knicks vs 76ers prediction changed fast Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks beat the 76ers 108-102 in Game 2 and took a 2-0 lead in the second-round playoff series.
Brunson Pushes New York
Jalen Brunson carried the late stretch with mid-range baskets and two free throws that helped New York build a three-possession lead. Josh Hart tied the game with a fourth-quarter three, then Brunson gave the Knicks the lead with another mid-range jumper.
The Knicks never had much room to breathe. No team led by more than seven points over the 48 minutes, and Philadelphia still entered the fourth quarter with a one-point lead before the game shifted.
Philadelphia Loses Its Grip
Philadelphia’s offense stalled early in the fourth quarter, and the lead disappeared five minutes in after a Knicks timeout sequence. VJ Edgecombe missed two open three-point attempts on the next three possessions, Tyrese Maxey missed a corner three, and the Knicks kept the pressure on.
Brunson answered with another mid-range jumper later in the quarter, Mikal Bridges added one of his own, and Maxey turned the ball over while Dominick Barlow also gave it away. Maxey split two free throws after drawing a foul, but Brunson’s two free throws stretched the margin back to three possessions.
Fatigue Shows For The 76ers
The 76ers were playing without Joel Embiid and had just come through a taxing seven-game series against the Boston Celtics. Their tight rotation showed signs of immense fatigue, and that showed up in the closing minutes when Maxey did not score Philadelphia’s first basket in nearly six minutes.
Kelly Oubre Jr. added a pair of free throws in the fourth quarter, Barlow blocked a corner three, and Edgecombe spent much of the night chasing Brunson across all 94 feet. Those stops did not change the finish. Paul George airballed the shot that sealed Philadelphia’s fate, and the Knicks walked out with a 2-0 series edge.
