Will History Repeat Itself?: 76ers vs. Knicks Game 2 Preview

The 76ers faced a strong Knicks team on Monday night in Game 1, and it was clear which team was the stronger one that night. With that, the 76ers will face heavy pressure on Wednesday to pick up a win on the road in Game 2 and get the chance to show that they are a force to be reckoned with.

With this loss, vibes are currently low in Philadelphia; however, it is important to recognize that basketball is a game of seven games, not one. The 76ers faced heavy pressure entering Game 1 and, unfortunately, could not capitalize; however, even in their previous round, Game 1 proved to be a setback rather than a series-definer.

The 76ers enter the game on Wednesday as heavy underdogs and have nothing to prove with a lot to gain. So, a shocker in New York would not be surprising as the 76ers seek revenge in Game 2 for the performance on Monday. This game’s matchup will likely not be a normal battle between New York and Philadelphia, but rather a team with everything to lose against a team with everything to gain.

Game 1 Pains

Game 1’s have not been the 76ers’ bread and butter so far this postseason, with both 32 and 39 point losses entering the stat-card in the last two rounds, respectively.

Against the Celtics, the 76ers were consistently outplayed; they shot under 40% from the court and lost by 32 points, one of the highest loss margins in franchise history. After this game, hopes were low, and the bar was lower for Philadelphia, as most had this series ending in four or five games.

This marks a striking similarity to Game 1 against the Knicks, which involved a 39-point loss, where they shot just around 40% from the court. One aspect of the game that cannot be overlooked was the Knicks’ efficiency, as they shot over 50% from beyond the arc and over 60% from the court. Once again, the 76ers faced a complete pummeling from their opponent in Game 1.

These struggles could come from a multitude of expectations, whether it is overconfidence due to the previous win, fatigue from the previous series, or simply being outplayed by a new opponent. Nevertheless, the 76ers are a group of professional basketball players, and lack the merit to get an excuse for sustaining multiple 30+ point losses, and if they see themselves as legit threats in the East, they will need to turn those struggles around immediately.

Game 2 Gains

For the 76ers, Game 2 was a different story in Round 1, as they appeared to be a different team with something to prove. Even though Joel Embiid was still missing in Boston, VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey combined for nearly 60 in a much more efficient performance. Along with that, the 76ers held the Celtics to 30 fewer points than in the previous game, showing that Nick Nurse found a flaw in the Celtics’ system, which he abused.

With that being said, Nurse’s goal will be to find the weaknesses in the Knicks’ lineup and abuse it with just his core seven-man lineup. Although for the Sixers, there was a lot of shakiness in Game 1, a great team is not defined by its struggles in a loss, but rather by its successes when getting over it.

For Game 2, the injury report is very thin, with the only new injury being Embiid, who is still probable for Game 2 with a right ankle sprain. With that in mind, the 76ers should have all of their core players and have no excuses to not look like the team from Games 5-7 against the Celtics.

Once again, the 76ers are overlooked and forgotten in Game 2, and as the last round showed, when a team is overlooked, they tend to overperform. With that being said, the 76ers are primed to steal a game in New York on Wednesday, and if they do, they could be heading back to Philadelphia with a chance to steal the series and beat another rival in what would be the most improbable run in Philadelphia in 25 years.

Embiid’s Impact

Although Embiid is technically probable for Game 2, his appearances in this series are the difference maker. Embiid’s availability, or lack thereof, has been no secret, but so far in these playoffs, he has done everything in his power to show up for game day. Less than one month ago, Embiid was facing both surgery and a potential season-ending setback with his appendicitis. However, currently, he is scoring just under 30 points per game.

With that being said, it is clear that Embiid values these playoffs far beyond anything else, and he knows that every appearance for the 76ers is a necessity if they plan on standing a chance against a team as powerful as the Knicks.

Along with that, his offensive impact is felt by the other 76ers as well, as every player on the court sees a jump in productivity simply due to the presence Embiid holds for opposing defenses. In the series against Boston, although Payton Pritchard stated that the Celtics never even game-planned for Embiid, it is clear that stopping Embiid will be the number one priority for the Knicks, and if he is the focus, stars like Maxey, Paul George, and Edgecombe get the chance to eat, along with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes getting better looks to contribute to their role throughout the series. It’s imperative that those guys step up.

So, it is clear that Embiid’s impact on the series falls far beyond his usual scoring prowess, as in this series, he is seen as the 76ers’ main man, and New York will deploy whatever schemes possible to slow him down. This means that Embiid will get the chance to reveal his impact with his playmaking ability, rather than his usual scoring.

Game 2 from Madison Square Garden tips off at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPM.

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