The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the best feel-good stories in the playoffs until the New York Knicks decided to fondle them like a toy in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The result was a clean 4-0 sweep to boot the former out of the running for the Larry O'Brien trophy, but with each passing game, their unceremonious exit is becoming less embarrassing.
New York, after all, is just one win away from making it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. And just like with their series against Philly, they are closing in on yet another pristine performance as they are currently up 3-0 in their Conference Finals affair against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Basically, the 76ers have gotten some sense of relief from the unfair narratives spun around them. The fact that a star-studded team like the Cavaliers, which are also healthier in their own right, are on the brink of getting swept by the very ball club that did the same thing to them, simply points to the reality that the Knicks are looking like the team of destiny right now in the East.
The 76ers getting swept by the Knicks is getting less embarrassing with each playoff game
The Knickerbockers have been on a roll since starting off shakily in their first-round affair against the Hawks. Atlanta held a 2-1 lead over them at one point, but since then, New York has not lost a single game. They have stringed together 10 consecutive wins, and they do not appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
New York touts the highest point differential among all playoff teams and it is not even close. San Antonio, which is second on the list, trails them by 7.1 points in that regard. This only goes to show that the Knicks have been pretty dominant on both ends, and while that is no excuse that will fully absolve the 76ers, they do deserve some grace for losing to them, even if it came via a sweep.
Philadelphia was coming off an exhausting seven-game series against Boston where they had to climb out of a 3-1 hole just to book a ticket to face the Knicks. Joel Embiid was pretty banged up even before the semis began, and he even missed Game 2, which was ironically the only game where they truly hung with New York.
No one is stopping the Knicks in the East right now, especially with their kryptonites from the last couple of years in the Pacers not even getting into the playoffs. As such, no one should be too abrasive about their evaluation of the 76ers, a team which people did not even envision getting past the first round.
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