‘Villanova in the house’: Jalen Brunson plays maestro again in Knicks’ decisive Game 6 victory

Apparently still in maestro-mode, Jalen Brunson — fresh off the 41-point performance that helped the New York Knicks dispatch the Sixers, 118-115, on Thursday at the Wells Fargo Center — conducted an impromptu chant with a member of the New York Media.

“Villanova in the house,” the media member said.

“Say that again,” said Brunson, feigning a momentary lapse in hearing.

“Villanova in the house …”

“One more time,” Brunson urged.

“Villanova in the house …”

The ‘Nova Knicks were critical to New York ending the series, 4-2, and advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs, where the Indiana Pacers await. The Pacers closed out Milwaukee on Thursday.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ season ends in 118-115 Game 6 loss to Knicks despite Joel Embiid’s 39 points

In addition to another 40-point performance, Brunson added 12 assists, including one to Josh Hart when he buried the eventual game-winning three-pointer with 25.1 seconds remaining.

“I just liked the way we just kept fighting,” Brunson said. “I think that’s what we’ve been talking about all year. Just make sure we keep fighting no matter what. It doesn’t matter what the situation is. We’re going to stick together and we’re going to fight.”

Hart, who like Brunson attended Villanova, finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 exercised demon from Game 5.

“It feels great, especially after last game,” Hart said. “I felt that loss was on my shoulder … so I had a day and a half to think about that. That’s really all I thought about.”

Before Tyrese Maxey in Game 5 helped the Sixers whittle a six-point Knicks edge in the final 25 seconds at Madison Square Garden, Hart, with his team ahead by two points, made just one of two free throws.

Maxey then hit a three that sent the game into overtime, where the Sixers prevailed.

Hart praised Brunson for finding him in Game 6 with the game on the line.

“I think it shows the unselfishness of JB to get the ball out of his hands when he got trapped,” Hart said. “[Donte DiVincenzo] was knocking down shots, so you couldn’t leave him, so it just feels good after I lost the game for us, I was able to help win the game for us …”

DiVincenzo, a third Villanova player, finished with 23 points, hitting 5-of-9 from three, most of which occurred in the first quarter, when the Knicks sprinted to a 22-point lead.

It was guarding Maxey, however, that seemed to light DiVincenzo’s fuse.

“Having a tough matchup like that,” he said, “you have to be locked in from the very beginning, so I think that got me going early, and then when you’re playing with unselfish guys you’re going to get open looks.”

OG Anunoby added 19 points, nine rebounds, and two steals, while Isaiah Hartenstein supplied 14 points and nine rebounds.

Maxey finished with 17 points on 6-of-18 shooting.

Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 39 points, though he scored only six in the fourth quarter. In contrast, Brunson scored 14 in the final frame.

“And then Jalen, of course, you just can’t say enough about him,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.

“He hit every big shot,” Thibodeau said. “They’re getting the ball out of his hands and our guys did a good job of spacing and then getting the ball back to him and creating the right shots for him. And then his shot-making and tough plays. His ability to … he gets knocked down, he gets right back up and he keeps going. He never stops.”

» READ MORE: The Sixers landed on wrong side, but they fought against the Knicks — and officials — in an epic Game 6

Brunson, typically the conductor on the court, took a backseat in the news conference.

Perhaps he was exhausted from the 13-of-27 performance or from torching the Sixers for 47, 46, and 41 points in the final three games of the series.

At the news conference, Hart and DiVincenzo joked, laughed, and tossed candy to New York media members before finally getting serious about their bond.

“It’s amazing because we have great friendships,” Hart said. “We love each other. We’re like brothers.”

“On a serious note,” DiVincenzo added, “I think on the court you have the ability to bring everybody together, make adjustments, and have that open line of communication with nobody taking offense.

“I think everybody’s goal here is to win, and it’s easier when you have two guys who you’ve played with already, so you know when sometimes things get heated, it’s coming from the right place, and that translates to everybody and everybody is able to talk to each other in that way.”