Knicks rout 76ers 137-98 in conference semifinal opener
- The Knicks opened the East semifinals by flattening the 76ers 137-98 at Madison Square Garden on May 4, behind 35 points from Jalen Brunson. - New York shot 63% overall and 19-for-37 from 3, led by as many as 40, and recorded its fourth straight playoff blowout. - The result gives New York a 1-0 series lead and extends a postseason surge that suddenly looks bigger than one hot night.
The game was over long before the final buzzer. New York didn’t just beat Philadelphia in Game 1 — it buried the 76ers under shot-making, pace, and constant pressure. By the second half, Madison Square Garden had shifted from playoff tension to party mode. That matters because second-round games are supposed to feel tighter than this, not easier. (nba.com) ### How bad was it? Pretty bad. The Knicks won 137-98, led by 40 at one point, and outscored the 76ers 74-51 across the middle two quarters. New York finished at 53-for-84 from the field and 19-for-37 from deep — basically the kind of efficiency that turns a playoff game into a scrimmage. (espn.com) ### Who set the tone? Jalen Brunson did. He scored 35, and 27 of those came before halftime, which is really where the game snapped open. When your lead guard is already cooking and the defense can’t force him into a bad night, everything else gets easier — the spacing opens, the ball moves, and everybody starts looking comfortable. (apnew([espn.com)fs-e5b78409396408bd5c8984bf93abe59c)) ### Was this just Brunson? No — that’s the scary part for Philadelphia. The Knicks had 34 assists, 58 points in the paint, and six blocks. This wasn’t one guy hitting impossible shots. It was a whole team getting to its spots over and over again, then defending hard enough to turn misses and turnovers into easy offense the other way. (espn.com) ### Why did the 76ers crack? Philadelphia never got control of the game’s rhythm. The 76ers shot 41%, committed 19 turnovers, and managed only 15 assists. That stat line tells the story — too many empty trips, not enough clean creation, and not nearly enough resistance once New York started stacking runs. In a playoff opener on the road, that’s how a competitive game becomes a 30-point disaster. (espn.com) ### Is this actually historic? At minimum, it’s part of a very unusual run. NBA.com flagged this as New York’s fourth straight playoff blowout, and Yahoo described the team’s postseason stretch as historic. You don’t usually see a contender roll through multiple playoff games by margins like this once the bracket tightens. That doesn’t guar(espn.com)on of the Knicks is operating at a different level right now. (nba.com) ### Does one game change the series? Not by itself. Game 1s can lie a little — especially when one team shoots the lights out. But a 39-point margin still changes the conversation because it gives New York a 1-0 lead and forces Philadelphia to answer very specific questions fast: can the 76ers protect the ball, can they sl(nba.com)ing a track meet? (nba.com) ### What should you watch next? Start with the shot quality. If New York keeps generating clean 3s and paint touches, this can tilt quickly. If Philadelphia cuts the turnovers and makes the Knicks play more in the half court, the series can look normal again. The catch is that blowouts like this don’t just expose one bad night — they expose pressure points. (espn.com) ### Bottom line? The Knicks didn’t merely grab Game 1. They made the 76ers look small, slow, and unready for the level New York is playing at right now. That’s why this opener feels bigger than a single win. (nba.com)
