Knicks staring down hard decisions to fix season-long weakness and stop ‘explosive’ 76ers guards
The New York Knicks face a significant defensive challenge in the playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers' dynamic backcourt duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Josh Hart played a key role in the Knicks' first-round series by switching assignments and shutting down CJ McCollum, but Maxey and Edgecombe present a different, more explosive threat. The Knicks may need to adjust their defensive schemes and rotations, potentially increasing minutes for bench players like Miles McBride or Jose Alvarado.
- ▪Josh Hart guarded CJ McCollum in the Knicks' first-round series, helping shift momentum against the Hawks.
- ▪Tyrese Maxey averaged 30.0 points in four regular-season games against the Knicks, shooting over 50% from the field and 3-point range.
- ▪VJ Edgecombe, a Rookie of the Year finalist, averaged 19.3 points and posed a consistent offensive threat near the rim.
- ▪Knicks coach Mike Brown described Maxey and Edgecombe as athletic, explosive, and capable of scoring at all three levels.
- ▪Edgecombe spent significant regular-season time guarding Jalen Brunson, who performed well statistically against him.
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NBA New York Knicks Knicks staring down hard decisions to fix season-long weakness and stop ‘explosive’ 76ers guards By Jared Schwartz Published May 4, 2026, 6:30 a.m. ET Josh Hart used most of his answer to joke around, but it revealed something important. See Also New York Knicks The added ingredient that lifts Knicks-76ers into different stratosphere of playoff series He spent the second half of the Knicks’ first-round series win over the Hawks guarding CJ McCollum. It was that change — having Hart rather than Jalen Brunson guard McCollum — that completely stymied McCollum and helped change the course of the series. Now, the Knicks must deal with two dynamic 76ers guards: Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
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