Philadelphia 76ers fans and its management are still not ready to get over their controversial loss from Game 2 against the New York Knicks. Tom Thibodeau recently shared that he wasn’t worried about all the ruckus and was “locked on Game 3.“ However, once again, Sixers star Joel Embiid gave a tenacious statement, “We should be up 2-0” asserting they would go on to eventually win the playoff series. But just like the Knicks head coach, their lead player Josh Hart is not picking up any rant from the past as he shut down optimistic claims from their rivals.

“I don’t care. They’re not. We’re up 2-0,” Hart just seemed fed up with the ruckus revolving around the last minutes from Game 2 going again and again. Knicks star even hinted with his statement that the NBA runs on the points and leads instead of individual opinions. Pointing out Embiid’s claims, Hart responded, “When the NBA starts basing the series on what we think, then I’ll care a little bit more.”

Josh Hart was not so concerned about the last two-minute thriller as he said in his post-match interaction. Hart shared they had “nothing to lose” in those moments, so things got physical. Moreover, it was a calculated layup from Jalen Brunson at the end. Ultimately, DiVincenzo seized the game with his 3-point shot after missing the first one.

Can Joel Embiid and Co. stop the Knicks?

The trio of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo brought the Knicks back into the game at the climax of Game 2. But Tyrese Maxey’s charged performance remained a threat to the Knicks. Maxey scored 35 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds in the last game, barely missing his triple-double. Along with his 30+ point haul in Game 1, overall, in a total of 70 games that he played, Philly’s No. 2 averaged 25.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. Considering his explosive numbers, the Knicks will continue having a tough time against him.

Apart from Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers have also got support from their star player, Joel Embiid. Despite his left knee injury recovery, Embiid has scored 30 or more points in four of the last five games. But the Sixers’ recovery will be tested at Game 3, as Jalen Brunson has been a wall all year. He has averaged 22.3 points and 7.8 assists in four regular-season games against Philly.

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Shooting guard and Jalen’s teammate, Josh Hart, has leveled up since the inception of the playoffs. The NBA prospect has registered consecutive double-doubles in the first two playoff games. Both sides have players who have been continuously delivering consistent, high-quality performances.

Taking a glance at the Knicks and 76ers as competitors, Joel Embiid’s claims are not going to make a difference on the court. ‘The Process’ and Tyrese Maxey need to further step up their game in order to get back in the playoff series. Watching how the Sixers duo will break the coordination among the Knicks trio will be interesting.