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2024 Playoff Thread: Knicks vs Sixers, Game 2, Home Sweep Opener, which is kind of a thing

The Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 of their first round playoff matchup.

Well, Game 1 sure was fascinating, huh? We all thought that Embiid was not really in game shape for the playoffs, and he wasn’t, and yet Nick Nurse still came up with a heck of a gameplan to take on the Knicks, and yet, it wasn’t nearly enough, as Josh Hart and Deuce McBride had great offensive games, and Mitchell Robinson did a wonderful job on defense.

The Knicks essentially took the Sixers’ best punch, and it wasn’t enough. Generally speaking, if I was watching this series as a totally detached individual, I would be looking at it as, “Well, that’s it, right?” If you take their best punch, and you still win, then that’s pretty much it. They’re not going to play better than “their best punch,” ya know?

The only other negative possibility, of course, is that you play worse (or, of course, Mr. Miyagi could perhaps visit the Sixers’ clubhouse before the game to do some of his devilmagic on Embiid’s knee like he did to Daniel LaRusso’s leg), and I guess that could happen, but, I mean, already a number of Knicks, including their superstar, Jalen Brunson, had off games, so all of them are supposed to have off games and the guys who had good games have off games, too? It’s possible, I suppose, but not likely.

Again, if this was some other series, I’d be totally writing the Sixers off. Since we’re Knicks fans, we obviously can’t do that, as Dolan’s Razor hangs over our heads like The Sword of Damocles, but, well, we should at least feel pretty fucking good about this series at the moment.

Let’s go, Knicks!

581 replies on “2024 Playoff Thread: Knicks vs Sixers, Game 2, Home Sweep Opener, which is kind of a thing”

Just in time!

I’m adrenaline drunk, just got back from Piazza Duomo where, after a very tense derby victory and under the rain, half of the city is celebrating the Scudetto (and the second star!) with fireworks and chants.

The night is young and the celebrations have just began (the parade will be scheduled later), but how can I miss a Knicks playoffs game?

LET’S GO KNICKS! LET’S GO KNICKS!

pagliaccisays:
April 22, 2024 at 19:04
Pags this whole schtick of yours is just how you deal with the anxiety, right?

My anxiety typically manifests around the coach. But my new mantra has been helping with that: “stop worrying and love the Thibs”.
You’ve got me there, Hubs. It’s funny, there are some areas in life where most people feel anxious, but I don’t. I’m a dynamite public speaker, for example, and I never fear confrontation (at least the verbal kind).

But something where I care irrationally about the outcome? Over which I have zero control? In an area where I have PTSD from getting let down over and over for thirty years? I turn into Ben Simmons under the basket with the game on the line.

Having an outlet makes these feelings more tolerable for me, at the cost of pissing off some of the people here who I generally like. I think some of y’all have come to understand that I’m not really a troll per se; my thoughts are always sincere even if they aren’t sane. I’m just a sad clown trying to cope with a terminal case Knicks fandom as best I can.

Like you said before your edit, if we do win tonight I’ll be as happy as anyone here, and I’ll gleefully pass the time until Game 5 gleefully reading Sixers fans’ lamentations in their subreddits and fora, all the while masturbating furiously.

Pags I hope you contract a case of terminal onanism

Pags I hope you contract a case of terminal onanism

Thanks BJ, it’ll probably take an NYK championship to trigger that but there are worse ways to go

Oh nice, looks like it’s the Maxey flu game. I’ll check in at halftime I guess.

I take no satisfaction in everything proceeding exactly as I’ve predicted. Don’t think we can overcome another horrendous start.

Well, good starts are bad luck, actually. Have ‘em right where we want ‘em.

Don’t think we can overcome another horrendous start.

Yeah as all NBA fans know, first quarter leads always hold up

Yeah as all NBA fans know, first quarter leads always hold up

NBA fans also know it’s kind of a bad sign when your starting lineup is consistently annihilated by the opposing.

IHart great screen on that last three from Divo. Hip check on Maxey earlier. He looks pumped.

Brunson obviously pressing
Maxey with the flu game I was worried about
Big first quarter deficit

We got this

Brunson is playing stupid

He is doing his best, there’s just no adjustment for him against this team. He’s 2021 Randle in this series. He’s a crisp 8/30 now.

I guess I was too optimistic once again… should have predicted under 40% TS and under 35% from the field, like Randle did in that series….

Brunson playing scared not cocky. Someone needs to slap him out of it.

OG on Maxey doesn’t seem like the move

It clearly doesn’t work, also takes away the OG is the best defender in the league talk

The coach has to adjust that

@Pags I mean terminal could be a long time… small price to pay if the Knicks keep winning

Nurse has somehow adjusted so that they win the rebounding battle without any downside… If that holds we’re losing by 40.

Not sure why Brunson would be scared, he played on the big stage multiple times at Villanova and he played well last year and was very good against an elite Heat defense

Divo gonna hear from Hart about his failed coast to coast. 😉

“Not sure why Brunson would be scared”

Yeah Brunson just looks “deer in headlights” so far and he’s missing free throws. Seems a bit mental to me but I know that’s psychobabble.

Quentin Grimes defense is missed. He was elite defending perimeter scorers

Embiid attacking Mitch off the dribble, which has been an automatic foul if he can get going

So instead of just Brunson and DiVo starting badly, everyone decided to be shit too… nice.

Every time Knicks get into the paint they’re getting stripped clean apparently.

Feels just like game 1 start. Hart and Devo are hitting. Brunson just needs to find his groove and we’ll be fine. And if he doesn’t Deuce needs to again. Lots of options.

Sixers out rebounding the Knicks by quite a bit so far. 5 offensive boards for them versus 1 for the Knicks.

Brunson has been great for this team, but people will start turning on him fast if he doesn’t pick it up . You can’t avoid it in NYC.

Where the hell would we be without Josh Hart?

…and what the hell was that from Bogey?

Ok, this has been TERRIBLE and we’re just down by 7… please wake up Jalen.

Brunson isn’t nervous, he just doesn’t have any recourse against the Sixers’ defense and his BBIQ is too high for him not to know he’s outmatched. He probably feels like I do right now.

It was just such a huge mistake to put ourselves in a position to play this team. This could be the kind of thing that destroys a player mentally, like Starks after the ’94 Finals.

Feels like Brunson is rushing everything. He usually doesn’t look so rushed.

I was just looking at Carmelos stats in the playoffs as a Knick since many like to compare Brunson vs his career as a Knick. Melo was only a net positive once [+7] in 2012-13 and didn’t shoot better than 42% in any playoff run…

I don’t really mind Jalen’s process? He’s hit these all season.

Yeah, that’s why I thinks it’s nerves. He’s getting to his spots, just bricking them. Needs a hot wing or two.

Maxey playing sick and Embiid playing like Steve Novak won’t last for 48′ but we need to find our rhythm too to get this one

Pags, that’s one of the more absurd takes ever. The Sixer D is good, but as EB writes Jalen is rushing stuff, and making poor decisions (that super-long three was just dumb).

And yes, you’ve already made your “Don’t win the last regular game” position super clear. Like ad nauseum. Like stomach cramps reading your take over and over. Move to the next take please.

That was about as bad a 1st quarter as could be imagined. Outrebounded on the offensive glass 5-2; outshot from 3 5-3; losing TO battle 4-1; and Brunson still playing like shit. But even after all that we’re still only down 7.

Brunson isn’t nervous, he just doesn’t have any recourse against the Sixers’ defense and his BBIQ is too high for him not to …

Disagree. He knows this is his moment. No Julius. Great season of scoring. Just needs to “feel” it a bit.

EDIT: like Clyde always says, Brunson should do some other, good things that are not scoring. Settle down. Gain confidence.

One thing I’ve noticed is we’re really struggling to get fast break points.

I think the Sixers length is bothering JB. Usually with his stop start herky jerky movement he can use their length against them by inducing contact, but if the refs don’t call it he can’t really answer it so far.

2nd straight game Nick Nurse’s scheme has gotten Brunson playing sped up. Taking this long to figure the defense out is so unlike him. It didn’t even take him this long to figure out Miami’s defense last postseason

that quarter was hart divo and a wasteland

It was the Sixers’ gameplan working to perfection. Our offense is still Josh Hart but they took the offensive rebounds away. We’ll be hard pressed to stay within 30.

One thing I’ve noticed is we’re really struggling to get fast break points.

The Knicks play at one of slowest paces in the league

Brunson’s touch is off, if he gets it back he should be ok. My main concern with him is the lack of passing. 0 assists so far.

It felt like OG appeared like a hockey line change for that dunk. Did not realize he was in the game.

Yeah to Clyde’s Suit’s point. Mitch’s tight D just got us an easy fast break basket from OG. Let’s do that.

It felt like OG appeared like a hockey line change for that dunk. Did not realize he was in the game.

Lol

Brunson’s touch is off, if he gets it back he should be ok. My main concern with him is the lack of passing. 0 assists so far.

Don’t think it’s just his touch. Even though he is getting to his spots it looks like he’s rushing everything and Philly is clearly bothering him.

It felt like OG appeared like a hockey line change for that dunk. Did not realize he was in the game.

Lol, that’s exactly what it was like

It felt like OG appeared like a hockey line change for that dunk.

I felt like he wasn’t playing at all before, it’s funny he “cried” for more offensive involvement in Toronto…

Edit: Yes, I want you shoot more OG 😉

Brunson needs to just let the game flow to him. I can’t believe he’s shooting like he is.

Every loose ball has gone to Philly including that last one leading to the Batum 3.

We’re just doing everything that didn’t work in game 1 all over again. Except this time we didn’t get the shot in the arm from Bojan and Deuce.

Hey Stan, bite me.

Agree. Divo is a pest, but he didn’t “walk toward” Embiid.

So many stupid fucking decisions by the Knicks on both ends of the court

We’re a better team..

Knicks are the better team and will prove it when they win the series but so far tonight they’re not playing smart at all.

Brunson would have an easier time against the Indiana defense I think.

Yeah, Stan was an ass. iHart bumped Devo in the back who took a step forward, and Embiid shoved him.

Knicks are the better team and will prove it when they win the series but so far tonight they’re not playing smart at all.

If this turns to having to win on the road the odds lessen

Brunson would have an easier time against the Indiana defense I think.

Go somewhere else if you can’t talk about this game.

We still worried about iHart getting 25m per year?

He is never getting that, 15 million is my guess

Like WTF was that trapping Maxey so far out allowing Embiid so wide open? What are they doing?

Embiid doesn’t jump or slide laterally or generally do much of anything on defense. At what point will we figure this out and attack him?

Go somewhere else if you can’t talk about this game.

I’m talking in relation to the Knicks best chances of going on a long post-season run…it’s playoff related

posting the bernie sanders meme “once again i’m asking Jalen Brunson to make some shots”

Hart keeping us in it until Brunson gets dialed in.

The Knicks play at one of slowest paces in the league

Yeah but when we do get fast breaks we usually score and past two games Philly seems to steal or knock out of bounds or we pull up short and scared. I guess it’s just good Philly D?

And I had Hart passing up shots as one of the Knicks biggest issues entering the playoffs…

We played like shit, our star sucked and we’re down 4 points

I like our chances.

If only we made the putback on that? Imagine how deflating it would be to be up 2 after totally dominating? (Not that up 4 isn’t somewhat deflating as well)

and miles & bogdan haven’t even got going yet. and our centres are scoreless.

If the Knicks win this game, Hart will never have to pay for drinks again in NYC.

well you can say we’re down 4 despite josh hart playing like oscar robertson or we’re down 4 despite josh hart playing 1 on 5

It isn’t pretty at all, we’re shooting like shit and doing a lot of dumb stuff, but how many times have we seen it with this team?

1st and 2nd quarters are not the time to panic… there’s a lot of time to do it later! 😀

Hart hitting 7 threes as a rookie reminds me that IIRC (can’t look it up, at a bar) his reputation in the draft was as something of a standstill shooter. Weird!

Scary but better than a sharp stick in the eye… or a Pags post…

I feel like they’ve solved the Josh Hart coast-to-coast. Just slap the shit out of the ball right before he gathers for the layup. If he starts to go up it’s too late.

But they haven’t solved the Josh Hart three pointers…

Big Sixers run coming now, down 20 by halftime. Feel it in me bones.

LOL! Pags with pure comedy gold! Dude, you are like a cartoon character. It takes fucking creativity to be this endlessly negative! Don’t stop!

Incredible luck to only be down 4. All we need is for Hart to keep shooting 80% from 3. Our chance of winning the game is probably about the same as the chance of that happening

Shaq re Hart: “Sixers gotta find a way to slow this kid down.” Hahaha. Didn’t expect that in halftime game 2

Highway robbery to come out of this god awful half only down by 4.

Brunson is getting the same shots he usually hits, he’s just bricking them. He’s too good to keep missing.

Brunson now 12 for 40 on the series…why do my most depressing predictions always have to be bang on?

Pretty good to be down by 4 right now.

It does but our starters have gotten their asses kicked in the 1st, the 3rd, and the 1st again. Are we gonna stop this trend or what?

We’re going to find out how out of shape Embiid is in the second half.

‘why do my most depressing predictions always have to be bang on?’

Well except for ALL the most depressing predictions you’ve been horribly wrong about. Like down 20.

How about zipping it. Please.

All my major predictions for this playoffs are still live, Raven. Sixers in 5 and Brunson = 2021 Randle feels pretty solid based on what we’ve seen so far, as does Maxey>Brunson

I thought Embiid was pretty bad that half?

The difference has been that Philly is shooting a higher volume of 3s at a better percentage than the Knicks. Part of the reason why New York is not generating those shots is that Brunson is not passing the ball well (or at all).

All my major predictions for this playoffs are still live

Even if this is true, it’s bad form mid game to steer the Knickerblogger team bus into a cul de sac where you take premature victory laps around it.

iHart aware his next contract is on the line

OG ain’t getting $40mm playing like this, either.

OG is a role player, 40 Million would be crazy. Something like what RJ got is what OG is really worth

We can’t get a whistle but our propensity to do dumb things every time there a chance for a momentum shift is really something…

We don’t seem to be figuring out anything. We’re just getting bailed out by Josh Hart hero ball.

I do not understand how the box score says the Knicks only have five turnovers. It feels like 10-15…

Embiid is just inevitable, he catches the ball and it’a 2 FTA. Lowry just owns us despite being a corpse. Brunson might be the third to best PG this series.

I can’t imagine us getting a lead in this game, they are just toying within us

We don’t seem to be figuring out anything. We’re just getting bailed out by Josh Hart hero ball.

Does that mean Thibs is lacking in the in game adjustment department..

being down by 20 and on the verge of a gentleman’s sweep by the 76rs has never felt so good

The Knicks are -1 only in Embiid’s minutes tonight.

We have quietly erased their rebounding edge.

Lowry is totally clowning us with 3 points on 1-4 shooting and 4 fouls, we just can’t compete with these guys

Apparently me putting laundry away while watching the game is good for the Knicks. I have a lot of laundry to put away.

Magic have 71 points with 5 minutes left

5th seed? The East is awful

I mean, no chance we extend this 1 point lead to double digits while Embiid sits. Definitely not happening

In one word what does Josh Hart bring to this team?

“Cardio”

—Jalen Brunson

Embiid always leans toward the defender and he always gets the call, it’s insane…

Embiid may be way less than 100% but those sweet, sweet foul merchant skills haven’t gone anywhere

Not sure what’s wrong with Embiid’s eye but it looks like he’s having a stroke

Awesome 3q but I’m honestly afraid to post anything positive at this point. We’re fucked!

Man that was an awesome quarter but I don’t think my heart is built for playoffs basketball

Apparently me putting laundry away while watching the game is good for the Knicks. I have a lot of laundry to put away.

Keep washing them drawers

Why the hell did Orlando start Isaac at center? He’s 1 for 7 (all threes) and they’re getting killed on the boards by Allen.

Man that was an awesome quarter but I don’t think my heart is built for playoffs basketball

Tell me about it.

I’m fucking stressed.

I’m blissfully unable to watch any of this.

Gonna get back to playing some keyboards now

All Hail Bogey the one true King of New York, first of his name. May we never doubt you again!

Shit huge Sixers run coming for real with these lineups.

I know Pags is annoying but he also sounds exactly like my anxiety

Credit Thibs for identifying the need for Bogey there. I don’t think Bogey would see the floor if not for the zone.

ayyy ridiculously long time lurker from melbourne, australia here. been around since like 2010??
let’s get this

geo – it was you that inspired me to post here finally.
your curiosity about others and your own relative transparency are the heart and soul of this place

Credit Thibs for identifying the need for Bogey there. I don’t think Bogey would see the floor if not for the zone.

Great call. I thought Bojan was going to get buried after his terrible 1H.

I demand Melo and Starks courtside for every game. I love them more as audience members than I ever did on the court.

At 90-82 my inner Pagliacci had gone quiet but he’s back after that 5-0 Sixers run.

Absolutely insane call in Maxey’s favor there. Punches Brunson in the face and not even in the act of shooting but he gets FTs

The annoying thing is the contact that they allow on Brunson when you compare it to Embiid.

I suppose it’s admirable on Embiid’s part and I am of course not a doctor, but this feels like a wildly irresponsible decision and I’d be furious about it if he were a Knick

Not going back to DDV might lose us this game. Thibs too in love with Deuce.

Should just take Brunson out. He’s single handedly killing the offense.

The annoying thing is the contact that they allow on Brunson when you compare it to Embiid.

I think this is part of what’s in Brunson’s head. He’s getting no whistle.

I’m gonna start on dinner. We blew this one.

Free throws for them every single fucking possession is hard to overcome

I think this is part of what’s in Brunson’s head. He’s getting no whistle.

It’s wildly inconsistent. Batum is pushing him around all the time.

the benching Brunson issue is

1. Horrible look for him

2. The Knicks don’t really have somebody who can run an offense to replace him. Iq was that guy

I have immense respect for Lowry having this much dog in him at 38. Also fuck him.

Batum is pushing him around all the time.

Totally. I want the iso cam. Multiple times Batum is like hugging/holding Brunson way above the arc. Every time down he’s got a hand pushing him. Not hand checking, but pushing. It’s infuriating!!!

WHAT!?

He slapped him on the shoulder!!

Fuck I think there’s a fix on this game.

Welp. There goes the sweep.

The fix was in.

I should have known the league wouldn’t let this end quickly.

That possession reversal was total bullshit and a thumb on the scale. Nonsense.

That possession reversal was total bullshit and a thumb on the scale. Nonsense.

I can’t get over how bad that call was.

Welp. There goes the sweep.

I should have known the league wouldn’t let this end quickly.

Brunson is shitting the bed

Guts me to say it but Brunson is killing us

He was good for a stretch in the 3rd when he started setting up the rest of the team, mostly iHart. No idea why he stopped doing that and went back to chucking.

brunson playing like this is front of former great Knicks is a bad look for him

Brunson is shitting the bed

You mean the guy who has been fouled 50 times but only has 7 FTs?

The fix was in today.

To the “Brunson is too good not to turn it around crowd,” still feeling that way?

Because it turns out G1 was his better game this series.

Hubert they stopped calling fouls for him in the regular season

That’s why Thibs was screaming in his post game every game about it

Yeah, Van Gundy says it out loud, ~ “I have no idea what they’re calling for fouls in these playoffs.”

Brunson threw away this one, this feels fucking awful. Now the series is wide open. Fuck.

Brunson threw away this one, this feels fucking awful. Now the series is wide open. Fuck.

With hom3 court gone the Knicks will be big underdogs..you can go look at he betting lines

To the “Brunson is too good not to turn it around crowd,” still feeling that way?

Because it turns out G1 was his better game this series.

shut the fuck up

I’m telling you, Jalen has to go to the swagger store. He’s on his heels. He’s gonna say all the right things, “I gotta play better; I let my teammates down; yadda yadda”

Wait … what the fuck! EDIT EDIT EDIT!

To the “Brunson is too good not to turn it around crowd,” still feeling that way?

Delete your account

Embiid will not get some ticky tacky bullshit call and hit two free throws. But that was amazing

My anxiety says there’s a 99.9% chance Embiid is going to shoot two FTs on this possession.

What a fucking gut punch for Philly. Can’t believe we pulled that out!

Feeding super premium cat food to my magic stray cats during halftime paid off Big Time!!!

Is this what a heart attack feels like

I’m shaking with delirium, HOLY FUCK

I’m about to have a fucking heart attack and I don’t give a shit!!!!!!!

This team is so blessed holy shit

Playoff basketball baby!!!!

ha milo, funny…

it really looks like the players on this team are about the business of winning…

balance and boards…that should take us a ways this post season…

WHAT DID I JUST SEE!!!!!!!

Hospitals tonight will be crowded due to the number of heart attack patients by Knicks fans!!!

Goddammit i stopped watching when it looked like we were gonna lose with 45ish seconds left and i missed this shit????????

B ball Gods repay the Knicks for playing the season out the right way….

Too many emotions for a single sport day, I’m exhausted… and close to a stroke…

DDV with a shot for the ages, this team NEVER FUCKING QUIT

For those who know their Knicks history this was incredibly similar to Knicks Philly Game 2 in 1989 with Trent Tucker playing DDV.

I will admit that I almost went full Pagliacci before they made this comeback. Is this the new version of Knicksy? I just don’t know how to process this. Refs jobbed us. Brunson didn’t have it but ball hogged like he was still HIM. But the basketball gods still smiling on this team somehow.

We got a good whistle for a change, Hart knocked Maxey over after he secured the ball

Max will probably remember the game 5 Italian finals from 1998 (the Danilovic 4-pointer).

THIS IS WHAT IT FUCKING FEELS LIKE

That was up there with the LJ 4 point play. Maybe the Houston series winner even – stakes were higher there but in terms of pure adrenaline?

Unforgettable, unbelievable, my heart is still racing.

I just watched that final key sequence with the two three pointers and we just flat out ripped the game out of their hands.

For those who know their Knicks history this was incredibly similar to Knicks Philly Game 2 in 1989 with Trent Tucker playing DDV.

Or what Reggie did to us in 8 seconds in 1995

Gve Pags the credit he deserves. He brought them back from the dead.

He’s the real MVP, his powers in full display

Max will probably remember the game 5 Italian finals from 1998 (the Danilovic 4-pointer).

Yup! 😀

I will say, I enjoy the refs not making calls.

That Mcbride move? Where he tied up the ball but ended up scoring? Yeah, I’m into it… Let the players decide the outcome

Crazy also. I was watching on HBO so no postgame. No replays. We won, buzzer sounded, and a title card came up in the blink of an eye: “The event has ended.” Haha. I’m not even sure what I saw. We did win, right? RIGHT?!?! Hahaha

The offense before that prayer Brunson three fell was hot garbage, but they turned it around right after that…

oh, and let the record of this thread reflect – Stan Van Gundy was actively rooting against us all game…

I’m sure he’ll do the same in philly…theme from the TNT crew (minus new yorker kenny smith) will simply be the knicks barely hung on to home court advantage…

I’m thinking a change of venue may loosen jalen up…hopefully…

I love this team, but I can’t get over the fact that they did not foul on that last possession! Embiid got a clean look!

I kind of can’t believe what I just saw. It played out in slo-mo where I said, of course, Jalen is finally going to make a clutch shot, oh, he’s going to front Maxey on the in-bound, right, Hart is gonna double, ah, here’s where Hart takes it away from Maxey, oh, this is where iHart gets the board on Divo’s miss, yes, OG gets it back to Divo, who’s gonna…MAKE IT FROM DEEP FOR THE LEAD!! Just nuts to see that in real time. If I were a Sixers fan I would have been sick.

And then iHart with two fantastic defensive possessions, block from behind, deny the Maxey 3…just wow. This fucking team.

This healed my trauma from Reggie Miller 8 points in 18 seconds I am so happy!

Pags, you owe us two games of pure positivity.

I’m worried, I’d rather have him dooming & glooming us to the title 😉

We’re owed a 45 points on 20 shot night from Brunson next game.

Letter home from the western front, 1917

Father, we are down 2-0 to Philadelphia and the shame I feel is unbearable. No matter how we struggle, they are simply the better team and they prey upon our many weaknesses like a jackal upon an unattended babe. Sergeant Hart is doing his best but he just can’t shoot and they know it. Captain Brunson is making mistake after mistake and we all know it yet what can we do, for it was his yeomanlike efforts that brought us here.

I fear that General Thibodeau has once again decided to send us out against them, and I must confess my knees are weak at the prospect. How are we to stop their Maxeyim machine guns, or their mighty Char emB1id* tanks?

We have lost this war, father, and we lost it before it began. There was never any hope, I see that now, and yet General Thibodeau expects us to march to our deaths all the same. I fear I shall not see the spring.

Sincerely,
Corporal Pagliacci

*I know this is a world war 2 tank shut up

Oh my gosh, I turned that game on just in time to see the Knicks Reggie Miller the Sixers. Wow, so weird to see MSG fans happy. Must feel good. But I feel nothing.

Also, I love that the Sixers got Knick-itis on that inbound pass.

Nurse is now claiming that he called timeout. Sure sure.

And then iHart with two fantastic defensive possessions

Totally. And I was whining about Mitch not being in there. IHart willed us at the end.

I love this team, but I can’t get over the fact that they did not foul on that last possession!

It was a questionable (bordering to criminal 🙂 ) decision, no doubt about it…

I file it under “bad process good result” 😉

Oh my gosh, I turned that game on just in time to see the Knicks Reggie Miller the Sixers. Wow, so weird to see MSG fans happy. Must feel good. But I feel nothing.

you gotta give some emotion to get some donnie, ironic detachment doesnt have much of a return on that front

This healed my trauma from Reggie Miller 8 points in 18 seconds I am so happy!

Quoted for truth!

I thought that the Sixers felt like shit after Game 1, I can only imagine how bad they feel after this one. Nurse had such a great gameplan, and it didn’t matter. They must feel crushed. It is so great to not be the team that is crushed.

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Brunson almost game away the ball just before his 3, and that would have been it.

So the story of the game was going to be our star shitting the bed again, but now it’s about the Sixers shitting multiple beds down the stretch.

I think Clyde was playing the last time they won like this. This is a great TEAM!

Holy fucking shit!!!!!!!

This team, man. I hope we win this series obvs but the fact that they gave us this memory just now tonight. I love these dudes. They never fucking quit every single one of them and they just win perhaps the most memorable Knicks playoff game of the 21st century. Just incredible.

That last offensive board from hartenstein was a thing of pure fucking beauty with OG making the smart pass to DDV to get a second shot.

I mean, fuck. How am I supposed to go to sleep after watching that????

I hate that MSG won’t carry playoff games after the first round. Nothing like Mike Breen and Clyde Frazier calling the game and celebrating a win after so many agonizing losses over the years.

There is an anti-Knicks agenda on TNT and ESPN with Burke and JJ cancel out Breen’s brilliance. Ugh

The Brunson concern is legit. Maybe being near his college these next two games will be the equivalent of the Tunes Squad taking “Michael’s Secret Stuff” in Space Jam and he turns it around…I don’t I’m grasping at straws guys!!!

This team has a huge heart. They refuse to surrender. A win is a win is a win. We are up 2-0 and it’s great but, that having been said, we should keep our heads down. The series could have easily been 1-1 or even 0-2. This shapes up to be a very-very hard fought series as Embiid is much better than expected, and we could not even contain Maxey tonight. The coaching staff has to take a hard look on how we play and and what needs to change starting with finding ways to help Brunson to play better.

How about OG hitting both FTs, thought for sure he was missing at least 1.

That Maxey drive at the end was hilarious because it was just so not a smart basketball move. You have to actually be past the guy there.

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Wow. Brunson actually ended up with 24 pts vs Hart with 21. Would have thought it was the other way around.

does anyone know if randle is with the team atm?
haven’t noticed him at the games…

Sixers fans are annoyed at the refs for the final sequences, and there were certainly a number of non-calls (including Maxey pushing Hart before the inbounds!).

I’ve been on the phone since the game ended. Random calls to and from people I haven’t spoken to in forever. This was so fucking insane.

Sixers fans are annoyed at the refs for the final sequences, and there were certainly a number of non-calls (including Maxey pushing Hart before the inbounds!).

Fuck them. That bullshit challenge overturn changed the whole game.

And you’re right, Maxey committed an offensive foul on Hart on that play. And also Nurse called a TO he didn’t have that should have been a technical.

Love that Jalen was atrocious but hit one of the key shots

That … BOUNCE. My god.

Fuck them. That bullshit challenge overturn changed the whole game.

Amen. From that point on, Philly took the lead and went up 4. Total bs call, Lowry fouled Divo.

How about the hustle by DDV to pick up the loose ball after Brunson lost it right before he hit that 3.

The Nuggets “Sizzling Seniors” dancers are strange to watch,
you keep your breath praying they don’t break their hips…

And also Nurse called a TO he didn’t have that should have been a technical.

Correction: Apparently he did have a TO, and he’s pissed it wasn’t granted.

Yeah I fully expect this to go to 7. And I think my prediction will hold true. We win in 7 with Brunson having a monster game after struggling all series.

Or maybe we figure out how to contain. Maxey and end this in four.

Embiid will get his but I also think even if he doesn’t get hurt he’s gonna be struggling by the 4th in most games. Our role players are dusting theirs. But we got no answer for maxey right now.

Philly is just an incredibly hard match up for Brunson.

I’m good with my prediction of Knicks in 5. They snatched their soul today. I think today’s ending will liberate Brunson and he’ll get his touch back. We steal one in Philly and close it at the Garden.

the sleeper play of this ridiculous win was early in the miracle possession, still down 101-96. jalen gets stripped by lowry on the drive and somehow divo, who is standing in the corner, races into middle of the paint and beats every sixer to the ball. not a lot of guys in the league get to that ball from that spot, or even go for it.

edit: just noticed bba beat me to it

Remember that Kerr quote that Hart doesn’t just get 50-50 balls, he gets the 70-30 balls.

That applies to the whole team – Deuce ripping the ball out of Maxey’s hands and scoring, Donte going into the scrum and outhustling the entire Sixers team to come up with the loose ball at the end.

How can you not love this team?

Had to sneak downstairs at my sister’s seder to watch the last 5 minutes. Thought it was over when Lowry went to the line, but him missing the first might have been the break of the game.

Nothing will ever make up for things like the Reggie game and other devastating playoff losses but this was glorious.

Here’s the clip of the crazy sequence with Breen and Clyde, in all its glory.

https://x.com/KnicksMuse/status/1782595891343351975

Embiid was at fault on the Ihart rebound before DDVs winner. Ihart was 20 feet away as DDV was winding up his first miss and Embiid was 3 feet from the basket lazily watching and could have easily boxed Ihart out, but just didn’t care enough. Losing play.

I’m going to game 5 at the garden. But fuck it, I want them to sweep. Realistically this is still a dog fight until somebody (hopefully Knicks), wins a road game. My son is 9 now and my daughter is 12. And they were captivated the entire game and especially down the stretch. Watching these games with them, they are forming core memories. And it feels like I’m reliving my youth through their eyes (playoffs every year with the late 80’s to 2001 Knicks). 3 days to just bask in the glory of this instant classic game at msg. How sweet it is.

My god I had to miss the ending due to an emergency here and I was fucking pissed we lost, only to open here and see the comeback, holy shit!!!!!!

Just watched the ending on the replay and holy fuck, I’m buzzing.

FUCK THE SIXERS! GOODBYE PAGS!

I thought Brunson was guarded better on the first game than today. They managed to get him open more often today, and he got to his spots a few times. The shots weren’t falling. I think he airballed a corner mid-range over the rim.

I thought Brunson was guarded better on the first game than today.

Batum is a problem. He’s like a slow ape that just drapes himself over Brunson all the time. Thibs should complain. Jalen is carrying a Sasquatch on his back half the game.

Embiid with the money quote after the game (in between his incessant whining): “We fought hard for 47 minutes.”

Philly filing a grievance to the NBA about the officiating during the first 2 games of the series lmao!

Reading responses apparently Nurse has a reputation for crying and whining after losses about the refs, he sounds like a dick during his press conferences from what I’ve seen.

I rememeber back in the day (linsanity?), a few game threads going over 1000. Not sure what the record is. I’ve been lurking and briefly posting since 2009 or so.

Philly filing a grievance to the NBA about the officiating during the first 2 games of the series lmao!

As in: we paid our money but we’re still not getting ALL the calls.

“I rememeber back in the day (linsanity?), a few game threads going over 1000. Not sure what the record is. I’ve been lurking and briefly posting since 2009 or so.”

If pagliacci’s posts and angry responses were expunged, the number wouldn’t be so high.

Player of the game has to be iHart, no?

Knicks don’t survive this game without Hart’s first half, so he has my vote.

There has to have been a 600 comment thread about Frank Ntilikina at some point.

Anyone else having trouble going to sleep? Can’t believe I got to work tomorrow…

Yeah man I wake up every morning at 630 not gonna be easy getting my normal amount of sleep tonight.

I m at work right now
Graveyard shift
And I’m fuckin pumped as Swarzenegger during his body building yrs! 6:27 here!!!

Yeah, tough call. Josh with 22-15 is pretty spectacularly Josh. OG was almost invisible except on D and those two foul shots. Deuce hit a couple of great shots. Bogey with the two killer threes. Donte with the dagger and a bunch of hustle plays.

Maybe we give the game ball to Eric Burps for not playing.

Hart for me. A very good game overall. But Divo provided a needed spark, iHart had a bunch of key plays, and Mitch gave some good minutes.

After annoying the Knicks for two games, we need to give it to Lowry for the missed FT and poor inbound pass at the end. Good stuff.

Terrible win. They looked just awful the whole game. Brunson is cooked and it infuriating the whole night watching him dance and chuck. There’s no business putting this game in the same sentence as the four point play. It was game 2 of the first round and they barely won against an even worse Philly team. Bad all around. The Brunson chants were insulting

Here’s the clip of the crazy sequence with Breen and Clyde, in all its glory.

https://x.com/KnicksMuse/status/1782595891343351975

I actually didn’t even see the first part of this play because I was typing. Donte scooping up that loose ball, driving, and kicking to Brunson was such a great sequence for him.

And Brunson, after two abysmal games, to hit that shot… incredible.

The bad
Our Mvp Candidate aint having it easy

The good
His team is backing him up

The great
Despite being without our all star We still have many weapons as it seems.

The ugly
I still miss Frankie Smokes!!!

Lot of heroes in this game, DDV’s consistency and HUGE shot, J-Hart 1st half and I-Hart 2nd half, Deuce burst of energy and Bojan’s double-triple, OG iceberg-cool final FTs….

And JB, stuck in a quagmire of puke all game long, made the basket that sparked the miracle…

But my MVP is Pagliacci, hands down.

“But my MVP is Pagliacci, hands down.”

I’m not superstitious. Now excuse me while I take off the Knicks socks I wore to passover dinner.

You know, Joel Embiid is sitting there in the locker room like a bitch crying about the refs with his head down. But watch his sorry ass do nothing to contest Hartenstein on the crucial rebound. Embiid is totally checked out of the most important play of the game. Boxing out isn’t even on his mind.

https://x.com/KnicksMuse/status/1782595891343351975

Embarrassing effort from Embiid, and a pathetic postgame performance.

Terrible win. They looked just awful the whole game. Brunson is cooked and it infuriating the whole night watching him dance and chuck.

You must be a lot of fun at parties!

Pat Riley likes to say a playoff series doesn’t truly begin until the road team wins a game, hopefully this series starts on Thursday.

What are these guys complaining about?

Free throws were 23-22.

The Sixers got the benefit of the most egregious call in the game on that challenge.

Tyrese Maxey committed a clear and obvious offensive foul on the inbounds play that didn’t get called.

Their idiot coach failed to call to time out until the ball was on the floor.

And honestly there really wasn’t much contact on the play. Maybe Hart committed a foul but it wasn’t egregious.

They flat out choked. All of ’em. Maxey, Nurse, Lowry, Embiid. They all just choked.

Was driving past the Garden with my family as the game was ending. Bitter herbs, my ass. Moses parting the Red Sea was a party trick compared to that shit.

They were never in control and never looked at all dominant. I guess celebrating mediocrity is what we do. I mean for chrissake, Melo got a bigger applause than Clyde that dude didn’t win anything

The Lakers are choking away a 20 point lead to Denver now, so very soon they’ll be able to meet their friends in Philly to cry together.

Watching this dude who foul baits and gets favorable calls every fucking game whining like this is just so great, fuck Embiid. They’re clearly going to try to make a mess of crying about the refs to try to influence them for game 3, and the worst thing is it might work with the state of refereeing in this league.

Celebrating this is delusional

At the end of the game, they add up who had the most points, and if you had the most points, you win.

We’ve had the most points in each of the first two games.

As they head into the home stretch, E has blown a considerable lead and is being seriously challenged by pagliacci and oaktrees in the race for Most Annoying KB Poster of the Year.

Yeah. Everything is roses. A gutsy win against a bad team off a lucky bounce.

Terrible win. They looked just awful the whole game blah blah blah

Misery is a choice. LET’S GO KNICKS

Yeah. Everything is roses. A gutsy win against a bad team off a lucky bounce.

That’s right, fucko

Yeah. Everything is roses. A gutsy win against a bad team off a lucky bounce

I said my stuff in the game thread, but the Sixers are not a bad team

You should watch Cavs and Magic

The biggest issue has been Brunson being awful , but can’t say any other player [I guess OG] has underperformed

Well, I don’t want a Pags share but I unjinxed Jokic and the Nuggets.

That was an amazng game. Was on a zoom during poker with someone who had a parley that was worth 14 going into the end of the Knicks game. Then they won. Then the Hurricanes won after being down with 2 minutes. And then he had the Nuggets to close it out. Won 1200. I don’t sports bet but that was a thrill ride.

Hell of a game too. Lebron is fucking amazing. I feel bad for him right now.

Celebrating this is delusional

I don’t see how that could possibly be supported. Would I prefer the Knicks handle the Sixers easier? Sure, but A. Come on, the Sixers clearly aren’t a bad team, just not as good as the Knicks, and B. When it comes to non-cakewalk opponents, wins are wins are wins. It’s not like this stuff carries over to the next round. Nothing in this series should suggest that the Bucks or Pacers will be able to match what the Sixers have done in this series. The Sixers have had the two best players on the court in both games, and they’re 0-2. That’s something to celebrate for sure.

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Wow. Darwin Ham now complaining about the refs. So everyone just complains about refs when you lose? Lakers losing a 20 point lead is their own doing.

I worry like Bruno that all this complaining is gonna influence the results in game 3.

NBA should feel good about its product in the morning. Not as good as Knick fans and Nugget fans, of course. But very entertaining games, even for casual fans.

Yeah, TNT had a killer double header, all the drama in both games.

Look, we all saw the game, we all saw it was far from an ideal performance, but if you can’t get excited by what happened you’re either way too committed to a bit or way too cynical for it to be healthy. It’s fine to just enjoy things sometimes.

this is waaay too good to get buried…well done Kaminari…
Letter home from the western front, 1917

Father, we are down 2-0 to Philadelphia and the shame I feel is unbearable. No matter how we struggle, they are simply the better team and they prey upon our many weaknesses like a jackal upon an unattended babe. Sergeant Hart is doing his best but he just can’t shoot and they know it. Captain Brunson is making mistake after mistake and we all know it yet what can we do, for it was his yeomanlike efforts that brought us here.

I fear that General Thibodeau has once again decided to send us out against them, and I must confess my knees are weak at the prospect. How are we to stop their Maxeyim machine guns, or their mighty Char emB1id* tanks?

We have lost this war, father, and we lost it before it began. There was never any hope, I see that now, and yet General Thibodeau expects us to march to our deaths all the same. I fear I shall not see the spring.

Sincerely,
Corporal Pagliacci

Look, we all saw the game, we all saw it was far from an ideal performance, but if you can’t get excited by what happened you’re either way too committed to a bit or way too cynical for it to be healthy. It’s fine to just enjoy things sometimes.

The more important thing to me is that I don’t think the Bucks or Pacers can do what the Sixers did here. The Celtics could, of course, but, well, we just have to either hope some other team upsets them first, or that the Knicks get lucky in the Conference Finals. That’s a fine place to be in the postseason.

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Man I-Hart crashing the boards for that rebound and then threading the needle with the pass to OG while he’s crashing to the ground is just emblematic of what he’s given the team this year. What a gutty and skilled player please give this man all the monies. He’s earned it.

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