The New York Knicks are on a historic postseason tear, and they showed no signs of slowing down in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Jalen Brunson erupted for 27 of his 35 points in the first half, leading the Knicks to a dominant 137-98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. The win wasn't just impressive—it was historic. New York became the first team in NBA history to win three straight playoff games by at least 25 points, a streak that started midway through the first round against Atlanta.

The Knicks shot an incredible 63% from the field and built a 40-point lead, showcasing the kind of offensive firepower that has fans dreaming of a deep playoff run. OG Anunoby was nearly perfect, scoring 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges each added 17 points. Towns made the most of his 20 minutes on the court, also contributing six rebounds and six assists. After falling behind 2-1 against Atlanta, the Knicks have now won four straight games by a combined 135 points—a margin that highlights their dominance on both ends of the floor.

According to Sportradar, the Knicks are the first team since detailed play-by-play tracking began in 1996-97 to lead three consecutive playoff games by at least 30 points. Game 2 is set for Wednesday night in New York before the series shifts to Philadelphia. But the 76ers are already feeling the pressure—Joel Embiid has publicly pleaded with fans not to sell their tickets to Knicks supporters when the action moves to Philly.

In other playoff action, Anthony Edwards made an unexpected return from injury to score 18 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. Victor Wembanyama was a force for the Spurs, posting 11 points, 15 rebounds, and a postseason-record 12 blocks—becoming just the third player to notch a triple-double with blocks in playoff history. San Antonio rallied late, cutting the deficit to 104-102 after a steal by Devin Vassell and a layup by Dylan Harper with 31 seconds left. But after a missed shot by Minnesota's Julius Randle, Julian Champagnie's potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer rimmed out, handing the Spurs just their second loss in their last 17 series openers at home. Randle finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, while Harper scored 18 and Champagnie added 17 for San Antonio.