76ers collapse against Knicks: Paul George’s analysis
The Sixers were dominated at Madison Square Garden as the Knicks took Game 1 by 39 points. Paul George breaks down the heavy defeat
After their stunning seven-game comeback against the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers were hit with a harsh reality check in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The New York Knicks dominated Game 1 with a commanding 137-98 victory. A 39-point loss that raises questions about the physical and mental condition of the Sixers after the grind of the first round.
Paul George, Philadelphia’s leading scorer with 17 points, gave an honest assessment of the impact of limited rest following the battle with Boston. While refusing to make excuses, George admitted the emotional toll of the schedule.
I won’t use fatigue as an excuse, but it’s an emotional roller coaster. You go from a Game 7 to only one day of rest before another battle. There was a letdown in trying to prepare, but we should have done a better job
Paul George
Philadelphia entered the series after an exhausting matchup in which it overcame a 3-1 deficit thanks to the performances of George and Joel Embiid. The Knicks, by contrast, benefited from much more rest.
Knicks unstoppable from deep
Beyond Philly’s fatigue, New York’s scorching shooting decided the game.
The Knicks scored 74 points in the first half, finishing with outrageous numbers: 63% from the field and a devastating 51% from three-point range.
They were shooting lights out. They were red hot, they came out on fire
Paul George
Compared to the elite shooting from the home team, the 76ers’ offense looked flat.
The Sixers’ Big Three were largely ineffective compared with Game 7 against Boston just three days earlier: 17 points for George, Embiid went for 14 points, 3-for-11 shooting, 13 instead for Maxey on a 3-for-9 shooting performance.
Adjustments for Game 2
Despite the humiliating margin, there does not appear to be panic inside the Sixers locker room. They have been here before. George reminded everyone that in the playoffs, only the final series result matters.
It’s a game of adjustments. They don’t get extra points for winning by a big margin tonight. We’ll be ready for Game 2
Paul George
With two days off before Game 2 on Wednesday night, Philadelphia will have a chance to recover and try to reverse the momentum of a semifinal that began uphill.