The New York Knicks caught a major break as the Philadelphia 76ers have listed both of their top stars as questionable to play in Game 2.
Joel Embiid is questionable due to a left knee injury recovery while Tyrese Maxey just recently joined him with an illness. Maxey was absent in their morning shootaround at Madison Square Garden, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
Embiid was also questionable to play in Game 1 but went on to finish with 29 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals in 37 minutes. However, an awkward fall following a jaw-dropping alley-oop dunk off the backboard in the first half slowed him down.
Embiid returned in the second half but he lost the pep in his step that enabled him to power his way to 18 first-half points to lead all scorers. He missed all of his five attempts and did not grab a rebound in the fourth quarter.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse was adamant they will not shut down Embiid.
“I don’t think so,” Nurse told reporters after Game 1 when asked if they considered shutting Embiid down. “He really is a warrior, and he’s battling. I think he absolutely wants to play.”
On the other hand, two of the 12 games Maxey missed in the regular season were due to illness.
Meanwhile, the Knicks are almost at full strength. The only blemish in their injury report is three-time All-Star forward Julius Randle, who underwent a season-ending shoulder surgery.
Mitchell Robinson Contains Joel Embiid
The Knicks found their antidote on Embiid in Mitchell Robinson in Game 1.
Robinson played his best game since he returned from his ankle injury with 8 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks in 31 minutes off the bench. He played more than Isaiah Hartenstein, who started at center, because of his strong defensive game which limited him to 2 of 11 shooting when he was his primary defender, per NBA’s matchup tracker.
Robinson even outrebounded the entire Sixers starting five, 7-6, in the offensive glass. The Knicks outscored the Sixers by 20 points when Robinson was on the floor.
Hartenstein still produced decently in 18 minutes with six points, seven rebounds and three assists. But it was his porous defense on Embiid that led to his short leash.
Embiid shot 5 of 8 against Hartenstein, per NBA’s matchup tracker.
Josh Hart Finds Sixers Strategy Against Him Disrespectful
Josh Hart took the Sixers’ strategy personally and made them pay.
Hart exploded for 13 points in the fourth quarter, including three clutch 3-pointers, to fuel the Knicks’ 111-104 Game 1 win.
“I knew I was going to be left open, disrespected on the 3-point line, and if you base it off numbers in the regular season, I think I shot like 30 percent. So it’s a smart game plan,” Hart told reporters after finishing with 22 points and 13 rebounds. “For me, it’s just continue to take shots. Make them respect me on the three-point line.”
Despite Hart’s fourth-quarter scoring outburst, Nurse hinted that he will continue to dare the Knicks’ 31% 3-point shooting forward to beat them from the outside.
“We were sitting in a zone for a lot of it. But our zone shifts — obviously you are trying to guard certain guys,” Nurse informed the journalists after the defeat. “Acknowledge them. I believe we're fine with some of those shots, but they made them. Acknowledge them for taking the shots and making them.”
