Knicks rally past 76ers 108-102 to take 2-0 East semifinal lead

The game was close. That was the surprise. The result, though, was the same one New York wanted — a 108-102 Knicks win, a 2-0 lead, and another reminder that playoff control does not always look clean. After a Game 1 blowout, Philadelphia made this ugly and tense and very real. But late in the fourth, the Knicks finally got the separation they’d been chasing all night. ### Why did this feel so different from Game 1? Because Game 1 was a demolition. Game 2 was a knife fight. Philadelphia, even without Joel Embiid, pushed the pace, kept getting back in front, and turned the night into a possession-by-possession grind. There were 25 lead changes and 14 ties, and neither side led by more than seven. That tells you what this was — not dominance, but survival. ### What actually won it for New York? The fourth quarter. More specifically, the last few minutes. The Knicks outscored the 76ers 19-12 in the final period and used a 9-0 run to take over a game that had been wobbling back and forth all evening. That was the difference — not some giant tactical revolution, just better execution when the game got tight. ### How good was Jalen Brunson? Good in the way stars have to be in May. Brunson finished with 26 points and helped settle New York once the game started slipping into chaos. He did not need a 45-point masterpiece. He needed control — the kind that gets a team into its offense, gets a decent shot, and stops a frantic game from turning into a giveaway contest. He gave them that. ### Did the Sixers miss Embiid? Obviously. Embiid sat out with hip and ankle issues, and that changes everything about Philadelphia’s margin for error. The Sixers still competed hard, which matters, but without him they lose their easiest source of half-court offense, rim pressure, and defensive intimidation. In a game this tight, one extra star possession here or there can flip the whole ending. ### So was this still encouraging for Philadelphia? In one sense, yes. The Sixers were far sharper than they were in the 137-98 loss in Game 1. They defended with more force, stayed connected, and made New York work for everything. But the catch is simple — “better” only matters if it changes the series score. Philadelphia played a much more serious game and still left down 0-2. ### Why does 2-0 matter so much? Because playoff math gets cruel fast. A split on the road is manageable. Going home down 0-2 means every mistake starts to feel terminal. The Sixers now need to protect home court immediately just to keep the series from tilting into near-certainty. New York, meanwhile, has room — not to relax, but to absorb one bad stretch without losing control of the matchup. ### Is there any concern for the Knicks? Yes — the win came with an injury scare. OG Anunoby left late with an apparent hamstring issue, which could matter a lot if it lingers. New York has been winning with defense, physical wings, and lineup flexibility. Anunoby is central to all of that. So the Knicks got the result they wanted, but they may spend the next 24 hours worrying about the price. ### Bottom line? This was the kind of playoff game that tells you what a series is becoming. Philadelphia proved it can make New York uncomfortable. New York proved that discomfort might not be enough. The Knicks did not crush the Sixers this time. They did something more valuable — they handled the hard version and took a 2-0 lead.