Tyrese Maxey leads Sixers as Knicks seek 2-0 series lead
Tyrese Maxey became Philadelphia’s answer without Joel Embiid, while New York tried to turn a historic Game 1 blowout into a 2-0 series grip.
Tyrese Maxey was the swing factor at Madison Square Garden, and Philadelphia needed him to be far more than a scorer as the 76ers tried to claw back into the Eastern Conference semifinals. With Joel Embiid ruled out because of a sprained right ankle and a sore right hip, the burden shifted to Maxey, who had managed only 13 points in Game 1 but had just put up a 30-point Game 7 against Boston and averaged 30.0 points, 5.3 assists and 3.8 rebounds in four regular-season games against the Knicks.
New York entered Game 2 on Wednesday, May 6, with a 1-0 lead after a 137-98 rout in Game 1 that reflected just how far the series had tilted. Jalen Brunson scored 35 points in that opener, 27 of them in the first half, as the Knicks shot 53-for-84 from the field and 19-for-37 from three-point range. The margin grew to as many as 40 points, and the result pushed New York into a rare historical lane, becoming the first team in NBA history to win three straight postseason games by at least 25 points. The Knicks’ third straight playoff victory by 20 or more points also tied the longest such run in league history.
That is the standard Philadelphia had to answer, and it had to do it without Embiid. Nick Nurse, who had missed time to attend his brother Steve Nurse’s funeral, returned for Game 2, giving the 76ers back their coach as they tried to steady a series that had already opened with a lopsided loss. Game 3 loomed Friday, May 8, in Philadelphia, making Game 2 the clearest chance for the Sixers to stop the momentum before the series shifted home.
For New York, the tactical question was whether Brunson and the Knicks could keep the pressure on Maxey and force Philadelphia into another night of difficult possessions. For the 76ers, the answer depended on Maxey sustaining the pace and shot-making that had made him the focal point of the offense all season against this matchup. The game stayed tight into the second half, with both teams trading baskets, a sign that Philadelphia had at least slowed the avalanche long enough to keep the series from slipping further out of reach.
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