Category: Basketball

Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 23.5
VJ Edgecombe – 16
Joel Embiid – 14.5
Paul George – 10
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5
Justin Edwards – 4
Andre Drummond – 3
Quentin Grimes – 3
Jared McCain – 3
Dominick Barlow – 2
MarJon Beauchamp – 2
Adem Bona – 1
Porter Martone – 1
Cam Payne – 1
Jabari Walker – 1
Trendon Watford – 1
15th roster spot – 1

---

Well, it was a much better effort than Game 1 on Monday, but it unfortunately ends the same way for the Philadelphia 76ers in yet another loss. The New York Knicks battled late to steal the game away from what looked like an exhausted Sixers squad by the final horn.

Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid, who woke up on Wednesday with increased soreness in his hip (from an injury suffered in the first-round series) and ankle (suffered in Game 1 of this series) and was ruled out early this afternoon… so the Sixers’ work was definitely cut out for them even before the game began.

Paul George set the tone for the Sixers early, though, starting off this one red hot offensively and putting up 11 first-frame points to lead Philadelphia to a narrow lead after one. Tyrese Maxey picked up the torch from there, absolutely cooking in the first half of the second quarter before seeming to taper off/get a little sloppy as fatigue set in (he played most of the entire first half). Nevertheless, Maxey put up 13 points in the second and led the field at halftime with 19, with the Sixers holding an advantage of a single point over the Knicks at the break.

After an even 28-28 third frame with the two squads trading buckets, the Sixers clung to their one-point lead going into the final quarter. Twelve minutes were going to decide this close contest that had already seen more than 20 lead changes through three quarters.

Unfortunately, it really felt like the Sixers just ran out of steam. Maxey had deteriorated as the game went on and he continued to get more fatigued (he ended up playing just under 47 minutes). No one else could sink a shot and a number of Knicks’ turnovers went completely unpunished. Instead, New York did the punishing, executing well and hitting their shots to take over the lead as the game neared a close. A six-point lead with two minutes left, the Knicks’ largest lead of the game to that point, was enough to ultimately overcome the Sixers 108-102.

Credit where credit is due, this was a much better effort from the Sixers, especially without Embiid. The reality though is that the Knicks are just a much deeper team, and it seemingly made the difference in this one as New York was able to go the distance and strike when the Sixers got tired.

Philadelphia trail 2-0 in the series. Game 3 will bring things to South Philadelphia on Friday evening.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.

Paul George: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Paul George completely set the tone for the Sixers on Wednesday, starting off Game 2 red hot. PG began the game going 4-for-4 (three triples), leading the Sixers with 11 first-quarter points. He continued to tack on some more points from long range, though his shooting cooled off significantly from such a stellar start, finishing the game just 7-for-18 from the floor and 5-for-13 from long range. Still, though, five triples is five triples.

George also continues to be the defensive force that the Sixers desperately need more often than not. George had two blocks and two steals in this one, and that’s obviously not counting all the Knicks’ plays and shots he simply made much more difficult with his defensive presence.

PG finished Game 2 with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.

Paul George going to work early with five quick points in Game 2 pic.twitter.com/7tlFy8B9WU

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) May 6, 2026

Tyrese Maxey: 26 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal

PG had the first frame, and Maxey had the second. Maxey came alive in the second with a burst of aggression, starting to really utilize his speed to get downhill and dance his way through the Knicks’ defense. He went 5-for-7 from the floor to start the second frame before seeming to get a bit tired as the quarter drug on. Hard to blame Maxey too much when he played nearly 23 of 24 possible minutes in the first half, but I digress. Still, Maxey led the offense (and had some good defensive plays) for 13 second-quarter points and led the field at halftime with 19.

Maxey was able to keep scoring here and there as well as putting up some assists, but he was visibly affected by fatigue as the game went on. He got sloppier and his shots were more off-target, and things only got worse as he got more tired. This is the problem with relying on the same few guys to do everything because you don’t have the depth on the bench. Sure, Embiid being out is obviously a huge factor… but needing your guard to play 45 minutes every night to even stand a chance is a problem — not a new one for the Sixers, either.

Saying 45 minutes is actually an understatement, by the way, with Maxey logging 46:48 of the 48 possible minutes on the floor in Game 2. That’s not completely an excuse, but it is certainly an explanation. Maxey ended up with six turnovers and couldn’t sink a shot by the end of the game.

Nevertheless, Maxey led the Sixers (and tied leading the floor with Jalen Brunson) with 26 points. He also had three rebounds, six assists and a steal.

Tyrese Maxey doing exactly what the Sixers need Tyrese Maxey to do: getting downhill, using his speed and breezing directly through the Knicks defense.

Maxey's got 12 points on 5-7 FG in Q2 (so far)! pic.twitter.com/BGsJhSVyTe

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) May 7, 2026

VJ Edgecombe: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

VJ Edgecombe had one of those more spread out, deceivingly-quiet good performances in Game 2. Rather than force a bunch of shots that weren’t there or trying to do too much, the rookie was extremely patient in waiting for those offensive opportunities to come his way. In the meantime, he put up some extremely respectable defense on Jalen Brunson, forcing the guard to take a number of uncomfortable shots.

Then, when the ball started coming Edgecombe’s way more, he chipped in there. Edgecombe put up 17 points on 6-for-9 field goal and 3-for-4 long range shooting through three quarters. He was patient and careful with the ball, taking his time to create space when necessary but confident enough to pull right up when he saw an opening. It is still beyond impressive to watch how this 20-year-old conducts himself on an NBA playoff floor going up against some serious stars and league vets. It simply doesn’t seem to phase Edgecombe one bit.

As the Sixers struggled in the fourth, Edgecombe did as well, going 0-for-4 in the final frame.Regardless, though, Edgecombe was a major contributor for the Sixers in this one on both ends of the floor, even if the performance felt quieter than some of his flashier nights.

The rookie finished with 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal.

The rookie with the dance moves and the smooth jumper over Josh Hart 👀 pic.twitter.com/dvh9R8cfho

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) May 7, 2026

Dominick Barlow: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks (in 15 minutes)

Dominick Barlow’s chances in the postseason might be few and far between, but he put in some seriously good second-half minutes for the Sixers tonight. With both Andre Drummond and Adem Bona in foul trouble, Nick Nurse looked to Barlow — and he delivered. Barlow was excellent defensively, immediately becoming a thorn in the Knicks’ side and putting up two blocks in Game 2. Not only that, but he was solid with his (limited) offensive opportunities, something that has been more of a weak spot for the 22-year-old. Nevertheless, Barlow chipped in six points on 3-for-3 field goal shooting

This was probably the biggest moment we’ve seen Barlow utilized in by the Sixers, and I’d say he at least passed the test. In 15:39 on the floor off the bench, Barlow finished with six points, two rebounds, a steal and two blocks.

Dominick Barlow, putting in some huge second-half minutes for the Sixers tonight, comes up with the block here that leads to a Kelly Oubre triple! pic.twitter.com/D4HyofeqZ2

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) May 7, 2026

The New York Knicks took a 2-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in their second-round series with a 108-102 victory Wednesday night, but attention now turns to the health of one of their best players.

OG Anunoby, who had a strong game with 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals, could not finish the contest due to an apparent injury.

In the late proceedings, he was seen grabbing his right leg after making a cut and Knicks coach Mike Brown said postgame that Anunoby had asked to be subbed out shortly after the sequence. He was replaced with 2:31 to go in the game by Miles McBride.

OG came up gimpy on this cut. Then tried and missed a dunk. Then asked out.

Ugh. pic.twitter.com/DM9HMoCfE7

— Rit Holtzman (@BenRitholtzNBA) May 7, 2026

Brown did not have further updates for reporters postgame.

ANALYSIS: Only the Knicks can stop the Knicks in NBA's Eastern Conference playoffs

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: OG Anunoby injury update, what we know after late exit vs 76ers

All Times EDT

Thursday, May 7

MLB

Texas at N.Y. Yankees, 12:35 p.m.

Minnesota at Washington, 1:05 p.m.

Cleveland at Kansas City, 2:10 p.m.

Cincinnati at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

N.Y. Mets at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Arizona, 3:40 p.m.

Athletics at Philadelphia, 6:40 p.m.

Baltimore at Miami, 6:40 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Boston, 7:10 p.m.

St. Louis at San Diego, 10:10 p.m.

NBA - Playoffs

Eastern Conference Semifinal - Game 2

Cleveland at Detroit, 7 p.m.

Western Conference Semifinal - Game 2

L.A. Lakers at Oklahoma City, 9:30 p.m.

NHL - Playoffs

Eastern Conference Second Round - Game 3

Carolina at Philadelphia, 8 p.m.

PWHL - Playoffs

Montreal at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

_____

Heroes and zeros from the Knicks’ 108-102 Game 2 win over the 76ers on Monday night at the Garden.

Hero

With the game on the line, Jalen Brunson came through, shaking off an inefficient night up to that point. Brunson scored eight of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead jumper with 5:06 left, then pushed the lead to four with another midrange jumper.

His streak of five consecutive playoff games with at least 35 points against the 76ers did come to an end.

Zero

Without Joel Embiid, the 76ers needed Tyrese Maxey at his best. He only gave them one strong half. The emerging young star was shut down after halftime by the Knicks, held to just seven points. He shot just 9-for-23 from the field and committed six turnovers.

Unsung hero

Once he was able to stay on the court, Karl-Anthony Towns made his presence felt. After logging just eight first-half minutes due to foul trouble, Towns made a major impact, finishing with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. The 76ers, minus Embiid, couldn’t guard him.

Key stat

21: The 76ers’ field goal percentage in the fourth quarter, when they managed just 12 points.

Quote of the day

“He looked like he was hopping,”

— Mike Brown on OG Anunoby, who appeared to suffer a right hamstring injury late in the fourth quarter. 

To quote SwissCheez, “another no call, surprising.” And Knicksyism: “No foul…” And rcnt123: “No matter who wins, this is such a piss-poor reffed game.” Excessive complaining about lopsided officiating is generally considered uncouth, especially if your team wins. Hence, we apologize for what follows.

New York made history on Monday. In defeating Philadelphia by 39 points, they became the first NBA team to win three straight playoff games by 25 or more. Tonight, a not-so-invisible hand seemed to be at work, ensuring that Game Two of the Eastern Conference semifinals would keep eyeballs glued longer. The skeptics among you will retort that Philly collected three more fouls tonight, but the whistles didn’t even out until well into the second half. Yet despite the thumb on the scale, the hosts trailed by only one point at halftime, 62–61, and by one after three quarters, 90–89. The game had 25 lead changes, but down the stretch, New York’s talent shone through, the Cheesesteaks were gassed, and the Knicks won, 108–102.

Each team was down a big man tonight. Philly started Andre Drummond in place of Joel Embiid, nursing a sore ankle/hip, and illness sidelined New York’s Mitchell Robinson. Both players underwhelmed in the previous game. Both will surely play larger roles as this series grinds on.

Through the initial frame, the score swung back and forth. The hosts inched ahead, but poor long-range shooting and one-and-dones allowed the guests to mount an 8-0 run. New York responded with a 10-2 stretch. And so on.

All-Star veteran Paul George (19 PTS, 5-13 3PT), playing his 123rd playoff game, scored 11 of Philly’s first 13 points. Meanwhile, one of New York’s All-Stars, Karl-Anthony Towns (20 PTS, 10 RBS), took his lumps. First, Towns knocked knees with VJ Edgecombe (17 PTS), and then Kelly Oubre, Jr. (19 PTS) karate-chopped him on a drive. The whack was reviewed and deemed a flagrant foul in a rare gesture of goodwill by the umpires. (KAT made a free throw and then cashed in the possession with a finger-roll layup.)

Paul George with 11 points for Philly already in the first quarter 🔥

76ers-Knicks Game 2 | Live on ESPN, ESPN App 🍿 pic.twitter.com/srDt5Z9IAd

— ESPN (@espn) May 6, 2026

Philly’s coach Nick Nurse schemed to put Towns in foul trouble and succeeded. Picking up his second at the 4:30 mark, Karl was swapped for Ariel Hukporti. Nurse had a scheme for Jalen Brunson (26 PTS, 9-21 FG, 41 MIN), too. The captain scored 14 points in the first quarter of Monday’s blowout; tonight, Oubre and Edgecombe took turns guarding him and held the captain to nine points in the opening period. After multiple contested misses, Jalen finally connected on a field goal (a 25-foot pull-up) with 1:30 left.

Before the quarter ended, Hukporti collected his third foul (in four minutes). Mike Brown had to dust off Jeremy Sochan, who mercifully kept his hands to himself. At the break, the guests led 33-31 thanks to making 6-of-9 from downtown.

Just when we thought Karl was cured. . . . In the first minute of Q2, Towns committed a forehead-slapping foul on Tyrese Maxey (26 PTS, 9-23 FG, 47 MIN). That sent the Knick to the bench again, right after scoring on a sweet floater. Josh Hart (7 RBS, 6 AST, 3 STL) replaced him, giving New York a center-less, small-ball lineup.

The refs definitely worked hard to keep this game competitive in the first half. Tony Brothers et al. whistled 14 fouls on New York and 10 on Philly. On one damnable sequence, the Knicks grabbed two offensive boards while missing three shots, and in that muddy mess, Drummond committed at least one foul that went uncalled. Close games are better for business, obviously.

Even with Maxey cooking, the Sixers sinking treys at an efficient clip, and the refs playing favorites, the Knicks kept the game close. When Hukporti recorded foul number four (at the 4:47 mark), Brown had to go small again with Brunson, Landry Shamet, Mikal Bridges (18 PTS, 9-13 FG), Hart, and OG Anunoby. This quintet promptly scored six points and knotted up the game at 54 apiece. Anunoby, playing the best playoff basketball of his career, finished with 24 points, five rebounds, four steals, a block, and a team-high +12.

New York ties it!

OG slam 💥
Bridges slam 💥@BenStiller likes what he's seeing in Q2 👏 pic.twitter.com/n3ccrryyQk

— NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2026

On a subsequent possession, Josh got clobbered, yet managed to sink his layup (no whistle). Then, Brunson got whomped by Adem Bona and missed a layup (not a chirp). When Bona steamrolled Brunson with four seconds left, Jalen took New York’s first free throws of the second quarter. Read that again.

At intermission, Philly held a one-point lead. Through the half, the Knicks had made 53% of their shots, despite hitting just 25% from deep. Their biggest advantage was in the paint, where they were winning 38-16. The Sixers had hit 49% and 47%, taken 20 free throw attempts to New York’s 12, and outrebounded the Knicks 22-16. They’d also coughed up the rock 10 times (to New York’s six) and managed just six fast-break points.

In Game One, Maxey scored 13 points total on 3-of-9 shooting. By midgame tonight, he had shot 6-of-14 for 19 points (15 in the second quarter) and made 6-of-7 from the charity stripe. For the Knicks, Brunson had 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting.

TYRESE MAXEY

18 PTS – 6/11 FGM – 17 MIN

It’s still the 1st half. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/36phgNPB0B

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 7, 2026

To start the second half, the refs wasted no time calling Hart’s third foul, for what appeared to be a clean strip. My grandmother used to say, “The only way to beat a crooked ref is to make your shots and crash the glass.” The Knicks did their best to follow those instructions. It did feel like supernatural forces were working against them, however. Continuing a no-call theme, Brunson got fed through a wood chipper on a drive that tied the game at 79. Adem Bona (Drummond’s back-up) had to literally bonk Towns on the head to be penalized. Towns made one of two, putting the good guys up again. That was Karl’s last point of the quarter, though, as he got tagged for a foul immediately after and returned to the pine.

THAT'S GOOD. pic.twitter.com/PYXvmoZGFI

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 7, 2026

In the highlight of the night, Drummond used a broom handle to try four times to poke a stuck ball free. Towns calmly took the broom and bopped it free. That got the loudest cheer of the night.

Late in the quarter, Hart collided with OAKAAKUYOAK Quinten Grimes (7 PTS, 1-4 FG, 23 MIN), suffered a thumb injury, and had to leave the court. With Hart injured and Towns and Hukporti both carrying four fouls, the Knicks were disadvantaged and down 90-89 heading into the final frame.

No sweat. A warrior to the core, Hart returned to the court to start the fourth. At the midway point, with Philly answering every Knicks score, it was Hart’s three-pointer that tied the game at 99. A minute later, fellow former Wildcat Jalen Brunson drilled a 17-footer for the lead. Dominick Barlow provided a lift off the bench, and Philly had their chances, but bricks by Maxey (two), Edgecombe (two), and Oubre kept them down. Captain Clutch swished a turnaround jumper, and after a broken-up, sloppy sequence, the oft-maligned Mikal Bridges hit a long fadeaway to give New York a six-point lead, their largest yet. (Bridges deserves his flowers for his play in the series so far.)

OG Anunoby's dunk attempt gets blocked by Paul George and Mikal Bridges hits a big clutch jumper to put the Knicks up 6. pic.twitter.com/7c0jlD1tCa

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) May 7, 2026

Maxey played all but one minute of the game. It showed. He had hit 36 straight postseason free throws before missing one in the first half. In crunch time, the exhausted guard missed at the stripe, and Towns—the biggest man in the lane—easily wrangled the rebound to preserve a five-point advantage. At the other end, Cap made two freebies. Up seven, one minute left.

Also tired? Paul George. After hitting so many threes in the playoffs so far, he airballed from deep with his team down by five. Mike Brown called a timeout with 25 seconds left. After Miles McBride made a free throw, Maxey missed from 25 feet, and Brunson chased down the ball to close out the game.

Up Next

The series reconvenes on Friday in Philly. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

Just when it seemed like this spring had limitless potential, a roadblock has been thrown the Knicks’ way. 

OG Anunoby, in the midst of a brilliant postseason, suffered what appeared to be a right hamstring injury in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 108-102 Game 2 victory over the 76ers at the Garden. 

Anunoby departed with 2:31 remaining and didn’t return. He wasn’t seen on the bench afterward or in the locker room following the win. 

“He looked like he was hoppin’,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. 

Brown didn’t have any information on the injury. The severity is unknown at this time. Anunoby went up for a dunk with 3:03 remaining, and Paul George blocked the shot.

He looked to be in discomfort on the cut to the basket. 

Asked about his teammate’s uncertain status, Jalen Brunson said: “I’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I don’t know too much.” 

OG came up gimpy on this cut. Then tried and missed a dunk. Then asked out.

Ugh. pic.twitter.com/DM9HMoCfE7

— Rit Holtzman (@BenRitholtzNBA) May 7, 2026

Before he got hurt, Anunoby was enjoying another big game, producing 24 points along with five rebounds and four steals. Entering the night, he was averaging 21 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks in the playoffs. He was also shooting an absurd 59.4 percent from 3-point range on 4.6 attempts and the Knicks were outscoring the opposition by 20.6 per 100 possessions with Anunoby on the floor. 

Losing him for any period of time would obviously hurt. He is the Knicks’ top defender and has become a critical piece on the offensive end. 

“He’s one of the best two-way players in the league, and it’s tough to replace that,” Miles McBride said. “You don’t replace it with one guy. Everybody’s going to have to step up.” 

Two years ago, Anunoby suffered a hamstring injury in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Knicks led that series 2-0 at the time and wound up losing in seven. Anunoby returned in the seventh game, but he was a nonfactor, clearly still injured. They obviously hope history doesn’t repeat itself. 

The Knicks would likely go one of two ways if Anunoby misses time, either starting Miles McBride in a small-ball lineup or going with Mitchell Robinson at center and Karl-Anthony Towns at power forward. 

“Extremely comfortable,” McBride said, when asked about the possibility of an increased role for him. “I feel like the coaching staff trusts me, I know my teammates trust me and I trust myself overall. So if that happens, I know I’ll be ready.”

NEW YORK — It’s the second quarter, and Karl-Anthony Towns is perched on his padded seat at the end of the New York Knicks' bench. He’s hunched over, staring at the floor. He’s shaking his head now, burying it in a towel. He mutters to himself.

It’s the second quarter and Towns is in foul trouble.

***

Towns is back. It’s the third quarter now, and he hasn’t missed a shot. He has embraced his new role as point-center, a role that has helped the Knicks become the most dangerous team in the East. Towns has been slashing to the rim, zipping passes to his teammates when the defense collapses on him. He has been lacing trail 3s.

But Towns picked up his fourth foul, so he’s back at the end of the bench, towel in hand, shaking his head.

***

It’s very late in the fourth quarter, and Towns is checking out of the game for the last time. Coated in sweat, he’s extending his hand out to courtside fans. He stops to dap up coach Mike Brown. He heads to the end of the bench and hugs Jose Alvarado.

After just missing out on what would’ve been his third triple-double of the playoffs, Towns and the Knicks scrapped their way to an uneven 108-102 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday, May 6. Now with a 2-0 lead in the conference semifinals, this game proved two things:

• No team in the world has been playing better basketball than the New York Knicks.
• The only team that can stop the New York Knicks in the East is the New York Knicks.

Entering Wednesday night, they had won their previous four playoff games by 135 points, most ever in NBA postseason history. They also became the first team in NBA history to win three consecutive playoff games by at least 25 points.

They have continuity and balance. They have a trio of demons in OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, the architects of the best perimeter defense in the East. They can ignite on offense with Towns and Jalen Brunson.

But New York falls into foul trouble frequently. There are times, particularly late in close games, when the ball can stagnate on offense in the hands of Brunson.

This is all to say that, right now, the Knicks are the team to beat in the East. What’s more: this New York squad is the best this city has seen in a quarter century and its best bet to break a 52-year title drought. But to do that, the Knicks need to avoid the self-imposed mistakes, the avalanche of undisciplined fouls.

By the 5:47 mark in the second quarter Wednesday night, the Knicks had already committed 5 team fouls to put Philadelphia in the bonus; the Sixers, at that point, hadn’t committed a single infraction.

Yet, despite the disparity of free throws, New York entered halftime down by only one point.

In the second half, the Knicks responded and played smarter. They didn’t fall for the bait and adapted to the style of officiating, avoiding careless swipes at the ball. More importantly, they settled into their regular offensive rhythm.

Towns finished the game with an ultra-efficient 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting and nearly recorded his third triple-double of the postseason, adding 10 rebounds and 7 assists.

Brunson led all New York players with a steady 26 points. Anunoby added 24.

Now, this series flips Philadelphia, where the 76ers may get the return of star center Joel Embiid. For New York to close Philadelphia out, it will need its players to be available and on the floor and it will need to stick to its identity.

Because as currently constructed, there’s no other squad right now out East that can threaten this team.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks, leading 76ers 2-0, are clearly best team in Eastern Conference

The Knicks tightened the screws on the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter to win a back-and-forth battle to grab a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals with a 108-102 win in Game 2 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

The Sixers, playing without Joel Embiid (hip, ankle), totally lost any semblance of offensive rhythm they had in the game’s final period, going 4-for-19 (21.1 percent) from the floor.

New York outscored the visitors 19-12 in the fourth and closed the game on a 12-3 run over the final 6:50 of action.

Here are some takeaways...

- After a blowout in Game 1, neither team managed to build much of a lead through the first three quarters, with the largest lead being seven for the 76ers and three for the Knicks. New York opened the fourth by committing three turnovers and a missed jumper in four possessions, before Miles McBride connected on his first jumper in four attempts to tie the game as Philly started cold (1-for-6).

The story of the Knicks may be the key players always popping up at just the right time: First, Jalen Brunson's jumper and OG Anunoby's layup to give them 20 and 24 points, respectively, forced a Nick Nurse timeout with the Knicks back in front. Then Josh Hart, who had struggled all night, connected on his first three, stemming a 5-0 Philly run. After four straight empty possessions for Philly, Mike Brown called a timeout with 4:01 to play and his side up two. 

A Brunson turnaround jumper and another Sixers' missed bucket (3-for-16 in the quarter) led to another Brown timeout with 3:14 to play. After the Knicks nearly turned it over and missed a dunk, Mikal Bridges, who was having a great game, hit a jumper to give him 18 on the night and a 9-0 lead. The Sixers ended the drought with one from the line, but Brunson answered with two of his own with 66 seconds to play. And despite a few nervy moments, the visitors never found their legs.

- Foul trouble was an issue for Knicks’ big men in Game 1, and that repeated itself in the first: Karl-Anthony Towns picked up his second foul with 4:29 left in the first, forcing him to the bench with seven points and two assists. Ariel Hukporti entered (as Mitchell Robinson was unavailable due to an illness) but picked up three fouls of his own on the defensive end and had to sit with 46.7 to play in the first. (Jeremy Sochan got a cameo to close the period.)

And 46 seconds into the second quarter, Towns stuck a leg out against a driving Tyrese Maxey and went to the bench with his third foul. That put Anunoby at the five, and the Sixers’ Adem Bona took advantage with three offensive rebounds before Hukporti checked back in as Philly kept a slight lead. It wasn't long for Hukporti to pick up his fourth foul on a terribly silly one, 80 feet from the basket, and he hit the bench with 4:47 left in the quarter with Anunoby back at the five.

- The Sixers' ability to draw fouls was something the Knicks' head coach was concerned about heading into the contest after the Sixers attempted 34 free throws in Game 1. The Sixers picked up where they left off with 20 in the first half (converting just 14 of them). The Knicks, who went 9-for-10 from the line in the first, didn’t make a trip to the line in the second until a loose-ball foul with 3.9 to play. The Sixers managed to play 9:23 of the quarter without a foul. The foul count through the first half was 14 for New York (plus a Hart technical) and 10 for Philly.

The tight officiating continued in the third, with Hart picking up his third foul on what looked like a clean pick of Paul George. But Andre Drummond, in for Embiid, picked up two quick ones and forced him to the bench with four. Bona was forced to sit with under five left in the third after Towns got him for his fourth and fifth fouls of the game.  

The Knicks held the Sixers to just four free throw attempts in the third, but the deficit was unchanged from the half. There were just two free-throw attempts (both by Philly) through the first 11:27 of the fourth before Maxey went 1-for-2 at the line late. Philly closed 21-for-28 from the free-throw line. New York was 21-for-25, with the visitors out-fouling them 23-20.

- Towns played just 8:17 in the first half due to the fouls, with nine points (3-for-3 shooting, 3-for-4 from the line) with one rebound, two assists, and a steal. He entered the third with an impetus, connecting on his first three attempts, on his way to scoring 10 points in the first five minutes, while drawing three fouls. Towns picked up his fourth foul on a play without much contact with 4:31 to play in the third, and, despite arguing with Brown, was subbed out. 

He finished with 20 points (6-for-8) with 10 rebounds (two offensive), seven assists, and was a plus-6 in 27 minutes.

- Brunson started slow, missing his first three attempts, before connecting on a three, two at the line, and a baseline jumper to get off the snide and finish with nine points and three assists in the quarter. He finished the first half with 16 points on 5-for-12 shooting. 

He finished with a team-high 26 points (9-for-21) with six assists and was a plus-7 in 41 minutes.

- Bridges, who has had quarters of passivity, had 16 points (8-for-11 shooting) with two rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block, and had at least three field goal attempts in each of the first three quarters. 

He finished with 18 points (9-for-13) as he slipped to the periphery a touch in the fourth, but still came up huge, adding five rebounds and two assists, and was a plus-7 in 38 minutes.

- Both teams were looking to push the pace, and that led to some turnovers (four for the visitors and two for the home team), but the Knicks were the only team to score off those miscues (5-0) in the first six minutes.Anunoby continued his two-way dominance with two steals and put in his seventh point to give the Knicks a lead, 18-17, erasing a one-time seven-point deficit seven minutes into play. He popped up with another such instance late in the third, grabbing two offensive rebounds in the same possession, which ended with him hitting from three. 

The Sixers' offense was much improved from the first contest, but the turnovers hampered them as the Knicks punished their mistakes with 13 points off 10 turnovers in the first half, which helped keep it a one-point game at halftime. New York outshot Philly in the first half, 53.3 percent from the floor (24-for-45) to 48.8 percent (20-for-41), but the visitors owned the outside: 47.1 percent (8-for-17) to 25 percent (3-for-12).

The Knicks finished with 23 points off the Sixers' 18 turnovers. And held the Sixers to just nine points of their 13 turnovers. After the good first half, Philly went 5-for-17 from deep in the second. New York went 4-for-14.

- In Embiid’s absence, the Sixers were spreading the floor and taking advantage of the space. George really picked up the slack on the offensive end, connecting on his first four shots for 11 points. And Kelly Oubre Jr., who had been struggling from three, connected on his first two from the corner, as Philly was 6-for-9 from three for a 33-31 first quarter lead. 

George found the touch again in the third with two more from deep. George finished with 19 points (7-for-18), six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks and was a minus-4 in 43 minutes.

Maxey started slow (1-for-4) in the opening quarter, but he righted the ship in the second, hitting four of his first four five to give him 15 in the game just four minutes into the second. Maxey finished with 26 points (9-for-23) with six assists, three rebounds and was even in his 47 minutes.

- Towns was left sprawling twice in the game’s early goings. First, when he picked up his first foul with an illegal screen and knocked knees with V. J. Edgecombe. Two possessions later, Towns took a huge shot to the head and neck area as Oubre fouled him right at the basket. (The foul was upgraded to a Flagrant 1.) 

Game MVP: OG Anunoby

Anunoby finished with 24 points (9-for-17 shooting) with five rebounds, four steals, two assists, and was a team-best plus-12 in 37 minutes. He continues to be everything the Knicks need him to be at all the right times. Anunoby missed the game's final moments, but Brown did not have any injury update after the game.

Highlights

Jalen Brunson 👌 pic.twitter.com/24BebYDJZK

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 6, 2026

OG block, Alvarado triple! pic.twitter.com/A9igihnZJ1

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 7, 2026

Josh Hart up to Mikal Bridges! pic.twitter.com/ED3FdiJcuo

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 7, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns from long range! pic.twitter.com/NilVraFsHC

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 7, 2026

KAT + the foul 💪 pic.twitter.com/DdpaxYZwAu

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 7, 2026

OG for three 🎯 pic.twitter.com/Bqua1zEEW0

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 7, 2026

What's next

The series moves to the City of Brotherly Love for Game 3 on Friday's 7 p.m. tip.

It had been a struggle and a slog all game. This was a whole different vibe than what existed the past few games. 

The Knicks had trailed after the first, second and third quarters. The 76ers were playing more freely — and more efficiently — without Joel Embiid. Jalen Brunson was having a clunker. 

Then the NBA’s best fourth-quarter team emerged. 

It’s something that had not been needed for some time. Two straight historic blowouts meant Knicks starters hadn’t played a single minute of the fourth quarter the past two games. 

There were no records this time. There was no extended garbage time. It was the first late-game test for the Knicks since the middle of the first round. And they aced it. 

With the game in the balance, the Knicks put their foot down and took over with a 108-102 win over the 76ers in Game 2 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. 

“It was just us executing, being disciplined,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Finding a way to get a gritty win. Something that, for better or for worse, haven’t been in our cards the last four games. But this showed a lot about our locker room and our team.” 

After the 76ers took a 3-point lead with 6:52 left in the game, the Knicks closed with a 12-3 run. Brunson had six of those points — on two jumpers and a pair of free throws. Josh Hart drilled a 3-pointer, Mikal Bridges hit a midrange jumper and Miles McBride had a free throw in that stretch. The 76ers, meanwhile, went 1-for-10. 

And the Knicks largely did it without OG Anunoby, who had been terrific but was in the locker room with a suspected hamstring injury down the stretch. 

In total, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by seven in the fourth quarter, holding them to just 12 points. Once the Knicks took the lead — which was the 25th lead change of the game, the most in a playoff game in 13 years — they never relinquished it. 

It was something unique so far this postseason. The Knicks had actually lost both close games they were in previously — Games 2 and 3 against the Hawks. All their wins had been blowouts. 

Without Embiid, it meant a faster and more connected 76ers offense, and the Knicks struggled with it. For three quarters, at least. 

Maxey had 21 points after three quarters, but finished with 26. Paul George had 19 after three quarters, and went scoreless after that. Edgecombe had 17 after three quarters and also went scoreless in the fourth quarter. Bridges’ defense, in particular, was excellent on Maxey down the stretch. 

“At the end of the day, it came down to who’s gonna get more stops in that fourth quarter,” coach Mike Brown said. “They missed some shots, we know that, but to have them only score 12 points in that fourth quarter is huge.” 

Brunson finished with a team-high 26 points — eight of which came in the fourth quarter — along with six assists. 

Towns was dominant — but the only thing that stopped him was himself. He picked up his second foul with 4:29 left in the first quarter, picked up his third foul less than a minute after checking back into the game to start the second quarter and picked up his fourth foul with 4:31 left in the third quarter. And he didn’t even have Embiid to deal with on the defensive end. 

It meant he was limited to 27 minutes. But when he was actually on the floor, the 76ers had no answer. He finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Eleven of those points came in the third quarter. 

And without Mitchell Robinson, who was out with an illness, Towns’ foul trouble meant minutes for Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan. But Hukporti picked up four fouls in seven minutes, forcing Brown to give Landry Shamet his first meaningful minutes — since the middle of the first round — in a small-ball lineup. 

Anunoby, before exiting, continued his superb postseason with 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting from the field. But it’s a major concern that he may now have to miss time. 

Bridges finished with 18 points, continuing his resurgence since his first-round benchings. Hart had just five points but added seven rebounds and six assists. 

“Most importantly, staying poised and staying composed,” Brunson said. “Just figuring out one play at a time, one stop at a time. Not looking too far ahead. When they make a basket, when they go up one, when we take the lead back, just focusing and paying attention to the details. 

“Find a way to make the next play on either side of the ball.” 

No Embiid meant the Knicks had no defensive weak link to torment. They shot just 26.9 percent from 3-point range as a team. The shot selection overall was worse. 

But they were at their best when their best was needed. That’s their specialty.

NEW YORK — Shooting 4-of-19 from the field in the fourth quarter isn’t going to get it done.

The Sixers ran out of steam, falling 108-102 to the New York Knicks in Game 2, falling to an 2-0 series deficit.

Tyrese Maxey started the game great as a scorer but struggled taking care of the ball. He finished with 26 points shooting 9-of-22 from the field along with six assists and six turnovers. Paul George had another three-point heater to start the game but cooled off, going for 19 points shooting 7-of-18 from the floor along with six rebounds and four assists.

VJ Edgecombe was also great with the exception of turnovers, finishing with 17 on 6-of-13 shooting along with five rebounds, three assists and four turnovers. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 as well while Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26.

Joel Embiid was ruled out earlier in the day with an ankle sprain and hip soreness. Mitchell Robinson was also a late scratch with an illness.

Here are some thoughts from MSG.

First Quarter

• George was certainly feeling it to start the game. After the Knicks’ first miss he got up the floor quick, catching the outlet pass from Andre Drummond and setting up Kelly Oubre Jr. for an open dunk. He walked into a couple pull-up jumpers and buried them both. A turnover followed by a flagrant foul called on Oubre gummed up the Sixers’ offense a bit, but as soon as the ball found George again he buried two more threes.
• It wasn’t the easiest start for Drummond, who picked up two fouls in his first six minutes of play. Four of the Knicks’ first six baskets of the game came right at the rim as he had his hands full with Karl-Anthony Towns. There were also a couple possessions early on where the Sixers’ defense was so keyed in on Brunson or Towns they lost OG Anunoby cutting wide open to the basket. Like Drummond, Towns was also called for a moving screen. Quentin Grimes was able to send him to the bench with two fouls, drawing the second on a drive.
• The George heater was much needed, but no one needed to see a pair of open threes go down more than Oubre. On top of that he was also able to steal the ball from Brunson as the Sixers started off much better against him, forcing him to miss his first three shots. While the threes were falling for the Sixers, they shot 4-of-8 on twos, missed three free throws, and turned the ball over four times in the quarter. That meant Grimes’ three to close the quarter only gave them a slim two-point lead.

Second Quarter

• Towns came back, but had to sit immediately when Maxey was able to draw his third foul. That put the Knicks’ big rotation in trouble with Ariel Hukporti also picking up three in less than four minutes of action. Speaking of, Adem Bona was one of several Sixers to look better to start this one. He had two impressive recovery blocks, one on Brunson and the other on Jose Alvarado.
• As he needed to be, Maxey was much more aggressive to start — his seven free throws (one technical) in the first half were a big part of getting New York’s bigs in foul trouble. Some of the jumpers he was settling for were certainly tough looks but he was getting them to go. Defensively, the help he and the other perimeter defenders were showing on Brunson were making it much harder on him at any point in Game 1.

Tyrese Maxey with a beautiful post spin fade to help quiet the MSG crowd pic.twitter.com/OMz4JhsFFe

— Drew Peltzman (@dapeltz13) May 7, 2026

• Drummond was already struggling in his second shift, allowing the Knicks to get their first four second chance points of the night. When the Knicks went to a center-less lineup they started running circles around the Sixers’ defense. They ripped off a 6-0 run that tied the game before Nick Nurse called a timeout and went back to Bona.
• For as brilliant as Maxey was scoring the ball there were just too many passes he had in the first that were just a step too late. He accounted for three of the Sixers’ nine turnovers at the break. The Knicks’ defense had also forced the Sixers into a lot of tough jumpers, some of which didn’t come close to falling. Edgecombe was able to drill a three right before the half, but Bona bulldozed Brunson trying to crash the glass, picking up a brutal third foul of the night. Luckily, Brunson split the pair so the Sixers were able to cling to a one-point lead at the break.

Third Quarter

• The passes the Sixers were trying to execute were real mid-February game level of sloppiness. Edgecombe’s inbounds to no one at the beginning of the second half at least wasn’t a live ball turnover, so they didn’t give the Knicks another fast break. The hot three-point shooting remained as Edgecombe and George each drilled one early in the half. Maxey was able to get a nice layup taking Brunson off the dribble.

Make that FIVE 🖐️ triples for Paul George so far tonight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/os9w2L7zwG

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) May 7, 2026

• Towns had a response just about every time, drawing fouls three and four on Drummond in the process. Bona checked in and picked up his fourth when Towns caught him with a rip through. A few minutes later a Towns drive was able to draw Bona’s fifth. Dominick Barlow checked in for the first time with a little less than five left in the third.
• Offensively the Sixers were leaving too many points on the board for how much of a struggle it was to get stops. They still struggled to cut down on bad looking turnovers, and Grimes let a wide open layup slip through his hands when he couldn’t corral the pass to him.
• The sloppiness caught up with their shotmaking ability as they went nearly four minutes without a field goal. It was snapped by Barlow being able to get open in the dunker. Edgecombe briefly re-took the lead with a three, but just after that happened George picked up his fourth foul of the night. Allowing two offensive rebounds in the same possession led to a huge Anunoby three. Another find of Barlow in the dunker and Grimes getting to the line pulled the Sixers back in front by one after an even quarter.

Fourth Quarter

• The Barlow minutes continued to look great as Edgecombe was able to hit him on a roll to start the quarter. Despite the Knicks turning it over on their following two possessions the Sixers weren’t able to take advantage as George’s jumper had cooled off.

Dominick Barlow now up to 6 points on 3-for-3 FG shooting pic.twitter.com/aLrIsCj4M0

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) May 7, 2026

• Coming off another missed midranger by PG, the Sixers desperately needed some defense and they got it when George was able to strip Towns, then Barlow was able to block an Anunoby three. After trading five points the Knicks gave the Sixers three empty possessions Philly was unable to capitalize on. Maxey and Edgecombe each missed wide open threes too — they just couldn’t make ‘em pay.
• In the moment that felt like a massive missed opportunity, even more so when the Sixers again looked like they had run out of gas, despite a timeout happening after every other play down the stretch. The six-point lead the Knicks had been able to stretch it out to suddenly felt insurmountable as the Sixers went over five minutes without scoring.
• The Sixers had one last gasp for air when Barlow nabbed a steal with 2:19 remaining, but gave it right away when Barlow turned it over on the ensuing possession. They forced a missed corner three and Maxey got to the line, but another split only allowed him to cut it to five. The teams traded baskets before a rushed George three missed with 25 seconds remaining, ultimately sinking them. A tough loss to stomach off the heels of the Embiid news.

NEW YORK (AP) — When the ball got stuck behind the basket in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday night, the New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns proved that if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself.

The 76ers' Andre Drummond failed on a few attempts to dislodge the ball, drawing loud boos from the crowd at Madison Square Garden. Towns then took over and did it himself on the first try, getting raucous cheers from fans — including actor Timothée Chalamet.

Towns had just been fouled and the ball got stuck between the backboard and what appeared to be camera equipment mounted to the back of it. With the stick end of the broom that's used to clean the court, Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey first tried to move the ball before realizing a taller man was needed.

Drummond was unable to finish the job, so Towns — who had been waiting at the free-throw line to get the ball so he could shoot — eventually left his spot to get it himself.

A few minutes later, the ball got stuck in the exact same spot. A fan shooting for $75,000 from halfcourt launched his heave over the backboard and it landed there.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

The tension during Game 2 of the Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks series briefly melted away in a lighthearted moment during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden.

The ball got stuck in the framing below the shot clock with 7:54 to go in the third, with the Sixers leading 74-71. Philadelphia big man Andre Drummond, listed at 6-foot-11, was handed a floor mop but his attempts to dislodge the ball with it proved to be unsuccessful.

Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, listed at 7-foot, took the mop from Drummond and managed to dislodge the ball on his first attempt, to great cheers from the Madison Square Garden crowd.

KAT to the rescue 😂@RealChalamet was fired up after the NBA All-Star retrieved the ball! pic.twitter.com/El2MT0ks7t

— NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2026

The 76ers, playing without Joel Embiid, led 90-89 after three quarters but the Knicks went on to win 108-102. New York now holds a 2-0 lead.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karl-Anthony Towns saves ball in funny moment during 76ers vs Knicks

Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has no reason to feel satisfied — and he isn’t.

Just four days after the team’s Game 7 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, a defeat that marked the first blown 3-1 playoff lead in franchise history, Stevens spoke at his end-of-season press conference at the Auerbach Center. He didn’t sugarcoat his feelings about the team’s brief postseason run, making it clear that getting bounced in the first round isn’t a spot the organization wants to be in.

“I’m pissed,” Stevens told reporters on Wednesday, per NBC Sports Boston. “I’d rather be playing New York tonight. We all would.”

The Celtics set their bar after winning 56 games in the regular season and locking the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Even without Jayson Tatum through their first 62 games, they found a way to adapt and adjust their system to cater to the plethora of roster additions made in the offseason. It allowed for an open-mic-styled rotation where anybody, on any given night, could get an opportunity to contribute.

Some nights, rookie Hugo González got the start. Other nights, it was Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza, or Baylor Scheierman.

Early on, the Celtics unlocked their cheat code. Instead of tanking for the draft lottery — which nobody would’ve blamed them for — they chose the tougher path. They shook off their 0-3 start to the season, built their identity from the ground up, and went from underdogs to contenders while many other teams in similar positions across the league pulled the plug.

But once the playoffs began, the Celtics reverted to old, unhealthy habits against the Sixers.

They lost three games at home, putting their win percentage at TD Garden since their 2022 NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors at .568 (25-19). Their issues weren’t anything new. They expanded a concern that we thought the team had resolved in its 2024 championship two years ago, yet still lingers.

“The reality is that we came up short,” Stevens said. “So now the job is to do an honest assessment. I’ve got a little sign above my desk that says, ‘What do you want? What’s true? And how do you get there?’ And there’s no question what we want. There’s no question, when you look at what’s true, that though we did a lot of good things, we lost in the first round, and we’re also 3-11 against the top three seeds in the West and the other top two in the East. So we’ve gotta get better.”

It’s encouraging for Stevens to demonstrate the kind of frustration that everyone in the organization should’ve expressed after Game 7. At the end of the day, Stevens calls the shots and understands the next steps after falling short.

Three years ago, when the Celtics fell to the No. 8 seed Miami Heat in the conference finals, Stevens immediately got to work. He made the difficult decisions of trading away Marcus Smart, a year removed from being named Defensive Player of the Year, Malcolm Brogdon, the then-reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and fan-favorite Robert Williams III — in exchange for acquiring Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday.

Those moves were banner-motivated, but more importantly, they reflected Stevens’ awareness. He knew the Celtics couldn’t run it back with the same group, and that their postseason failures were an indictment of that. This time around, with an albeit overachieving group that lost sight of its identity, Stevens doesn’t feel all that different. He noted that with teams getting better and healthier going forward, the challenge of competing next season and beyond will only become more difficult for Boston.

“This is where the honest assessment part’s gotta come in, right?” Stevens said. “We’ve been to six Eastern Conference Finals, a couple of Finals in the last few years. We’ve won one (championship). And when you get beat in the first round, you’re not there. I think that the moves to get there — obviously, you have to consider the other teams that are at those levels — and I think the other thing that you have to consider, especially for next year, is there were a lot of teams in the NBA that were playing for draft positioning this year. That will not be the case next year. So the league’s gonna be a lot better. The regular season could be a lot harder, and it will probably give you a better indication of what everybody really is.”

Last offseason, the agenda was shedding payroll. Stevens did that, and, due in large part to a stellar job by head coach Joe Mazzulla in the regular season, kept the team on track without Tatum for most of the year. They built González into the league’s most underrated rookie. They turned Garza into a legit 3-point shooting threat (career-high 55 makes on 43.3 percent) and developed Queta into an impactful starting center after parting ways with Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet.

The problem became sustaining that formula. Jaylen Brown admitted after Game 5 that Boston just wasn’t “good enough” to close out Philadelphia. It wasn’t the foul-baiting by Joel Embiid or the officials or any other underlying factor that dragged the Celtics. It was them. They had their chances — three, in fact — and caved.

One way or another, Stevens intends to hold the team accountable for that.

There’s no question that roster improvements are vital if the Celtics plan to compete next season. The path to a return trip to the Finals has been squandered, but Stevens has been in this position before. He’s already turned the distraught emotions of a Game 7 loss to Miami into a flooded two-mile celebration after hoisting the franchise’s record 18th Larry O’Brien Trophy the following year. So this isn’t anything new to him.

What matters most is that the hunger for more hasn’t left Stevens one bit.

“I just want to win,” Stevens said.

“I don’t think play style comes before roster. You gotta figure out who you have and then play to the strengths of your team. But that’s on both ends of the court, and I thought our coaching staff did an amazing job this year. The series, I think, we all could’ve done better. There’s no question about it, and we’re all looking forward to improving off that. But it starts with we have to put the best roster we possibly can together, and we need to maximize the strengths of that group.”