When one team shoots 62 percent from three, the outcome is predetermined.
In the long arc of playoff basketball, there are nights when a team transcends strategy and enters something closer to inevitability — Sunday in Philadelphia was one of those nights. The New York Knicks, armed with historic three-point shooting, dismantled the 76ers so thoroughly in the first half that the series was decided before the locker rooms emptied at halftime. Tying an NBA Playoffs record with 18 made threes in a single half, New York advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals not merely by winning, but by rendering competition momentarily impossible.
- The Knicks came out firing from the opening tip, going 11-of-13 from three in the first quarter alone to build a 43-24 lead that felt less like a game and more like a statement.
- Miles McBride was the spark that lit the blaze, starting 4-for-4 from deep before finishing the half 6-of-7 with 20 points, leaving Philadelphia's defense with nowhere to turn.
- The 76ers couldn't contain the damage because it came from everywhere — Brunson, Hart, Towns, and Shamet all connected from distance, making any single defensive adjustment useless.
- Philadelphia compounded their shooting woes with six turnovers that gifted New York 12 additional points, turning a difficult deficit into an insurmountable one.
- By halftime, the 81-57 scoreline and a tied NBA Playoffs record told the full story — the Knicks were already through to the Eastern Conference Finals before the second half began.
The New York Knicks entered Game 4 against Philadelphia needing one more win to complete the sweep, and they delivered it with a first-half shooting performance that will be remembered long after the series is forgotten. By halftime, they had made 18 three-pointers — tying the NBA Playoffs record for a single half — and built an 81-57 lead that made the outcome a formality.
The destruction began in the opening quarter, when New York shot 11-of-13 from beyond the arc to race out to a 43-24 advantage. Miles McBride was the early catalyst, starting 4-for-4 from three and finishing the half with 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting from distance. But the Knicks' brilliance was never concentrated in one player — Jalen Brunson went 4-of-8 from three, Josh Hart hit 3-of-5, Karl-Anthony Towns was a perfect 2-of-2, and bench contributor Landry Shamet added 3-of-5. Philadelphia had no answer because there was no single threat to contain.
The 76ers, meanwhile, shot just 27 percent from three and compounded their misery with six turnovers that New York converted into 12 points. Against a team shooting 62 percent from distance, those mistakes were fatal.
With the series effectively decided at the break, the Knicks managed the remainder comfortably, completing the sweep and advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. It was the kind of half that redefines a team's identity — not just a win, but a declaration.
The New York Knicks walked into Game 4 against Philadelphia on Sunday with a chance to end the series in a sweep, and they did so in the most emphatic way possible—by putting on a shooting display from three-point range that tied multiple playoff records and left the 76ers with no answer.
This wasn't the Knicks' first dominant series-clinching performance. They had already dismantled Atlanta 51 points in the first round. But what they accomplished against the 76ers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals was something different: a first-half shooting clinic that left the outcome decided before halftime. By the time the teams walked to the locker room, New York had built an 81-57 lead, having made 18 three-pointers—tying the NBA Playoffs record for makes from beyond the arc in a single half.
The damage began immediately. In the opening quarter alone, the Knicks shot 11-of-13 from three-point range, racing to a 43-24 advantage. Miles McBride was the early catalyst, starting 4-for-4 from deep and setting the tone for what would become an offensive onslaught. The 76ers, playing at Xfinity Mobile Arena, had no defensive adjustment that could slow the barrage.
The second quarter brought more of the same. McBride added two more three-pointers to finish the half 6-of-7 from three with 20 points—team-high at the break. But the Knicks' offense was distributed enough that Philadelphia couldn't simply key on one player. Jalen Brunson, the team's star point guard, was 4-of-8 from three. Josh Hart connected on 3-of-5. Karl-Anthony Towns didn't miss from distance, going 2-of-2. Even Landry Shamet, coming off the bench, was 3-of-5. The only thing that stopped the Knicks from tying the first-quarter record as well was Shamet's attempt at the buzzer that bounced off the rim.
Philadelphia's offense couldn't keep pace. The 76ers shot just 4-of-15 from three and 51 percent overall from the field, making 21 of 41 attempts. More damaging than poor shooting was their sloppiness with the ball—six turnovers that the Knicks converted into 12 points. When one team shoots 62 percent from three-point range while the other shoots 27 percent, the outcome is predetermined.
With two quarters remaining and the series effectively over, the Knicks had the luxury of managing the rest of the game. The 76ers faced a win-or-go-home situation, but the deficit was too steep and the Knicks' shooting too hot. New York's sweep sent them to the Eastern Conference Finals, and the possibility remained that they could add to their historic shooting night if the second half remained competitive. Instead, the story was already written: the Knicks had just tied an NBA Playoffs record and eliminated their opponent in the process.
Notable Quotes
The Knicks couldn't seem to miss from three-point range in the first half, with five different players contributing to the historic shooting display.— Game summary
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
What made this shooting night different from other dominant playoff performances?
It wasn't just that they made shots—it was the efficiency and the distribution. Eighteen three-pointers in a half ties a record, but the way they got there matters. Five different players were hitting from deep, and they were doing it early, in the first quarter, which set the psychological tone.
Did the 76ers have any realistic chance to come back from 24 points down at halftime?
Not really. When a team shoots 62 percent from three, you're not stopping that with adjustments. Philadelphia's problem wasn't just the three-point shooting—it was that they turned the ball over six times and couldn't generate their own offense. They were playing catch-up basketball from the opening tip.
McBride started 4-for-4. Was he the key, or would this have happened anyway?
McBride set the tone, but the Knicks had too many weapons. If you shut down McBride, Brunson beats you. If you focus on Brunson, Hart and Towns are open. The 76ers didn't have the perimeter defenders to cover all of it.
What does this sweep mean for the Eastern Conference Finals?
It means the Knicks are rested and confident. They've already beaten one team decisively and now they've eliminated another without breaking a sweat. They get to the Finals fresh, while whoever comes out of the other side will have fought harder for it.