Knicks win back-and-forth battle with Joel Embiid-less 76ers, take 2-0 series lead
There was no blowout in Game 2. But the Knicks showed they can win a tight battle down the stretch.
There was no runaway for the New York Knicks Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. But the end result was the same. The Knicks pulled away late for a 108-102 win in a tightly contested Game 2 against a 76ers team playing without Joel Embiid.
The Knicks now have a 2-0 series lead and a five-game playoff win streak. This time, they won while facing a fight. New York won its previous four games by 19-plus points each and a playoff-record combined 135 points .
Wednesday’s contest was tight throughout, and the 76ers went into the fourth quarter holding a 90-89 lead. But New York’s balanced effort ultimately prevailed. The Knicks took a 101-99 lead on a Jalen Brunson jumper with 5:06 remaining.
The lead change was the 25th of the night, the most in a playoff game since 2015. 25 lead changes & counting in Knicks/Sixers game 2, the most in a playoff game since Spurs/Clippers Game 7 in 2015! — Keerthika Uthayakumar (@keerthikau) May 7, 2026 There wouldn’t be a 26th.