The New York Knicks wasted no time dispatching the Philadelphia 76ers, and in the decisive Game 4, they made the series victory look effortless once again.
Miles McBride poured in a game-high 25 points, Jalen Brunson added 22, and New York built a lead as large as 44 points before cruising to a 144-114 road victory on Sunday in Philadelphia. The Knicks swept the East semifinals 4-0 and now move on to the Eastern Conference finals, where they will face the winner of the Detroit Pistons-Cleveland Cavaliers series.
New York won three of the four games by double digits and outscored the Sixers 497-408 over the series. In Game 4, the Knicks set a franchise playoff record with 25 three-pointers on 44 attempts, including 11 of 13 in the first quarter and 18 by halftime—tying an NBA playoff record. Their 39-point home win in Game 1 also featured a playoff franchise-best 63.1% shooting from the field.
Here are key takeaways from Game 4.
Rest pays off as Knicks sweep
Not only are the Knicks continuing their dominant playoff run, but they also gain a significant advantage by closing out the series quickly. New York will enjoy a week off while awaiting their opponent in the Eastern Conference finals. The Pistons and Cavaliers will need at least two more games to determine who faces the Knicks.
This marks the franchise’s first sweep in a best-of-seven playoff series since 1999, which also happens to be the last time New York reached the NBA Finals.
The Knicks aren’t an old team, but several key players carry heavy workloads. Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges regularly rank among league leaders in minutes. Jalen Brunson has been relied upon heavily since 2022. Karl-Anthony Towns has plenty of experience, Mitchell Robinson is injury-prone, and OG Anunoby is currently sidelined with a hamstring strain. Entering the Eastern Conference finals with fresh legs is a major advantage, especially at this stage of the season.
Neither the Pistons nor the Cavaliers have advanced beyond the second round recently, meaning fatigue could become a factor for the eventual winner. The Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals last season, but this time they carry overwhelming confidence and a well-rested roster.
— James Edwards III, Knicks beat writer
McBride ignites Game 4 explosion
Miles “Deuce” McBride is fearless. That’s what his coach, Mike Brown, said before Game 4 of the Knicks’ dominant sweep of the 76ers. McBride had missed a combined 9 of 11 shots in Games 2 and 3, but he returned to the starting lineup in place of the injured OG Anunoby because Brown trusts him.
“He gives us the ability to make shots from deep or go create his own shot,” Brown said, also highlighting the 6-foot-2 guard’s ballhandling, defense, versatility, and how well he complements Jalen Brunson analytically.
McBride repaid that faith with a blistering first quarter that had the crowd—mostly Knicks fans—chanting “Deuuuuuuuce” even before his jumpers dropped.
While the Sixers understandably focused on more established Knicks scorers, McBride buried them from long range. He needed just five minutes to hit his first four three-pointers, sending a clear message that the Knicks were as determined to close out the series as they were to dismantle the Atlanta Hawks in the previous round.