Knicks Dominate Under the Glass to Overcome Early Deficit and Defeat the Sixers

At least the Philadelphia 76ers know what they need to focus on as they prepare for Game 2 of their first-round Eastern Conference best-of-seven series against the New York Knicks on Monday — rebounding.The Knicks used a huge 55-33 advantage on the glass and a game-changing effort from the bench to beat Philadelphia, 111-104, Saturday night before a raucous crowd at sold-out Madison Square Garden.The Knicks bench contributed 42 points, including 21 from Miles “Deuce” McBride, to overcome a sluggish shooting night from Jalen Brunson, who had 22 points. But it was the Knicks’ dominance on the glass that eventually overwhelmed the visiting Sixers. Josh Hart had 13 rebounds, while Mitchell Robinson had 12 for the Knicks.Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse had few answers to why the Knicks were so dominant on the glass. “We talked about it a lot,” Mr. Nurse said after the game. “It’s a key thing they do and we didn’t do a very good job of it, and I’ve got to find out the problem why.”It was a positive beginning for the second-seeded Knicks, who used the energy from the home crowd and key performances off the bench to overcome an early deficit.With Mr. Brunson struggling to find his shot (8-of-26 from the field, 1-of-6 from three-point range), Mr. McBride and Bojan Bogdanovic joined Mr. Robinson to make a significant impact off the bench. Mr. McBride made 7-of-12 field goals including 5-of-7 from three-point range, while Mr. Bogdanovic was 4-of-12 from the field goal and 3-of-6 from long distance for 13 points. In addition to his rebounds, Mr. Robinson added 8 points and 4 blocked shots.“I thought our bench was terrific led by Mitch,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. “Bogie gave us really good minutes and Deuce did as well. Those three guys gave us a big lift.”The Knicks were down 18-7 early and trailed 34-25 at the end of the first quarter. But a dunk by Mr. Robinson off an offensive rebound tied the game 40-40 and led to a 58-46 Knicks advantage at halftime. The game remained tight until late in the fourth quarter when Mr. Brunson buried a 16-foot jump shot to put the Knicks up 98-92. The Sixers got as close as 104-100 on a three by Kyle Lowry with 1:23 remaining. But Mr. Hart made a clutch three-pointer with one minute left to give the Knicks control. Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 33 points.“As starters, we’ve got to do a better job to start the game and the third quarter,” Mr. Hart said. “We can’t wait until we’re down 10 to start playing. We’re resilient. I guess we just like making it tough for ourselves.”Mr. Hart was Mr. Versatility again for the Knicks, finishing with 22 points to go along with his double-digit rebounds in 42 minutes of duty. “He was a monster throughout,” Mr. Thibodeau said. “Big rebounds; tough defense; hustle plays; big shots at the end; coming up with loose balls. That’s what this is. You have to show toughness.”Philadelphia’s All-Star, Joel Embiid, showed toughness by returning to the game in the second half after reinjuring his left knee on a dunk in the second quarter. He scored 29 points, including 11-of-12 from the free-throw line.“You can’t win an MVP without being a great player,” Mr. Thibodeau said of the Sixers center. “We know how good he is. When he goes down you think he’s coming back.”In preparation for Game 2, the Sixers must rethink their strategy of collapsing on Mr. Brunson, while challenging Mr. Hart to make his shots from three-point range. Mr. Brunson had an off-night by his standards, but Mr. Hart did damage making 4-of-8 from distance.“I knew it was something I had to focus on,” Mr. Hart said of his three-point shooting. “I just have to continue to shoot and continue to make them respect me from the three-point line.”Mr. Brunson complemented the Sixers’ defense while understanding he’ll have to play better if the Knicks are going to win the series. “They had a great game plan and I’ve got to go back to the drawing board and be better,” he said. “I’ve got to have a short-term memory when things like that happen.”In truth, the Knicks utilized what helped them build a 50-32 record during the regular season: their team depth and resiliency. “It’s a 48-minute game,” the Knicks coach said. “That’s the way you have to look at it. You have to have staying power.”

Knicks Dominate Under the Glass to Overcome Early Deficit and Defeat the Sixers

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