Brunson’s 47 Hails Knicks to A Game Four Victory
Yesterday afternoon, the New York Knicks looked to redeem themselves after falling short in Game Three against the Philadelphia 76ers. After the Sixers got off to a great first quarter, New York held it down the rest of the way outscoring Philly during the final three quarters to take a decisive 97-92 win as they now lead this first-round series 3-1 heading back to Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson led the charge for the Knicks, dropping 47 of the Knicks 97 points, setting a new career playoff record and a new Knicks record for most points in a single playoff game. It will be intriguing to see during Game Five on Tuesday if Brunson can perform to this level once again.
New York got off to a slow start during the first quarter, getting outscored 27-17. The Knicks stepped back into this game in the second quarter, as they outscored the Sixers 30-22 to be down just two points heading into halftime. New York shot 62 percent from the floor, and 50 percent from deep during the second quarter, as the 76ers shot just 26 percent from the floor. Philly was also outrebounded 15-9. Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 23 points, and both Miles McBride and OG Anunoby had eight points apiece for New York. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey recorded 14, and 13 points respectively for the Sixers.
The Knicks took a one-point lead heading into the final quarter of play as they outscored the Sixers 30-27. Both teams battled during the third, New York wanted to extend their lead and keep it that way, while the 76ers wanted to bounce back and make this game even more appealing. The biggest thing for New York in the third quarter was that they committed two fewer turnovers, taking advantage of Philly’s easy mistakes. The fourth quarter would be an absolute dogfight, as both teams shot terribly from the floor. The Knicks held a 95-91 lead after Tyrese Maxey knocked down one of his two free throws. Josh Hart would get fouled and missed both free throw attempts for New York, giving the Sixers a fighting shot in this one. After Kyle Lowry made one of his two free throws, the Knicks held a three-point lead with eight seconds remaining. Jalen Brunson nailed two free throws to secure this Game Four win for the Knicks. New York grabbed ten more rebounds and went to the free-throw line six more times than Philadelphia. These factors ultimately hurt the Sixers at the end of this game.
Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 47 points on 18 of 34 shooting. He also finished with four rebounds, 10 assists, and a block. OG Anunoby recorded 16 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks in the win. Joel Embiid dropped 27 points to go along with his 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks. Tyrese Maxey had 23 points, six rebounds, six assists, and a steal in the loss.
