to miss shots. Joel Embiid, ill and injured, has gutted out the past two games, looking like a shell of his former self. He's taken a beating in this series and, despite it all, has still shown a good amount of effort. The legs aren't there, which makes the shooting poor, and he's had his troubles, but he has to find a way to be better if the Sixers are to avoid elimination today.
Tyrese Maxey is playing with an injured pinky finger, affecting his scoring ability, especially his shot. Even still, he's played over 40 minutes in each of the past two games.
The two-time All-Star has to take a more aggressive approach today to get the Knicks in foul trouble if they're going to have a chance. The duo of Maxey and VJ Edgecombe should be able to pressure the Knicks on both ends of the floor by drawing fouls against the defense, rather than resorting to wild three-point attempts.
The Sixers need a lot to go right, and coach Nick Nurse should use players like Dominick Barlow and Justin Edwards to spell the starters so they don't break down in the fourth quarter, as they have been. Paul George will be the big key to today's game. If he can't score past the first quarter, the Sixers are and have been doomed. George has done a good job of dialing up some of his past skills, but with the lights brightest, he's fallen short lately.
The Knicks have played their style of basketball, and they're running the Sixers into the ground with it. They're pressing, non-stop on defense, rebounding well on both ends of the court, and getting the ball to an open shooter. When they're getting in the paint, the team has used a combination of acting and maneuvering to draw fouls and get to the free-throw line, all adding up to calculated victories throughout the games.
Jalen Brunson continues to control the series with his scoring, playmaking and ability to draw fouls. Brunson, despite the hatred from Philly fans, has learned exactly how to do what he wants and get away with it.
Unless the Sixers pull off another miracle, Brunson will lead this Knicks group to the NBA Finals this year, and it's something that other teams should look at when building a roster. He's a talented player who also leads his team, rarely looks rattled and provides a voice of reason to keep emotional players like Josh Hart in line during the games.
This could be the final chance to see this iteration of the Sixers on the floor together. Despite the injuries, Embiid, Maxey, Edgecombe, and George should all be giving everything they've got to prolong the season. The Edgecombe highlights seem to be the one bright spot for the team that's performed poorly of late, and there'll be plenty more today.
With a little more rest, both Embiid and Maxey should perform much better today, and hopefully that leads to a win as they continue to fight elimination. They're going to need big games from Kelly Oubre Jr. and Dominick Barlow because the Knicks will not stop attacking, and the Sixers need athletes who can keep up. Gone should be the minutes of Drummond and Bona as the Knicks just abuse both of them on both ends of the court.
The true key to victory today is for the team to attack the interior on offense, drawing players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, and Josh Hart into poorly timed fouls. If there's one thing the Sixers do well, it's shoot free throws.
Sadly, this may be the end of the road for the Sixers, a season that once showed so much promise was robbed of a true chance to be elite in a conference that is without a clear top contender. Still, the team should hold their heads high and know that they've given their all. Whenever their season ends, they should see what the summer holds and bring it back next year with even more passion and drive.
Knicks 115 - Sixers 99
