The New York Knicks delivered a dominant performance in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 144-114 to complete a four-game sweep. With this victory, New York advances to the Eastern Conference finals for the second consecutive year, while the 76ers—who last reached that stage in 2001—face an offseason of uncertainty.
The Knicks, playing without OG Anunoby (hamstring) for the second straight game, tied an NBA playoff record with 25 made three-pointers. This marks New York’s first sweep of a best-of-seven series since 1999, the same year they last appeared in the NBA Finals. They will now face either the Detroit Pistons or the Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference finals.
McBride’s Fearless Shooting Ignites the Knicks
Miles “Deuce” McBride showed no fear, according to head coach Mike Brown. After making just 2 of 11 shots in Games 2 and 3, McBride returned to the starting lineup in place of the injured Anunoby, and his coach’s trust paid off. While the Sixers focused on more established Knicks scorers, McBride punished them from long range. He hit his first four three-pointers in just five minutes, sending a clear message that New York was ready to close out the series with the same intensity they showed against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6. He made his first five triples and finished the first half with 20 points—14 more than his career playoff scoring average. By late in the third quarter, he had 25 points.
Sixers Face Harsh Reality After Sweep
Getty Images
For the Philadelphia 76ers, the first-round victory over the Boston Celtics now looks like a mirage. The sweep exposed a deep gap between the Sixers and the top of the Eastern Conference. As one analyst noted, if Boston had advanced instead of Philadelphia, the result would likely have been the same—the Knicks are simply that dominant right now. For the Sixers, this blowout loss may force long-overdue changes. A second-round exit is one thing, but being swept—including two games at home where Knicks fans took over Xfinity Mobile Arena—is an embarrassment. Philadelphia now must decide how to move forward with an expensive, aging core and limited assets to improve.
Garbage Time Ends Record Pursuit
The Knicks effectively broke the record by the third quarter: they scored 122 points on 71 possessions, a rate of 171.8 per 100 possessions. The rout was so thorough that the starters rested for the entire fourth quarter.
