Knicks complete sweep with franchise‑postseason‑record 144 points, drilling 25 threes

The Knicks didn’t just finish off Philadelphia on Sunday night. They detonated the series. New York beat the 76ers 144-114 in Game 4, hit 25 threes, and turned what should have been a closeout game into a three-hour proof of concept for what this team looks like when everything clicks. The bigger point is simple — this wasn’t a grind-it-out Knicks win. It was a modern offensive avalanche. ### Why did this score feel so different? Because 144 points is not normal playoff basketball, and it’s definitely not normal old-school Knicks basketball. New York set a franchise postseason scoring record, and the game was basically bent out of shape by halftime. The Knicks had 80 points at the break and led by 24, which meant the second half felt less like a comeback window and more like cleanup. ### Where did the explosion come from? From everywhere, but mostly from 3. New York made 25 threes, which tied the NBA playoff record, and they got there fast. The Knicks hit 11 in the first quarter alone and 18 by halftime, tying the playoff mark for a half. That’s the kind of shotmaking run that breaks a defense’s math — every normal possession suddenly feels too small. (nba.com) ### Why was Deuce McBride such a big deal? Because he changed the texture of the game immediately. McBride started for the injured OG Anunoby and drilled four threes in the first quarter, then finished with 25 points and seven makes from deep. That matters beyond the box score — Philadelphia couldn’t load up on Jalen Brunson if the replacement starter was torching every rotation. (newsday.com) ### Did Brunson have to carry this one? Not really — and that’s part of what makes the result scarier for the rest of the East. Brunson scored 22, Josh Hart had 17, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 17, but this wasn’t one star dragging a team over the line. It was New York getting star control from Brunson and then wave after wave from everyone else. In Game 1, Brunson’s 35 set the tone for the series. In Game 4, balance finished it. (nba.com) ### What does the sweep say about this Knicks team? That the version people used to treat as a fun story is gone. This is now a team flattening good opponents by huge margins. New York has won seven straight playoff games, including the last three against Atlanta and all four against Philadelphia. Through two rounds, the Knicks’ average margin of victory is 19.4 points — the biggest through two rounds of a 16-team playoff era since 1984. (nba.com) ### How much of this is about Mike Brown? A lot. Brown took over after last season’s conference finals run and has this group playing faster, freer, and way more explosive offensively without losing the edge that made the Knicks annoying to play in the first place. The roster still has the same stubbornness, but now the offense can win a game before the fourth quarter even starts. That’s a real shift, not just a hot night. (nba.com) ### So what changes now? The Knicks are back in the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season, and they look more dangerous than the team that got there a year ago. Last season, the breakthrough was the story. This time, the story is ceiling. New York didn’t survive this round — it overwhelmed it. ### Bottom line A sweep is one thing. A sweep with 144 points, 25 threes, and a bench guard detonating the closeout game is something else. (nba.com) The Knicks didn’t just advance. They made the East look a lot smaller.