Knicks hold off Sixers for series-clinching win
Jalen Brunson poured in a game-high 41 points, Josh Hart broke a late tie with a three-pointer and the New York Knicks eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers from the NBA playoffs with a 118115 victory in Game 6 of their best-of-seven series on Thursday.
By virtue of their 4-2 win, the second-seeded Knicks will move on to face the sixthseeded Indiana Pacers in an Eastern Conference best-ofseven semifinal series. Game 1 is set for Monday in New York.
Seeking a second win in three visits to Philadelphia during the series, the Knicks led 107-99 with 3:26 to play before the desperate 76ers rallied into a 111-all tie on a three-point play by Tyrese Maxey that included a goal-tending call on Isaiah Hartenstein with 34.9 seconds to go.
The Knicks then went to Brunson, who drew the defense and found Hart open for a straightaway three-pointer that put the visitors ahead for good at 114-111 with 25.6 seconds left.
"I give both teams a lot of credit for how they fought and how they played," Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. "I give them a lot of credit for hitting a big (3-pointer). The series could have went the exact opposite than it did, but it didn't, so congratulations to them for finishing on a positive side."
Donte Divincenzo and Brunson capped the victory by sinking two free throws each, Brunson's successes coming with 7.7 seconds remaining and leaving the 76ers only an opportunity for a Buddy Hield buzzer-beating heave that hit only the backboard.
"We knew this wasn't going to be easy, even with the lead that we had," Brunson told TNT after the game. "We tried to play with the lead, but we knew they were going to keep fighting.
"Every game has been like this. It's not how you start, it just matters how you finish it."