Jalen Brunson, Knicks close out thrilling Game 6 to clinch series over 76ers
PHILADELPHIA — It wouldn’t have been a Knicks-Sixers playoff game without a healthy dose of cardiac moments.
And as the drama didn’t disappoint in Thursday’s series finale, the Knicks emerged on the top, securing just enough big plays behind their Villanova trio to eliminate the Sixers, 118-115, in Game 6.
Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo, who once hung NCAA championship banners inside Wells Fargo Center, scored or assisted on 110 of New York’s 118 points.
series-clinching win over the 76ers in Game 6. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
And Hart hit the big one.
The team’s grit-and-glue guy was left wide open on the perimeter for the game’s most critical possession, hesitating for a moment before burying the go-ahead trey with 24 seconds left.
“Obviously their game plan was to not rotate to me,” the forward said. “And when I saw they weren’t, I got my feet set and took an uncontested shot.”
Up 3 after that shot, the Knicks decided to send the Sixers to the line but still needed to hit their own free throws.
Brunson and DiVincenzo followed through with four consecutive in the final 11 seconds.
“Villanova in the house,” Brunson said.
New York’s next opponent in Round 2 is the sixth-seeded Pacers, who eliminated the No. 3 Bucks in six games. The Knicks are trading one Tyrese (Maxey) for another (Haliburton).
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Game 1 will be Monday at MSG.
Two days after Brunson failed in crunch time of Game 5, he was tremendous Thursday when it mattered most. He finished with 41 points, carrying the Knicks in the final 6:30.
He also got some help this time from DiVincenzo, who not only played excellent defense on Maxey but had his best shooting game of the series while scoring 23 points.
OG Anunoby was also effective while scoring 19 points — including a soaring and-1 dunk late in the fourth on Joel Embiid.
during the third quarter of the Knicks’ win. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
For a few tense moments, however, it appeared the Knicks might again collapse.
They led by eight with 2:20 remaining, when Kelly Oubre started a 10-2 Sixers run with a 3-pointer. Maxey’s and-1 layup then tied it with 35 seconds left.
That set up the biggest shot of Hart’s pro career.
Much of the discussion before the game was about the dynamic of the crowd, which was decidedly pro-Knicks by the end of Game 4 at Wells Fargo Center.
As a counter, Sixers ownership bought 2,000 tickets to give free to Philadelphians while blocking out Knicks fans.
Whether it was the tickets, the campaign or the shame of allowing their building to be overrun by opposing fans, it seemed to work. Just before tipoff, the fans erupted in a healthy “F–k the Knicks” chant.
Then they drowned out attempts of “MVP” chants for Brunson.
But Brunson kept them from going crazy early, lifting the Knicks a 33-11 lead in less than 10 minutes.
It wasn’t until the comeback in the second quarter — which included a 27-8 Sixers run — that the dominant number of Sixers fans came into focus. They were amped and overwhelming as Philly took a lead into halftime, riding their reigning MVP.
The Knicks, meanwhile, came into the night trying to forget about their collapse in Game 5.
“When you have an opportunity to do [finish a series], you gotta take advantage of it. Clearly we didn’t do that [in Game 5],” Brunson said. “But for us, it’s all about how can you respond in this situation tonight?
“You can be upset about it, you can be pissed, but what are you gonna do to make sure that now you’re ready for the next one? So you can’t sit around and just be pissed off about what happened. You gotta actually do something about it and just let it go.”
They did something.
The defensive game plan was simple and smart considering the events of the previous five games, particularly Game 5. Maxey was a headache throughout the series, a scoring machine that the Knicks had been willing to accept if it meant they were stopping Embiid.
Not in Game 6.
Thibodeau’s first adjustment was using DiVincenzo as the primary defender against Maxey.
It worked in the regular season but the coach largely abandoned DiVincenzo in that role for the first five games, instead using Anunoby, Hart and Miles McBride on Maxey.
DiVincenzo handled his business. He chased around Maxey, denying him the ball and space when possible.
The Knicks also made a commitment to doubling and building a wall whenever Maxey had the ball, keeping him away from the rim.
It worked to hold Maxey to just 17 points on a miserable 6-for-18 shooting, two nights after he dropped 46 and buried the Knicks at the Garden.
Embiid picked up the Sixers slack, taking advantage of the lesser attention by scoring 39 points.
But the Knicks left with the win. And the series.
“We’re resilient,” Brunson said. “No matter what the outside people say, positive or negative, we know what we’ve got to do. We’re going to stick together and that’s not going to change with us. I like that that’s how we think.”
