Brunson’s late 2 lifts Knicks to 2-0 series lead over 76ers
- New York beat Philadelphia 108-102 on May 6 at Madison Square Garden, with Jalen Brunson closing late as the Knicks grabbed a 2-0 lead. - Brunson scored 26 points and six of New York’s last nine, while the game swung through 25 lead changes before Philadelphia managed only three late points. - The series now shifts to Philadelphia, with history heavily favoring teams that take a 2-0 lead.
The Knicks didn’t blow out the 76ers this time. They did something maybe more useful for a playoff run — they won an ugly, tight game when the easy offense disappeared. New York beat Philadelphia 108-102 on Wednesday, May 6, at Madison Square Garden and took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Jalen Brunson finished with 26 points, but the real story was the timing. He took over the last few minutes and pushed the Knicks through a game that kept slipping back and forth. ### Why did this one feel different? Game 1 was a demolition. The Knicks won that opener 137-98 and basically spent the night showing how overwhelming they can look when Brunson gets downhill early and everything around him clicks. Game 2 was the opposite — slower, messier, and full of possessions where neither side could create much fast. New York showed it can win both versions. ### What actually swung Game 2? The ending. Brunson scored six of the Knicks’ last nine points, and Philadelphia just stalled out. The Sixers scored only three points over the final 6:52, which is basically how you lose a road playoff game even if you’ve hung around all night. The Knicks didn’t need a huge closing avalanche — they just needed one to tighten up. Brunson was that guy again. ### How close was it, really? Very. The game had 25 lead changes and 14 ties, so this wasn’t one of those “close on the scoreboard, controlled underneath” games. It kept changing hands. That’s why the late execution stands out so much. In a game with that much volatility, one clean stretch at the end can decide everything. New York found it. Philadelphia didn’t. ### Was Brunson the only reason? No, but he was the answer when the Knicks needed one. Karl-Anthony Towns had 10 rebounds and seven assists, which tells you New York got connective play as well as scoring. The Knicks didn’t have the same offensive flow they had in Game 1, so secondary creation mattered more. Brunson still led with 26 points, but this was closer to a grind-it-out team win than a solo act. ### What did Philadelphia get? Tyrese Maxey scored 26, matching Brunson, but the efficiency and late-game control weren’t there. He shot 9-for-23 and committed six turnovers. That line captures the Sixers’ night pretty well — enough shot-making to stay attached, not enough precision to finish the job. On the road, against a team that already has confidence, that’s a rough combination. ### Why does 2-0 matter so much? Because the math gets nasty fast. The series now moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday, May 8, but teams that go up 2-0 in NBA playoff series usually convert that edge. The NBA’s live playoff coverage pegged that historical win rate at 93.3%. That doesn’t end the series, obviously — but it means the team is in
