Game Thread: New York Knicks (2nd seed) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (7th seed) Saturday, April 20th 6 p.m.

[sol537]

This is gonna be a fun and stressful series.... nothing like NYK playoff basketball!

We're a finely tuned machine with great chemistry right now. Even though Philly is more talented on paper (when we don't have Randle)... we're the better "team" IMO.

If we lose in a hard-fought series, we tip our hats and continue to build this squad into a contender. If we win, we'll be riding high against our 2nd round opponent with supreme confidence.

We're playing with house money right now, fellas.

[Chanel Bomber]

The question is really how "back" is Embiid. I'm wishing Mitch and iHart were one player with both of their best attributes right now. We need Mitch's size a lot in this series.

That's all it comes down to.

Embiid this year was playing better than even Jokic before the injury. That means he was playing at a level that very few players in NBA history have ever reached - I mean peak Shaq, Jokic, LeBron level. It's an entirely different space than our guy.

I think Philly are heavy favorites if he's close to 100%.

If he's compromised, and he struggles to keep up physically, then I like our chances.

Either way I have my popcorn ready.

[Capn'O]

The question is really how "back" is Embiid. I'm wishing Mitch and iHart were one player with both of their best attributes right now. We need Mitch's size a lot in this series.

That's all it comes down to.

Embiid this year was playing better than even Jokic before the injury. That means he was playing at a level that very few players in NBA history have ever reached - I mean peak Shaq, Jokic, LeBron level. It's an entirely different space than our guy.

I think Philly are heavy favorites if he's close to 100%.

If he's compromised, and he struggles to keep up physically, then I like our chances.

Either way I have my popcorn ready.

He looked heavy in the game the other night. So that's in our favor. But he was kinda crushing it to end the season. Hmmmm.

[SelbyCobra]

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[god shammgod]

to be honest though wouldn't you rather play Embiid earlier than in round 2. He isn't in playoff game shape...the knee is suspect. Why let him play his way into shape and then face him in Round 2. Will you feel better if we win one round vs not.

If we **** the bed and get outcoached and lose this first round series I will be disappointed because I think we should win this series. Especially since I think we have the best player right now (with Embiid compromised) and we also have HCA.

In theory I would rather play Philly now and then get Indy in round 2. Then the other way around. I honestly think Indy might be the tougher series (with Embiid less than 100%) with there shooting and ability to spread the floor.

I'm here to make it into the conference finals...so matchup wise it doesn't really matter to me who we have in the first round since we are avoiding BOS until the conference finals.

i really don't know. is he gonna get healthy as time goes on or is his knee gonna start acting up and he'll get worn down as time goes on.

i don't really worry about any other team in the conference besides boston and the sixers (unless the heat get jimmy back healthy at some point but i expect the bulls to win tonight) i would consider it a bad loss if this team couldn't beat indy in a best of 7. so no, they don't worry me more.

I mean you said you think it was more conditioning that the knee so wouldn't that suggest you want him before he gets a bunch of playoff games into him?

Most people say post surgery you don't get worse unless you re-injure it. So he could play himself into a better rhythm as the series and playoffs go so I don't mind trying to knock them out earlier.

Also don't mind Indy who has had MIL # with no Giannis to take them out so we get them in Round 2.

By no means with Phili be an easy series. I am confident in our team that we still should be able to win against them. I expect us to have a huge advantage on the boards...kind of like how we did vs CLE. We have two active bigs...and I expect a big series from Josh Hart.

that's how it looked to me but i can't be sure what's what. like i said, he might get better or maybe the knee starts acting up. i have no way of knowing.

look, if the idea is you think the knicks could win it all this year then it doesn't matter much when we play philly. i can't help but feel like we got screwed as the 2 seed though.

the celtics are getting the bulls or the heat without jimmy

indy is getting the bucks without giannis and with a dame, who someone in his camp is leaking right before the playoffs, doesn't really want to be there

orlando gets the soft ass cavs and a slightly gimpy donovan. and the cavs get the young ass magic who can't shoot from the outside at all.

and we get the guy who was gonna be mvp again if he played enough games. the basketball gods aint sh*t lol

[DaGawd]

after we pack these nlggas up… y’all think there’s a possibility embiid pulls a kd and request a trade here?

[Chanel Bomber]

The question is really how "back" is Embiid. I'm wishing Mitch and iHart were one player with both of their best attributes right now. We need Mitch's size a lot in this series.

That's all it comes down to.

Embiid this year was playing better than even Jokic before the injury. That means he was playing at a level that very few players in NBA history have ever reached - I mean peak Shaq, Jokic, LeBron level. It's an entirely different space than our guy.

I think Philly are heavy favorites if he's close to 100%.

If he's compromised, and he struggles to keep up physically, then I like our chances.

Either way I have my popcorn ready.

He looked heavy in the game the other night. So that's in our favor. But he was kinda crushing it to end the season. Hmmmm.

Fully agree

[mpharris36]

i really don't know. is he gonna get healthy as time goes on or is his knee gonna start acting up and he'll get worn down as time goes on.

i don't really worry about any other team in the conference besides boston and the sixers (unless the heat get jimmy back healthy at some point but i expect the bulls to win tonight) i would consider it a bad loss if this team couldn't beat indy in a best of 7. so no, they don't worry me more.

I mean you said you think it was more conditioning that the knee so wouldn't that suggest you want him before he gets a bunch of playoff games into him?

Most people say post surgery you don't get worse unless you re-injure it. So he could play himself into a better rhythm as the series and playoffs go so I don't mind trying to knock them out earlier.

Also don't mind Indy who has had MIL # with no Giannis to take them out so we get them in Round 2.

By no means with Phili be an easy series. I am confident in our team that we still should be able to win against them. I expect us to have a huge advantage on the boards...kind of like how we did vs CLE. We have two active bigs...and I expect a big series from Josh Hart.

that's how it looked to me but i can't be sure what's what. like i said, he might get better or maybe the knee starts acting up. i have no way of knowing.

look, if the idea is you think the knicks could win it all this year then it doesn't matter much when we play philly. i can't help but feel like we got screwed as the 2 seed.

the celtics are getting the bulls or the heat without jimmy
indy is getting the bucks without giannis and with a dame, who someone in his camp is leaking, doesn't really want to be there
orlando gets the soft ass cavs and a slightly gimpy donovan. and the cavs get the young ass magic who can't shoot from the outside at all.

and we get the guy who was gonna be mvp again if he played enough games. the basketball gods aint sh*t lol

But I'm not in this to win 1 playoff series or it shows you how far away we truly are...

Knicks weren't ducking the smoke. And while Embiid was playing so well. We did beat them earlier in the season with Embiid. And he certainly looked like a shell of himself vs Miami a couple days ago. So I think its a perfect time to play then. I'm excited for the series.

Honestly I was more worried about Miami with a healthy Jimmy Butler...they have way more mental fortitude than the sixers do and would have beaten them if Jimmy didn't hurt his MCL.

[Chanel Bomber]

Always loved that beat. Dark, gritty, NYC energy.

Same for the "No Fear" beat by OGC.

Havoc also consistently crafted some of the grimiest beats to come out of NYC.

Watch on YouTube

How about this one

If Mason and Oakley were a beat

Watch on YouTube

Goddamn yall are taking me back with these tracks

Watch on YouTube

Those Havoc drums and the vinyl crackles

[Fat Kat]

after we pack these nlggas up… y’all think there’s a possibility embiid pulls a kd and request a trade here?

I seriously don’t want him.

[mpharris36]

That's all it comes down to.

Embiid this year was playing better than even Jokic before the injury. That means he was playing at a level that very few players in NBA history have ever reached - I mean peak Shaq, Jokic, LeBron level. It's an entirely different space than our guy.

I think Philly are heavy favorites if he's close to 100%.

If he's compromised, and he struggles to keep up physically, then I like our chances.

Either way I have my popcorn ready.

He looked heavy in the game the other night. So that's in our favor. But he was kinda crushing it to end the season. Hmmmm.

Fully agree

the teams he was playing at the end of the season though?

DET, Memphis, an OKC team without SGA, ORL, and a MIA team where he was a -19 in that game. Maxey went hog wild for them to beat MIA. And then he kinda got hurt again in that last game vs ORL (I know he finished the game but that could have impacted him going forward as well).

[3toheadmelo]

you may be ?!?!??

but anyway, if he's healthy enough i don't think we'll win the series. when embiid played this year they had a better winning percentage than boston. he was the best player in the league this year before he got hurt. but without him they are pretty bad. so it's really about how much he can give. he didn't look great in the play-in game but the 5 games he played before that he looked better. we have one real scorer and the team pretty much falls apart every time he sits. their best player is better than ours and their 2nd option is better than our 2nd best. i'm honestly not even sure who our 2nd option is. is it divo ? josh hart ? we have superior depth but that doesn't mean that much in the playoffs usually.

When OG played with us we have the best winning % in the NBA

But Randle was there for most of that

The gawd Randle can’t be replaced!

[3toheadmelo]

to be honest though wouldn't you rather play Embiid earlier than in round 2. He isn't in playoff game shape...the knee is suspect. Why let him play his way into shape and then face him in Round 2. Will you feel better if we win one round vs not.

If we **** the bed and get outcoached and lose this first round series I will be disappointed because I think we should win this series. Especially since I think we have the best player right now (with Embiid compromised) and we also have HCA.

In theory I would rather play Philly now and then get Indy in round 2. Then the other way around. I honestly think Indy might be the tougher series (with Embiid less than 100%) with there shooting and ability to spread the floor.

I'm here to make it into the conference finals...so matchup wise it doesn't really matter to me who we have in the first round since we are avoiding BOS until the conference finals.

i really don't know. is he gonna get healthy as time goes on or is his knee gonna start acting up and he'll get worn down as time goes on.

i don't really worry about any other team in the conference besides boston and the sixers (unless the heat get jimmy back healthy at some point but i expect the bulls to win tonight) i would consider it a bad loss if this team couldn't beat indy in a best of 7. so no, they don't worry me more.

Embiid's health seems to deteriorate the further Philly goes in the playoffs. He's usually cooked by the end of round two. Could be coincidental, could be causal. Either way I don't think facing him in the first round is some sort of advantage. In fact I reckon it's probably the worst scenario.

I think we'd have beat the Pacers in 5. They're weak.

Yeah we should’ve tanked the last game

[3toheadmelo]

Someone asked my opinion so I gave it. I think they could win but the sixers are probably the favorite. I haven’t looked but I would guess the betting odds agree.

You can't give an opinion that doesn't have us winning. Like I want them to win, but I'm just skeptical because our 2nd scorer is Donte, it's not like what he does is difficult to contain in a series if you've ever watched the NBA playoffs.

When Donte shoots us out of a game 5-20 I’m gonna make a Morpheus of him turning into Jr Spliff

[DaGawd]

after we pack these nlggas up… y’all think there’s a possibility embiid pulls a kd and request a trade here?

I seriously don’t want him.

i get the injury concerns wholeheartedly… but i think he has a good 2 -3 years of elite mvp level play before the wheels fall completely off… he and brunson would be a nasty duo

[The Lamma]

Knicks in 5, sticking to that.

This is what my gut tells me too. Philly is a worthy opponent, but we really hit our stride down the stretch and that will continue. Five game winning streak to close out the season including impressive wins over the Bucks and a demoralizing of the Celtics.

It took OG a few games to reestablish his rhythm, which he did. Mitch and IHart will be able to at least slow Embiid down enough. Then with the combination of Brunson and multiple other players that can bomb away efficiently from downtown (OG, Divo, Boggy, Deuce) we'll ultimately close out games with high point totals. 120-109 type sht

But more than anything, it feels like Brunson's time to shine. The man is balling out of his mind and will win us games with his sheer determination and will to win combined with the clutch gene

I see us winning two rounds and ultimately going down to the Celts in the ECF 4-2

[Fury]

I think we're underrating Miami without Butler. They almost beat us last year without Butler, and this year they'll have Herro.

[Iron Mantis]

Always loved that beat. Dark, gritty, NYC energy.

Same for the "No Fear" beat by OGC.

Havoc also consistently crafted some of the grimiest beats to come out of NYC.

Watch on YouTube

How about this one

If Mason and Oakley were a beat

Watch on YouTube

Goddamn yall are taking me back with these tracks

Watch on YouTube

"Who you rockin' wit, them or us?
Deep love? Or cheap lust?"
New York Knicks or bust

[Capn'O]

He looked heavy in the game the other night. So that's in our favor. But he was kinda crushing it to end the season. Hmmmm.

Fully agree

the teams he was playing at the end of the season though?

DET, Memphis, an OKC team without SGA, ORL, and a MIA team where he was a -19 in that game. Maxey went hog wild for them to beat MIA. And then he kinda got hurt again in that last game vs ORL (I know he finished the game but that could have impacted him going forward as well).

I'm just looking at his statlines. He was pretty comfortably dropping 30s.

[aggo]

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