By Joiner Martínez
The Peaceable York Knicks began the Eastern Conference semifinals with a firm step after crushing the Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 in a dominant Game 1 played at the Madison Square Backyard.
The Knicks became the first team in NBA history to win three consecutive postseason games by at least 25 points, continuing a streak that began midway through the first round against Atlanta by achieving 63% shooting from the field and a 40-point lead.
After trailing 2-1 against Atlanta, the Knicks have won four consecutive games by a total of 135 points. They are the first team since games began to be recorded in detail in the 1996-97 season to lead three straight playoff games by at least 30 points, according to Sportradar.
Unmitigated triumph for Knicks
From the start, the New York team imposed conditions with an intense defense and a highly effective attack. The lead exceeded 20 points before halftime and expanded to more than 30 in the third quarter, leaving the 76ers with no options who never managed to react.
Jalen Brunson led the offense with a key 35-point performancewhile Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns shined with double-doubles and great defensive contributions. The collective game was another of the strong points, with several players contributing in double digits.
The 76ers only had one full day off after winning in Boston on Saturday night and completing the NBA’s 14th comeback from trailing 3-1. But they looked more like the team that lost by 32 points twice in the first four games before falling into that deficit.
Paul George scored 17 points for Philadelphia. Embiid made just 3 of 11 shots for a total of 14 points, and Tyrese Maxey only scored 13, not making his first basket until five minutes into the second quarter.
With this result, the Knicks take 1-0 series lead and they confirm their great moment after beating Atlanta in the previous round. Game 2 will be played again at Peaceable York, where they will seek to widen the difference.
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