Knicks sweep 76ers, 144-114

The Knicks didn’t just close out the 76ers. They basically detonated the series. New York beat Philadelphia 144-114 on Sunday, completed a 4-0 sweep, and punched its ticket back to the Eastern Conference finals for the second straight season. The score was huge, but the real story was the way it happened — a first-half shooting avalanche that made the game feel over long before halftime. (apnews.com) ### How fast did this get out of hand? Very fast. The Knicks hit 11 threes in the first quarter alone and led 43-24 after 12 minutes. By halftime, they had made 18 threes, tying an NBA playoff record for a half, and the lead was 81-57. (apnews.com) That’s not a normal hot stretch. That’s the kind of shooting burst that turns a closeout game into garbage time before the third quarter even settles in. ### Who drove it? It was one of those nights where the Knicks came at Philadelphia from everywhere. Jalen Brunson scored 22 points with 6 assists. Miles McBride poured in 25 and went 7-for-9 from deep. Josh Hart added 17 points and 9 rebounds, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points and 10 assists in under 20 minutes. (apnews.com) New York finished with 25 made threes, tying the NBA playoff record for a game. ### Was this just one crazy shooting night? Yes — but not only that. The shooting was the headline, but the sweep says something bigger. The Knicks didn’t merely survive this series. They controlled it. Game 4 was the loudest example, but the broader point is that New York looked deeper, cleaner, and more organized across all four games. (apnews.com) When a team can rest stars early in a closeout and still keep extending the lead, that’s domination, not luck. ### What happened to Philadelphia? The Sixers never really found a defensive answer. Joel Embiid scored 24 points and didn’t miss a field goal, but he took only 8 shots. (nba.com) Tyrese Maxey had 17 points on 6-for-16 shooting, and Paul George managed just 7. That’s the shape of a team getting overwhelmed — one efficient star, but not enough volume, not enough stops, and not enough support when the other side keeps raining threes. ### Why does the three-point record matter? Because it explains the feel of the game. A 30-point blowout can come from a slow grind. This one came from a landslide. Eleven first-quarter threes meant every small Philadelphia mistake got punished instantly. (apnews.com) The Knicks weren’t just scoring — they were stacking points in chunks of three so fast that any comeback math became absurd. It’s like trying to catch up after falling three touchdowns behind in the first quarter. ### What does this change in the East? New York is the first team into the conference finals and now gets extra rest while the other side of the bracket finishes. (nba.com) The Knicks will face the winner of Cleveland-Detroit. That matters in May — rest, health, and prep time start to count almost as much as talent. New York reached this round last year too, but this time it arrives looking more explosive and a lot less fragile. ### So what’s the real takeaway? The Knicks look like a real contender, not just a nice playoff story. A sweep is one thing. A sweep capped by 144 points, record-level shooting, and stars sitting early is something else. (apnews.com) New York didn’t just advance — it announced that the East still has to deal with it. (nbcnewyork.com)