Clean Up, Aisle 4-0 : Knicks Sweep Sixers

Get the Brooms! Sweep Sweep! Get this trash outta here!

As a long-time suffering Knicks fan, you can’t help but smile. Having been a NYK fan for over 20 years, these moments have been virtually non-existent. Anyone with a little history with this team (sorry, screaming kids on the street) knows that beatings like these rarely happen for this franchise. The Ewing Knicks were the last squad that gave you wins like this — and that was during the Jordan era, so expectations had to be tempered.

But here we are in 2026 with a totally new feeling Knicks team. While they resemble teams in recent years, there is just something different about this squad.

For starters, this Knicks team has actual depth. They have at least 4-5 guys off the bench who can not only keep games close but also positively impact the game. Guys like Shamet, Mitch-Rob, and even Duece (who’s is technically abench guy). And that’s all without OG Anunoby, who may have been playing the best basketball of his career. Even Jordan Clarkson was useful during this series — he came in, made a few steals, tipped passes, played defense, and then knocked down occasional buckets. Shamet and Deuce shot lights out!

Now let’s talk coaching. While I was on the fence about firing Thibbs, and stayed there most of the year watching Brown coach, you can only truly judge the coaching change decision in the playoffs. And so far this playoff run has been by far the most dominant Knicks basketball in 20 years. Forget the 50-point wins over Atlanta. The way they’re manhandling a Philly team that just came back from 3-1 down over Boston in game 7 at the Boston Garden? That’s almost unheard of for this franchise.

You can tell they play much faster this year. While I don’t love the full run-and-gun style the NBA has become, you have to incorporate that somehow into offensive gameplans today. Because when it clicks, you smoke teams. Shooting 50%+ from deep in the first half? Game over. Especially against a Sixers team almost no shooters. At one point in Game 4 Maxey had made 2 threes…in the entire series! Kelly Oubre is not a shooter. PeeG-steroids is not an actual shooter. As good as Embiid can be, he’s not a volume three-point threat. When the Knicks are raining threes, it’s impossible to catch up.

This game was over by halftime.

Looking ahead, those Sixers contracts are horrendous. Paul George is locked in for two more years and is getting an insane $50million+ a year. Embiid, (who earned his deal as an MVP) is set to make $60million+ for 2 more years! Together thats a minimum of $110million combined… while you could argue that Maxey and Edgecombe are their best players moving forward. Woof.

For the Knicks, they’ve already beaten San Antonio in the (sham) NBA Cup Finals. While the NBA cup is a gimmick, the game does hold some weight. Knicks were down early and came back late to win. If I’m the Knicks, I’m rooting for the Cavs and then Spurs.

I can’t believe I’m actually saying this… Knicks Heading back to the Eastern Conference Finals.