Knicks Crush 76ers in Game 1
New York routed Philadelphia 137-98 in Game 1, riding Jalen Brunson’s first-half burst, 63.1% shooting, and another suffocating playoff defensive night.
Knicks Crush 76ers in Game 1
NEW YORK, May 6, 2026 - The Knicks did not just win Game 1. They made the 76ers look like a team still trying to find its legs from the last series while New York was already sprinting into the next one.
New York beat Philadelphia 137-98 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, taking a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a performance that was basically decided by halftime. Jalen Brunson scored 27 of his 35 points before the break, including the Knicks' final 11 points of the second quarter, and New York went into the locker room up 74-51.
The final numbers explain why the game felt so tilted: 63.1% shooting, 19 made threes, 34 assists, and six Knicks in real rhythm. According to the Associated Press, New York became the first team in NBA history to win three straight playoff games by at least 25 points. This was not one hot quarter. It was another entry in a run that has started to feel like a team discovering the sharpest version of itself at exactly the right time.
Why New York Won
The first quarter was only the warning. New York led 33-25 after one, but Philadelphia was still close enough to pretend the pace was manageable. Then the Knicks stopped giving the 76ers room to breathe. Their eight-point burst in the second quarter pushed the lead from 10 to 18, and Brunson's closing flurry made the rest of the night feel procedural.
What stood out was how little New York had to force. Brunson got to his spots, but the offense did not freeze around him. Karl-Anthony Towns had 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists in just over 20 minutes. Mikal Bridges scored 17 without a turnover. OG Anunoby went 7-for-8. Josh Hart had eight points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals, and the kind of connective performance that helps a blowout become a wave.
Philadelphia's side of the game had a very different rhythm. The 76ers had just one full day off after finishing their 3-1 comeback against Boston, and they looked like it. Joel Embiid scored 14 on 3-for-11 shooting. Tyrese Maxey had 13 and did not make his first basket until the second quarter. Paul George's 17 points were useful, but not nearly enough to slow the avalanche.
Reddit reaction was blunt in both directions: Knicks fans kept coming back to the defense holding another playoff opponent under 100, while 76ers fans mostly debated fatigue, effort, and how much of the loss was structural versus simply running into a team playing at full throttle.
NBA full Game 1 highlights: 76ers at Knicks, May 4, 2026.
Box Score
Team Box Score
Final: New York Knicks 137, Philadelphia 76ers 98
- Quarter scoring: New York 33-41-35-28; Philadelphia 25-26-27-20. The Knicks won every quarter and led by 30 five minutes into the second half.
- Shooting: New York 53-for-84 FG, 19-for-37 3P, 12-for-17 FT; Philadelphia 30-for-73 FG, 11-for-30 3P, 27-for-34 FT.
- Ball movement: New York had 34 assists against 15 turnovers. Philadelphia had 15 assists and 19 turnovers.
- Series: New York leads 1-0. Game 2 is Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
New York Knicks Leaders
- Jalen Brunson: 35 PTS, 3 AST, 12-18 FG, 3-6 3P, 8-8 FT. He broke the game open before halftime.
- OG Anunoby: 18 PTS, 7-8 FG, 2-2 3P. Almost nothing wasted.
- Karl-Anthony Towns: 17 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST, 2 BLK in 20:24. A complete short-shift performance.
- Mikal Bridges: 17 PTS, 5 AST, 7-10 FG, 0 TO. Clean, direct, and never in the way.
- Josh Hart: 8 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST, 3 STL. The glue line that made the blowout feel connected.
Philadelphia 76ers Leaders
- Paul George: 17 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 4-6 3P.
- Joel Embiid: 14 PTS, 4 REB, 3-11 FG, 8-9 FT. New York kept him from controlling the game.
- Tyrese Maxey: 13 PTS, 3 AST, 3-9 FG. He never found the tempo Philadelphia needed.
- Kelly Oubre Jr.: 12 PTS, 5 REB.
- V.J. Edgecombe: 12 PTS, 2 AST, 2-5 3P.
What It Means
Philadelphia does not need to panic because of one loss, but this was not a narrow tactical defeat. The Knicks were faster to every read, cleaner with the ball, and much more comfortable turning defense into a game-state advantage.
For the 76ers, Game 2 has to start with energy and spacing. Embiid and Maxey cannot spend another night playing uphill, and Philadelphia has to find a way to make Brunson work harder before he gets into the middle of the floor. For New York, the danger is only human nature: after three enormous wins, the challenge is to keep treating details like they matter before the series inevitably gets tighter.