76ers most to blame for Game 3 loss to Knicks

The series might not have been over after the Philadelphia 76ers heartbreakingly lost a back-and-forth Game 2 against the New York Knicks back on Wednesday. But it might be over now that the 76ers are down 3-0 after suffering a 108-94 defeat on Friday night in Game 3 at home.

No team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the playoffs, and while this 76ers team did just come back from a 3-1 deficit in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, this New York Knicks team has proven to be a much more difficult matchup than the Boston Celtics were.

Unlike in the first round where Joel Embiid was dominant against the Celtics’ frontline, Embiid hasn’t found as much joy against the Knicks frontcourt composed of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. And the Knicks have the defensive weapons on the perimeter to slow down the 76ers’ main offensive creators, which has slowed down Philly considerably.

The 76ers are staring the end of their season in the face, and they have nobody to blame but themselves for going down 3-0 against this Knicks team that’s turned things around since Game 3 of their first-round clash against the Atlanta Hawks.

But these players have to be kicking themselves for not playing up to the standard that was necessary to avoid going down an inescapable hole in this series.

Paul George’s playoff run is turning sour in a hurry

Paul George became quite the hero for the 76ers in the aftermath of their first-round comeback against the Celtics. He was playing elite defense on the Celtics’ stars all while making timely triples and holding down the fort on offense when Embiid and Tyrese Maxey need a breather.

George, however, has not been as good against the Knicks as he was against the Celtics. He was the lone bright spot for the 76ers in their blowout loss to the Knicks in Game 1, but in Games 2 and 3, George has encountered the same old story he’s faced in recent playoff years.

In Game 2, George was a reliable hand on offense through the first half, but he proceeded to shoot just 2-9 in the second half, including an 0-5 stinker in the fourth quarter, as the 76ers lost a close game to the Knicks.

He became the subject of criticism on social media for disappearing when it mattered the most, and he became a laughingstock on social media after he hoisted up an airball in the dying embers of a game that was, theoretically, still within reach.

And then in Game 3 on Friday night, George was non-existent for the final three quarters as the 76ers lost control of the game. He came out of the gates firing, scoring 15 points in the first quarter while shooting 6-9 from the field and 3-4 from beyond the arc.

George then went out and threw up a goose egg in the final 36 minutes of the ballgame, missing all nine of his field-goal attempts from thereon out to finish with the same point total he had in the first.

At this point of his career, George is a defensive specialist who can hit triples, as his utility off the bounce has fallen off as he’s aged and his athleticism has declined. That makes him a very helpful player still. But the 76ers need him to do more. After all, he’s making max money, and he needs to deliver as such for his team — especially with Embiid ailing and Maxey not being at his best.

Tyrese Maxey needs to be more aggressive

Stan Van Gundy, on the commentary booth, was urging Maxey to be more aggressive. But perhaps the heavy workload is catching up with him. Maxey could barely get downhill against the Knicks’ defense, and he ended up taking just 12 shots on the night.

Maxey took the fourth-most shots for his team, which simply cannot happen in a must-win game. George led the team in shots (18) and Embiid came in second (17), but there’s no way that Kelly Oubre Jr. must have more shots (16) than Maxey has.

The Knicks’ defense deserves credit for slowing Maxey down, but Maxey has to be better and more assertive moving forward.

The 76ers’ defense might be cooked

The 76ers tried to aggressively get the ball out of Jalen Brunson’s hands, but the Knicks simply have too many weapons who can exploit the open space this creates. Even without OG Anunoby, the 76ers were having difficulties stringing stops together, and to make matters worse, they were also losing the rebound battle (49-33).

It’s just difficult for the 76ers since Embiid is clearly far from 100 percent and he could barely bend his back to try and catch passes that are low. Embiid cannot move as well on defense, and the Knicks have been taking advantage of it — leading to the 76ers’ struggles.

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