NBA: Remarkable 3-point performance helps Knicks rout 76ers, complete sweep

Closing out a playoff series is often one of the most difficult tasks in professional sports, but the surging New York Knicks made it look routine on Sunday.

Miles McBride delivered a breakout performance with 25 points, knocking down 7 of 9 attempts from 3-point range, while Jalen Brunson added 22 points on 6-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc as the Knicks overwhelmed the Philadelphia 76ers 144-114 in Game 4 to complete a second-round sweep.

Josh Hart contributed 17 points and Landry Shamet scored 12, with both players hitting four 3-pointers apiece. New York opened the game with a blistering shooting display, making 11 of its first 12 attempts from deep and ultimately tying NBA playoff records for most 3-pointers in a quarter (11), half (18), and game (25).

“It’s the spacing,” said Knicks head coach Mike Brown. “They’re so quick, they’re so athletic. If you’re not spaced the right way, you’re not going to get great looks.”

Karl-Anthony Towns added 17 points and 10 assists as the third-seeded Knicks shot an impressive 56.8% from 3-point range (25 of 44). With the win, New York advanced to its second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, where it will face either the top-seeded Detroit Pistons or the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. Detroit currently leads that series 2-1.

“One game at a time,” Brunson said. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

The Knicks’ offensive explosion came despite the absence of second-leading scorer OG Anunoby, who missed his second straight game due to a hamstring injury.

For Philadelphia, even the return of oft-injured star Joel Embiid could not change the outcome. Embiid scored 24 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting, while Tyrese Maxey added 17 points. Still, the Sixers never recovered after falling behind early and trailed by double digits for most of the game.

“There was a big gap in energy,” said head coach Nick Nurse. “We dug ourselves into a hole we could never really get out of.”

Philadelphia has not reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001.

“We’ve been trying,” Embiid said. “But New York was just better than us in everything.”

The Knicks set the tone immediately, with Brunson and Hart drilling early 3-pointers before McBride caught fire, hitting four triples in less than two minutes. New York quickly built a double-digit lead and never looked back.

Even brief runs from Philadelphia were quickly answered, including back-to-back 3-pointers from Brunson that pushed the lead back to control. By halftime, the Knicks were firmly in command after closing the second quarter on another scoring surge.

McBride added his final 3-pointer of the night midway through the third quarter, extending the lead to 30 points as New York pulled away for good. The Knicks led 122-83 after three quarters before cruising through the final period.

“Just a heck of a game by our guys,” Mike Brown said. “Their focus, attention to detail, and energy have been at a very high level throughout the series.”

-Field Level Media/Reuters