Category: New York Knicks

ESPN Analyst Claims Jalen Brunson Could Be Greatest Player in Knicks Franchise History
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

ESPN Analyst Claims Jalen Brunson Could Be Greatest Player in Knicks Franchise History

On Thursday night the New York Knicks moved on to the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs by way of a 118-115 win in Game 6 over the Philadelphia 76ers. Jalen Brunson was magnificent once again, recording 41 points (including 14 points in the fourth quarter) to put the persistent Sixers away. ESPN analyst Jay Williams was so in awe of his performance he went on Friday morning's episode of Get Up to sing the point guard's praises.

He may have gone a bit far, though. Even for the most diehard of Knicks fans. Williams said he believes Brunson will go down as one of the greatest Knicks of all-time— if not the greatest.

Brunson has been incredibly impressive and the marks he's hit as noted by the chyron are historic. However, Williams himself acknowledges he may be getting a bit over his skis by speaking so highly of Brunson's place in franchise history when he hasn't won a championship yet. Patrick Ewing didn't get one but Walt Frazier and Willis Reed both did. Even the most ardent Brunson supporter would balk at arguing Brunson is above any of those three in the franchise hierarchy as of now.

This sort of Brunson-mania is completely understandable through the lens of recent Knicks history. The organization was desperately searching for a new face of the franchise for nearly five years after Carmelo Anthony left and hadn't been seriously competitive in nearly a decade. The years between Ewing's retirement and the Melo trade aren't even worth discussing in this space. The Knicks were seriously lacking in 21st century legends before Brunson came along.

And he is perfect for the Knicks, just like franchise faces of old. Anthony was a walking highlight reel but didn't draw the love of the more gritty, earn every inch segment of the fanbase in the same way Brunson has. Knicks fans love a grinder and Brunson, if anything, is exactly that. Plus, before Brunson signed the best point guard to grace Madison Square Garden was 2007-'08 Stephon Marbury and he didn't win a single playoff series. It's been a while.

Brunson is very exciting to watch and feels tailor-made for the New York Knicks. He's still a long ways off from the heights reached by Frazier and Willis and even Ewing. A great first round series makes a franchise legend not, but perhaps this is the year when that changes.

ESPN, Jalen Brunson, NBA, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers
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Tyrese Haliburton Has a Wholesome Theory for Why T.J. McConnell Played Well in Game 6
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Tyrese Haliburton Has a Wholesome Theory for Why T.J. McConnell Played Well in Game 6

The Indiana Pacers knocked the Milwaukee Bucks out of the playoffs on Thursday night with a 120-98 victory in Game 6.

Perhaps the most impactful player for the Pacers was veteran guard T.J. McConnell, who came off the bench to score 20 points on 7-for-9 shooting to go along with nine assists and four steals in 23 minutes of action.

When asked about the impact that McConnell had on the outcome of the game, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton gave a pretty genuine response about his teammate.

"Yeah I knew he was gonna respond," Haliburton said. "His wife Val was here and I always tell him that he plays better when Val is at the games. He was a little down after Game 5. He didn't perform how he wanted to. I just told him, 'Hey we're gonna go home. Val is gonna be at the game. You're gonna be better.' And it happened, so shoutout Val!" Haliburton concluded with a big smile on his face.

McConnell's shooting and playmaking prowess off the bench will certainly be needed in the Eastern Conference semifinals when the Pacers take on the New York Knicks.

Game 1 is set for Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.

Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, T.J. McConnell, Tyrese Haliburton
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Knicks' Jalen Brunson Perfectly Trolled Kenny Smith During Postgame Interview
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Perfectly Trolled Kenny Smith During Postgame Interview

Jalen Brunson had Villanova on his mind.

Brunson poured in 14 of his game-high 41 points in the fourth quarter to help the New York Knicks advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 118-115 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, doing so in a familiar setting at the Wells Fargo Center, where he played some of the biggest games of his college career for the Wildcats.

At one point, Brunson, after hitting a clutch shot in the fourth quarter, appeared to look skyward at Villanova's 2016 championship banner hanging in the rafters.

Then, during a postgame interview with TNT's Inside the NBA crew of Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith, Brunson made sure that Smith, an alum of the University of North Carolina, didn't forget the 2016 national championship game, where the Wildcats defeated the Tar Heels.

Barkley began the interview by asking Brunson if he felt that Philadelphia was a special place for him to play. Brunson replied that he believes it "definitely" is, pointing out the program's three championship banners. Then, it was Smith's turn to ask a question.

Brunson, hearing Smith's voice, asked, "Is this Kenny?"

"Yes it is!" Smith affirmed.

"2016 banner, Kenny," Brunson said, as Smith and his TNT peers burst into laughter.

Well played by Brunson, who couldn't resist a little trolling at Smith's expense, reminding him of his Wildcats' 77-74 win over Smith's Tar Heels back in April 2016.

Brunson and the Knicks will next take on the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, which begins May 6 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Jalen Brunson, Kenny Smith, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Villanova Wildcats
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Knicks Fans Ruthlessly Trolled Joel Embiid While Leaving 76ers’ Arena
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Knicks Fans Ruthlessly Trolled Joel Embiid While Leaving 76ers’ Arena

The New York Knicks eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers from the NBA playoffs Thursday night, scoring a 118-115 win in Game 6 to take the first round series 4-2. The Knicks fans who made the trek to Philadelphia for the game were not shy afterwards, unleashing a "f--- Embiid" chant as they made their way to the exits.

Video of the incident is below, but be warned it contains some bad language.

Embiid faced accusations of being a dirty player during this heated series. In Game 3, he was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul for an incident involving Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. During an awkward sequence, Embiid fell to the ground attempting to draw a foul. When the whistle didn't blow, he grabbed Robinson's right leg out from under him. Robinson eventually left the game with an ankle injury. New York guard Donte DiVincenzo called the play dirty, and Knicks fans were irate.

During the Sixers' 112-106 overtime win in Game 5, Embiid hit Knicks' star Jalen Brunson in the head on a late drive. He was called for Flagrant 1 for unnecessary contact to the face. After those two incidents, Knicks fans will almost certainly regard him as a dirty player for the rest of his career, hence the post-Game 6 chant.

Embiid was excellent in the series, averaging 33.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals in 41.5 minutes per game. He dropped 50 points in that Game 3 win, had 34 in Game 2 and 39 in Game 6. It was an incredible performance in a losing effort by the 2023 NBA MVP. But no one will recall those numbers. Instead, they'll remember the two flagrant fouls.

The Knicks-Sixers series was competitive, contentious and incredibly entertaining. It was exactly what you'd expect from a budding NBA rivalry. That made the victory even more sweet for Knicks fans, who let their feelings for Embiid be known after the series was won.

Joel Embiid, NBA, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers
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Jalen Brunson Enters Rarified Air With 41-Point Outburst As Knicks Advance
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Jalen Brunson Enters Rarified Air With 41-Point Outburst As Knicks Advance

New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson had an all-time series during the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers, culminating with a dominant 41-point performance to close out the Sixers in Game 6 on Thursday night.

During the final four games of the series, Brunson truly came into his own, scoring a total of 167 points during that span. He scored no fewer than 39 points in any of those four games, making him the first player since Michael Jordan in 1993 to score 37 or more points in four consecutive playoff games, according to Justin Russo of Russo Writes.

Additionally, Brunson becomes the first player since Oscar Robertson to score 35 points and record 10 assists in three separate games in a single playoff series, another nod to the historic run the 27-year-old went on to help New York reach the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Brunson, who had 39 points in Game 3, is the first Knicks player since Bernard King to record 40+ points in three straight playoff games. King achieved the feat in four consecutive games back in 1984.

Brunson rarely saw the bench during his torrid four-game stretch, too, logging at least 44 minutes in every game during that span, as Tom Thibodeau leaned heavily upon his star guard to close out the series for the Knicks

He'll look to keep his dominating offensive play going when New York takes on the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals.

Jalen Brunson, Michael Jordan, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers
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Fans React to Scott Foster Being Named Crew Chief for Knicks-Sixers Game 6
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Fans React to Scott Foster Being Named Crew Chief for Knicks-Sixers Game 6

The Philadelphia 76ers made an improbable comeback on Tuesday night to force Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Playoffs first round series against the New York Knicks. Tyrese Maxey made two huge three-pointers with the help of a favorable whistle to send the series back to Philadelphia where the team owners are literally giving away tickets in hopes of actually having some sort of home court advantage.

To mae things even more interesting, the NBA announced this morning that Scott Foster would be the crew chief for the pivotal contest, which sent fans into a tizzy. New York fans smelled a conspiracy while Sixers fans saw a great opportunity to force Game 7 because teams trailing in a series seem to have such success with Foster working games that he's been nicknamed "The Extender."

Bill Kennedy and Mark Lindsay will work the game alongside Foster tonight. While neither has the same reputation as Foster, Kennedy is a true personality, especially on the mic during replay reviews.

Hopefully there's enough screen time for everyone involved. Between Foster and Kennedy, there's a great chance that the broadcast will have incredible entertainment value, no matter how good the actual game is.

As long as you're not rooting for the team that loses, because there's a 99% chance you're going to end up complaining about the officials. Especially when you know exactly who to blame.

Bill Kennedy, NBA, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Scott Foster
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Sixers Owners Buy Huge Amount of Game 6 Tickets to Keep Them From Knicks Fans
2 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Sixers Owners Buy Huge Amount of Game 6 Tickets to Keep Them From Knicks Fans

The last time the Philadelphia 76ers hosted the New York Knicks, the New York faithful made their voices heard at the Wells Fargo Center. The cheers for Knicks players were nearly as loud as the home crowd's enthusiasm for their own favorites. The support for the orange and blue was audible on the broadcast and even got to Joel Embiid, who complained about Philly fans not showing up for Game 4.

The 76ers owners are willing to go to great lengths to ensure that doesn't happen again.

On Wednesday it was reported that the team's ownership group, consisting of Josh Harris, David Adelman, and David Blitzer, teamed up with Fanatics founder Michael Rubin to purchase over 2,000 tickets to Game 6 on Thursday evening. They plan to give out those tickets to essential workers in Philadelphia, which is obviously great and a lovely way to give back to the community.

But, as Rubin himself said, it also serves the dual purpose of taking tickets off the market for those dastardly Knicks fans who might be looking to make the Amtrak trip down from New York City.

This is, of course, one big PR stunt and really just a drop of water in an ocean since the Wells Fargo Arena capacity clocks in at 21,000. Which means there are still roughly 19,000 tickets to be purchased for any Knicks fan who really wants to go.

Nevertheless, this whole situation feels a lot like a teacher stepping after one kid whined that things weren't fair. As Embiid pointed out, Philadelphia is widely recognized as one of the best sports towns in the country. The franchise superstar challenged the fanbase. Let them step up to the plate without the intervention of billionaires with endless pockets.

How successful the gambit ultimately is will be revealed at 9 p.m. ET tonight when Game 6 tips off between the Sixers and Knicks.

NBA, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers
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NBA Admits Tyrese Maxey Traveled on Pivotal Four-Point Play in 76ers–Knicks
1 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

NBA Admits Tyrese Maxey Traveled on Pivotal Four-Point Play in 76ers–Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey stole the show Tuesday night, scoring seven points in the final 25 seconds to force overtime and eventually defeat the New York Knicks in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series at Madison Square Garden.

But on Wednesday, the NBA revealed in its Last Two Minute Report that one of Maxey's game-changing plays in the final minute shouldn't have counted. He traveled before launching a three-pointer from 25 feet with 25 seconds remaining.

"Maxey gathers the ball on his left foot, takes two legal steps, and then moves his right foot again just before he is fouled on his shot," the report indicates.

Instead, no traveling violation was called, and Maxey drilled the three-pointer and the free throw to cut the Knicks' lead to two points.

If the travel had been called, the Knicks would've been awarded the ball with a six-point lead and 25 seconds left. The 76ers would be forced to foul, and the game likely ends in a Knicks win if they avoided turnovers and knocked down free throws.

The Last Two Minute Report also indicated that Knicks guard Josh Hart was not out of bounds with 41 seconds left in overtime when he tried to tap a loose ball to teammate Isaiah Hartenstein underneath the basket.

Instead of Hartenstein getting a chance to tie the game at 108, it was ruled a turnover. The 76ers went on to outscore the Knicks 4–0 the rest of the game to secure the victory.

The Knicks, up 3–2 in the series, will get another chance to end Philadelphia's season on Thursday in Game 6 at Wells Fargo Center.

New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Tyrese Maxey
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76ers-Knicks Game 6 Late Start Time Rightfully Has Fans Sounding Off
1 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

76ers-Knicks Game 6 Late Start Time Rightfully Has Fans Sounding Off

The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks are currently locked in arguably the most entertaining first-round series of the 2024 NBA playoffs.

The Knicks hold a 3–2 series lead as the teams have traded incredible finishes. Game 6 will take place at 9 p.m. ET Thursday night in Philadelphia, and fans are not happy about that scheduling.

The Sixers-Knicks game will be the second part of an NBA playoff doubleheader starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers will open the night, with the battle in Philly closing things out. Having the the first round's marquee series start an elimination game at 9 p.m. on a Thursday night is a bold piece of NBA scheduling.

A series of tweets reacting to that decision follows.

It's easy to understand why East Coast fans are so upset. That's an incredibly late tip on a weeknight. So many fans who would usually watch will be in bed by the time it finishes. This is the kind of scheduling that made the Pac-12 irrelevant.

The Knicks won the first two games of the series, before the 76ers won Game 3 behind 50 points from Joel Embiid. Game 4 went to New York as Jalen Brunson dropped 47 points to lead the way. On Tuesday night, the Sixers took Game 5 in overtime when Tyrese Maxey took over and scored 46. It has been an action-packed affair and at 3–2, the serious could legitimately go either way. It would be nice if more people could watch it.

NBA, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers
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SI:AM | Tyrese Maxey Has His Superstar Moment
1 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

SI:AM | Tyrese Maxey Has His Superstar Moment

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. The beekeeper who saved the day in Phoenix is my new hero.

In today’s SI:AM:

🔥 Maxey takes over
☘️ C’s announcer says goodbye
🐎 The 150th Kentucky Derby

He made the Garden fall silent

The NBA postseason is when players forge their legacies—and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey just solidified his status as a true star with a legacy-defining Game 5 against the New York Knicks.

Maxey thrived during the regular season after being thrust into a bigger role by the departure of James Harden and Joel Embiid’s injury in late January. He averaged a career-best 25.9 points per game—11th in the NBA—and was rewarded by being named the league’s Most Improved Player last week.

With Embiid clearly hobbled by his troublesome left knee, the Sixers needed Maxey to save the day as they faced elimination in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden—and he absolutely did. Maxey hit two of the most clutch shots you’ll ever see in the final 30 seconds of the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.

The Knicks appeared to have the game wrapped up after Jalen Brunson passed out of a double team to a wide-open Miles McBride, who knocked down a jumper at the foul line to extend the New York lead to six with 28.9 seconds on the clock. But then Maxey took over, and, thanks in part to a couple of errors by the Knicks, saved his team’s season.

First Maxey used a pump fake to get Knicks center Mitchell Robinson to leave his feet and leaned into Robinson to draw the foul as he threw up an off-balance three-point attempt. He got the shot to fall and then hit the ensuing free throw for a four-point play to cut the deficit to two. Then, after Josh Hart missed one of two free throws to leave the door open for a comeback, Maxey buried the shot of the playoffs thus far: a leaning 35-footer to tie the game at 97.

On the Knicks’ home broadcast on MSG Network, play-by-play announcer Mike Breen repeatedly stressed before Philadelphia’s final possession how New York couldn’t allow a three-point attempt and needed to foul the Sixers. But Embiid’s screen near the halfcourt line gave Maxey plenty of space and his decision to shoot it from so far out meant Robinson wasn’t remotely close enough to give the foul.

Maxey’s heroics defined the fourth quarter, but the story of the overtime period was just the Knicks blowing it. They jumped out to a quick five-point lead before the Sixers responded with a 9–0 run. The Knicks managed to tie the game again at 106 but the Sixers scored the final six points of the game to win it. Any chance of a Knicks victory was essentially wiped out when, after New York forced a sloppy Sixers turnover with Philadelphia leading 108–106 with 28 seconds to play, Jalen Brunson turned it right back over with an ill-advised pass.

Maxey finished with 46 points, a playoff career high and the fourth-highest total of his career. He’s averaging 32.4 points, 7.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game during the series.

The Sixers will need Maxey to step up again as the series shifts back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Thursday night. Embiid has had his moments during the series—including a 50-point outburst in Game 3—but his knee was clearly bothering him more in Game 5 than it had previously. He made plenty of great plays, but his mobility was severely lacking. He finished with 19 points on 7-of-19 shooting, 16 rebounds, 10 assists and a staggering nine turnovers, which tied a career worst.

If Embiid’s knee isn’t any better on Thursday, the pressure will be on Maxey to be the hero again and force a Game 7 back in New York. After willing his team to victory on Tuesday, everyone knows he’s capable of that.

Apr 26, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; Patriots introduce first round draft pick Drake Maye.

New England begins a new era with first-round pick Drake Maye at quarterback.

Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The best of Sports Illustrated

The top five…

… things I saw last night: 

5. The bench-clearing brawl between the Brewers and Rays.
4. Evgeny Kuznetsov’s bizarre penalty shot against the Islanders.
3. Maple Leafs goalie Joseph Woll’s pad save to keep the game tied in the third period. 
2. Matthew Knies’s overtime goal to win the game for Toronto and force a Game 6.
1. The beekeeper who rose to the occasion and ended a two-hour delay in the Diamondbacks game. He even got to throw out the first pitch.

NBA, NBA Playoffs, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Tyrese Maxey
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