PHILADELPHIA — The Knicks totally have their hands full trying to thwart Joel Embiid — or at least keep him off the foul line — but they also haven’t been able to figure out how to slow down the 76ers’ other dynamic All-Star through the first three games of the playoffs.
All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey has averaged 31.0 points per game with excellent shooting splits, including 25 more points in the Sixers’ first win of the first-round series Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center.
The 23-year-old speedster has posted a stellar .507/.393/1.000 line in his field goal, 3-point and free-throw percentages in the series.
His 12-for-12 efficiency from the line has complemented Embiid’s massive impact in drawing fouls, with 38 made free throws and 45 attempts already entering Sunday’s Game 4.
“Obviously two great players. I think they had it going and we just didn’t make adjustments as a team,” Miles McBride said after Game 3. “I think understanding that we have to make it hard, we have to make their other guys step up, make shots and make plays. I think we just have to come back, look at the film and, and be ready for Sunday.”
The Sixers took that approach in swarming Jalen Brunson in the first two games in New York, but players such as Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and others made big shots to lift the Knicks to two wins.
The latter’s 3-pointer with 13.0 seconds remaining gave the Knicks the lead in their chaotic Game 2 victory.
“It’s kind of how the series has been going. Back and forth, tied game. Whoever can come up with stops at the end, and scores at the end, wins the game,” said Maxey, who also is averaging seven assists in the series.
“Being down two, I said this … we kind of had to flush that game and really went out here and were successful in a lot of different areas [where] we weren’t successful in New York.”
The Knicks mainly have used OG Anunoby and McBride — followed by Brunson and Josh Hart — as the primary defenders on Maxey.
He’s shooting 7-for-16 from the floor (43.8 percent) while guarded by McBride, but has 57.1 percent against both Anunoby (4-for-7) and Hart (8-for-14).
Maxey’s lowest shooting percentage actually has come while guarded by Brunson, making just 2 of 11 shots (18.2 percent) in the series.
