What happened
ESPN's first-half feed from Madison Square Garden has the 76ers and Knicks trading blows in Game 2, with Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson headlining a guard duel that has the building on edge. Philadelphia, playing without Joel Embiid, is leaning on Maxey, Paul George and Tobias Harris, while New York counters with Brunson driving the offense.
Why it matters
The Knicks took Game 1 in a rout, so a Philadelphia win at MSG would even the series and shift home-court back to the underdogs. With Embiid sidelined, every possession from the Sixers' guard rotation carries playoff-defining weight, and Brunson's ability to keep New York's lead intact would put Philadelphia in a 0-2 hole heading home.
What to watch
Watch whether Maxey can match Brunson shot-for-shot through the second half and whether Philadelphia's supporting cast holds up without Embiid. A Sixers win flips the series; a Knicks win all but ends it.