Knicks Edge the Sixers in a Tight Game 2, Lead the Series 2-0

By Daniel Feuerstein | New York, NY | May 6th, 2026

Both teams returned to Madison Square Garden for Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs in the second round. Both teams were missing key players: the Sixers were without Joel Embiid, and the Knicks were without Mitchell Robinson. After the blowout in Game 1, the Sixers started much better and took it to the Knicks all game. But in the most important quarter of the game, the Knicks broke through and won it within the final five minutes to take a two-game lead, and the final score was 108-102.

The Knicks knew they were going to get a better Sixers team after they tore them apart in game one. The game was close all night long as both sides were trading the lead 25 times throughout the entire game, but when it mattered the most, the Knicks made an 11-1 run for over four minutes within the last five to six minutes of the fourth quarter to break away and hold the lead. Both Jalen Brunson and TyreseMaxey led all scorers with 26 points. O.G. Anunoby was second among all scorers with 24 points, and Karl Anthony Towns finished with a double-double, earning 20 points and 10 rebounds.

First Half: A tight opening half as both sides are hitting jumpers

Both teams got off to a hot start, and the Sixers took a 15-8 lead, till the Knicks started to come back and cut the deficit to one. The Sixers tried to separate themselves from the Knicks and tried to return the favor from Game 1. But the Knicks stayed with them to fight back and tie the game, and at times retake the lead. Brunson hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 27. But Quenton Grimes hit a three-pointer himself to retake the lead. In the second quarter, the Knicks had some strong plays when Anunoby delivered a big block, then Josh Hart retrieved the ball and flung it for a long pass to Jose Alvarado, and he hit a three-pointer.

Tyrese Maxey tried to put the Sixers on his back and lead them to a lead; he drilled a three-pointer, but Brunson found ways to get a seam and make shots, especially dancing around defenders in the paint and making his layups. A big alley-oop play when Josh Hart had the ball and saw Mikal Bridges attacking the hoop, lobbed it up, and Bridges brought it down, game tied at 54. There was a moment the Sixers missed a shot; they got their own rebound, but the pass was intercepted by Bridges, then he found Hart, and he flung the ball down the court to Anunoby for the jam. A 58-57 lead for the Knicks till V.J. Edgecombe hit a three-pointer to retake the lead at the halftime buzzer.

Second Half: The battle continues, till the Knicks broke through late

Both teams continued to change the lead as each side had a two to three-point lead in the second half, and the other side would find a way to get back into the game quickly. There was a funny moment where Towns was fouled and flung the ball up in the air; then it landed behind the backboard and got stuck. Andre Drummond took the mop from a ballboy and tried four times to knock the ball free, but it never came down. It took Towns one chance to punch it out and get the ball back in play to take free throws. Towns also took the ball himself on a play, scored the basket, and got the foul to complete the three-point play.

The fourth quarter was the big moment for the Knicks when they started to break away from the five-minute mark. You saw a huge three-pointer from Josh Hart, then several jumpers from Brunson and Bridges helped to extend the lead and put the Knicks into an 11-1 run. With the final minute of the game, the Sixers tried to cut the deficit, but missed the basket. Brunson grabbed the rebound and started to dribble all the way into the Sixers’ side of the court and wasn’t fouled as the Knicks went to Game 2 and will head south to move the series to the city of Brotherly Love and try to make it a three-game lead.

KEY STATS:
PHILADELPHIA: 34 FOR 75 FG’S, 13 FOR 34 3PTS, 21 FOR 28 FT’S
NEW YORK: 40 FOR 79 FG’S, 7 FOR 26 3PTS, 21 FOR 25 FT’S
LARGEST LEAD: 7 POINTS FOR BOTH TEAMS. 7 PTS IN 1ST QUARTER PHI, 7 PTS IN 4TH QUARTER NYK
MOST POINTS: 33 POINTS FOR PHILADELPHIA IN THE FIRST QUARTER

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