Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers outlasted by Knicks in Game 1 after Embiid injury scare (2024)

Final Bell Ringer Regular Season Totals:
Joel Embiid - 22
Tyrese Maxey - 19
Kelly Oubre Jr. - 10
Tobias Harris - 7
Paul Reed - 4
De’Anthony Melton - 3
Jaden Springer - 3
Ricky Council IV - 2
Buddy Hield - 2
Nico Batum - 1
Patrick Beverley - 1
Danuel House Jr. - 1
Furkan Korkmaz - 1
Kyle Lowry - 1
KJ Martin - 1
Cam Payne - 1
Terquavion Smith - 1

Anyone else exhausted?

The Philadelphia 76ers fell 111-104 in Game 1 of the first round playoff series against the New York Knicks on Saturday, and boy was it a rollercoaster.

The Sixers couldn’t have asked for a much better start. Joel Embiid set the tone offensively scoring the Sixers’ first nine points, Kelly Oubre Jr. looked good defensively on Jalen Brunson and Philadelphia rushed out to a double-digit lead. Embiid was really able to do whatever he wanted in the first, posting 15 points in the frame and leading Philadelphia to a 34-25 advantage after one.

Unfortunately, when the big man headed to the bench to start the second, the Knicks took advantage. New York started with three triples on three attempts to start an 11-2 run that pulled them right back into things. The Knicks ultimately tied the game at 40 apiece by time the Embiid came back in, and they kept up that momentum, taking the lead.

And then, the worst thing that could have happened, happened. The worst whiplash of “OH YES” to “OH GOD NO”, all within a moment. A shockwave that has hit the Sixers team and fandom what feels like countless times, hit again. And like every time before, it hit like a damn truck.

After throwing down a monster self-alley-oop dunk, Embiid hit the floor and immediately grabbed that left knee, clearly in a lot of pain. He was able to eventually walk off to the locker room as the Sixers’ entire season, frankly, hung in the balance. The Knicks took a 12-point lead into the locker room at halftime, outscoring the Sixers a whopping 33-12 in the second, but none of that felt like it even mattered. None of it really did if Embiid was done.

Just as the city of Philadelphia was progressing through the five stages of grief over the Sixers’ season, Embiid returned to the floor for the second half and looked pretty comfortable moving. Time to get back to work.

The Sixers, led by Kyle Lowry and Tyrese Maxey, started bridging the gap in the third. Philadelphia tied New York at 69-69, off a triple from the hands of none other than Embiid. A flare for the dramatic, our big guy. Then Oubre started to heat up, leading the way offensively for the rest of the third along with Maxey. Sixers carried a 82-79 into the final period.

After holding extremely narrow advantages throughout most of the fourth, the Knicks led by six with three minutes to play, their biggest lead of the period to that point. This was going to be a battle, and an uphill one for the Sixers. Maxey cut the deficit to three for a moment, but the Knicks fired right back from long range, just as they had the whole game. New York sank 8 of 15 attempted triples in the second half, and it was enough to outlast the Sixers on Saturday. Knicks take Game 1 of the series 111-104.

The biggest problem for the Sixers on Saturday (minus the Embiid injury debacle) was they were getting destroyed on the boards. It’s not a new problem for this Philadelphia squad, but it really is egregious some outings. This was one of them. The Knicks had 23 offensive rebounds on Saturday with 26 second-chance points. The Sixers had just nine offensive boards and eight second-chance points. It’s honestly surprising that the game was so close with a discrepancy like that.

Well, that was a lot. Good thing there’s no back-to-backs in playoffs because I think we all need a break. Game 2 will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.

Joel Embiid: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Embiid set the tone early for the Sixers’ offense, scoring the team’s first nine points on Saturday by way of a triple and two and-one conversions. It was established pretty early that he wasn’t going to get many foul calls in this one. That’s not even me just being a homer. Look at what was probably the most egregious early example of a no-call:

But I digress. It didn’t seem to slow Embiid down, anyway, who posted 15 first-period points on 5-for-9 field goal shooting.

He was getting back to work in the later half of the second period when he put up a nasty dunk, an alley-oop to himself. And then, in a split second, the entire team and fanbase were sent a shockwave they know all too well — Embiid was down, holding that left knee that has plagued his season. He was able to walk off on his own, straight to the locker room, and everyone held their breaths through the last few minutes of the second and throughout halftime. Embiid returned to the floor for the second half. And he looked like he was moving relatively comfortably. OK, back to basketball. Exhale.

He wasn’t at maximum aggression after the injury scare, but he wasn’t done competing by any means. He continued to contribute however he could, with some great assists and personally tacking on 11 points in the second half.

He finished this one with 29 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Tyrese Maxey: 33 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

With OG Anunoby on his heels throughout this one, Maxey had his work cut out for him on Saturday. After a pretty lackluster first half, Maxey was 5-for-14 from the floor for 12 points.

Then, a huge third period for Maxey, and in turn, for the Sixers. It seemed like he suddenly tapped in. He no longer was forcing jumpers that just weren’t falling for him in this one, and instead opted to fall back on his bread and butter: speedy drives. Suddenly, it no longer mattered who the Knicks had in the paint to try to stop him. Dancing and weaving, he made their defense look like traffic cones.

He put up 12 points in the frame, combining with Lowry and Oubre to help the Sixers fight back from a double-digit deficit and even take a narrow lead going into the final frame. This game would have been long over without the effort and burst of production from the young guard in the third. He tacked on nine more points in the fourth as the Sixers were trying desperately to catch back up with the Knicks, falling just short.

After putting up 21 points on 9-for-12 field goal shooting in the second half, Maxey finished this one leading the field with 33 points. He also had two rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

Kyle Lowry: 18 points (4 triples), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Photo Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

After bringing just three points into the second half, Lowry stepped it up in the third as the Sixers were mounting their comeback from down double-digits. In a span of three minutes, Lowry put up 12 points and had a steal. It was what kept the Sixers afloat with Embiid still getting back into the game and the Knicks looking to take the opportunity to pull away.

That’s not to say Lowry was only good in the third, though. Lowry was constantly a nuisance on defense for the Knicks throughout. It was just his offense that was pretty centralized in the third. Even when that’s the case, Lowry continues to be an absolute benefit to the Sixers when he’s on the floor.

He finished with 18 points (four triples), four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block.