The Knicks-Sixers Series Is Still A Toss-Up

The New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 111-104 in their playoff opener. With a margin of victory of just seven points, it was the most close and competitive playoff game of Saturday’s playoff slate, and it’s proving to be the most difficult to predict.

Although the Knicks secured the victory, the 76ers had a lot of positive takeaways from Saturday’s game, and the series feels far from over despite the loss and injury concern to their franchise player Joel Embiid. Likewise, the Knicks won despite an off game from star guard Jalen Brunson and should be feeling confident moving forward as it’s expected that Brunson will return to form for the rest of the postseason.

Knicks’ Role Players Stepped Up

The Knicks’ supporting cast shot 52 percent from three

Heading into the postseason, the Knicks had one major area of concern; their supporting cast offense. The team was extremely dependent on Brunson to create opportunities, but it was feared that he wouldn’t be able to find easy shots due to the increase in defensive attention.

The loss of star forward Julius Randle meant that the Knicks lost out on a secondary shot creator and someone who can take the pressure off of Brunson. As a result, the Knicks headed into the postseason knowing that the team was going to have to rely on their role players to step up.

And they did. Although Brunson had an off game, going just eight for twenty-six from the field, the Knicks still secured the victory off the backs of some elite shooting from Brunson’s supporting cast. Excluding Brunson, the Knicks shot 52 percent from three.

The 76ers’ game plan of limiting Brunson’s effectiveness doesn’t work if the rest of the Knicks can step up. Miles McBride had 21 points, 13 of which came in the second quarter. Bojan Bogdanovic, despite being inconsistent since the trade, made 50 percent of his threes. Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, the two Knicks role players with the highest expectations, hit their threes as well.

Beyond the offensive contributions, the supporting cast proved to be valuable on the boards as well. The Knicks’ center rotation of Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson secured more offensive rebounds than the entire 76ers team combined.

Heading into game two, the Knicks should feel confident. The supporting cast already proved that they can step up when needed, and it’s unlikely that Brunson will perform as poorly as he did in game one. If the 76ers continue to focus all of their defensive efforts on Brunson, they’ll be giving up more threes to the Knicks’ role players. If they decide to spread out their defensive efforts, they’re giving Brunson the opportunity to reestablish his rhythm.

Joel Embiid Still Impactful Despite Injury

Secured a team-high +14 despite reinjuring himself in the second quarter

The 76ers entered the postseason as a deceptively strong team despite their record, and a potential favorite in the first round despite being just the seventh seed. They were one of the top teams in the league prior to Embiid’s injury, and with his return, they were looking to reestablish themselves as a top team in the league.

And for a moment, it seemed like they did. Embiid was unstoppable in the first quarter, scoring 15 points on 56 percent shooting. The 76ers found themselves up nine points after the first twelve minutes.

He exited the game with a little over two minutes remaining in the second quarter after reinjuring himself during a self-alley-oop. However, after his return, the 76ers outscored the Knicks by fifteen points in the third quarter.

Although he wasn’t able to dominate the game in terms of scoring post-return, he was still extremely impactful. The value of Embiid being on the floor was extremely evident in the 76ers’ runs. He accounted for 44 percent of his team’s second-half assists.

Even if he wasn’t able to score effectively, his presence on the floor still warped the game in the 76ers’ favor for many stretches, and his gravity allowed for easier scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Even though they lost the first game, the 76ers should still feel confident heading into game two. Although Embiid most likely isn’t going to return to his healthy early regular season form, he’s still proven to be impactful when on the floor.

Neither Tobias Harris nor Kelly Oubre Jr. had great performances in game one, but they did find statistically higher-quality shots with Embiid on the floor. The game was only decided by seven points, and if they are able to convert on their opportunities during the rest of the series, the 76ers might be able to upset.

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