No late-game collapse this time.
Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks held on and are moving on to the next round.
Brunson scored 41 points, while Josh Hart drilled the go-ahead triple, as New York outlasted Philadelphia, 118-115, ending the Sixers' season with a Game 6 road win.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 3, 2024
NEW YORK ADVANCES. pic.twitter.com/MCkUdd2ZPa
Game 1 of the Knicks-Pacers series is on Tuesday (PH time).
The former All-Star dominated in the final frame, scoring 14 fourth-quarter points, while Hart connected a clutch three-pointer with 24.4 seconds left to put the Knicks ahead, 114-111.
JOSH HART PUTS THE KNICKS AHEAD 114-111 WITH 24 SECONDS LEFT IN THE 4Q 😱🎯
— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2024
NYK advances to the East Semis with a win on TNT pic.twitter.com/IXRatqtyJy
Reigning MVP Joel Embiid then cut the deficit to a single digit at 114-113 before both teams exchanged free throws in the final 7.1 seconds.
PHI forces a Game 7 with a win pic.twitter.com/tn6VdYpapa
— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2024
Buddy Hield had one last chance for the Sixers to send the game to overtime, but his three-point attempt was off the mark.
Brunson added 12 assists and joined legend Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history with three playoff games having 35 points and 10 assists in 3 games in a single series.
Hart finished with another all-around game of 16 points, 14 rebounds, and seven dimes with Donte DiVincenzo adding 23 and OG Anunoby contributing 19.
New York seemed to pull away in the fourth after Anunoby hammered down a slam dunk to make it 109-101 with 2:43 left. But the Sixers responded with a 7-0 run to close within 109-108.
WHAT A FINISH 💥 https://t.co/vDxFfLaFZN pic.twitter.com/TTgGVzCwGF
— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2024
The Knicks actually raced to a fiery start, holding a 33-11 advantage early and a 36-22 first quarter lead.
NYK advances to the East Semis with a win on TNT pic.twitter.com/k8KpmAl7B2
— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2024
Meanwhile, Embiid led the way for the Knicks with 39 points, while Buddy Hield had his best game of the series with 20 off the bench. Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 17 each.
After a slow start, Philadelphia got its bearings in the second frame, outscoring New York 32-15, for a 54-51 halftime lead as Hield had 17.
He has 17 PTS going into halftime on TNT!#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/gS2u3gZJSV
— NBA (@NBA) May 3, 2024
Embiid then exploded for 17 points in the third as both teams entered the final frame tied at 83-apiece.
For the first time since 2020, Philadelphia is out of the opening round of the playoffs and the Sixers still can’t get past the second round since Embiid got drafted in 2014.
