Knicks Take 3-0 Lead as Brunson Drops 33 and Paul George Disappears

Nova Knicks Pushing Sixers to the Brink of Elimination The New York Knicks are officially a wagon. Jalen Brunson poured in 33 points and sealed the deal late as the Knicks rolled to a 108-94 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3. New York now holds a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit. The "Nova Knicks" connection was in full effect. Brunson, Josh Hart (12 points, 11 rebounds), and Mikal Bridges (23 points) took turns dismantling the Sixers in the fourth quarter. They turned a tight four-point game into another double-digit blowout, sending the Philadelphia crowd to the exits early. Embiid Returns, But Where Was Paul George? Joel Embiid returned to the lineup after missing Game 2 with ankle and hip issues, dropping 18 points. But the real story for the Sixers was the disappearing act of Paul George. PG-13 scored 15 points in the first quarter and then went completely scoreless for the rest of the game, missing all nine of his shot attempts. You can't win playoff games when your max-contract star ghosts the final three quarters. "I guess it's good when New York wins," Embiid said after the game, a clear shot at the Knicks fans who took over the arena in Philadelphia. The Knicks' Depth Advantage Even without OG Anunoby (strained hamstring, day-to-day), the Knicks have more than enough firepower. Landry Shamet came off the bench and scored 15 points after totaling just 14 in the entire postseason prior to Game 3. When your role players are stepping up like that, you know you're in a good spot. First-year coach Mike Brown summed it up perfectly: "Yeah, OK, we might have a chance at this." Betting Angles: Game 4 Sweep Watch The books are expecting the Sixers to put up a fight to avoid the sweep, listing Philadelphia as slight 1.5 to 2.5-point favorites at home for Game 4 on Sunday. The moneyline sits around -125 for the Sixers, while the Knicks offer solid plus-money value (+105) to break out the brooms. If you're looking at the total, the over/under is set at 213.5. Given the physical, grind-it-out nature of this series and the Knicks' suffocating defense, the under looks tempting. The series odds tell the full story: Knicks -1000, 76ers +650. History says this one is over. --- Related reading: - NBA Conference Semifinals Recap: Knicks Crush 76ers by 39, Wolves Pull Massive Upset in San Antonio - NBA Playoff Recap: Embiid Erupts for 33 as Sixers Force Game 6, Magic on Brink of Historic Upset - Knicks Make History With 51-Point Closeout Win Over Hawks