Tim Bontemps
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Tim Bontemps
ESPN Senior Writer
- Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.
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As the NBA’s Eastern Conference semifinal between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers heads down Interstate 95 for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday, there is plenty to dissect.
There’s Philadelphia looking to dig out of a second straight 2-0 deficit against a division rival, having come back from 3-1 against the Boston Celtics in the first round. There are health questions on both sides: 76ers center Joel Embiid (hip, ankle) and Knicks wing OG Anunoby (hamstring) and guard Josh Hart (thumb) are questionable for Game 3. Mitchell Robinson, who missed Game 2 with an illness, is probable.
And then there’s the crowd. Two years ago, the three games played in Philadelphia during the first round felt like Knicks home games for significant stretches — so much so that Embiid publicly implored home fans to not sell their tickets and let Knicks fans into Xfinity Mobile Arena this weekend.
All of it shapes up for what should be two fun games between two of the league’s oldest franchises. Will the Knicks stay hot? Can Philly get on the board? Here are five things to watch in Game 3 and beyond.
What have we learned through two games of Knicks-76ers?
Bontemps: That New York’s performance against the Atlanta Hawks wasn’t a fluke. The Knicks impressively slammed the door on the Hawks in Games 4, 5 and 6 of their first-round series after losing Games 2 and 3 by a combined two points, blowing out the Hawks the rest of the way, including in record fashion to end the series.
The Knicks followed with another brilliant showing in Game 1 against Philadelphia, before Jalen Brunson’s clutch shotmaking proved to be the difference in the closing minutes of Game 2. So far, the Knicks have clearly been the class of the East playoffs, and pending the status of Anunoby should be the clear favorites to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
Goodwill: Did it feel like the Knicks were waiting to unleash this new brand of offense until later? Because for the desperate times they could’ve been in, the offense sure looked smooth, like they’d been practicing it for some time. Karl-Anthony Towns putting on his best Sabonis impression (Arvydas or Domantas, take your pick) of passing and not having to be a 25-point scorer to be effective is certainly a revelation.
If nothing else, the Knicks are preserving Brunson from being worn out late in games. Compare that with Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, who looked out of gas in the last six minutes of Game 2, unable to sustain the speed and athleticism that had them on the verge of stealing home-court advantage Wednesday night.
1:52
Stephen A.: The Knicks need OG Anunoby to reach the Finals
Stephen A. Smith explains why OG Anunoby’s injury is a bigger headline than the Knicks’ win in Game 2 vs. the 76ers.
How could the series change if Anunoby misses time?
Goodwill: The Knicks have had reasonable health this season and are the only remaining playoff team with all five starters finishing with at least 65 games played. It speaks to continuity, and what Anunoby brings — the cutting, the efficiency, the shooting, the first-team worthy defense — cannot be replaced by one player.
With Anunoby listed day-to-day, when the games are every other day, the Knicks need to be careful. In the 2024 playoffs, Anunoby had a hamstring strain that cost him all of the second round against the Indiana Pacers before he attempted to come back for that series’ Game 7.
Up 2-0 in the series, New York can afford to be patient. But if Anunoby’s injury worsens and he misses an extended period, the Knicks aren’t getting out of the East. Their offense doesn’t work without his chemistry with Towns and their defense falls apart. Giving him what amounts to at least five days off seems prudent.
Bontemps: Anunoby’s status is the most important question of the series — even more than Embiid’s. Anunoby has been New York’s best player and easily one of the best in the playoffs thus far.
He’s a weapon that Philadelphia doesn’t have a clean answer for at either end of the court, thanks to his impressive combination of size, strength and speed.
It might not show up on TV, but anyone who has been around Anunoby in person can tell you just how physically imposing he is. Philadelphia, a relatively small team outside of big men Embiid and Andre Drummond, simply doesn’t have anyone capable of tangling with Anunoby’s physicality. We’ve seen teams use “questionable” liberally in these playoffs (for example, Aaron Gordon, Immanuel Quickley and Franz Wagner), so that designation from the Knicks could be tricky to decipher.
Can Towns stay out of foul trouble?
Bontemps: Early returns are a resounding “No.” It was fascinating to see Towns guarding Embiid to begin Game 1, a strategy that felt like a recipe for disaster when Towns immediately picked up two in the first five minutes. Towns has been excellent in these playoffs but must be on the court to have an impact. As long as Maxey and Embiid continue attacking Towns, this problem won’t go away for New York.
Goodwill: Nope, and the Knicks better work around it. In eight playoff games, Towns has picked up at least four fouls in five of them. It’s a big reason why the 76ers’ offense has made Towns’ vulnerability its No. 1 priority. Towns has played only 34 minutes twice so far, so coach Mike Brown knows he has to platoon Towns with Robinson.
Even though Towns has a propensity for silly fouls, he’s an underrated rim protector. Sixers coach Nick Nurse would be wise to put Towns in every pick-and-roll in Game 3, as opposed to just posting Embiid. Give Towns decisions to make in space and see how the Knicks rotate.
1:59
Perkins: You can’t win a championship with Embiid as a franchise face
Kendrick Perkins says on “First Take” that the 76ers cannot win a championship with Joel Embiid as one of the faces of the franchise because of his injury history.
Where can Embiid returning make the biggest difference?
Goodwill: We are assuming a lot when it comes to Embiid’s mobility, if he’s out there at all. Towns took advantage of the space provided by Embiid to launch a couple of 3s. When Embiid closed out, Towns drove with ease.
Since Towns has proved to be more facilitator than volume scorer in the Knicks’ playoff offense, keeping Embiid at or near the rim — both to conserve his limited energy and mitigate risk in him being involved in so many pick-and-rolls — could be the best use of his time.
The 76ers shouldn’t dump it down to him as much as they did in the series against Boston. Embiid can score from anywhere, so using him to free up space for Maxey, Edgecombe and Paul George means they won’t lack for scoring.
Bontemps: Embiid’s biggest impact could indeed be that defensive presence at the rim. He had a lot of success at that end against Boston throughout Philadelphia’s series comeback, and through two games the 76ers have simply not been the same defensive unit. The Knicks are shooting 42-for-61 (68.8%) in the restricted area through the first two games. Drummond in particular has struggled as a rim protector while soaking up plenty of Embiid’s minutes.
The other obvious way Embiid can help is by giving Philadelphia another offensive option beyond Maxey. With Embiid sidelined, Maxey played all but 72 seconds in Game 2. That simply isn’t sustainable. Philly can spend a few minutes, particularly early in each half, dumping the ball into Embiid to get baskets, draw fouls and slow down the game.
What’s the biggest thing you’re watching moving forward in the series?
Bontemps: What will be Robinson’s role? It’s been a bit surprising how minimized he has been in these playoffs. He has played only 13 minutes per game, and Brown has been quick to sit him whenever the “Hack-A” strategy has been employed, first by Hawks coach Quin Snyder in the first round and then by Nurse in Game 1.
If Anunoby misses Game 3, it will be interesting to see whether Brown gets Robinson more involved by slotting him into a big starting lineup. Robinson can guard Embiid, potentially limiting Towns’ foul issues. The move would allow Robinson to be in the game early in quarters and limit the usefulness of sending the career 50.8% free throw shooter to the line.
Philly’s minutes totals will also be fascinating as this series unfolds. Nurse always plays his guys a lot of minutes, but coming off a seven-game series, and with Embiid’s status uncertain, it remains to be seen if that’s a sustainable strategy with games coming every other day for the next week-plus.
Goodwill: Paul George. In theory, he should be fresher than most everyone in this series. That’s not a cheap shot referencing his 25-game suspension. He simply doesn’t have a full season of wear and tear. And before the Knicks’ physicality got to him in Game 2, George reminded the league that he could go on a heater. He was 5-for-9 in the first half, with three 3s. Perhaps that is too much faith put in a 36-year-old with a history of postseason letdowns. But he has been very efficient in his first playoffs as a 76er (47.9% from the field, 52.5% from 3.) If Anunoby misses any time, the door opens for George to take more of a primary role in the offense.
George’s minutes are up from the regular season, so he could be feeling that with the every-other-day schedule. But given all the 76ers’ other questions, and with Game 3 essentially a must-win, would it be wise to empty the tank with George as well?
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