The Philadelphia 76ers were able to beat the New York Knicks on Tuesday night. The series now shifts back to Philadelphia. Also, in every game in this series, each team has gone back and forth. As a result, this has been one of the most competitive series so far in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Philly will need to come out and take this one from the Knicks once again if they want to force a Game Seven and avoid elimination on their home floor in Game Six.
Three Keys For the Sixers to Beat the Knicks and Extend the Series
Key One: Philly Must Win The Rebounding Battle
In each game of this series, the winner has been determined by which team wins the rebounding battle. In games one, two, and four the Knicks won the rebounding battle and created enough scoring opportunities to beat the Sixers. Additionally, in games three and five the Sixers won the rebounding battle. As a result, in the contest tonight, the Sixers will need to commit to grabbing rebounds. If they can hold the Knicks to one possession their chances of winning tonight’s game increases.
Additionally, they will need to make the Knicks a half-court team. That is how they were able to beat them in game five. They also took away the opportunities to attack the basket and forced them to take difficult perimeter jump shots. Furthermore, grabbing the rebounds and getting the 50/50 balls gave them enough opportunities to take the game away from the Knicks. That only happens because they played team defense, and took away the free throw opportunities from New York. If they can play disciplined defense and make the Knicks operate in the half-court they can win this game.
Key Two: Sixers Role Players Have To Step-Up
The Sixers offense mainly runs through Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Also, this superstar duo has combined for at least 40-70 plus points of Philly’s total points in each game of this series. However, they need somebody else to join the scoring party. Role players become very important in the playoffs. Also, in the last few games, the difference has been that the Sixers are finally getting the other players to affect the game.
Additionally, in tonight’s game, they will need another strong scoring night from at least two or more of their role players. In game five Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr. stepped up and played well enough to keep the Sixers afloat. Until Maxey and Embiid found their offensive rhythm. If they can have another big scoring performance, and Philly can limit the damage during the Non-Embiid minutes they can extend this series.
Key Three: Embiid and Maxey Have to Continue to Dominate
During this series, the Sixers have won them because either Embiid or Maxey had a scoring night for the ages. Philly may not need a 46 or 50-point scoring performance from them. However, they will need them to continue to be dominant in this series. The Knicks do not have any player on their roster who can stop either one of them. Especially, when they are playing aggressively. In game five Maxey turned the game around by not settling and forcing the Knicks to foul or double-team him. That created high-percentage opportunities for his teammates. If both of them continue to make the right passes along with their scoring prowess the Sixers will win tonight. The pressure will shift back to the Knicks going back to New York for do-or-die game seven on Saturday night.
