The Philadelphia 76ers, including Joel Embiid, suffered a disappointing 104-101 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. This loss put the Sixers in a precarious 0-2 hole.

It was a tight battle throughout, with the Knicks leading by five points entering the fourth quarter. The Sixers even had a brief lead late in the final period thanks to strong performances from Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The Sixers had a chance to seal the victory, but turnovers and missed defensive assignments allowed the Knicks to claw back. A game-winning three by Knicks guard Matteo DiVincenzo with just seconds remaining sealed the Sixers” fate.

After the game, Embiid acknowledged the disappointment but expressed confidence in the team”s ability to bounce back. 

As per the New York Post, Joel reportedly said:

“We should be 2-0. We”re good. We”re gonna win this series. We know what we’ve got to fix. We did a better job today, so we’re going to fix it. But we’re the better team and we’re gonna keep fighting.”

He added:

“Thats f—ing unacceptable to lose a game like this, especially in the playoffs. Everybody on the floor was trying to call a timeout, myself included, Nico [Batum], coach on the sideline, but they didn’t give it to us. But forget about a timeout. There’s a bunch of fouls. Like I said, that’s f—ing unacceptable.”

The next Philadelphia 76ers game is Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks. Here”s a breakdown of the details:

• Date: Thursday, April 25th, 2024
• Time: 4:30 PM Eastern Time (US)
• Location: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Opponent: New York Knicks
• Series Standings: The Knicks currently lead the series 2-0 after winning Games 1 and 2.
• Broadcast: The game will be televised nationally on TNT.

What To Watch For In Game 3 Between 76ers Versus Knicks?

All eyes will be on Joel Embiid to see how he responds to the first two losses. Can he lead the Sixers offensively and be a force on the defensive end? His status is currently questionable due to his left knee recovery, so his availability is a key factor.

Tyrese Maxey has been a bright spot for the Sixers in the playoffs, averaging over 30 points in the last five games. They need him to maintain that scoring efficiency.

The Sixers” defense has struggled against the Knicks, particularly in the paint. They”ll need to tighten up their rotations and communication to contain the Knicks” scorers.

This will be the first game of the series in Philadelphia.