Knicks take 3-0 lead over 76ers

The Knicks are one win from ending this series, and the big thing is they did it on the road, without one of their main wings, and without ever really looking rattled. New York beat Philadelphia 108-94 on Friday, May 8, to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Jalen Brunson was the closer again. Mikal Bridges gave them the second scorer they needed. And the Sixers, basically, ran out of answers when the game tightened up. ### What actually happened in Game 3? Philadelphia led 31-27 after one quarter, so this was not some wire-to-wire blowout. But New York owned the middle of the game, won the second quarter 33-21, and then kept swatting away every little Sixers push after that. The final margin was 14, but the more important part was the feel of it — whenever Philadelphia hinted at a run, the Knicks got a Brunson shot, a Bridges bucket, or a defensive stop. (espn.com) ### Why was Brunson the story again? Because this is the version of playoff basketball he keeps dragging into his comfort zone. Brunson finished with 33 points and 9 assists, and the late buckets mattered most. He wasn’t just piling up numbers. He was ending suspense. That’s what top playoff guards do — they turn messy fourth quarters into their own private shot diet. (espn.com) ### Who else carried New York? Bridges was huge with 23 points on efficient shooting, and that mattered even more because OG Anunoby was out with a hamstring issue. Landry Shamet chipped in 15, which is the kind of support swing teams need in May. The Knicks didn’t need one superhero performance from everyone. They needed enough secondary scoring to keep Philadelphia from loading every possession onto Brunson, and they got it. (nba.com) ### What went wrong for Philadelphia? The simple version is that the Sixers never found a reliable offensive gear. Kelly Oubre Jr. led them with 22. Joel Embiid returned after missing Game 2, but he scored 18 in 35 minutes, which is nowhere near the level Philadelphia needs from him in a game like this. Tyrese Maxey, who had been the series leader for the Sixers, still hasn’t been able to bend the matchup the way Brunson has on the other side. (api-hub.nba.com) ### Did the missing players matter? Yes — but mostly in a way that flatters New York. Anunoby being out should have made the Knicks easier to attack on both ends. Instead, they still controlled the game. Embiid being back should have stabilized Philadelphia. It didn’t. That contrast is the real warning sign for the Sixers. One team is surviving its absences. The other still looks fragile even when its star returns. (espn.com) ### Why does 3-0 change everything? Because 3-0 in an NBA playoff series is basically the cliff edge. The league has never seen a team come all the way back from that deficit. So this is no longer a normal competitive series where one hot shooting night can reset the mood. Game 4 on Sunday, May 10, is an elimination game for Philadelphia and a sweep chance for New York. (api-hub.nba.com) ### What is Game 4 really about? For the Knicks, it’s about finishing cleanly and getting extra rest. For the Sixers, it’s about proving this matchup isn’t as lopsided as it now looks. But the catch is that moral victories are gone. Philadelphia doesn’t need a better stretch. It needs four quarters, a dominant Embiid game, and a way to stop Brunson late. (nba.com) ### Bottom line New York didn’t just win Game 3. The Knicks made this series feel settled. Brunson controlled the ending, Bridges filled the gaps, and the Sixers now have to stare down the hardest number in playoff basketball — 0-3. (nba.com)