Knicks vs 76ers Preview: Game 3 Moves to Philly

The New York Knicks will have a chance to take a commanding 3-0 series lead on the seething Philadelphia 76ers.

Geoff Magliocchetti | Apr 25, 2024

Apr 22, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) dribbles / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart playing a big game at Wells Fargo Center ... what could go wrong?

The New York Knicks' Villanova Wildcat litter will return to their former stomping grounds for high-profile hardwood action on Thursday night, when their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series with the Philadelphia 76ers moves to The City of Brotherly Love.

New York owns a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series but not without a bit of controversy: Philadelphia has taken issues with officiating over the first two games of the series and it was partly vindicated with the release of the Last Two Minute Report from Monday's chaos, which saw the Knicks famously steal a thrilling victory with eight points in 20 seconds that erased a five-point deficit in the final minute. DiVincenzo capped off the calamity with a game-winning three-pointer that gave the Knicks a permanent lead in a 104-101 final.

The Knicks own a 2-0 lead in a postseason series for the first time since 2013's opening round, when they went up 3-0 on the Boston Celtics and eventually prevailed in six games.

What: New York Knicks @ Philadelphia 76ers, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 3 (Knicks lead series 2-0)

Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA

When/Watch: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/TNT

Who's Favored: PHI -4.5

Apr 22, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) dribbles / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Keep An Eye On: Josh Hart

The picking are relatively slimmer ... as head coach Tom Thibodeau has shown loyalty to an ironclad eight-man rotation ... but the Knicks' undisputed, if not premature, postseason MVP has been Hart, whose uncanny three-point breakout has fueled the metropolitan offensive affairs. Hart has tallied 43 points combined over the first two games, most of that tally built on a 53 percent success rate with an extra point on the line. His second Manhattan playoff trek has also seen him stand as a skyscraper, pulling in a team-best 28 rebounds to serve as the team's best counter to Joel Embiid.

Sixer to Watch: De'Anthony Melton

Most of the medical headlines in this series have centered on New York's happy returns such as OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson (who is listed as questionable on Monday's injury report), but the Sixers have had their own stroke of success with Embiid in tow and Tyrese Maxey overcoming an illness to stand as Monday's leading scorer. Melton could be the latest addition to that cause, as the defensive-minded backcourt man is likewise labeled questionable. The Knicks have been able to overcome slow starts with dangerous offensive spurts, so Melton's prevention prowess, on display for only seven games in this calendar year, may be come up big if he's able to go on Thursday.

They Said It

“We think we’re capable of playing a lot better. You have to play for 48 minutes. There’s going to be ebbs and flows to the game. … The bottom line is find a way to win.”-Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau on the Knicks' slow starts (h/t Peter Botte, New York Post)

Prediction

The 76ers were and remain the best playoff matchup for the Knicks, but, even with the sterling breaks New York has caught over the first two games, it still feels like a sweep is just a little too much to ask for at this point in time. With the 76ers' officiating issues at least partly vindicated by the L2M revelations, the Knicks will also have to be on their best behavior, at least in the immediate aftermath, which could eat away at their trademark physicality. If Philadelphia is going to get one, it feels like it's now or never ... and the 76ers just seem like too talented of a group to let an opportunity like that pass.