May 03, 2026
Bill Streicher/Imagn Images
Two of the NBA's most dynamic guards will face off with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals on the line.
BOSTON – For two weeks, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse spent every moment focused on the Boston Celtics. His best three-game stretch since arriving in Philadelphia helped the Sixers erase a 3-1 series deficit and advance for the first time in franchise history, the 14th time in NBA history and the first time in the league since 2020.
Nurse only gave his team two hours to enjoy Saturday night’s thrilling Game 7 win at TD Garden. The New York Knicks, who eliminated the Sixers in an epic six-game series two years ago, are waiting.
What does Nurse think of the Sixers’ newest opponents?
“We’ve played them a lot,” Nurse said on Saturday night. "It seems like it’s been a while, though, now, for this season. I think they’re very good. I think their starting lineup’s incredible. I think they continue to bolster their bench. I think they can play in a variety of ways, with one big, two bigs. [Jalen] Brunson’s obviously a big problem, the rebounding’s a big problem. Much bigger team in general, all around, than we just saw. So I think they’re very good. I think it’s going to be a tremendous challenge.”
New York, coming off a six-game series win over the Atlanta Hawks that the Knicks punctuated by notching a road blowout of historic proportions, has the rest advantage going into the series. Beginning Monday, the Sixers and Knicks will play every other day, with the only extra off day coming in between a potential Game 6 and Game 7.
The full schedule for the upcoming second-round series between the Sixers and Knicks, as announced by the NBA on Saturday night:
Eastern Conference Semifinals schedule: New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/q1UMwKeGDu
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 3, 2026
