76ers vs Knicks Game 1: Embiid’s Momentum Meets MSG
Philadelphia came back from the dead. Saturday night in Boston, Joel Embiid put up 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. Tyrese Maxey matched him. The 76ers won 109-100. It was only the 14th time in NBA playoff history that a team came back from 3-1 down to win a series. Now they walk into Madison Square Garden.
Tip-off Game 1 is 8:00 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.
How Each Team Got Here
The 76ers’ path through Round 1 was as dramatic as this sport produces. They lost three of the first four games to the defending champion Celtics. The series looked finished. Then something shifted. They won Game 5, Game 6, and then a Game 7 in Boston where Embiid and Maxey became the first duo in NBA playoff history to each record 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in the same Game 7. Philadelphia’s first series win against their archrivals since 1982.
New York’s road here was more straightforward. The Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in Round 1, with Game 6 a 140-89 blowout. Once they found their rhythm, they won three straight. Their losses in the series came by just two combined points; their wins came by double digits. Controlled dominance when it mattered.
Both teams enter on three-game winning streaks.
The Knicks’ Strengths
The No. 3 seed in the East, New York finished the regular season 53-29. They averaged 117.8 points per game in the playoffs — second-most among remaining teams — and shot 38% from three, third-best.
Jalen Brunson averaged 26.0 points and 6.1 assists per game in the regular season. In the playoffs he is operating at 26.3 PPG. He is the fulcrum of everything New York does — the ball-handler, the half-court scorer, the player who creates when the game slows down. Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse called him “obviously a big problem” in his pre-series comments.
Karl-Anthony Towns gives the Knicks size and shooting at center. He averaged 20.1 PPG and 11.9 RPG in the regular season. His ability to step out and shoot (36.8% from three) opens the floor for Brunson’s drives in ways that most big men cannot. He also recorded a triple-double during the Hawks series.
OG Anunoby was the defensive engine of New York’s Round 1 performance. He averaged 21.5 points and 8.7 rebounds in the playoffs, up from his regular season averages of 16.7 PPG and 5.2 RPG. His perimeter defense and shot-blocking, 1.2 blocks, 1.8 steals per game in the playoffs, will be the assignment on Maxey.
The 76ers’ Strengths
Philadelphia came in as the No. 7 seed, finishing the regular season 45-37. They are the underdog in this series. But momentum in the NBA playoffs is real, and this group has more of it than anyone.
Joel Embiid averaged 26.9 PPG and 7.7 RPG in the regular season across 38 games. His playoff production has been higher: 28.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 7.0 APG in the four games since his return. The Celtics had no answer for him in Games 5, 6, and 7. The Knicks’ Towns at center is a different defensive challenge — bigger, more physical — but Embiid has spent his career punishing mismatches.
Tyrese Maxey was the 76ers’ best player across the regular season: 28.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 6.6 APG across 70 games. He is a relentless attacker, a capable creator, and the kind of player who makes the defense pay for doubling Embiid. In Game 7, he rose to the moment. He enters this series with full confidence.
Paul George averaged 17.3 PPG and 5.3 RPG across 37 regular season games. His availability and effectiveness in a deep playoff run has been a question mark throughout his career, but he was solid in Round 1. Philadelphia needs him to be a reliable third option against a Knicks defense that will work hard to take away Embiid and Maxey.
The Key Matchup
Brunson vs Maxey at the point of attack is the series-defining individual battle. Maxey is quicker. Brunson is more decisive in tight spaces. Both have the capacity to take over.
The more interesting tactical question is what Philadelphia does about Towns. Embiid can guard him, but doing so costs energy and takes Embiid off the glass. If New York stretches the defense and forces Embiid to chase Towns to the three-point line, they open the lane for Brunson’s drives.
Philadelphia’s answer may be to switch everything and accept the individual matchup problems rather than give up open threes.
Historical Context
These franchises have met nine times in the playoffs. Philadelphia leads the all-time series 5-4. The Knicks beat the 76ers in Round 1 in 2024, the most recent playoff meeting. Heading into tonight, this is one of the NBA’s most historically charged rivalries.
Madison Square Garden Factor
The Knicks are the No. 3 seed with home-court advantage in this series. MSG is one of the NBA’s most hostile environments. The Knicks finished the regular season 53-29. Philadelphia were 0-2 at MSG in the regular season series — the teams split 2-2 overall, each winning at home.
The Lean
Philadelphia’s momentum is real. Embiid’s recent form is as good as any player in the conference. But the Knicks are a more complete team, playing in their own building, with two days more rest.
This series is likely to be decided in 6 or 7 games. Game 1 at MSG is where New York will try to establish the home court tone. Brunson in the fourth quarter at MSG is a difficult assignment for any defense. Expect a close game. Knicks probably take Game 1 — but this 76ers group has shown it does not fold.
No guaranteed outcomes here. This is probability. Bet responsibly.
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