{"id":26975,"date":"2026-05-09T16:02:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T16:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/knicks-76ers-game-3-watch\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T16:02:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T16:02:22","slug":"knicks-76ers-game-3-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/knicks-76ers-game-3-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"3 things to watch in Knicks-76ers Game 3 &#8211; NBA"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p>The New York Knicks lead the Eastern Conference semifinals 2-0 against the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of Game 3 on Friday at 7 p.m. ET (Prime Video). Key injury questions\u2014most notably OG Anunoby\u2019s right hamstring\u2014could materially alter New York\u2019s two-way balance. Philadelphia\u2019s lineup uncertainty around Joel Embiid will shape how aggressively the Knicks attack the paint and blitz Tyrese Maxey. The outcome of Game 3 will hinge on health, how the Sixers handle Maxey under pressure, and the continuing paint advantage that has favored New York through the first two games.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The Knicks lead the series 2-0 and host Game 3 on Friday at 7 p.m. ET on Prime Video.<\/li>\n<li>OG Anunoby is listed questionable with a right hamstring strain; he has averaged 21.4 points on 62% shooting in the postseason.<\/li>\n<li>The Sixers were without Joel Embiid in Game 2; they are 1-3 in the playoffs when he has been unavailable and 3-2 when he has played.<\/li>\n<li>New York has outscored playoff opponents by 19.4 points per 100 possessions through Game 2 of the conference semifinals.<\/li>\n<li>Over the two games, the Knicks have outscored the Sixers by 52 points in the paint (114-62); Knicks paint shooting is 57-for-82 (69.5%).<\/li>\n<li>The Sixers have taken only 39.9% of their shots in the paint in this series, down from 49.6% in the regular season and 43.3% in the first round.<\/li>\n<li>Knicks blitzing of Maxey jumped from 16% of screen actions in Game 1 to 41% in Game 2; when blitzed they have still produced efficient offense (1.16 points per chance).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>The Sixers reached Game 3 facing a 2-0 deficit after losing both opener games to the Knicks. Philadelphia rallied from a 3-1 hole in the first round against a No. 2 seed, showing resilience, but the matchup with New York presents different stylistic challenges. The Knicks have emerged as one of the league\u2019s hottest teams over the last three weeks and, through Game 2, sit among the top offenses in playoff efficiency measures.<\/p>\n<p>Health has been a recurring theme this postseason for both clubs. Embiid\u2019s availability has correlated with Philadelphia\u2019s outcomes, while New York\u2019s depth pieces\u2014most notably Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby\u2014have influenced rotations and matchups. Coaching adjustments and small-ball choices have shifted repeatedly in the series as both teams search for answers.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Event<\/h2>\n<p>Game 2 highlighted New York\u2019s dominance in the paint and overall two-way execution. The Knicks converted at an unusually high rate inside, producing 114 points in the paint across two games while limiting the Sixers to 62. New York\u2019s trio of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns combined to go 31-for-40 (77.5%) near the rim over the two contests.<\/p>\n<p>Philadelphia\u2019s offense sputtered at times\u2014most notably a stretch in Game 2 when the Sixers managed just 12 points on 21 possessions in the fourth quarter. That late-game scoring drought left them unable to close a double-digit deficit. Even when the Sixers generated perimeter shots, the minutes without Embiid changed how they could defend and attack on the interior.<\/p>\n<p>Tyrese Maxey has been a focus of New York\u2019s defensive game plan. The Knicks increased blitzing on ball screens for Maxey from 16% in Game 1 to 41% in Game 2. That tactic produced some efficient results for Philadelphia earlier in the series, but New York\u2019s rotation and closeouts improved in Game 2 to limit second-chance advantages from those blitzes.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; Implications<\/h2>\n<p>If OG Anunoby cannot play, the Knicks\u2019 perimeter defense and spacing shift notably. Anunoby\u2019s postseason shooting (21.4 points at 62% overall and 54% on 3s) has been a major driver of New York\u2019s offense, but his value on defense\u2014switching, contesting catch-and-shoot attempts and guarding primary ball-handlers\u2014is at least as vital. Without him, minutes will be redistributed among Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet, which could invite different matchup problems and isolation opportunities for Tyrese Maxey and others.<\/p>\n<p>Joel Embiid\u2019s status will determine how the Knicks choose to allocate defensive resources. With Embiid available, New York may be less likely to double Maxey aggressively because Embiid\u2019s presence demands attention inside. Conversely, Embiid\u2019s absence effectively shrinks Philadelphia\u2019s interior deterrent, allowing New York to attack the paint more confidently\u2014a trend already visible in the two-game paint disparity.<\/p>\n<p>Blitzing Maxey has been a mixed proposition for the Knicks. When Philadelphia executes from the blitz\u2014moving the ball and finding the corner\u2014it can generate high-value looks and 4-on-3 opportunities. Game 2 showed both sides: the Sixers produced quality corner triples and rotation-driven chances, but late in Game 2 Maxey was forced into quicker decisions that reduced Philadelphia\u2019s advantage. The Sixers should look to speed up reads when blitzed and get the ball to shooters before Knicks recover.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; Data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Metric<\/th>\n<th>Knicks (2 games)<\/th>\n<th>Sixers (2 games)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Points in the paint<\/td>\n<td>114<\/td>\n<td>62<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Paint FG (makes\/att)<\/td>\n<td>57-for-82 (69.5%)<\/td>\n<td>\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Combined A\/N\/T paint FG<\/td>\n<td>Anunoby\/Bridges\/Towns 31-for-40 (77.5%)<\/td>\n<td>\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Share of shots in paint<\/td>\n<td>\u2014<\/td>\n<td>39.9% (series), 49.6% RS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Free throw points<\/td>\n<td>33<\/td>\n<td>48<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table highlights the acute inside advantage New York has held through two games. Knicks paint efficiency (69.5%) is historically high and contrasts with Philadelphia\u2019s reduced reliance on interior attempts. Free-throw scoring has partially offset the paint gap for the Sixers\u201448 points at the line\u2014but it has not erased New York\u2019s interior conversion edge.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer \u2014 what &#8216;blitzing&#8217; Maxey means<\/summary>\n<p>Blitzing on ball-screens refers to sending an extra defender immediately at the ball-handler (here, Tyrese Maxey) instead of switching or dropping to the screener. The objective is to force a rushed decision, create turnovers, or get the ball out of the primary scorer\u2019s hands. Blitzing creates numerical advantages elsewhere (for example, a 4-on-3) if the offense moves the ball quickly; it is effective only when rotations and corner shooters are efficient. Teams weigh the risk of leaving a shooter open against the reward of disrupting the ball-handler.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; Quotes<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Paint scoring has tilted the series in New York\u2019s favor through two games.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>NBA Stats (league data)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Series health and matchup control will determine the next stretch.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Team injury reports \/ postseason coverage<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;When Maxey is blitzed, quick ball movement creates corners and high-value chances for Philadelphia.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Game analysis from league coverage<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Joel Embiid\u2019s availability for Game 3 remained officially uncertain at the time of publication; teams listed him questionable for the contest.<\/li>\n<li>OG Anunoby\u2019s ability to log his usual minutes is unconfirmed while he recovers from a right hamstring strain.<\/li>\n<li>Mitchell Robinson\u2019s game-time status was listed as probable after missing Game 2 with an illness; his projected minutes and impact are pending final clearance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>Game 3 will likely set the tenor for the rest of this series: a Knicks win puts Philadelphia in a deeper hole and makes a comeback far more difficult, while a Sixers victory can restore home-court pressure and momentum. The X-factors are largely physical\u2014OG Anunoby\u2019s hamstring and Joel Embiid\u2019s availability\u2014as well as tactical: how often New York chooses to blitz Maxey and whether Philadelphia can restore efficient interior offense.<\/p>\n<p>Expect coaches on both sides to tinker with matchups and timeout usage to influence end-of-game possessions. If Philadelphia cannot increase its share of paint attempts and convert at acceptable rates, the Sixers will need exceptional shooting from distance or significantly improved free-throw production to overcome New York\u2019s interior strength. Fans should watch the injury reports and early rotations after tipoff; those first nine minutes should reveal the adjustments that decide Game 3.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/news\/3-things-to-watch-in-knicks-76ers-game-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NBA.com \u2014 Game preview and analysis (media coverage)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/stats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NBA Stats \u2014 Official league statistics and shot-location data (official)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nba.com\/team\/1610612752\/76ers\/injury-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Philadelphia 76ers injury report (official team)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The New York Knicks lead the Eastern Conference semifinals 2-0 against the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of Game 3 on Friday at 7 p.m. ET (Prime Video). Key injury questions\u2014most notably OG Anunoby\u2019s right hamstring\u2014could materially alter New York\u2019s two-way balance. Philadelphia\u2019s lineup uncertainty around Joel Embiid will shape how aggressively the Knicks attack the paint &#8230; <a title=\"3 things to watch in Knicks-76ers Game 3 &#8211; NBA\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/knicks-76ers-game-3-watch\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about 3 things to watch in Knicks-76ers Game 3 &#8211; NBA\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26974,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"3 things to watch in Knicks-76ers Game 3 - NBA | Hoops Brief","rank_math_description":"Game 3 in the Knicks-76ers series pivots on health (Anunoby, Embiid), how Maxey handles New York's blitzes, and a stark paint advantage that has favored the Knicks through two games.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"knicks,76ers,game 3,OG Anunoby,Joel Embiid,Tyrese Maxey","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26975"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26975\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}