Full Breakdown
Knicks Sweep 76ers, Advance to Eastern Conference Finals
5/12/2026, 11:16:20 AM
Sweep
The New York Knicks closed out the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 144-114 victory in Game 4, completing a 4-0 sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The win gave New York its second straight conference-final berth and marked the franchise’s first best-of-seven sweep since 2000.
Performances & Stats
Jalen Brunson had 22 points and six assists. Miles McBride, filling in for hamstring-injured OG Anunoby, scored 25 points on seven threes. Josh Hart added 17 points and nine rebounds; Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 17 points and 10 assists. Joel Embiid shot 8-for-8 for 24 points, while Tyrese Maxey had 17 points on 6-for-16 shooting. New York made 25 three-pointers—tying the postseason record—with 11 in the first quarter and 18 by halftime. The 30-point win is the third-most lopsided non-first-round series, and the Knicks’ +194 point differential over ten games is the largest since the 16-team era began in 1983-84.
Impact
The sweep cements New York’s rise as a contender, delivering back-to-back conference-final trips and a 19.4-point per-game advantage—the best since 1983-84. For Philadelphia, the loss spurs calls for accountability; Tony Jones said Morey’s and Nurse’s jobs will be reviewed.
Official Responses
Knicks coach Mike Brown praised spacing and defense. Brunson said the squad remains “focused, attention to detail, and the edge” for the next round, and Towns added the group is “locked into the moment.” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said the team faced a significant energy deficit that left them unable to recover. Tony Jones said the organization will review Morey’s and Nurse’s futures.
Opposition
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey called the fan takeover “absolutely sucks,” and Joel Embiid said, “Quite frankly, New York, they were just better than us in everything.” Analysts questioned the Sixers’ adjustments and injury impact.
Atmosphere
Knicks supporters filled Xfinity Mobile Arena with “Always Knicks” towels, brooms and loud music, turning the venue into a home crowd. The noise prompted Maxey to note it “felt louder here for them than it did in the Garden.”
Quotes
- “I used to think Philly was a sports town. I don’t know if it is anymore.” — Josh Hart, Knicks forward
- “It absolutely sucks, if I’m being honest.” — Tyrese Maxey, Sixers guard
- “I didn’t say [it was] celebratory.” — Jalen Brunson, Knicks guard
- “The energy obviously was a big gap, between their energy and our energy, I thought, and we dug ourselves a big hole that we could never really get out of.” — Nick Nurse, Sixers head coach
Next Steps
The Knicks will face the winner of the Detroit Pistons–Cleveland Cavaliers series in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Sixers will assess Morey’s and Nurse’s futures in the offseason.
