Keys to an Opening Series Victory
The Knicks head down I-95 on Thursday to Philadelphia after late game heroics from Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein. The Knicks were able to rally past the Sixers 104-101 in game two of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs, to move the series to 2-0 New York. Despite another poor shooting performance from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks were able to rally around him having all starters score in the double digits. Philadelphia has been able to slow down Brunson, guarding him primarily with elite defenders Kelly Oubre Jr. and Nicholas Batum. The Knicks have been able to squeak away with two wins so far in this series, by three points in game two and seven points in game one. In both of those games, Brunson scored 24 and 22 respectively, well below his regular season average of 29 points per game. In order to take a game in Philly, Brunson will need to step up on his old homecourt.
Photo by Charles Wenzelberg
The presence of Julius Randle not being on the court is finally starting to be felt. During the regular season after Randle went down, we saw teams beginning to zone into Brunson on most possessions. However, it has seemed to be in excess so far in this series. It seems as from every inbound, he is getting mobbed. With the whistle being blown less after the All-Star break, Brunson has been able to stand out as someone with elite footwork and craftsmanship in the paint. As a six-footer he seems to be able to score in the paint at will without getting calls that every other superstar gets. However, this series the Sixers have been able to contain him and limit him to having to make tough shots, or pass the ball. This strategy has been working great. Brunson has had one of his toughest stretches of his Knicks career in these past 96 minutes due to the stellar defense of the 76ers. The Knicks have been able to win these 2 games primarily due to performances from Deuce McBride, Bojan Bogdanovic, and uncharacteristic shooting nights from Josh Hart. Heading down to the hostile environment that they know Philly will be, Brunson needs to have a big scoring night.
Photo by Yong Kim
There has been another aspect to this series that cannot be ignored. Joel Embiid. The seven footer put up 29 in game one and 34 in game two. Embiid injured his meniscus on January 30th and had surgery before returning to play six games including the play-in game. He has averaged 38 minutes in both of the games of the series this far. He is obviously hurt, and the Knicks are using that to their advantage. Embiid, who is known for his presence inside the paint, has been less effective this series. He is still so good that he has been able to grab 18 rebounds over these past two games, which is close enough to average to him. The issue for him has been mobility in the paint. He has not been able to jump up for blocks, only being able to have one throughout the two games. One block obviously is not horrible, but this is a guy who routinely puts up games with two or three blocks, sometimes more. It is clear that he is not healthy and it’s affecting his mobility and overall athleticism.
Photo by Adam Hunger
My prediction since the series started was Knicks in 5. I have not seen anything to dissuade me of that decision so far, no matter what Sixers players say. However the Knicks will need to do a few things to be able to win a game in Philadelphia. First, Donte DiVencenzo will need to play a bit more consistently. Besides Brunson, Donte is the second best player on this offense, IF he’s consistent. At his best, he’s a three level scorer capable of breaking down even the best defense. That kind of player is what the Knicks need so that pressure can come off of Jalen. Another thing is to try and shut down Embiid. If I were Coach Thibodeau, I would seriously consider starting Mitchell Robinson over Isaiah Hartenstein. Mitch has really had a good series so far defensively. Physically, he can outmatch an injured Embiid and dominate the paint, forcing Philly to rely strictly on shooters during his minutes. The key to series has always been physicality. Who can be physical with their opponents, without getting in foul trouble. The playoffs bring out the best in teams, and the best of basketball.