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2026 NBA Playoffs Round 2: Knicks vs. 76ers Game 3 – Time to Make it Academic

If the Knicks take this one, this whole series is basically just academic.

So, well, let’s see them do that!

Deuce starts in place of OG (who thankfully is taking the game off instead of risking an injury to his hamstring), and Embiid return.

Let’s go, Knicks!

295 replies on “2026 NBA Playoffs Round 2: Knicks vs. 76ers Game 3 – Time to Make it Academic”

Cole Hamels rang the bell. Last time I saw him the Yankees won game 3 of the World Series in Philadelphia.

FNK! LFG!

Sorta maybe glad Embiid is starting. Should be able to shred him.

Regarding OG: Here’s hoping the medical staff pays as much attention to the illio-psoas muscle as the hurt hamstring(s). I have found that to be the key to quick healing in most types of these injuries.

Well quite possibly the worst 1st minute to a playoff game in Knicks history.

Consecutive playoff games with a three is a super dumb stat.

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Josh not taking open 3s might kill me

Crazy sloppy play by Maxey.

The Sixers are single-handedly keeping this close.

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How does Embiid not get a tech there?

I think they know they DID screw him on the other end.

I don’t get how physical they’re letting these guys play. They’re all just hitting each other.

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The reffing this game just as comical as the last so far.

This is just straight up intimidation of the refs by Embiid. Now he’s getting away with hacking KAT and we’re getting called for bullshit against him

Why are they doing trick dunks? How does this help them win this game?

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If Hart and Brunson don’t wake up soon I’ll be switching over to the Yankees game…

We might be better with OG even if we cut out his entire hamstring

Hart not being able to shoot…is like we have 4 on 5 when we have the ball…

Embiid has 4 uncalled fouls thus far, two on one play. He’s going to injuse a Knick for sure

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He’s not moving around like he’s nursing a hip and ankle injury either. I told you they were just resting the bitch.

I love that the Sixers don’t close out at ALL. Towns is just getting rebounds like crazy.

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The reffing might be even worse than last game

This game is being ref’ed like a NHL playoff game in OT…swallow the whistle..

Well I guess we know which way the league wants this one to go!

If Paul George wasn’t shooting 6000000% from 3 the sixers would’ve lost in the play in nevermind the second round.

I want to sweep this fraudulent ass team so badly.

This game is being ref’ed like a NHL playoff game in OT…swallow the whistle.

Only one way. We picked up 5 fouls in the first 6 minutes.

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Just survive the inevitable early onslaught of a desperate team.

We’ll be okay.

Playoff P is now shooting 54% from 3 for the playoffs with a league-leading 34 makes. FML.

I STILL don’t know what the foul call was on Drummond.

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George thinks he’s Steph Curry. Good luck with that, George!

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Landry ❤️

Did Embiid seriously just do the “too small” sign to Mitch? What a clown.

I mean, come on, after all of that shit, they have a four-point lead. This shit is not going to go their way.

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Do my eyes deceive me? Did Mikal Bridges just drive *all the way* to the basket from the 3 point line?

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Despite it all, Sixers can’t hit their bunnies and can’t rebound.

Keeping it within 4 is HUGE.

Down just four after that mess. I’ll take it. Yes please.

And did Shamet call glass on that corner three? Haha. Or did my eyes deceive?

Really sloppy quarter.

Clarkson has had a lot of bad turnovers recently

I like when the opposing team plays really good basketball and we still end up close after the quarter. Good omen for the rest of the game.

I get it but we played like shit and the refs are tilting the floor so let’s not suck each other’s dicks just yet.

Do my eyes deceive me? Did Mikal Bridges just drive *all the way* to the basket from the 3 point line?

There were even defenders at the rim!!!

This game is nuts lmao. It’s a wwe fight

Sixers might have to cut Embiid this offseason. Who would trade for him? Maybe Sacto.

Embid with the knee to KAT’s face. I hate him so much. And even if he was our guy.

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lol cyber

let’s see what they do with this challenge, though.

Nurse wants that 3rd foul on KAT.

Can anyone enlighten as to what the fuck this sequence is supposed to mean?

Philadelphia 76ers logo
8:20
Full timeout (Timeout #2)
Philadelphia 76ers logo
8:20
Turnover: Turnover on Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers logo
8:20
PF
Personal foul on Joel Embiid. Karl-Anthony Towns to shoot 1 free throw
Philadelphia 76ers logo
8:20
Turnover: Turnover on Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers logo
8:20
PF
Personal foul on Joel Embiid. Karl-Anthony Towns to shoot 1 free throw
Philadelphia 76ers logo
8:19
PF
Personal foul on Joel Embiid

Clarkson got up there to tap that offensive reb out to Alvarado for his 3pter.

If i was a ref, i’d decide everything against Nurse. What a clown.

wonder if stan van gundy has any clue on just how much it sounds like he hates the knicks…

hard to imagine no announcer scheduler at prime has never noticed that…

so predictable in every word spoken against the Knicks and their players…

Embiid doesn’t even try to make his shots on his drives he just barrels into the defender trying to draw a foul.

Embiid doesn’t even try to make his shots on his drives he just barrels into the defender trying to draw a foul.

And they keep giving it to him!

Plus he fouled the shit out of Mitch on that dunk.

Fuck this guy.

Even at the end of Mitch’s dunk Embiid is grabbing at his legs from the floor. Fine that guy.

Embiids offense is run fall throw ball in air cry if no call then try to injure another player in retaliation

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Philly can’t finish a layup to save their life outside of maxey

Brunson grifting>>>

Mikal free throws? Knicks in 4

We are so much better than this team it’s actually funny

We are so much better than this team it’s actually funny

With no OG and basically no KAT either

Remember when people were saying maybe Bridges shouldn’t start?

Yeah, I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or just shake my head.

They started off strong, the refs were on their side and we are up by 8. I hated that lucky bounce to end the half, but it’s hard to complain.

A lot of the call to bench bridges was the starting lineup sucking when playing together even though they were fine in other combinations.

The other part was the fact we actually did bench Bridges down the stretch of multiple games last round.

I’ve seen enough—the sixers are actually better without this version of Embiid

Why are we doubling Embiid???

He’s just sitting there waiting for the double so he can pass.

let’s see who gets their 4th foul first: KAT or embiid?

know who I’m guessing gets it…

Edit: still able to edit this comment when it occurred…

I didn’t understand how a guy that passes so well doesn’t have the BBIQ to not commit stupid fouls.

These guys have been blatantly foul baiting on KAT the whole game. He bodies up Embiid and Joel goes tumbling to the ground? Give me a break

I’m sure he barely touched Embiid who fell as if he was shot in the back but still KAT can’t put 2 hands on him like that its too easy to call.

Last few possessions Knicks playing passive to “stay ahead” — much better when they’re aggressive to run it up.

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Don’t think we’re winning that challenge

Edgecombe pushed Brunson into the other player. If they look, they’ll see it.

Why would you risk a future challenge on a 50-50 call that doesn’t get you anything but a 3rd Q possession? It’s not like Brunson is in foul trouble.

We’re missing OG on defense. Instead of having 6’8″ OG rotate to the paint for help defense when the big is pulled away we have a 6’3″ guard.

KALTWAI

(Knicks are literally the worst at inbounding)

The only thing pissin me off about this game outside of Embiid flopping and the officiating on both sides, is how soft Hart is playing on offense. Embiid has him shook tonight. He’s had plenty of chances to attack him and stopped short. Embiid is a giant though, so you can’t really blame him. But he’s hobbled! GO AT HIM!

We’re missing OG on defense.

Also, no OG, no cuts for easy hoops. Far fewer tonight.

I feel bad for Embiid. All the flopping is really taking a toll on his body.

Holy shit can’t believe Knicks outscored Philly that quarter.

Mind boggling. After all that we gained a point.

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If we can close this one out we can give OG another game off. Let’s go!!!

Let’s see what dumb shit KAT does within a minute of the start of the 4th.

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Also I know Philly can’t shoot but still doesn’t mean you should give them wide ass fucking open 3pters on every possession.

To be fair to KAT, that’s a pretty terrible offensive quartet with him.

Clarkson with the drive to nowhere, KAT with the off-balance chuck, and let’s let Grimes spot up when all we have to do is play D straight up.

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+1 EB. KAT just got all the boards. But no one is moving for him on offense.

I was several minutes behind… my comments may have been OFF! 😛

Everybody is better than Jalen Brunson until its time to be better than Jalen Brunson…

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cyber, my little one is in Barcelona and she’s stil up watching the game.

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I’m ok that Mikal played soft until the playoffs. He’s been great on both sides of the ball.

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It’s crazy but I think having a deep team with a lot of solid players might be paying dividends

And yeah, Bridges is showing up

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cyber, my little one is in Barcelona and she’s stil up watching the game.

Tough girl. 😉 If she comes my way, let me know.

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When i was behind, the 3rd quarter ended and EB writes: “To be fair to KAT, that’s a pretty terrible offensive quartet with him”
Me: “What?? We’re not even playing!!!”
LOLOL

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I’m getting 2024 Indiana Game 3 flashbacks…

I was too but now I’m not getting any flashbacks bc I can’t think of a single time the Knicks won a game 3 on the road when they were up 2-0.

(They swept Atlanta in 99 but that game 3 was at home and we kinda knew they were going to win.)

Yeah Knicks never swept a 4 game series under Riley so gotta be back in the championship years.

I’ve been thinking of 99, how we won that Miami series on the Houston shot and then everything clicked vs Atlanta. I remember Camby suddenly balling out of his mind.

Similar vibe as far as I can remember.

This win ties the 1999 Knicks for longest win streak in franchise playoffs history with 6.

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Nick Nurse waving the white flag with 2:00 left

Apparently he’s the anti-Thibodeau.
Or is Thibs the anti-Nurse?

Felt early for Philly to give up but also feels like a very Philly thing to do. They’d rather pout than win.

I’ve never wanted to watch an Embiid press conference more than right now.

That was a thing of beauty.

We didn’t have one of our best players, didn’t really play particularly well, and won easily on the road.

Good times.

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Anyone else think Embiid didn’t have appendicitis and just wanted a month off?

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Funny, that shitty first quarter literally knocked the comments out of me. But damn that was satisfying at the end.

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Shamet stopped up in a huge way, and we have Jalen Brunson and they don’t.

Let’s close them out fast and hope the Cavs can make it a series somehow against Detroit.

not tripping, looks like there’s been 25 quakes this week, about twice the norm…3 or 4, not sure, above 3.0…okay…

Philly gave it their best but we are clearly the deeper and better team. PG is washed and so is Embiid, and they have no bench. I don’t understand why Maxey wasn’t featured more, he took only 12 shots, but this is their problem, not ours. Hopefully, we can close them out in four or maximum five, and our wish now should be that the other semifinal goes as many games as possible.

not tripping, looks like there’s been 25 quakes this week…3 or 4, not sure, above 3.0…okay…

That’s generally what happens when you choose to live straddling a fault line 🙂

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We took Maxey out of the offense by blitzing him with doubles and daring them to beat us 4 on 3, and most of the time the ball swung to Oubre and he couldn’t hit enough shots or make enough plays to make up for it. Philly had no counter to get the ball back in Maxey’s hands.

The bench guards all play meaningful defense, and we have four of them: Clarkson, Shamet, Deuce, and Alvarado. It’s amazing how much everybody on this team has bought in on the defensive end.

The Maxey blitzes have been huge because the counter to that play is for Embiid to flare out and be open for a 3, but his legs are so done he can’t get any elevation on those shots and is just bricking non stop. Then Maxey has to recycle the ball to either Oubre who also can’t really shoot or PG who’s also been trash. Perfect strategy for the moment.

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It’s funny, I absolutely want them to sweep, but it’s funny, things are going SO well now that I almost worry about them getting all of that time off before they face Detroit!

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God bless Quin Snyder, CJ McCollum, and whoever contributed to us being on the precipice after game 3 in the previous series. This awoke the beast in us, awoke the coach, and we are right now a truly formidable squad.

no doubt Bob, think I’m like within 15 miles or so of the san andreas fault…

been here more’n a decade, haven’t really been that noticeable with any kind of frequency, until lately…

I think it’s like a good thing, releases pressure…

good thing until it’s not i guess…

Gotta get this next game so no one is tempted to bring OG back before the ECFs.

PG is great but too old and can’t play starter minutes anymore.
Embiid is totally washed.
Philly might be screwed – by time Maxey and Edgecombe are ready to win, PG/Embiid will already be gone / albatrosses. And those contracts are awful.

I’m decidedly not used to a team that simply takes care of business against lesser opponents.

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PG is great but too old and can’t play starter minutes anymore.
Embiid is totally washed.
Philly might be screwed – by time Maxey and Edgecombe are ready to win, PG/Embiid will already be gone / albatrosses. And those contracts are awful.

Philly is screwed for at least one more year, probably two. They owe Embiid over 190mil through the next three seasons. It’s highly unlikely that any team would take up his contract right now, no matter the incentives. Perhaps in a year or two, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Embiid will only be deteriorating moving forward. Plus, they owe PG over 100mil for the next two seasons.

If I made a t-shirt of Mitchell Robinson dunking on Joel Embiid would people buy it?

God I love this fucking team. Bridges, Mitch, Shamet, Brunson all stepped up in OG’s absence. Something special is brewing here. Dare we hope to dream?

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Maxey and Edgecomb are young enough they can probably ride out the fumes of the Embiid era and retool after him and PG are gone if they continue to draft well and don’t so anything stupid but yeah I’d be pissed if I was a Philly fan. And imagine how bad they’d be if they didn’t kick out on drafting Maxey.

The timing of the contracts is really fucking awful for the Sixers, because yeah PG expires in two years, but Embiid is making 67 million for the 28/29 season, which is also Maxey’s and Edgecombe’s last years, so they’ll all have to be reupped. Which means everything they’re saving on Embiid when his contract ends is going most likely to those two in their extensions, which limits their cap a lot. They can still make moves after PG leaves but they’re certainly going to miss the window of Edgecombe’s rookie contract.

I have to ask — is there any better revenge than this? Embiid yanked Mitchell Robinson’s ankle out of socket two years ago, as Mitch was in the air, ending his season.
And now, two sweet years later, Robinson gets the jam, the win, the poster, and just walks away with that beautiful smile.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1008330441958659

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Imagine a whole team made of Embiid as far as foul merchants go.

That’s OKC.

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