The New York Knicks have seen their second-round opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers, before.
This time, they have more reinforcements than they did in 2024. But Karl-Anthony Towns, who thrived in Round 1 against the Atlanta Hawks, has a much taller task ahead of him when it comes to his matchups.
It's no insult to the Hawks to point out that they don't have anyone in the frontcourt that can play at the level of Joel Embiid. It's not even close. Towns might not be able to impact the game the same way as a playmaker. And potentially more importantly, both he and Mitchell Robinson need to make sure that they don't commit unneccesary fouls that keep them on the sideline.
Knicks' hopes vs. 76ers hinge on Towns, Robinson being up to tall task
Robinson was essential to New York's 2024 playoff series victory over the 76ers, with Tom Thibodeau finding himself able to deploy the center alongside combinations of OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Josh Hart to help contain the MVP-winning center playing for Nick Nurse.
The 76ers' head coach acknowledged some of the challenges that Robinson can present, telling media before the series began that Robinson's tools give him the ability to immediately impact what's happening on the court.
"He's really big, and strong, and athletic, and long. Everybody knows he impacts the game, that's for sure,” Nurse told ClutchPoints and other outlets ahead of Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.
Robinson will need to make the most of his stature, as well as his defensive instincts and experience, to help impede Embiid's scoring efforts. The big man had 34 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in Philadelphia's closeout win over the Boston Celtics, completing their 3-1 comeback.
And his 50-point performance in Game 3 against the Knicks in 2024 should still be fresh in the memories of Knick fans, too.
Towns' offense has added a dimension to New York's offense that will prove crucial to their chances of shining brighter than Philadelphia. But he, just like Robinson, will need to make sure that he can stay on the court in order for his group to reap the full benefits of his impact.
If both of the Knicks' starting-caliber centers can stay on the court throughout the series, whether it's health or foul trouble trying to take them off of it, the team should once again be able to handle the plethora of threats presented by Embiid on both sides of the court.
But if the Knicks get in their own way, or if the injury big comes to bite, they might end up struggling.
For the sake of their championship expectations, they'll need to simply control what they can and play smart against the Sixers. The rest will have to fall into place.
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