Sixers-Knicks news: Knicks take Game 1, 111-104, but not before a valiant comeback fueled by Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey at the Garden

Shake Milton has known Tyrese Maxey for nearly a decade.

So when they were 76ers teammates, Milton was never surprised when Maxey produced dominant scoring performances.

Now that he’s with the New York Knicks, Milton smiled when the conversation turned to Maxey becoming an All-Star.

All of Nick Nurse’s previous playoff coaching experience came with OG Anunoby at his side. The two won an NBA championship together in Toronto in 2019, Nurse’s first season as head coach of the Raptors.

But now Nurse is coaching against Anunoby, and fellow former Raptor Precious Achiuwa, as the Sixers face the Knicks in his first playoff run in Philly.

“That happens a lot now when you’ve been in the league a little bit longer,” Nurse said. “Me and Kyle [Lowry] against OG and Precious tonight? I don't think that's the matchups, but today you’ll see it, next series I’m sure it’ll be someone else.”

In his eighth NBA season, Buddy Hield will finally experience his first playoffs.

Following Wednesday’s play-in victory over the Miami Heat, Hield expressed appreciation for reaching that career benchmark. That came after a strong finish to the regular season, including seven points and six assists Wednesday to help fuel the Sixers’ second-half turnaround. He has also been the NBA’s ultimate ironman this season, playing in 86 games including Wednesday and the In-Season Tournament finals.

Hield is one of several Sixers role players who could have a significant impact on this series. Oubre has turned into an important attacker on offense, to finish at the rim and distribute to open teammates. Batum is coming off a 20-point explosion against the Heat, but is consistently valuable as a defender and passer. Paul Reed will need to focus on playing within himself during his minutes when Embiid is off the floor.

As the No. 7 seed in their first-round series, which begins at 6 p.m. Saturday at Madison Square Garden, The Sixers would avoid a nightmare second-round matchup with the top-seed Boston Celtics. But because of injuries to the Milwaukee Bucks’ best players, the more likely outcome has them in line to face an Indiana Pacers squad that defeated them in two of this season’s three meetings in the conference semifinals.

Despite that regular-season outcome, the Sixers would be favored if Joel Embiid can stay healthy. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder is the league’s most dominant player. And the Sixers could be the East’s most talented team outside of Boston.

But, according to recent history, the second round is where Sixers teams go to die.

When asked Wednesday night for his initial thoughts on the Knicks, Tyrese Maxey rattled off these descriptors.

Grimy.

Physical.

Joel Embiid is listed as questionable on the Sixer's injury report, but is expected to play, according to The Inquirer's Keith Pompey.

Embiid played 38 minutes in the Sixers' win over the Miami Heat Wednesday, but at times appeared bothered by the same left knee that forced him off the court for two months.

“Hopefully, every day gets better,” Embiid told reporters following the win against the Heat. “We’ll just keep managing it."

The Knicks won three of this season’s four series meetings against the Sixers. All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson, a former Villanova standout, averaged 22.3 points, 7.8 assists, and 3.0 rebounds during those four games.

However, New York will be without All-Star Julius Randle, who opted earlier this month to have season-ending shoulder surgery.

Sixers All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey averaged 26.3 points, 6.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds in three games against the Knicks.

This season has been another giant leap for Jalen Brunson, the crafty-yet-undersized point guard who spent much of his childhood living in Cherry Hill before playing at Villanova, where he became a two-time college basketball national champion and Player of the Year.

The 27-year-old has been one of the NBA’s premier success stories, as a first-time All-Star, likely All-NBA selection, and legitimate MVP candidate in his sixth season.

Brunson averaged 28.7 points and 6.7 assists as he led the Knicks’ rejuvenation following years of dysfunction. The storied franchise captured 50 wins for the first time since 2012-13 and landed the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed despite missing All-Star big man Julius Randle for a chunk of the season.

The Sixers are back on NBC Sports Philadelphia tonight as they take on the New York Knicks in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Kate Scott, in her third season as the TV voice of the Sixers, will call all the action alongside analyst Alaa Abdelnaby.

Sixers Pregame Live will air at 5:30 p.m., featuring Amy Fadool, Jim Lynam, and Marc Jackson. Sixers Postgame Live will air immediately following the game.

Despite losing Jimmy Butler to a right MCL injury, the Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls 112-91 in their Friday night play-in game. That makes them the final playoff team in the Eastern Conference, meaning they'll take on the Boston Celtics beginning Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Butler is expected to miss several weeks.

If the Sixers manage to defeat the New York Knicks, Philly would face the winner of Milwaukee Bucks (No. 3) vs. Indiana Pacers (No. 6) series in the second round of the playoffs.