NBA playoffs 2024: New York Knicks seal series win over Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers eliminate Milwaukee Bucks
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Published 03/05/2024 at 09:56 GMT+1
It was a landmark night for the New York Knicks, who powered their way into the NBA Eastern Conference playoff semi-finals. Josh Hart, Donte Divincenzo and Jalen Brunson spoke to the media after sealing a 4-2 win in their first-round playoff series over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks will face the Indiana Pacers in the next round after they eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
NBA highlights: Knicks, Pacers seal series wins with classic Game 6 displays
Josh Hart hailed the team spirit inside the New York Knicks after they claimed a 4-2 series win over the Philadelphia 76ers to progress into the NBA Eastern Conference playoff semi-finals.
Hart netted a 3-pointer with just 24.4 seconds remaining which helped the Knicks to prevail 118-115 in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series.
Jalen Brunson top scored for the Knicks with 41 points and 12 assists to help the New York outfit progress into the semi-finals of the playoffs in successive years.
Brunson managed to score at least 40 points or more in each of the final three games of this series to emulate the achievement of Bernard King 40 years ago.
He also became the first player to score 40 to close out a series since Michael Jordan achieved the feat for the Chicago Bulls against the Cleveland Cavaliers 35 years ago.
“It's amazing; we have great friendship. We love each other, we're like brothers,” said Hart in a post-match press conference.
Donte Divincenzo spoke about the bond which he, Brunson and Hart have in particular, after the trio featured together at college level for Villanova University in Philadelphia.
“On a serious note, on the court you have the ability to bring everybody together, bring adjustments and have that open line of communication where nobody takes offence,” he explained.
“Everybody's goal here is to win and it's easier when you have two guys that you've played with formerly.
“Naturally when things get heated, you know it's coming from the right place, and that translates to everybody.”
Both DiVincenzo and Hart played a telling role to prevent a first-half collapse, which could have forced this series into a seventh-game decider.
DiVincenzo scored 23 points in the space of 48 minutes, while Hart added 16 and was able to right the wrongs of a missed free throw in Game 5.
“I felt that loss is on my shoulders,” Hart said in quotes published by nba.com. “I had a day-and-a-half to think about that. That’s really all I thought about.”
Overall it was a sobering night for the 76ers despite Joel Embiid amassing 39 points and 13 rebounds, with Buddy Hield adding a further 20 points.
Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers secured a 4-2 series victory over the Milwaukee Bucks to set up a playoff series with the Knicks, which starts on Monday night.
Bench players were key to the Pacers win with T.J. McConnell scoring 20 points and Obi Toppin adding 21 points as they reached the Eastern Conference semi-final for the first time in a decade.
"It means a lot," McConnell said. "Not getting into the playoffs since the bubble, not being able to advance since 2014, we take great pride in being able to advance and extend our season.
"Milwaukee has a great team and, if I can be honest with you, I think our bench has taken a couple steps back competitive wise and I think tonight all of us went out there with the mentality we're going to take it to another level."
The Bucks struggled with injuries throughout the series with star players Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo missing key games as the 2021 NBA champions exited the postseason.
"It's definitely disappointing because you know how much better of a team we are when he [Antetokounmpo] is on the floor and how much things change when he's on the floor," Lillard said.
"You play an entire 82-game season. You go through training camp, you go through all the ups and downs of a NBA regular season, and you get to the point where, all right, now we're going to play for everything. And you're not whole. You don't have the best opportunity to reach where you want reach. So it is frustrating, it's disappointing, but it's part of the game."
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