Knicks open semis with 137-98 demolition of 76ers

New York is playing like a team that's already in the conference finals. The Knicks beat the Sixers 137-98 in Game 1 of the East semis on Monday and it wasn't even that close. Jalen Brunson scored 35 in 31 minutes — 27 of them in the first half — and watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench. The Sixers got down 30 in the second quarter and never got it under 25 again.

The shooting numbers are absurd. Knicks shot 61.4% from the field. Four starters scored in double figures. Karl-Anthony Towns went 7-of-11 for 17 in 20 minutes. OG Anunoby was 7-of-8. Mikal Bridges added 17 of his own on 7-of-10. Embiid played, scored, and looked like a shell. Tyrese Maxey was the only Sixer who showed up. By the third quarter, Tom Thibodeau was emptying his bench.

Four straight playoff wins by 16-plus points. Three straight by 29-plus. The Knicks haven't been this dominant in the postseason since the early '90s and they're doing it without a single moment of nervous tension. Brunson against this Sixers defense is the most one-sided scoring matchup in the bracket. Game 2 is Wednesday in New York. Philly has to either find a switch or start counting down to summer.