A clearly pivotal matchup, Game 4 between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks took place Sunday afternoon as the Sixers, down one game to two, looked to even the series. With stars such as Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, and bell-ringer and three-time NCAA tournament champion Dawn Staley in attendance, the pressure was on for Philadelphia.
After their Game 3 loss to the Sixers and again ahead of Game 4, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned the free-throw disparity between his team and Joel Embiid in Game 3. Embiid shot 21 free throws to the Knicks’ 19. Though it happens more today than ever, it’s still rare for a player to outshoot the opposing team from the free-throw line, except for when it’s self-induced.
Those who watched not only the first 46 minutes of the game but also the final two will remember the Knicks intentionally fouling Embiid three times in the final 70 seconds, which led to six free throws.
Thibodeau’s words did not go unheard, as the officiating crew had a tighter whistle in the first half on Sunday than they did on Thursday, at least during the first half. That increase in physicality without an opportunity for intermittent rest does not lean into Joel Embiid’s game, so Philadelphia would have to find other ways to manufacture points.
That task ultimately proved too difficult for the Sixers, who struggled to find any offensive rhythm throughout the game. Joel Embiid’s midrange game hasn’t been the same since his knee injury. Without that, Embiid is still a player capable of an inside-out style game, but his rhythm undoubtedly suffers for it.
Tyrese Maxey was unable to seize the opportunities that came to him, particularly as OG Anunoby began to guard Embiid instead. Hardly any Sixer could buy a bucket, but perhaps the biggest difference of all was once again the Knicks’ rebounding down the stretch.
Philadelphia seemed allergic to the very idea, and the Knicks took advantage, grabbing every offensive rebound available while the Sixers simultaneously failed to secure the ball, leading to several would-be rebounds going out of bounds and into New York’s hands.
As the final stretch came, the Sixers once again failed to execute, and it was the Knicks who would walk out victorious by a final score of 97-92, with a chance to finish off the series this Tuesday on their home court. The Sixers have no choice but to win out if they want to avoid being eliminated in the first round for the first time since 2020.
