Knicks' three-point barrage in Game 4 sends 76ers home

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) reacts with guard Jalen Brunson (11) and guard Mikal Bridges (25) against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during Game 4 of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Knicks' three-point barrage in Game 4 sends 76ers home

By Sean Keane | Last updated May 10, 2026 6:50 PM ET

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It would have been a long shot for the Philadelphia 76ers to rally back from a 3-0 deficit against the New York Knicks. After the Knicks set a record for long shots in the first quarter, the four-game sweep was assured.

The Knicks shot 11-for-13 in the first quarter from behind the arc, tying the NBA playoff record for threes in a quarter. They led by 19 points after one quarter, then sank seven more triples in the second to overwhelm the Sixers on their way to a 144-114 Game 4 victory.

New York Knicks couldn't miss in the first quarter

Joel Embiid won the opening tip, and Tyrese Maxey scored the first basket of the game. It was all downhill after that for Philly.

With 8:21 to go in the first quarter, Miles McBride hit his first three-pointer. With 6:59 to go in the first, McBride hit his fourth three-pointer, scoring 12 points in 82 seconds on four consecutive possessions. Jalen Brunson sank three threes in the quarter, and Landry Shamet came off the bench to hit back-to-back threes late in the quarter.

McBride was red-hot in Game 4, finishing with a team-leading 25 points, finishing 7-for-9 from distance. He's been great stepping into the starting lineup with OG Anunoby injured, though Philadelphia's Paul George was slow to close out on his shots, even when McBride had hit three in a row.

MILES MCBUCKETS!!!!! pic.twitter.com/sFayWNsGbw
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) May 10, 2026

Landry Shamet makes the Knicks bench more potent

Shamet has taken advantage of Anunoby's absence to remind Knicks coach Mike Brown what a potent shooter he has on the bench. One game after scoring 15 points in Game 3, Shamet shot 4-for-6 behind the arc in Game 4, finishing with 12 points in 11 minutes.

Under Brown, the Knicks have consciously increased their three-point volume this season. During the playoffs, Shamet, McBride, Anunoby and Brunson are all averaging over two three-pointers per game. The Knicks finished shooting 57 percent from deep in Game 4, even with backup bigs Ariel Hukporti and Mohamed Diawara launching threes in garbage time.

It all added up to an avalanche of shots that buried the 76ers, who had no chance with the Knicks shooting 44 percent from deep for the series. It's also a great sign for the Knicks heading into the Eastern Conference Finals, since neither the Detroit Pistons nor the Cleveland Cavaliers tends to limit their opponents' three-point attempts.

After all, there's a foolproof way to thwart an elite rim protector like Joel Embiid, Jalen Duren or former Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley: Shoot over them. The Knicks did it in Game 4, and it was a can't-miss strategy.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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