The New York Knicks outlasted the Philadelphia 76ers 144-114 to sweep the Eastern Conference second-round series on Sunday.
The Knicks are back in the Eastern Conference finals, tying the NBA postseason record with 25 3-pointers.
OG Anunoby led New York with 25 points, Jalen Brunson had 22, while Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 17 in the team’s latest lopsided playoff victory.
The Knicks’ 19.4 point-per-game margin of victory is the largest through two rounds since the playoffs went to 16 teams in 1984.
New York reached the conference finals for the first time in 25 years before losing to Indiana last season.
The franchise just fired coach Tom Thibodeau and replaced him with Mike Brown, who has guided them to seven straight playoff wins, starting with the last three games against Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the Knicks fans made a habit of scooping up tickets by the thousands at the Sixers’ arena for playoff games over the years, and in Game 4, they may have made the loudest statement yet.
New York’s 3-point records were just heating up, as Brunson added two in the period (six total) to help make the Knicks 11 of 13, which tied the NBA mark for most makes in a quarter.
The Knicks totaled 18 3s in the first half to score 54 points off the long ball, compared to 57 total for the 76ers.
With the 81-57 lead, it helped power the Knicks toward their first best-of-seven series sweep since the 1999 East semis against Atlanta.
New York scored 80-plus points in the first half twice in five road playoff games this season.
The Sixers are headed home after a 3-1 series comeback to beat Boston in the first round.
Joel Embiid ended another injury-riddled season with 24 points, Tyrese Maxey had 17, and the Sixers still have not advanced out of the second round since 2001.
The Knicks advanced to the East finals for the second straight season and will play the winner of the Cleveland-Detroit series.
