PHILADELPHIA — The New York Knicks didn't just beat the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon. They took their home court, their pride, and their playoff hopes in a stunning 144-114 rout that completed a decisive 4-0 second-round sweep.
Home-court advantage is supposed to work in favor of the team wearing the hometown colors. But with New York sitting just 90 minutes up the turnpike, Knicks fans flooded Xfinity Mobile Arena so thoroughly that by the time the final buzzer sounded, the building belonged to them. And so, apparently, do the 76ers.
The Knicks wasted no time asserting dominance, dropping 80 points in the first half alone. By the end of the first quarter, Philadelphia was already staring at a 20-point deficit — a hole they never came close to climbing out of. It was the kind of performance that makes you wonder if the Sixers mentally checked out before tipoff.
For the second straight season, New York is headed to the Eastern Conference Finals. But unlike last year's hard-fought battle against the Hawks, this path offered zero resistance.
The atmosphere inside the arena told the story. When Joel Embiid drilled a second-quarter three-pointer, silence followed. When Karl-Anthony Towns answered with one of his own on the other end, the building erupted — for the visiting team. The crowd booed Tyrese Maxey at the foul line, then roared "Deuuuuce!" as Miles McBride caught fire, burying three straight triples during a personal 9-0 first-quarter run.
The Knicks' presence in the City of Brotherly Love was so overwhelming that arena staff cranked up the music and the public-address announcer in a desperate attempt to drown out one of the most passionate fan bases in professional sports. It didn't work. The Sixers gave their supporters nothing to cheer about.
Embiid managed 24 points, but Mikal Bridges once again held Maxey to just 17. VJ Edgecombe shot a cold 4-of-14 from the field for eight points. Paul George added seven. Philadelphia's starters combined to make just four three-pointers all afternoon.
This wasn't just a sweep. It was a takeover — and the Knicks are making themselves right at home.