Knicks dominate Philadelphia in record-breaking sweep to reach Eastern Conference finals

The New York Knicks have secured their place in the Eastern Conference finals following a decisive 144-114 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. This result completed a four-game sweep of the second-round series, marking the franchise's first best-of-seven series victory since 1999. The win also established a new NBA postseason record, with New York making 11 three-pointers in the first quarter alone.

Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns led the offensive charge, but Deuce McBride was the standout performer for the visitors. McBride contributed 25 points and hit seven of the team's 25 three-pointers, becoming the first Knick since play-by-play tracking began in 1997 to make four three-pointers in a single playoff quarter. His performance helped New York build an 81-57 lead by the third quarter, a margin that proved insurmountable for Philadelphia.

The dominance on display was historic in scope. The 144 points scored by the Knicks represent the highest single-game total in the franchise's playoff history. Furthermore, this victory makes New York the fifth team in NBA history to record multiple 140-point games within a single postseason. Across the 10 games played so far this tournament, the Knicks have outscored their opponents by 194 points, the best point differential in a 10-game span in NBA playoff history.

New York will now await the winner of the Cleveland-Detroit series to determine their opponent in the conference finals. The Detroit Pistons currently hold a 2-1 lead in that matchup. This marks the second consecutive season the Knicks have advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, a milestone not achieved since their last appearance in 2024.

The victory also highlighted the structural changes implemented by head coach Mike Brown, who replaced Tom Thibodeau following the previous season's exit. Under Brown's guidance, the team has recorded seven straight playoff wins, a streak that began with victories against Atlanta last season. This run includes the current 12th win by 30-plus points this season, tying them with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the most such victories in a single season in NBA history.

For the Sixers, the sweep adds to a difficult postseason. Philadelphia has not advanced past the second round since 2001 and has now been swept in a best-of-seven series for the third time in franchise history. Joel Embiid finished with 24 points before ending his season with an injury, while the team faced a hostile environment at their home arena where fans displayed brooms and waved towels in support of the visiting team.

The final blow to Philadelphia's morale came from the personnel changes within the league. Two players originally selected by Philadelphia in the 2018 first round, Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet, are currently playing for the Knicks. Their presence on the opposing bench served as a stark reminder of the roster turnover that has defined the current landscape of the NBA.