Knicks Notes: Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride, Jalen Brunson

The Knicks didn’t get their celebration at home after finishing off a sweep of the Sixers on Sunday. Felt like it anyway.

Plenty of New York fans filled Xfinity Mobile Arena and watched a 144-114 rout. That made it seven straight wins and sent the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Josh Hart, back in his old Villanova stomping grounds, noticed.

“I used to think Philly was a sports town. I don’t know if it is anymore,” he said, via ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill. “Everybody was begging for Philly fans not to sell their tickets. It never felt like a road game.”

Philadelphia didn’t have much to cheer. New York had control from the jump. The Knicks hit 18 three-pointers in the first half to tie an NBA record and led by 24 at the break.

They’ve outscored opponents by 19.4 points per game through two rounds. That’s the best margin for any team entering the conference finals since the playoffs expanded 42 years ago.

Still, no one in that locker room is getting ahead of themselves.

“Our team, the first year with each other, beating Boston last year we were very excited,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “This year, we’re locked into the moment. There’s a lot more work to do.”

Towns dictating

Towns kept things humming as a facilitator. He handed out nine assists in the first half alone and finished with 10, logging just four minutes after halftime with the game out of reach.

The shift came earlier in the playoffs, when coach Mike Brown leaned into Towns as more of a playmaker.

“Shout out to our team,” Towns said, via Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “We found a way to stabilize our season and do what was needed to adjust to Atlanta. Credit to the coaching staff for the adjustments and to me that they trusted me.”

McBride brings edge

Miles McBride stepped in for the injured OG Anunoby and didn’t blink. He drilled seven three-pointers and set the tone with his aggressiveness.

“I feel like our mindset shifted,” McBride said, via Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “We know we’re the better team, but we can’t expect to win. They’re talented too. We decided to take the game instead of waiting for it.”

Brunson’s calm 

The franchise spent years chasing stars. It found one in Jalen Brunson, writes James L. Edwards of The Athletic.

He may not fit the traditional mold, but his impact has been undeniable since arriving from Dallas in 2022.

Brown summed it up simply.

“What’s the dude’s name on Snoopy? Linus?” he said. “He’s got a blanket. I’m Linus, and Jalen is my blanket. He helps me relax. That’s what great players do. They keep you poised and make the game easier for everybody.”