What happened
The New York Knicks won Game 2 at Madison Square Garden to take a 2-0 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers, with Jalen Brunson hitting a clutch bucket to put New York up four in the closing minutes. The series now shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 with the Sixers facing a 2-0 hole. Philadelphia leaned on Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Tobias Harris in Game 2 with Joel Embiid sidelined.
Why it matters
A 2-0 series lead is a historically commanding position in the NBA playoffs, and the Knicks built theirs without Philadelphia's franchise center available. New York now needs to defend or steal a single road game to push the Sixers to the brink, while Philadelphia must win at home to avoid a near-fatal 3-0 deficit. Philadelphia's Game 2 plan leaned on Maxey, George, and Harris with Embiid out, raising the stakes for whether the star center returns in Philadelphia.
The data edge
Series score: Knicks lead 2-0. Game 2 location: Madison Square Garden. Game 3 location: Philadelphia. Brunson noted hitting a go-ahead bucket in the closing minutes per ESPN reaction. Embiid status entering the series: out for Game 2. No structured betting line data available for this signal.
What to watch
Watch Embiid's availability for Game 3 in Philadelphia, which could swing the series outlook. Also monitor whether Brunson maintains his closer role on the road and how the Sixers adjust their rotation after dropping both home-court breakers.