The Knicks won twice in Philadelphia this season, showcasing different strengths in each game. Their ability to dominate in rebounding and scoring will be crucial as they head into the next playoff games.
The Knicks have already walked into Philadelphia twice this season and left with two very different wins.
Thatās why the venue, by itself, shouldnāt be the story when this second-round series shifts to Xfinity Mobile Arena. The Knicks have already shown they can win there in a grind and in a blowout, which gives them something useful heading into Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday. If anything, the more important question isnāt whether the Knicks can play in Philadelphia. Itās which version of the matchup shows up once the floor changes.
The first trip, on Jan. 24, probably says more about this series than the second. The Knicks won that one 112-109 against a Philadelphia 76ers team that had Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey all available. Embiid was huge, finishing with 38 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, and the Knicks still found a way out. Jalen Brunson scored 31. OG Anunoby added 23. The Knicks trailed 64-60 at halftime, then won the third quarter 30-13 and held on from there.
There was another number from that night that should follow this series back to Philadelphia. The Knicks won second-chance points 26-4 and dominated the glass 53-37. Mitchell Robinson had 10 rebounds off the bench. Josh Hart had 13. The Knicks grabbed 19 offensive rebounds as a team. In a close road playoff game, that effort can quiet a building and keep a game getting out of hand. If the Knicks are looking for a regular-season template that travels into Friday, thatās one of the best places to start.
The second trip, on Feb. 11, was a different night and a different kind of lesson. The Knicks crushed Philadelphia 138-89 and led 72-42 at halftime. They shot 52.7% from the field, hit 20 3-pointers, handed out 41 assists and put six players in double figures. scored 26 off the bench. had 22. had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Josh Hart added nine assists.
The first win was a close 112-109 game with strong rebounding, while the second was a blowout at 138-89, highlighting their scoring efficiency.
In their first game, the Knicks dominated the boards with a 53-37 advantage and won second-chance points 26-4.
Jalen Brunson scored 31 points in the first game, while Jose Alvarado led with 26 points in the second game.
The Knicks can leverage their rebounding dominance and scoring depth, as demonstrated in their regular-season victories.
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That game came with important absences, though, including Embiid for Philadelphia and Anunoby for the Knicks, so it isnāt a direct preview of whatās coming this weekend. But it did reinforce something thatās already shown up in this series: when the Knicks start moving the ball and getting contributions from everywhere, Philadelphia can get overwhelmed quickly.
That first half on Feb. 11 still stands out. The Knicks led 36-23 after one quarter and kept pressing from there. By the break, they had 24 assists and had forced 11 Philadelphia turnovers that turned into 22 Knicks points. That isnāt about one hot hand. Thatās about a team playing downhill, defending with force and making the other side chase the game before it can settle in.
So what should the Knicks expect now?
They should expect a harder game than the February one and a more hostile version of the January one. But they should also expect to walk into a building where theyāve already played well this season. One game says they can survive an Embiid star turn there. The other says they can bury Philadelphia there if their offense starts humming.
Embiidās status is obviously worth monitoring. He was ruled out of Game 2 because of a right ankle sprain and hip soreness, and if heās ruled out again for Game 3, the Knicksā job gets much easier. That isnāt complicated. The Jan. 24 win showed the Knicks can win there with Embiid on the floor. If he isnāt, the burden shifts even more heavily onto Maxey and the rest of Philadelphiaās offense.
Thatās why these two regular-season trips still mean something now.
The Knicks arenāt heading to Philadelphia hoping they can handle the environment. They already have. Once in a close one. Once in a demolition. That doesnāt guarantee anything on Friday or Sunday.
It does say the road ahead is familiar.