PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers saw their season come to a close after a 144-114 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday, getting swept in the second round of the NBA playoffs. The defeat was a harsh comedown from the highs of a Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics in the first round, a series in which they rallied from a 3-1 deficit.
Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 24 points on a perfect 8-for-8 shooting night, adding five rebounds and four assists. Tyrese Maxey contributed 17 points and four assists, while Kelly Oubre Jr. chipped in 10 points and four rebounds. Paul George managed only seven points, VJ Edgecombe posted eight points, seven assists, and six rebounds, and Quentin Grimes added six points.
Here are the biggest takeaways from the Game 4 loss:
**A Barrage of 3-Pointers**
The Knicks buried 11 of 13 three-point attempts in the first quarter, effectively putting the game out of reach early. New York came out swinging for a knockout and landed it, as Philadelphia had no answers on the perimeter. The Sixers will be left to rue the countless open looks they allowed all game—whether off the dribble or on swing passes—as the Knicks finished 25-for-44 from deep.
Coach Nick Nurse reflected: “They obviously came out playing super fast. In the first five possessions, I think four were wide-open threes that we didn’t make. They ran off those rebounds and scored in transition. We did a poor job communicating… The energy gap was huge, and we dug ourselves a hole we couldn’t climb out of.”
**A Lack of Effort**
Perhaps the weight of the season finally caught up, or simply the burden of a 3-0 series deficit. Either way, the Sixers lacked the necessary intensity. The Knicks won every hustle play, chased down loose balls, and dominated on both ends. Philadelphia often looked confused, exchanging glances as New York’s shooters found wide-open looks because of missed defensive assignments.
“I think we came out ready offensively, but when those shots didn’t fall early, it bothered our guys,” Nurse added. “They were playing every possession in transition, super fast, and we just couldn’t recover.”
