The New York Knicks steal game two from the Philadelphia 76ers 104-101. The final 30 seconds created one of the most memorable moments in New York history.
The New York Knicks scored eight points in the final 27 seconds of regulation to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 104-101. The victory gives New York a 2-0 lead in the first round of the playoffs and arguably the Knicks’ most memorable moment of this millennium.
The Knicks started slow, trailing for the entire first half. The Sixers neutralized Jalen Brunson for the second straight game, and Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey looked determined to even the series. But even as New York’s offense struggled, they never let Philadelphia build too big of a lead.
New York entered the third quarter down by four points and fought back with a boost from their bench scorers. The Sixers struck back in the fourth, regaining the lead and seeming to have the game in hand.
The Knicks trailed by five points with less than a minute to go, as a three-pointer from Brunson brought the game within two points. Within a moment, Josh Hart stole the inbounds pass, and Donte DiVincenzo eventually hit a three to take the lead.
All five Knicks had a hand in the final play. Brunson hit the first three, and Hart stole the ball. Isaiah Hartenstein grabbed an offensive rebound, then OG Anunoby found DiVincenzo who hit the shot. It was an incredible crescendo to an amazing comeback, and a moment that will go down in Knicks’ lore.
There’s more to discuss from each player’s performance, so let’s get into the recap…
The Knicks’ starters pick Jalen Brunson up
Jalen Brunson: 24 PTS (8/29 FG, 1/6 3PT, 7/9 FT), 6 AST, 8 REB, 1 TO in 38 mins
Jalen Brunson couldn’t figure out the Sixers’ defense. He spent the first half pressing for offense, taking and missing tough shots. Brunson struggled from the field but began to find seams in the Sixers’ defense by the latter half of the game. But Brunson’s shot wasn’t falling, even when he got to his spots.
The Knicks’ star made offensive contributions through passing. The Sixers sent either Josh Hart or Isaiah Hartenstein’s defenders to deny Brunson the middle of the floor. The main defender would push Brunson right while that second defender lingered in the middle. But the heavily leaning defense left room for JB to find Hartenstein for floaters and Hart or DiVo for weakside attacks.
Brunson shot miserably, but he found other ways to contribute. Beyond the playmaking, he also contributed eight boards backing up his big men. It feels like a matter of time before he kicks into gear, and the Knicks will need it when they hit the road. Brunson gets a 1.5 out of 5, but I expect him to go nuclear soon.
Donte DiVincenzo: 19 PTS (5/10 FG, 4/8 3PT, 5/5 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 37 mins
Donte DiVincenzo’s three-pointer with 13 seconds left will be remembered next to LJ’s four-point play. But don’t let that singular moment rob you of your appreciation for his clutch play throughout the second half. DiVincenzo made steals, hit big shots, and came away with loose balls from the start of the third quarter through his big shot at the end.
DiVo let the game come to him throughout the night. He took a modest 10 field goal attempts and never pressed for production. When opportunities presented themselves, he capitalized. For most of the action, his defense shined as much as his jumper.
I’d like to see the Big Ragu more involved in the offense. The Sixers funneled the ball to Hart or Hartenstein, and both players handled it well. But DiVincenzo was dynamite with every opportunity. DiVo gets a 4.5 out of 5 for hitting the biggest shot of the series.
Josh Hart: 21 PTS (7/16 FG, 4/7 3PT, 3/4 FT), 3 AST, 15 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO in 48 mins
Josh Hart put the Knicks on his back through their first-half struggles. He scored 19 points and hit four out of five long-range shots before halftime. His offense cooled considerably in the second half, but he never stopped defending hard and chasing boards to push the pace.
Hart’s rebounding demanded enough attention to open chances for others. When DiVincenzo missed his first shot at the lead with 20 seconds on the clock, Joel Embiid focused on boxing out Hart and left Isaiah Hartenstein a free path to the rebound. So, even without touching the ball, Josh Hart’s hustle created an opening for teammates to make winning plays.
Hart never sat and never stopped hustling. He was the pulse of the team through their early struggles and kept it up when they kicked into gear. Josh Hart gets a 4.5 out of 5 for keeping New York in every play.
OG Anunoby: 10 PTS (4/10 FG, 0/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK in 37 mins
OG Anunoby looked mortal as a defender. That’s mainly because Tyrese Maxey shot lights out with even the slightest bit of space. Anunoby didn’t have the speed to get through screens and clamp down Maxey, who hit jumpers from any distance and circumstance.
Anunoby’s offense didn’t fully come around, either. He missed open looks from deep and bobbled a few passes in the lanes. OG still produced off his cuts into the paint and knocked down a nice midrange jumper in the third quarter. But the former Raptor looked pedestrian for a change.
Anunoby might be better served defending a wing he can cheat off. His help defense is fantastic, and when he had time to double Embiid, the results spoke for themselves. But Maxey won this match-up, and OG gets a 2 out of 5 for light production.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 14 PTS (7/8 FG), 4 AST, 8 REB, 4 BLK, 2 TO in 30 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein is the unsung hero of this win. While Joel Embiid slowed as the game wore on, Hartenstein never stopped moving. Embiid would rotate to help on Brunson, and Hartenstein would find open space to receive the ball and hit a floater. I-Hart became Brunson’s answer to Philly’s double-teams.
Then, in the closing minute, Hartenstein grabbed a crucial offensive board and kicked the ball out to set up DiVincenzo’s three. The Sixers still had time to answer, but when Tyrese Maxey attacked the rim, Hartenstein blocked the shot from behind. The Knicks’ clutch victory had I-Hart’s fingerprints all over it.
Hartenstein played brilliant basketball. He struggled to contain last season’s MVP but wore the big man down. I-Hart’s movement, passing, and effort took over the fourth quarter. Our big man gets a 4 out of 5 for the effort.
New York’s second unit steps up in the second half
Miles McBride: 9 PTS (4/11 FG, 0/3 3PT, 1/1 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL in 21 mins
Miles McBride hit a pair of jumpers in the first half to give the second unit its only points before the third quarter. But he kicked into another gear in the fourth quarter. McBride threw a beauty of a cross-court dime to Bojan Bogdanovic to get the fourth-quarter offense going. Then he bullied the ball away from Tyrese Maxey for some points and followed with an and-one midrange shot.
Deuce’s defense looked great again. Tyrese Maxey occasionally got the best of him, but McBride continued his trend as the best defender on Maxey by a long shot. Deuce ceded extra time to the red-hot Nova wings, but he still provided key minutes off the bench. McBride gets a 2.5 out of 5 for buying Brunson much-needed rest.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 6 PTS (2/7 FG, 2/6 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB in 12 mins
Through the first half, Bojan Bogdanovic missed his shots but hustled to create rebounds for teammates and passed the ball well. He made up for poor shooting early and came up big in the second half. Bogdanovic’s three-pointers came alive in the second half, helping the Knicks take a brief lead.
I can’t stress enough Bojan’s effort. His defense is more focused, and he’s making hustle plays. That helps him maintain value even when he isn’t adding as much offensively. Bogey gets a 2 out of 5 for grabbing momentum during a lull in the offense.
Mitchell Robinson: 1 PTS (0/0 FG, 1/2 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 TO in 18 mins
Mitchell Robinson didn’t get to play as much as in game one. That’s not because he was bad, but Hartenstein played a gem that demanded extra minutes. For his part, Mitch defended well, creating havoc and forcing scrambles for rebounds. Robinson’s offensive rebounding shines even when the rest of his game is quiet.
Mitch didn’t guard Embiid as well as in game one. Clyde kept pointing out that Mitch wasn’t creating pressure to force Embiid to move off his spots. That helped Embiid shoot comfortably or draw fouls on Robinson.
Still, Robinson proved a formidable challenger, wearing down Embiid and all but erasing Paul Reed’s presence from the game. Mitch gets a 2 out of 5 for holding his own in a limited time.
Tom Thibodeau’s work is cut out for him
I love that this win came on the same night that Tom Thibodeau garnered the most votes for “coach players least want to play for” in the NBA players’ survey. That news comes out while nearly all of Thibodeau’s players are enjoying career seasons and sit with a 2-0 lead on the verge of making the second round of the players.
Let me state this as plainly as possible: Players who look at New York and say, “I don’t want to play for that coach,” have a loser’s mentality.
But Thibodeau’s work will be cut out for him as New York hits the road. Role players struggle more heavily in playoff games on the road, even when they’ve thrived in home games. These next two games will be a fun look at Thibodeau’s ability to impact the success of role players in the most intense situations.
Closing Thoughts:
I’ve been a Knicks fan my entire life, or 37 years for those keeping score. I’ve seen the John Starks dunk, LJ’s four-point play, and Allan Houston’s floater. The Knicks have given me memories galore, yet the DiVincenzo three-pointer is a moment I’d place right up there with the best of them. We just saw something special!
I named three big moments in Knicks’ playoff history, and none of them happened in this millennium. Anyone younger than 30 won’t recollect the Garden’s jubilation at those points. So, a generation of Knicks fans just got their first true taste of Garden magic.
But let’s not take a victory lap yet. The adage goes, “A series doesn’t start until a road team wins.” The Knicks barely escaped these Garden games with wins, and the Sixers have home court for the next two games. We’ve seen New York’s mettle this season, but now they must prove it in the playoffs.
Let’s hope the heroics carry over and Brunson finds his offense. I’ll see you after the next one, Knicks fam!
