Joel Embiid was back. The result didn’t change.
The Knicks handled the Sixers 108-94 in Game 3, taking a 3-0 series lead and moving one win from another trip to the Eastern Conference finals.
Embiid finished with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists in his return, but it was clear he wasn’t quite himself. The Knicks made sure of it.
“I thought he gave us everything he could,” coach Nick Nurse told reporters. “I really do.”
New York targeted him early and often, pulling him into space and attacking his mobility. It worked. So did just about everything else.
The Knicks did it without OG Anunoby, too.
Their depth showed up. Their energy showed up. Their bench showed up in a big way, outscoring Philadelphia’s 29-11.
“We’ve got a lot of good guys that are resilient, that are fighters,” coach Mike Brown said. “And it’s showing when they go out there.”
Philadelphia had its moments. Paul George scored 15 in the first quarter. Then nothing. He missed his final nine shots.
“Win a game,” George said. “Keep [the season] alive.”
That’s where this stands now.
The Sixers are down 3-0. The margin has been there in stretches. The finish has not.
“We’re right there,” George said. “We’re just not finishing the game.”
The Knicks, on the other hand, are.
And now they’re one win away.
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