Knicks bludgeon 76ers to open Eastern Conference semifinals with emphatic Game 1 statement
The New York Knicks dominated the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, winning 137-98 with a commanding performance led by Jalen Brunson. Brunson scored 35 points and the Knicks shot 63.1% from the field, building a 31-point lead early in the second half. The lopsided victory extended their recent playoff dominance, outscoring opponents by 135 points over their last four games.
- ▪Jalen Brunson scored 35 points on 12-for-18 shooting, leading the Knicks to a 137-98 victory over the 76ers.
- ▪The Knicks shot 63.1% from the field and 51.4% from three-point range, their highest in a playoff game in the play-by-play era.
- ▪New York became the second team in NBA history, after the 1986 Celtics, to win consecutive playoff games by 30 or more points.
- ▪Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each scored 17 points, while OG Anunoby added 18 on 7-for-8 shooting.
- ▪Foul trouble was a concern for the Knicks, as Joel Embiid drew fouls on Towns and Mitchell Robinson.
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NBA New York Knicks Knicks bludgeon 76ers to open Eastern Conference semifinals with emphatic Game 1 statement By Jared Schwartz Published May 4, 2026, 10:48 p.m. ET Josh Hart’s shot had clanked off the rim – a rarity for the Knicks on Monday. But Mikal Bridges corralled the rebound and kicked it out to Jalen Brunson. And Brunson drilled it, with hardly any time left on the clock. Of course he did. Did anyone expect otherwise? For pretty much the entirety of the first half, he was doing anything he wanted against the 76ers defense. The shot gave the Knicks a 23-point lead heading into halftime. It brought Brunson to a whopping 27 points in that first half, including the Knicks’ last 11 heading into the break. It got the fans inside Madison Square Garden to their feet and to full voice.
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