The New York Knicks are in total command after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 108-94 on Friday to go up 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. It was the tag team of Jalen Brunson and Miles Bridges that carried the orange and blue to victory.
It was Brunson, their ultimate playmaker, who carried the team on his back. He finished with a game-high 33 points, shot 11-for-22 from the field, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out nine assists.
After the game, it might as well have been Madison Square Garden instead of the Xfinity Bank Arena in Philadelphia. Fans immediately started shouting âMVP!â as Brunson walked off the court, per Sny Knicks videos.
MVP chants for Jalen Brunson in Philly ð¥ pic.twitter.com/vSrx79RCoZ
â Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 9, 2026
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Back in February, Brunson was considered a long shot for the NBA MVP. After all, he is having to go up against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, who are the top frontrunners. Despite that, Brunson averaged 26.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in the regular season. Last December, he helped lead the Knicks to the NBA Cup title over the San Antonio Spurs. In the process, he came away with MVP honors, averaging 33.2 points, 5.8 assists, and shooting 53% from the field.
That consistency has sustained during the postseason, averaging 26. 3 points and six assists per game. Charles Barkley went on todub Brunson a GOATbecause of it.
Not to be outdone, Bridges continued to elevate his game with 23 points and shooting 8-for-14 from the field. The Knicks now seemed poised to close it all out on Sunday for the sweep. If so, they will make their second consecutive appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The New York Knicks are in total command after defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 108-94 on Friday to go up 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. It was the tag team of Jalen Brunson and Miles Bridges that carried the orange and blue to victory. It was Brunson, their ultimate playmaker, who carried the team on his back.