NBA: Jalen Brunson, red-hot Knicks blow out Sixers in Game 1

Jalen Brunson scored 27 of his game-high 35 points in the first half on Monday night as the New York Knicks stayed in dominant form, rolling past the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Game 2 is set for Wednesday night in New York.

The Knicks, who closed out the Atlanta Hawks with a 140-89 victory in Game 6 of their first-round series last Thursday, became only the second team in NBA history to finish one playoff series and open another with back-to-back wins by 30 points or more.

The only other team to accomplish the feat was the 1986 Boston Celtics, who defeated the Hawks 132-99 in a semifinal clincher before beating the Milwaukee Bucks 128-96 in Game 1 of the conference finals. Boston went on to win the championship that season.

“I can’t deny that our guys are playing pretty good basketball,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “And I’ve got to give them credit, especially where credit’s due. They’re trying to focus on the details, no matter what the score is.”

New York has now won its last three playoff games by a combined 96 points, becoming the first NBA team to win three consecutive postseason games by at least 25 points each.

The Knicks continued their strong two-way play from the previous round against Atlanta.

New York shot 63.1 percent (53-for-84), setting a franchise playoff record for field goal percentage. The Knicks also connected on 19 of 37 three-point attempts (51.4 percent), their best mark ever in a playoff game with at least 30 attempts from beyond the arc.

Defensively, New York held Philadelphia under 100 points for a fourth straight game.

“Wasn’t any fun to be a part of, to be honest, and watch,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “But it’s 0-1. Doesn’t really matter if it’s six points or 36 or whatever the hell it was.”

OG Anunoby added 18 points for New York, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges chipped in 17 points each.

Towns, Bridges, and Josh Hart all exited late in the third quarter, while Brunson and Anunoby did not play in the fourth.

For Philadelphia, Paul George led the way with 17 points. The 76ers reached the semifinals after rallying from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Celtics, marking the first such comeback in franchise history.

Joel Embiid finished with 14 points, while Tyrese Maxey added 13. VJ Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 12 points apiece.

Philadelphia briefly led early, taking a one-possession advantage five times in the first quarter. However, Brunson responded each time, including a go-ahead three-pointer with 3:57 remaining that put New York ahead for good at 21-19.

The Knicks created separation late in the second quarter, going up 49-37 on a Karl-Anthony Towns three-pointer with 6:43 left. Brunson then closed the half with an 11-3 burst, pushing New York’s lead to 74-51 at the break.

New York extended its control in the third quarter, leading 109-78 after three periods and building a margin as large as 40 points in the fourth.

— Field Level Media / Reuters