May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks up after missing a foul shot against the Boston Celtics during the second quarter of game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Winslow Townson
The biggest question surrounding the Sixers second-round playoff series against the New York Knicks may be this: How much did their seven-game series win over the Boston Celtics help or hurt them?
Let's start with the concerns. Coming back from a 3-1 deficit took a lot out of the Sixers, both mentally and physically. At the end of Game 7, both teams seemed exhausted, and that game was just two days before the start of the second round. The Knicks, on the other hand, clinched their initial series on Thursday with a lopsided victory over the Atlanta Hawks, and no starter played more than 29 minutes in the 51-point win. New York should well rested for Game 1.
The Sixers, on the other hand, had to fight tooth and nail until the final buzzer in Boston on Saturday, with four of their starters playing 39 minutes or more. Joel Embiid, still less than a month from having his appendix removed, was getting stretched out on the sideline during the win, and also took a significant hit to his left knee late in the game, which left him limping badly. He said afterward that he was fine, reiterating that his mind is telling his body to feel amazing. Embiid was listed as probable in Monday's injury report with a right hip contusion.
Paul George was battling a head cold and sore throat on Saturday, Kelly Oubre Jr. isn't 100 percent as he is taking care of an adductor strain. Tyrese Maxey played all but three minutes in the clincher but said that his off-season workouts have him ready for the grind of the playoffs. He said that just before groaning while going down the steps of the dais in his postgame press conference.
But at this time of the year, few are in perfect health.
On the positive side, throughout the series the Sixers improved on their rebounding, specifically keeping the Celtics off the offensive boards. That is a strength of the Knicks, so transferring that play to this series shouldn't be too hard for the Sixers. Transition defense was also a point of interest in the opening round, and the Sixers will need to keep New York from getting out and running.
Here are some more keys to Monday's game:
It is often said that in order to beat a good team, you must go after the head of the snake. Jalen Brunson isn't just the head, he is the whole reptile. He controls play with his crafty ball-handling and can score at every angle on the court. He is adept at drawing fouls, so VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey have to be aware of that. It will be interesting how Nurse decides to defend Brunson. Will he throw some double-teams his way to try and keep Brunson from where he wants to go? Perhaps once in a while, but Brunson is terrific at getting the ball where it has to go. It may be a case where Nurse instructs Edgecombe to just play Brunson straight-up, and then see what adjustments may have to be made. The Sixers will make the Villanova product work at the other end of the court, and that should be an advantage for Edgecombe, Maxey and Quentin Grimes.
The team effort that the Sixers put forth against the Celtics was the likes we haven't seen from them in a long time. They went to Embiid when there were mismatches. He powered when he should have, and kicked out of double and triple-teams almost to perfection. Paul George hit big shots at opportune times, Maxey took over when needed and Edgecombe was good at everything, plain and simple. George and Oubre were splendid in covering Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and now will be give the tasks of doing the same to OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.
All those things take fresh and willing legs. Whether the Sixers have them or not will be imperative in Game 1.
The Sixers got better throughout the first series in finding a man to box out and then going after the ball. It sounds so elementary, but they got caught not doing it for portions, particularly in the early games. They need to be on their game in limiting New York on the boards. They are very much a team that thrives on momentum. Offensive rebounding is one of the biggest momentum builders for a team. Josh Hart excels at it. Whenever a shot goes up and he's on the floor, a body, or two, has to find him.
That sounds trite, but it is the exact message that Nurse gave his team following the series finale in Boston. The coach isn't real comfortable going to his bench for many minutes, the exception being Quentin Grimes, so the minutes will surely pile up in close games for his starters. The health of Embiid is always a concern, but Nurse is the type that if you're there and he needs you, you're playing. It will be interesting how the center handles tough minutes on Monday after the grueling game he played on Saturday.
Like Boston, the New York crowd can be a distraction. Embiid played up to the Celtics fans and it was fine being as the Sixers held on to win. That is more of a slippery slope in New York, though Reggie Miller may disagree. Game 1 is going to be hard enough for the Sixers with all of the other intangibles starting at them after the Celtics series. Keeping the business of basketball among whatever five they have on the court at the time may be the right way to go on Monday. Karl-Anthony Towns is a favorite target for Embiid's antics. Keep an eye on how that may play out.
