Game Thread: New York Knicks (2-0) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (0-2) Thursday, April 25th 7:30pm

[Jeff Van Gully]

Put BOTH feet on their necks and crush their fuqqin trachea!! That way we don't have to hear them crying after the game!!

Fuq Philly!!

Brunson is key here...We are going to findout if he's figured out how to navigate us to a win...

Brunson’s missing some shots. Their scheme has succeeded in keeping him off rhythm. But exploiting their aggressiveness is a group effort. They’re also trying to take away the passing lane in the blitz. It’s really well done.

It’ll have to be a team effort to break that. And our shooters have to HIT. Bogey on the floor with Brunson makes a difference. God bless Deuce having found his WV jumper too.

[EnigmatiC]

Weird series so far. Maxey and Embiid have dominated offensively while Brunson has been a no show...yet we are up 2-0. However we can't win this series if this continues can we?

[NoStatsGuy]

Seriesdefining game tomorrow. we either come out and smack them again and put them in a chokehold or the refs gonna give embiid 20 FTs and we cant buy a bucket.

lets go out and keep that same energy, these guys cant match our toughness.

[GettinitDone]

I really think Embiid will be ruled out of this game. If you were the Sixers you see your franchise player limping and struggling to even walk, he combined with Maxey to score 62 in Game 1 and 69 in Game 2, basically the best production you could possibly get from a 50% Embiid, and still lost both games. Even if you miraculously win 4 of next 5 to win this series (they won't), it's only just the 1st rd!! Three more rounds to go... you ain't winning a title... he prob won't see the end of 2nd rd, so what are you playing him for? Just so he can get to Conference Finals for the 1st time in his career? Idiotic.

The Sixers bosses must see this from a long term perspective. Don't be stubborn, look at how Isiah Thomas played through the ankle injury in playoffs and ended his own career, this season is a lost cause, stop it, get the injury heal right and come back strong next season.

At the very least, the thinking is, don't play him, if Sixers magically pull out a W in Game 3, then if we're not shutting him down, reevaluate to consider playing him in Game 4, at least there will be about 6 days between Game 2 and Game 4.

I mean as a Knicks fan idgaf, can't care less if he plays or not, cuz we're winning this series... but I bet that must be along the lines what the Sixers are thinking.

[Knick4Real]

it could be possible that they are injecting something into Embiid so he can actually play through the pain

at any rate, the knicks will play hard and will not let up until the last buzzer

Watch on YouTube

[shtolky]

I really think Embiid will be ruled out of this game. If you were the Sixers you see your franchise player limping and struggling to even walk, he combined with Maxey to score 62 in Game 1 and 69 in Game 2, basically the best production you could possibly get from a 50% Embiid, and still lost both games. Even if you miraculously win 4 of next 5 to win this series (they won't), it's only just the 1st rd!! Three more rounds to go... you ain't winning a title... he prob won't see the end of 2nd rd, so what are you playing him for? Just so he can get to Conference Finals for the 1st time in his career? Idiotic.

The Sixers bosses must see this from a long term perspective. Don't be stubborn, look at how Isiah Thomas played through the ankle injury in playoffs and ended his own career, this season is a lost cause, stop it, get the injury heal right and come back strong next season.

At the very least, the thinking is, don't play him, if Sixers magically pull out a W in Game 3, then if we're not shutting him down, reevaluate to consider playing him in Game 4, at least there will be about 6 days between Game 2 and Game 4.

I mean as a Knicks fan idgaf, can't care less if he plays or not, cuz we're winning this series... but I bet that must be along the lines what the Sixers are thinking.

There is no way they sit Embiid. They don't have a ton of chances left with him and won't punt a potential postseason run when Embiid is clearly a huge question mark going forward. He's also produced and at 60-70% is still an excellent player. Thing the Knicks need to do is make him move and work on every single possession, don't give him a chance to stand still.

[Lord Commander]

Refs may try to make things up for Philly in this game… subconsciously… I hope they try to remain impartial. Let the best performing team win…

Then we might as well get our money's worth. Beat the chit out of them!!!

[Knick4Real]

Read on Twitter

boy is cold-blooded

You can tell he was emotional seeing all the fans STILL there after the game had already ended and chanting his name.

There's no other fan base like it in the world!

[Knick4Real]

during the 4th quarter of last game embiid could not move at all. he looked the worst he had all series. they played him 39 minutes because they get killed every time he goes to the bench. so it's a conundrum for them. they need to play him less to keep him effective late in the game but if they do their team might dig a big hole when he's not on the floor. but role players play better at home traditionally, so likely ours will be worse and theirs will be better. That may solve their problem. we really stole the last game. it probably should be 1-1. i wouldn't be surprised if we lose these next 2. it's gonna be harder.

Philly is up against the wall. They're also pissed about the results of the last game. So, I expect them to come out tomorrow like a man drowning doing anything they can to save their playoff lives.

I'd love a sweep, but I wouldn't be surprised if they took Game 3 (with a little help from the refs feeling sorry for them because they're still whining). However, they'll probably have to push Embiid out on the court in a wheelchair by Game 4 at the rate things are going.

KNICKS in 5!

[robillionaire]

iHart had some nice buckets against Embiid in the second half last game. I would continue to make Embiid work on both ends of the floor. Get iHart some more touches! Also Div, JB and JHart need to keep attacking the rim, don't settle for jumpers. Game 3 is always the hardest to win.

Hartenstein couldn’t convert in game 1 and it seems like they went away from looking for him. Philly’s zone and general interior defense strategy guards the penetration into push shot well. They are the basketball version of “stout against the run.”

Game 2 we shot a little better from outside and were able to break down the defense and mix it up some to get a few of those looks that Hartenstein converted.

I have been impressed with philly’s defense and effort on that end. It’s made things harder for us than we’ve seen all season.

He had two floaters weirdly pop out at the beginning of game 1 and then they stopped looking for him. They finally went to him in the third quarter of game 2 and was 7/8 in this game. And one of them was a floater with about 2 mins left in the 4th and was pretty clutch. He is a guy who at the end of games suddenly has an insane clutch gene on both sides coming up with key steals and blocks, rebounds, etc. We gotta incorporate that into the offense at least a few times a game, with Brunson our only dynamic scoring option we need double digits from as many others as possible. Brunson should keep looking for him on drives, he’ll be wide open usually

[robillionaire]

We can't lose to a guy high af on painkillers

Read on Twitter

I looked into this a little and some people were speculating he suffered some kind of eye injury in this play on game 1. I’m not sure if that makes you unable to blink an eye though still seems weird to me

Read on Twitter

She later concedes that he was blinking weird before that.

Very strange. The glasses. The thousand yard stare. I got nothing.

Maybe it’s time for RealGMD to give us the insight we need.

Don’t forget the burying his head in his arms like he’s crying. Maybe more likely he is trying to hide his eye thing.

[Deeeez Knicks]

The pressure is all on Philly. It will be interesting to see how they respond and will say a lot about that team.

A opportunity for us to rip there hearts out in this one and not let them get back in the series.

[EnigmatiC]

We've been playing behind last 2 games. Would nice to see us punch first but it will be harder to do on the road.

[Lord Commander]

during the 4th quarter of last game embiid could not move at all. he looked the worst he had all series. they played him 39 minutes because they get killed every time he goes to the bench. so it's a conundrum for them. they need to play him less to keep him effective late in the game but if they do their team might dig a big hole when he's not on the floor. but role players play better at home traditionally, so likely ours will be worse and theirs will be better. That may solve their problem. we really stole the last game. it probably should be 1-1. i wouldn't be surprised if we lose these next 2. it's gonna be harder.

Philly is up against the wall. They're also pissed about the results of the last game. So, I expect them to come out tomorrow like a man drowning doing anything they can to save their playoff lives.

I'd love a sweep, but I wouldn't be surprised if they took Game 3 (with a little help from the refs feeling sorry for them because they're still whining). However, they'll probably have to push Embiid out on the court in a wheelchair by Game 4 at the rate things are going.

KNICKS in 5!

Concede nothing!! We will get the sweep. Yea they will come out in a frenzy but that will wear off by halftime, because they can't sustain it due to Embiid being half strength, unless their other players (Lowery/Harris/Oubre) are contributing offensively. I really like our chances for game 3.

[Meat]

Weird series so far. Maxey and Embiid have dominated offensively while Brunson has been a no show...yet we are up 2-0. However we can't win this series if this continues can we?

that's prob the route it has to go, they're not going to let brunson beat them, and single superteams dont go far unless you have an unguardable shot ala dirk. the knicks 2-8 has to be the ones to win the game,

[Jeffrey]

Bought my Knicks ticket way before Game 1. I'd wear my Q2N8 gear but I don't want to become a meme here. I think Philly is going to be really annoyed at how the Knicks fans are about to take over.

Please be careful.... those are idiots over there and will just punch you in the back of the head.

All jokes aside, it’s the sports environment I’d say you have the highest likelihood of getting actually assaulted. If you chill you SHOULD be fine.

Another weird risk there is crossfire from assault on the team itself and other fans. I’ve seen Philly fans (eagles, sixers, flyers) fight EACH OTHER over the appropriate degrees of anger with the team and opponents.

Be careful and lay low-ish. It’s your right to be rah rah, but somebody might test you.

On a serious note, someone from the Giants board did go to an Eagles game with a Giants jersey on. That's fcking brave and stupid. He was taking a piss and some douchebag took his hand and got his head bang on that metal piece on top of the urinal.

After hearing that, I will never go to a sports game in Philly. Yeah I said it!

[Jeffrey]

it could be possible that they are injecting something into Embiid so he can actually play through the pain

at any rate, the knicks will play hard and will not let up until the last buzzer

Watch on YouTube

I thought of Bells Palsy. Someone in my family got it this year. She was blinking on one eye but not the other like Embiid. Luckily it was temporary (last 4-6 weeks). If he did have Bells Palsy, his left side should be drooping.

[EnigmatiC]

Weird series so far. Maxey and Embiid have dominated offensively while Brunson has been a no show...yet we are up 2-0. However we can't win this series if this continues can we?

that's prob the route it has to go, they're not going to let brunson beat them, and single superteams dont go far unless you have an unguardable shot ala dirk. the knicks 2-8 has to be the ones to win the game,

That doesn't make me feel great tbh lol. Going back to Philly you would have to think our role players performance will take a dip and theirs will be better.

[DaGawd]

I really think Embiid will be ruled out of this game. If you were the Sixers you see your franchise player limping and struggling to even walk, he combined with Maxey to score 62 in Game 1 and 69 in Game 2, basically the best production you could possibly get from a 50% Embiid, and still lost both games. Even if you miraculously win 4 of next 5 to win this series (they won't), it's only just the 1st rd!! Three more rounds to go... you ain't winning a title... he prob won't see the end of 2nd rd, so what are you playing him for? Just so he can get to Conference Finals for the 1st time in his career? Idiotic.

The Sixers bosses must see this from a long term perspective. Don't be stubborn, look at how Isiah Thomas played through the ankle injury in playoffs and ended his own career, this season is a lost cause, stop it, get the injury heal right and come back strong next season.

At the very least, the thinking is, don't play him, if Sixers magically pull out a W in Game 3, then if we're not shutting him down, reevaluate to consider playing him in Game 4, at least there will be about 6 days between Game 2 and Game 4.

I mean as a Knicks fan idgaf, can't care less if he plays or not, cuz we're winning this series... but I bet that must be along the lines what the Sixers are thinking.

they seem content with the fact he’ll never be healthy during playoff time and are trying to squeeze what they can out of his remaining prime years

[RHODEY]

Weird series so far. Maxey and Embiid have dominated offensively while Brunson has been a no show...yet we are up 2-0. However we can't win this series if this continues can we?

The odds are Brunson will figure it out ....meanwhile Philly cant afford for one bad performance from their big guns....and they have no way to make up for our rebounding advantage over the stretch of an entire game...they have a a very small margin for error.