PHILADELPHIA — In the long run, the Philadelphia 76ers could not win a road brawl in entrance of a raucous Wells Fargo Heart crowd, and now their season is on life assist.

That is as a result of Joel Embiid had little assist from his teammates on Sunday because the New York Knicks topped Sixers’ 97-92 in Recreation 4 of the best-of-7 Jap Convention first-round sequence.

The Knicks took a 3-1 sequence lead and might shut it out with a win in Recreation 5 in New York.

The Sixers had their probabilities. Down by 4 within the last minute, Embiid missed inside. The Knicks bought the rebound, however Josh Hart missed two free throws. The Sixers bought to inside 3 on a Kyle Lowry free throw with 7.5 seconds left. They by no means bought one other probability.

Embiid completed with 27 factors and 10 rebounds whereas enjoying by way of a knee damage and Bell’s Palsey. Nevertheless it was not sufficient to counter the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, who had 47 factors, and the Knicks’ relentless protection.

For many of the recreation, the 2 groups have been buying and selling shot for shot and going blow for blow. It was bodily, however the Knicks made the clutch performs on the finish.

Nonetheless, Embiid needed to play your complete second half, sitting out solely 4 minutes to start out the second quarter, at a raucous Wells Fargo Heart, with loads of Knicks followers readily available.

Whereas Embiid sat early, the Knicks instantly erased the Sixers’ 10-point lead.

The Knicks have been up by a degree to start out the fourth as a result of Brunson had 38 of the Knicks’ 77 factors by way of 3 quarters.

Embiid wasn’t getting a lot assist from his teammates. The Knicks took a 5-point lead early within the fourth quarter after Nicolas Batum and Tobias Harris had dunks blocked. Brunson, in the meantime, stored scoring.

Then the Knicks actually turned up the protection. With the Sixers down 3 with just below 3 minutes left, Embiid was lined up for a 3-point shot. However Treasured Achiuwa blocked it into the stands off Embiid, giving the Knicks the ball.

Tyrese Maxey additionally struggled. He scored 23 factors, however he made simply 8 of 21 pictures.

Now, the Sixers should win three straight video games to maintain their season from ending.

Donte DiVincenzo heats up after gradual begin, however Brunson steals present

It took some time for Donte DiVincenzo to get going for the Knicks. He missed his first 6 pictures by way of the halfway level of the third quarter after going 2-for-7 in Recreation 3.

However then DiVincenzo hit two straight 3-pointers, slicing the Sixers’ 8-point result in 1. Jalen Brunson, in the meantime, was scoring all through the sport. He had 38 factors by way of 3 quarters. His three-point play with 5 seconds left within the body gave the Knicks a 77-76 lead heading into the fourth.

Embiid rips Sixers followers as visiting Knicks followers are louder in Philly

For 2 house video games, Embiid and the 76ers have heard the raucous Knicks followers invading the Wells Fargo Heart, shouting “MVP! MVP! MVP!” each time Brunson made a shot, cheering and at instances out-shouting Sixers followers.

And it did not sit nicely with the Sixers star heart. “Disappointing,” Embiid stated when requested in regards to the Knicks followers in Philly for Video games 3 and 4.

After which he actually teed off.

“I like our followers,” he continued. “I believe it’s unlucky. I’m not calling them out, however it’s disappointing. Clearly, you bought quite a lot of Knicks followers. They’re down the highway. However I’ve by no means seen it (like that), and I’ve been right here for 10 years. It form of pisses me off, particularly as a result of Philly is taken into account a sports activities city.

“I don’t assume that ought to occur.”

Maxey seen that, too, however he was a bit extra diplomatic than Embiid.

“I imply, we all know that’s coming, actually,” Maxey stated in regards to the loud Knicks followers. “However our crowd is nice. We admire them each single time. I really feel prefer it was the identical crowd as final time, so I imply, our crowd did an ideal job. We admire them. It’s a really, very shut (distance for) the 2 organizations. They’re proper up the road from us. It’s what it’s. You simply gotta go on the market and beat that.”

Bell’s Palsey or knee larger difficulty for Embiid

Sixers coach Nick Nurse was requested earlier than the sport, which illness is bothering Embiid extra, the knee or the Bell’s Palsey.

Within the third quarter, Embiid blocked a shot and went to the bottom holding his knee. He bought up slowly and stayed within the recreation.

“He doesn’t actually say,” Nurse stated. “Often, in the future he offers me one reply, the following day he offers me one other. The (maladies) often enhance from every day a bit of bit. He doesn’t discuss it. He actually talks about adjustment and recreation plan and issues we will do higher.”

Embiid cannot play each minute, and that is an issue for Sixers

The troublesome a part of Nick Nurse’s job is that he is aware of he cannot play Embiid for each minute of each recreation.

Embiid performed your complete first quarter and the Sixers had a 10-point lead. Paul Reed changed Embiid to start out the second quarter. The Knicks instantly minimize into it. By the point Embiid returned, the lead was down to 2 factors. However the Knicks have been on a roll, and took a 2-point lead on Jalen Brunson’s jumper with 5:31 left.

Then Embiid settled in and the Sixers took a 5-point lead later within the quarter earlier than the Knicks minimize it to 2 on the break.

The Sixers have been plus-8 with Embiid on the court docket for 20 minutes, minus-6 when he sat out for 4 minutes.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Observe on X @Mfranknfl.