The New York Knicks are suddenly one step away from turning their Eastern Conference semifinal into a sweep, and Philadelphia has no answers for Jalen Brunson’s late game brilliance.
Brunson scored 33 points and once again dominated winning time as the Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 108-94 in Game 3 Friday night at Wells Fargo Center, taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. New York erased an early double digit deficit, controlled the glass, and shut down Philadelphia’s offense in the second half despite missing injured forward OG Anunoby.
For the third straight game, Brunson looked like the best player on the floor when the pressure peaked. The Knicks star struggled briefly early but completely took over in the fourth quarter, burying tough mid-range jumpers and silencing every Philadelphia comeback attempt. Brunson finished with 33 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and repeatedly punished the Sixers whenever the game tightened, as ESPN reported.
Philadelphia entered the night desperate after dropping the first two games in New York, and the home crowd erupted when the 76ers built an early 12 point lead behind aggressive play from Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. But the momentum vanished quickly once New York settled into its defensive rhythm.
Even more concerning for Philadelphia was the disappearance of several stars late in the game. George scored 15 points in the opening quarter but failed to score afterward, while Tyrese Maxey never found consistent rhythm against New York’s physical perimeter defense. Joel Embiid returned after missing Game 2 with hip and ankle injuries, but he looked far from dominant despite finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
The rebounding numbers told the entire story.
New York crushed Philadelphia 49-33 on the glass and repeatedly created second chance opportunities that drained the energy from the home crowd. The Knicks grabbed 13 offensive rebounds and consistently won physical battles in the paint, something that has become a recurring problem for the Sixers throughout the series. Fans looking for the official box score can see just how dominant New York was on the boards.
Perhaps the most alarming sign for Philadelphia is that New York keeps finding ways to win comfortably regardless of injuries or shooting variance. The Knicks were without Anunoby, shot only 33 percent from three point range, and still controlled most of the second half. That speaks to the team’s balance, defensive discipline, and Brunson’s ability to completely dictate playoff tempo.
Mike Brown’s team now has won six consecutive playoff games and continues to look like one of the most complete teams remaining in the postseason. Brunson’s leadership has transformed the Knicks into a ruthless closing unit, and the chemistry between Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart, and Karl Anthony Towns has overwhelmed Philadelphia on both ends of the floor. The growing confidence around New York mirrors the kind of NBA playoff warning contenders have sent throughout this postseason.
Meanwhile, the pressure surrounding the Sixers is becoming impossible to ignore.
Philadelphia entered the postseason with championship expectations after assembling a star heavy roster around Embiid, Maxey, and George. Instead, the Sixers are now staring at a possible sweep on their home floor. Their offense has repeatedly stalled late in games, their bench production remains inconsistent, and Embiid’s health continues to limit the team’s ceiling.
The Knicks have also exposed Philadelphia’s lack of depth. While New York continues getting meaningful contributions from role players like Shamet and Miles McBride, the Sixers have struggled to generate offense beyond their primary scorers. That imbalance has become devastating whenever Brunson takes control in crunch time. The Athletic noted in its postgame analysis that New York’s composure has become one of the defining stories of the series.
Historically, NBA teams that take a 3-0 lead in a playoff series almost always advance, leaving Philadelphia facing nearly impossible odds entering Game 4. The Sixers now must find a way to slow Brunson, improve their rebounding, and finally execute late offensively if they want to extend the series. Similar postseason collapses and momentum swings have already defined several historic playoff comeback stories this year.
Right now, none of those solutions appear close.
The Knicks look faster, tougher, deeper, and far more composed under pressure. And with Brunson playing at a superstar level, New York suddenly looks like a legitimate threat to reach the NBA Finals.
Game 4 now shifts enormous pressure onto Philadelphia, while the Knicks have a chance to complete one of the most dominant playoff stretches in franchise history. The broader context of NBA playoff history shows just how rare 3-0 collapses truly are.
