PHILADELPHIA — In the wake of winning Game 3 with at least one play labeled “dirty” by the Knicks, Sixers coach Nick Nurse didn’t want his team to tone it down.
“I think about every time these two teams play each other — regular season or playoffs — it’s a rivalry, man,” Nurse said Friday.
“It’s intense. It’s got history. It’s physical. Now, it’s the playoffs on top of it, right? As far as did I say, ‘Hey calm down’? No. I think they were kinda isolated incidents. It seemed like they happened right on top of each other there for a bit. They just happened, but it’s physical, man. You never know when there’s gonna be a real physical play in that game. It just so happened to be early.”
Joel Embiid was at the center of the physicality while picking up a flagrant foul for dragging down Mitchell Robinson from the court, kicking Robinson in the groin on a jumper and kneeing Isaiah Hartenstein in the groin off the dribble.
Kyle Lowry also got a flagrant foul for slapping Donte DiVincenzo in the face.
All those plays happened in the first half.
This is the first time the Sixers and Knicks are playing in the postseason since 1989.
From a historical numbers standpoint, here’s what at stake for the Knicks in Sunday’s Game 4:
Teams that have been up 3-1 have won the series 95.4 percent of the time, with a notable exception being the 2016 NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavaliers.
If the Sixers even it at 2-2, the series remains on serve — meaning the home teams haven’t yet lost — and the Knicks hold a much slighter statistical advantage.
Game 5 at MSG, the swing game, would then be high drama.
Immanuel Quickley is now with the Raptors awaiting restricted free agency but he still is sticking up for the Knicks.
Asked about Embiid not getting ejected in Game 2 for taking down Robinson, Quickley told FanDuel’s NBA show, “If that was anybody else, I don’t know if he’d get the same call.”
Speaking of former Knicks, here’s an account of what recent castoffs are doing around the NBA:
Obi Toppin: In the playoff rotation for the Pacers but shot just 35 percent and averaged 17 minutes in the first two games.
Cam Reddish: Terrible second half of the season with the Lakers and an injury DNP in their first three playoff games.
RJ Barrett: Averaged 21.8 points on 55 percent shooting over 32 games after getting traded to the lottery-bound Raptors.
Evan Fournier: Will become a free agent this summer after 29 underwhelming appearances with the Pistons.
Quentin Grimes: Appeared in just eight games with the Pistons after being traded from New York and it’s unlikely he’ll get an extension before next season, which will make Grimes a 2025 restricted free agent.