Philadelphia still led by four points in the final minute of the game, but key three-pointers from Brunson and DiVincenzo helped the Knicks to take the lead and eventually win the game. On April 23, 2024, Beijing time, the Philadelphia 76ers lost 101-104 to the New York Knicks. Embiid had 34 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, and Brunson had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
The matchup between Philadelphia and the Knicks is regarded as the most promising "down and up" absolutely, but the toughness shown by the Knicks in the first game, especially the control of rebounding in the front court, made this team show a certain strength. On the Philadelphia side, how to solve Embiid's offensive problems during the rest also determines whether they can go further in the playoffs, and the performance of Maxey and veteran Lowry will also play a key role. Maxey, who had a mediocre performance in the last game, hit three three-pointers in a row after the opening game, showing a strong desire to fight. Philadelphia also stepped up their pressing intensity on the defensive end, forcing the Knicks into back-to-back turnovers to go on a 9-0 run in the opening game. However, the Knicks are not idle, Brunson made a basket to make it 2+1, DiVincenzo hit two three-pointers from the outside, and the Knicks launched a counterattack.
Embiid knocked Hart down in the confrontation, and the referee didn't blow for a malicious foul after the replay. Embiid burst to the basket for a foul free throw, then disrupted Hart's pass on the defensive end, and Hart hit a three-pointer on the counter-attack, and the two were in the spotlight. After Embiid was rested, Maxey became the main point of attack on the offensive end of Philadelphia, and his three-pointer hit again to give Philadelphia a 10-point lead. After Embiid re-entered the court, he was targeted by the Knicks players, although DiVincenzo's breakthrough caused Embiid to foul on defense, but Embiid was confused by the opponent's foul tactics, and directly pushed the opponent away with a palm and received a technical foul. On the offensive end, Embiid was even more chaotic, did not observe the offensive time, and was prevented from a 24-second violation. Fortunately, the rest of Philadelphia's players are in good form and help Philadelphia maintain their lead.
Philadelphia's offense began to slow down, while the Knicks' counterattack became impressive, with Brunson and Anunoby hitting back-to-back shots, and the Knicks equalized the score. Embiid stepped up at this point, scoring six straight points on his own, and Lowry hit a three-pointer from the outside, and Philadelphia regained the lead. However, the Knicks also began to strengthen their resilience to the game, and they scored back-to-back points through defensive counter-attacks, forming a stalemate with Philadelphia. Brunson broke through to meet Batum's defense and scored the ball, and the Knicks took the lead for the first time in the game. Embiid had to rest in the second half of the third quarter due to knee discomfort, while Hartenstein took the opportunity to score consecutive points inside, scoring 10 points alone in the third quarter, and was cheered by the audience when he was substituted again.
The Knicks regained their sense on the offensive end, and after Bojan's three-point shot, the Knicks' lead had reached seven points, and this scene caused a standing ovation from the Knicks legend Sprewell, who was watching the game from the sidelines. McBride broke through and scored the ball and caused a defensive foul on Oubre, which caused Anthony, who was watching from the sidelines, to nod frequently. Lowry's three-pointer hit to temporarily stop the decline for Philadelphia, Embiid faced the defense and caused Hartenstein to foul to complete 2+1, and Maxey made a layup to equalize the score. Maxi broke through again, and then hit a three-pointer from the outside, and after the goal, Maxi raised his arms and shouted. The Knicks fought in the final moments, Philadelphia couldn't react, Brunson and DiVincenzo each hit three-pointers, the Knicks achieved a comeback, and Anthony on the sidelines jumped and cheered excitedly. Maxey missed a layup, Anunoby was fouled and hit two free throws, and the Knicks won with a late positivity.