Knicks beat 76ers 108-94 in Game 3, take 3-0 series lead

The Knicks are one win from ending this series. That’s the story now. New York beat Philadelphia 108-94 in Game 3 on Friday, May 8, behind 33 points from Jalen Brunson and 23 from Mikal Bridges, and the scoreboard only tells part of it — the Knicks absorbed every little Sixers push and then shut the door again. ### Why did this game feel bigger than 14 points? Because Philadelphia had the setup it wanted. The series shifted home, Joel Embiid was back on the floor, and the Sixers badly needed a swing game. Instead, New York controlled the glass, moved the ball better, and looked calmer in the late moments. The Knicks finished with a 49-33 rebounding edge and 25 assists to Philadelphia’s 23, while the Sixers shot just 42.9% overall and 28.1% from 3. (nba.com) ### What did Brunson actually do? He was the closer again. Brunson put up 33 points on 11-for-22 shooting, hit 3 threes, made 8 free throws, and added 9 assists. That line matters because it wasn’t just scoring volume — he kept generating clean offense when the game got sticky. In a playoff road game, that’s basically the difference between “hanging on” and “being in control.” (nba.com) ### Was it only Brunson? No — and that’s part of why this is so rough for Philly. Bridges gave New York 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting and didn’t turn the ball over. Landry Shamet chipped in 15 off the bench in just over 26 minutes. Josh Hart added 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 12 boards with 7 assists. The Knicks didn’t need one heroic sidekick performance. (nba.com) They got production from everywhere. ### How much did Anunoby’s absence matter? It mattered on paper, but less than expected in the game. NBA.com listed OG Anunoby out for New York, yet the Knicks still defended with enough discipline and got enough scoring from the wing spots to keep the structure intact. That’s a bad sign for Philadelphia, because one of the obvious counters — wait for the Knicks to look thin without Anunoby — never really arrived. (nba.com) ### What did Philadelphia get? Not enough from its top-end talent, and not enough shooting around them. Embiid scored 18 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists in his return. Tyrese Maxey had 17 points and 7 assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. led the Sixers with 22, while Paul George scored 15 on 6-for-18 shooting. Those are decent individual numbers, but together they don’t add up to a functioning playoff offense when the team misses 23 of 32 threes. (nba.com) ### Why is 3-0 such a wall? Because the series is no longer about adjustments alone. It’s about history, margin, and error tolerance. NBA.com shows New York leading 3-0, with Game 4 set for Sunday, May 10, in Philadelphia. At that point the Sixers don’t just need one answer — they need four straight, starting immediately, against a team that has already solved them three times. (nba.com) ### So what changes before Game 4? Philadelphia has to create easier offense early and defend without letting Brunson dictate every late possession. But the bigger issue is composure. The Knicks look like the team with the clearer map — even shorthanded. New York knows exactly where its shots and stops are coming from. Philly still looks like it’s searching. (nba.com) ### Bottom line? The Knicks didn’t steal one. They imposed the same series logic again — Brunson controls the game, the wings make enough shots, and Philadelphia runs out of clean answers. Now the Sixers are staring at an elimination game on Sunday. (nba.com)