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The New York Knicks crushed the Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 in Game One of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Building a big lead early, they led by 23 at halftime and then cruised, with all starters resting in the fourth quarter. Jalen Brunson poured in 27 of his 35 points in the first half, while Tyrese Maxey didn’t score his first bucket until a few minutes into the second period.

The win extends New York’s strong postseason momentum from their First Round series with the Hawks and gives them a chance to go up 2-0 at home on Wednesday. In a powerhouse performance, the whole team earned an A+. Here are their individual marks.

Jalen Brunson 

31 minutes, 35 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover, 12-18 FG, 3-6 3PT, +27

Brunson was unstoppable from the jump, exploding for 27 points in the first half alone to set an aggressive tone and help build a commanding lead. He dictated the pace with elite ball-handling, repeatedly attacked mismatches, knocked down tough mid-range jumpers and floaters, and remained efficient even as the game turned into a rout. Defensively, he added two steals and set a tenacious tenor for the team, refusing to let Philadelphia build any steam. O Captain! My Captain!

Grade: A+

Karl-Anthony Towns 

20 minutes, 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 turnovers, 4 fouls, 7-11 FG, 3-5 3PT, +11

Towns was highly effective in limited minutes, showcasing excellent spacing with three made treys while battling Joel Embiid in the paint. He was a playmaking hub with six assists, grabbed important rebounds on both ends, and was a steady presence in the paint. Though he picked up four fouls and had some turnovers, his efficiency and all-around impact helped the Knicks pull away comfortably. Totally made Embiid look overpaid.

Grade: A

OG Anunoby 

30 minutes, 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 7-8 FG, 2-2 3PT, +22 

Anunoby delivered a classic two-way masterclass. On defense, he locked down Philly’s perimeter threats and disrupted passing lanes; offensively, he was surgical with near-perfect shooting and ferocious in attacking his opportunities in the lane. His athleticism in transition and +22 plus-minus highlighted his massive impact in the blowout. Sometimes OG simply looks like an apex predator among a frantic herd of scattering sheep.

Grade: A

Mikal Bridges 

27 minutes, 17 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 7-10 FG, 3-5 3PT, +19

Bridges continued his seamless fit with the Knicks, providing efficient two-way production. He scored in a variety of ways (slashing, spotting up, and creating off the dribble) while adding five assists and strong perimeter defense (including tormenting stints on Maxey). His unflappable shot-making was key to multiple Knicks scoring stretches. This is the Bridges we like! This is the Bridges we need!

Grade: A-

Josh Hart 

26 minutes, 8 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 3-7 FG, 1-2 3PT, +24

Hart provided his customary high motor with relentless energy on both ends. He loaded the stat sheet with eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals, excelling at connectivity and hustle. His defensive stops and rebounding sparked several fast breaks and second-chance opportunities that powered the Knicks’ first-half surge. Note that despite playing some of the toughest defense of his career this postseason, Josh committed just one foul last night. Are you not impressed? And by keeping his minutes low, Josh should have fresh legs for Game Two.

Grade: B+

Mitchell Robinson

12 minutes, 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 1-1 FG, 0-4 FT, +6

Robinson provided rim protection and rebounding in his limited stint before sitting with foul trouble (he picked up four fouls while battling Embiid). He finished an alley-oop dunk efficiently on offense but Philly’s Nick Nurse targeted him with hack-a-Mitch, and the strategy worked because Mitch whiffed on four attempts. Overall, his defensive anchor role was still felt in the paint during his limited time in the blowout win. It’s a bummer about the fouls and the free throws, though.

Grade: B-

Ariel Hukporti

13 minutes, 5 points, 9 rebounds, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 2-2 FG, +22

Hukporti was thrust into meaningful action early due to Robinson’s quick foul trouble against Embiid. The young center held his own in the paint, grabbing a game-high 9 rebounds (including key offensive boards) and providing solid rim presence and hustle. He finished efficiently with a layup and free throw, and his +22 plus-minus reflected the blowout. He saw extended garbage-time minutes as the Knicks pulled away comfortably. We saw glimpses of good Huk and bad Huk throughout the season. Oh baby, this was definitely the good version. Remember: 58th pick!

Grade: B+

Miles McBride

16 minutes, 8 points, 2 assists, 1 foul, 3-6 FG, 2-5 3PT, +16

Deuce delivered reliable bench scoring and perimeter spacing, knocking down two threes (including a corner three off a Brunson assist early) that helped New York to build some separation on the scoreboard. He provided solid perimeter defense and helped maintain the Knicks’ momentum during bench stretches and garbage time, contributing to the dominant victory with efficient shot-making and positive energy.

Grade: B

Jordan Clarkson

14 minutes, 2 points, 2 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 1-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, +11

Clarkson saw bench minutes in the blowout and provided a bit of spark with a nice floating jumper off an OG Anunoby assist. However, he struggled with ball security (four turnovers) in his limited role. He added a steal and a couple of rebounds but was quiet otherwise and made little impact as the Knicks cruised to victory.

Grade: B–

Bench / Rotation Notes

The Knicks’ bench was outstanding. They seamlessly maintained and extended the massive lead while the starters rested throughout the fourth quarter. Besides Hukporti and Deuce, Tyler Kolek chipped in eight points and four assists, while Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, Pacome Dadiet, and Mohamed Diawara all delivered positive minutes. Overall, New York’s depth overwhelmed Philadelphia’s bench, dominating in energy, shooting, and second-chance opportunities to turn the game into a rout early. Depth was a factor in the Game One victory, for sure.

Grade: B

Coach Mike Brown

Brown had his team ready for a high-stakes playoff opener and orchestrated one of the most dominant performances of the young postseason. The Knicks came out aggressive on both ends, built a massive first-half lead, and executed an efficient, motion-based offense that generated high-quality shots all night. He effectively managed rotations, especially after Mitchell Robinson got into early foul trouble, and wisely gave Ariel Hukporti meaningful minutes that paid off. The bench was fresh and productive in the second half, allowing the starters to rest in the fourth quarter of a 39-point blowout. After a few shaky moments early in the Atlanta series, Mike has regained our confidence.

Grade: A

The Knicks are locked in, but you know Philly will come back with a big counterpunch in Game Two on Wednesday. Can’t wait. Go Knicks!

The TD Garden curse? Inside Celtics and Bruins' home playoff struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

In the final seconds of Saturday night’s Game 7 between the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden, as the C’s watched their comeback bid fall short, Philly fans who made the trip to Boston broke out in a gleeful chant.

“We want Boston! We want Boston!”

In the past, such bold declarations were ill-advised. But in recent postseasons, visiting teams and their fans have enjoyed a lot more of their stays in Boston.

Exhibit A: In the 2026 playoffs, the Celtics and Bruins went a combined 1-6 at the Garden.

The Celtics routed the Sixers in Game 1 at home, then lost three consecutive games in their own building (Game 2, Game 5 and Game 7) en route to a stunning first-round collapse.

The Bruins, meanwhile, went 0-3 on home ice in their first-round matchup with the Sabres, with Buffalo outscoring Boston 13-3 at TD Garden to earn a six-game series win.

Unfortunately for Boston fans, the 2026 postseason wasn’t an aberration, but rather the continuation of a concerning trend.

Let’s get to the numbers for both teams:

It wasn’t always this way…

Boston used to be a house of horrors for NBA teams in the playoffs. From 1980 to 1992, the Larry Bird/Kevin McHale/Robert Parish Celtics went 72-21 in postseason games at the old Boston Garden for a winning percentage of .774. In 1986, they went a perfect 10-0 at the Garden en route to a championship.

The “Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen found similar success at TD Garden, winning 72.3 percent of their home playoff games (34-13) between 2008 and 2013 and going 13-1 at home during their 2008 title run.

This current Celtics club? Since the 2016-17 season — Jaylen Brown’s first with the team — that winning percentage has dipped more than 10 percent, with Boston winning 62.9 percent of its home playoff games (44-26) in that span.

That percentage was lifted by the 2018 postseason, when Brown and Jayson Tatum helped an upstart Celtics team win its first 10 home playoff games before falling to LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers at home in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Celtics’ recent home struggles

The Celtics have had plenty of success over the last five postseasons, with one NBA title, two trips to the NBA Finals and three Eastern Conference Finals appearances in that span.

They’ve also done a surprising amount of losing at TD Garden.

Since 2022, the C’s are a pedestrian 25-19 (.568 winning percentage) in home playoff games, and that includes a 9-2 mark at home during their 2024 title run.

In the 2022 NBA Finals, Boston lost twice to the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden, including a decisive Game 6 that ended with Stephen Curry and Co. celebrating a championship on the parquet.

In the 2023 East Finals, the Celtics lost Game 1 and Game 2 to the Miami Heat on their own floor, then rallied back from a 3-0 series deficit — only to lose Game 7 at home by 19 points.

History repeated itself against the New York Knicks in 2025, as Boston dropped the first two games of the second round at home before eventually falling in six games.

This past week, the Celtics lost consecutive home playoff games for the third time in four years, losing two potential closeout games at TD Garden (Game 5 and 7) while allowing the Sixers to rally from a 3-1 series deficit.

Setting aside that 2024 championship run, the Celtics are a brutal 16-17 at home in the other four most recent postseasons.

Bruins’ recent home struggles

If you thought the Celtics were bad at home in the playoffs … their winter season counterparts are even worse.

In 2022, the Bruins pushed the Carolina Hurricanes to seven games in their first-round series by winning all three games at home before losing Game 7 on the road.

Since then, Boston is a mind-boggling 3-10 in playoff games at TD Garden.

In 2023, the Bruins entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the East but bowed out to the Florida Panthers in Round 1 after dropping Games 2, 5 and 7 on home ice.

In 2024, they gave two games to the Toronto Maple Leafs at TD Garden in the first round (Games 2 and 5) before rallying to win Game 7 at home. But their home struggles did them in vs. the Panthers in Round 2, as they lost all three home games in the series (Games 3, 4 and 6) to end their season.

After missing the playoffs in 2025, the Bruins also lost all three of their home games this postseason … which means they’ve lost six home playoff gamesin a row.

Putting it all together

In fairness to the Celtics and Bruins, winning at home has gotten progressively harder across the board in both sports.

Improvements in travel and sports medicine have made it less taxing for teams to play on the road, and the numbers bear that out: NBA teams have won just 58.4 percent of their home playoff games since 2021, while NHL teams have won 65.2 percent of home playoff games in that span.

Still, Celtics and Bruins are both below those league averages, combining to win just over half of their playoff games (31-29 record, 51.7 percent) over the last five seasons.

There’s another side to this story, of course: The Celtics and Bruins both have fared relatively well on the road in recent postseasons, with the C’s in particular parlaying their success away from TD Garden into deep playoff runs.

But for a Boston fanbase that expects its teams to compete for championships on an annual basis, losing nearly half of your playoff games at home isn’t going to cut it.

The Knicks hit first in their second round series with the Philadelphia 76ers, taking Game 1 in a 137-98 rout. 

Everything was working well for New York, who built a 23-point advantage at halftime and led by as many as 40 points. The Knicks shot a scintillating 19-for-37 (51.3 percent) from three and had 34 assists in the win.

With Game 2 on Wednesday, there is no rest for the weary. Here’s three keys to watch for... 

On a heater

Jalen Brunsonmust be relieved. After a first-round series where he was pestered by Atlanta Hawks guards Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Brunson is facing less pressure from the 76ers. 

Brunson was dynamic in Game 1, registering 35 points, with 27 coming in the first half. He was also efficient, shooting 12-for-18 from the field. 

It was clear that Philadelphia’s softer defensive coverage allowed Brunson to cook. Centers Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond are positioned in drop coverage, where they sag back into the paint. It gave Brunson a free runway to pull up from the three-point line or in the midrange. 

Atlanta switched many of its defensive actions, which gave Brunson fewer windows to attack in the pick-and-roll. With the 76ers, Brunson should be more comfortable. 

The next question will be how Philadelphia will adjust for Game 2 after Brunson’s hot night. They could blitz the pick-and-roll to get the ball out of Brunson’s hands or switch more often. But the Knicks look prepared to answer any adjustments. 

Foul trouble

It didn’t take long for fouls to be a story in the series. Karl-Anthony Townspicked up two fouls just over five minutes into the game. His backup, Mitchell Robinson, quickly followed suit with two fouls in the first quarter. 

Both centers had three fouls in the first half, eventually leading to third-string big Ariel Hukporti seeing real rotation minutes. Fouls are going to happen in this series, since Embiid is a crafty big with a variety of pump fakes and tricks to draw fouls. But it’s the silly mistakes that the Knicks bigs should focus on excusing from the game. For example, Towns swiped at the ball numerous times in the first quarter. While one of those reaches did lead to a steal, it put Towns in a compromising position.

He’s too valuable in multiple aspects of the game, as evidenced by his 17 points, six rebounds and six assists on Monday night.

New York as a whole committed 25 fouls and allowed 34 free-throw attempts -- a high number. The foul trouble didn’t decide Game 1, but it could be a pivotal factor for Game 2.

Defensive aggression

Despite the numerous fouls, the Knicks' defense was otherwise exceptional. Priorities number one and two involved slowing down Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. New York was successful in keeping both stars in check, holding them to a combined 27 points on 6-for-20 shooting from the field.

Embiid was able to draw fouls in the first half, but New York kept him out of the paint for much of the game, occasionally throwing double teams at the former MVP. Maxey was defended by Mikal Bridges for most of the night, and Bridges and the Knicks did a solid job containing the point guard on the pick-and-roll.

The Knicks had active hands, forcing Philadelphia into 19 turnovers. Several of the Sixers' miscues were live ball turnovers, which allowed New York to get easy runouts. The Knicks had 16 fastbreak points.

New York has dominated the last four games, and while the offense has received a lot of the credit, the defense has been elite. If the Knicks keep defending this way, the team’s playoff ceiling changes drastically.

New York is known to overpower all that came before — such as Reggie Jackson in Oakland and Mark Messier in Edmonton — making it easy to forget that Josh Hart spent parts of seven seasons with three teams (Lakers, Pelicans, Trail Blazers) before the career-altering trade that brought him to the Knicks in 2023.

Until arriving in New York, Hart had never reached the playoffs. But since reuniting with Jalen Brunson, the Knicks have made the second round in four straight seasons, marking the first time the franchise has done so since Patrick Ewing’s final seasons with the team (1997-2000).

So, what does that mean to a former national champion?

“Not a damn thing,” Hart said before Game 1 of the conference semifinals. “That’s not the goal. The goal isn’t to advance to one series or two series. That’s not a goal that we have as individuals or as a team. To be honest, that’s pretty irrelevant. We’ve gotta make sure we do what we’re supposed to do and focus on advancing in this series.”

In the 137-98 series-opening blowout of the 76ers, Hart was essentially the only Knick who didn’t catch fire.

But as usual, he did just about everything else.

Coming off an uneven first-round series against the Hawks — in which Hart averaged 10.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals, but shot 41.1 percent from the field and 5-for-23 on 3-pointers — the do-everything guard repeatedly ignited the Madison Square Garden crowd with his unrivaled energy and relentless defense, getting the offense into transition and treating every loose ball as if his job were at stake.

Hart, who ranks third in Knicks history in triple-doubles, finished with eight points, three steals, eight rebounds and six assists in just 26 minutes, while shooting 3-for-7 from the field (1-for-2 on 3-pointers).

“We want to play a little fast, so being physical, getting stops, pushing the pace, doing those kinds of things is something we’re trying to do, and we’ve got to keep it up,” Hart said. “We need to make sure we’re focused on Game 2 and mentally locked in … They’re definitely gonna come out aggressive.”

In the 2024 first-round matchup against Philadelphia, Hart was one of the biggest reasons why the Knicks prevailed in the teams’ first playoff matchup in 35 years.

He averaged over 46 minutes per game and ranked second on the Knicks in scoring (16.8) and assists (4.5), while leading the team in rebounds (12.3), shooting 43.2 percent and delivering the series-winning 3-pointer.

Once again, the 76ers had no one who could provide the same spark as Hart, no player as motivated, no player who cares half as much about the final score.

“Where we’re at right now, everyone is being unselfish,” Hart said. “We’re willing to sacrifice individual numbers and stats for the betterment of the team. And when we do that, we’re playing our best basketball.

“Being unselfish, that’s the biggest thing.”

A few notes on the Knicks' Game 1 rout of the 76ers...

BUILDING BRIDGES

Mikal Bridges' fingerprints were all over New York’s dominant win.

He gave the Knicks 22 points and five assists in 26 minutes. He hit seven of 10 shots. New York outscored Philadelphia by 19 with Bridges on the court.

On the other end of the floor, Bridges helped hold Tyrese Maxey to 3-for-8 shooting and three turnovers in the first half of Game 1.

"I give Mikal a lot of credit for is his alertness and his ability to have multiple efforts when guarding Maxey because Maxey is similar to Steph (Curry), you know, where he's constantly moving, especially when it comes to the two game with (Joel) Embiid," Mike Brown said. "So he's a hard (cover). You can't ever relax."

Bridges certainly didn’t relax on Monday and he didn’t fold after a few ugly performances early in the playoffs.

In his last two games, Bridges has scored 46 points on a combined 17-for-22 shooting and handed out eight assists.

"He’s a huge factor for us," Jalen Brunson said. "He’s been playing great."

The Knicks used five first-round picks to acquire Bridges from Brooklyn. So his play will always be heavily scrutinized.

Bridges has had an uneven performance in his Knicks tenure thus far. But, like the Knicks a whole, Bridges may be finding his stride at the perfect time.

"Obviously, there’s times throughout the season for every player when there’s ups and downs. But he stays mentally strong," Brunson said of his Villanova teammate. "He comes into work, does his work, does his routine and all that stuff. As long as you keep chipping away things are going to fall in your favor."

BRUNSON BURNER

Brunson had a fantastic game on Monday.

He had 35 points, three assists and two steals against the Sixers. It was his 16th career playoff game scoring 35+ points. That ties former teammate Luka Doncic for seventh among active players in the postseason.

"Jalen’s pace, his change of speed, all that stuff with the basketball was really good," Brown said after the game. "They like to play in a drop, and he was able to come off and get a couple of pocket 3s, because we had good screens. When he did that, he made them come up the floor a little bit and he was able to get by them, but when we touched the paint, if the help came, he did a pretty good job playing off of two and spraying it, which meant the next time down, guys would stay on him a little bit more.

"Now, you get the opportunity to finish. So, Jalen was really good as the head of the snake, but the guys behind him set the screen, making sure we’re spaced the right away. Being ready to make a quick decision when that ball got sprayed, that was all really good, too."

The Knicks offense as a whole seems to have unlocked something in the past four games. They have won all of those games by at least 16 points.

"Obviously a lot of trial and error, seeing what works and seeing what doesn’t, and being unselfish. ... I think that’s the biggest thing," Josh Hart said after Game 1. "I think that’s where were at right now where everyone is unselfish. ... we’re willing to sacrifice individual numbers and stats for the betterment of the team, and I think when we do that, we’re playing our best basketball."

“How can the Thunder win this series?”

Simple. As long as the team bus arrives on time. 

That’s a joke, but it’s also deeply-rooted in truth. 

Because if the Thunder simply show up as themselves—not some overcaffeinated version trying too hard or an overcautious one afraid of the moment—this series will be over quickly. 

The Lakers had to find a new identity in the postseason without their MVP Luka Doncic. 

The Thunder don’t need a new identity.

OKC are the reigning NBA champions, and a 64-win machine that crushed anything in their path during the regular season. They chewed through the Suns in the first round like it was a warmup drill at practice. 

Yes, the Lakers are gritty and resilient, they’re also older, thinner, and injured. 

So when it comes to what OKC needs to do to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season, let’s not overcomplicate it. 

All the Thunder need to do to win this series is do exactly what they’ve been doing for the last two years. 

That starts on defense where the Thunder are already the best in the league. 

OKC has a backline eraser in Chet Holmgren, who finished second for NBA Defensive Player of the Year this season. Holmgren doesn’t just block shots, he erases them entirely. The Rockets didn’t have Steven Adams in their first-round series so LeBron James and the Lakers were able to get to the paint, especially when their perimeter shots were falling. Holmgren takes that away from Los Angeles. 

The Thunder are also the second-best team in the NBA at forcing turnovers. The Lakers are vulnerable with the ball. That’s a recipe for disaster. The Thunder can break this series open simply by continuing to be surgical in their defensive ball pressure. Anticipate the passing lanes and have active hands. Turn mistakes into quick transition points.

The second thing the Thunder need to do to beat the Lakers is pretty obvious: don’t let LeBron beat you. 

At 41 years old, LeBron is still brilliant and capable of dominating a game, but without Doncic beside him, it makes it easier to hone in on him defensively.

This is where guys like Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and Alex Caruso will earn their money. Nobody will be able to stop LeBron completely, but the Thunder plan to use all three of their versatile and aggressive defenders to disrupt him. Expect OKC to throw length and multiple bodies at him. To turn him into a passer and pressure him into making mistakes. 

Lakers guard Marcus Smart said last week, “pressure bursts pipes, but also makes diamonds.”

The Thunder’s pressure plans on bursting the Lakers and creating a flood. That flood will lead to transition offense where reigning MVP Shai Gilegous-Alexander thrives. Offensively, OKC doesn’t need a game plan to beat the Lakers. SGA is the game plan. 

The Lakers will not be able to replicate his pace or stop his herky-jerky rhythm on offense. He can attack the basket, pull up from midrange, or drain a dagger three in your face. The Thunder just need to let him operate in space and the Lakers defenders will look like they’re caught in a windstorm.

“He’s very professional at putting the ball in the basket,” said Lakers guard Austin Reaves of SGA. “He’s good at all three levels. He also shoots a lot of free throws. When you do that at a high-efficiency, it’s going to be tough to stop him.”

Thankfully for the Thunder, even if they do stop him, others can beat you. 

Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein bring an interior toughness that could allow OKC to dominate the paint. Alex Caruso, Jalen Williams, Ajay Mitchell, Lou Dort, and Isaiah Joe can all beat you from beyond the arc. Depth isn’t just a luxury for the Thunder — it’s a weapon.

If the Thunder have a weakness it’s that they allow a lot of three-pointers. The Lakers proved in their four wins over the Rockets that when they’re hot from three, they can shoot you out of a series. That’s the one area the Thunder can’t get beat at. 

They need to contest without fouling and close out under control. Two things they are already excellent at. The Lakers shot 36% from three during the regular season. Keep them below their average and OKC will be just fine. 

Entering Game 1 on Tuesday, the Thunder are the more rested team. They’ve had exactly a week off between games. Against the oldest team still standing in the playoffs, that matters. OKC needs to punch early and set the tone in Game 1. Remind everyone why they are the reigning champs and turn the Paycom Center into a storm the Lakers can’t escape.

Which brings us back to the beginning. The Thunder just need to show up and play their game. 

Do that, and this series doesn’t stretch into drama. 

It ends quickly. 

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