NBA highlights on May 2: Brunson leaves another playoff scar on Embiid

The New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 118-115 in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoffs at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, winning the series 4-2 and advancing to the Eastern semifinals.

Jalen Brunson shot 13-for-27 from the field to drop a double-double of 41 points and 12 assists with only two turnovers for the Knicks. He scored in double digits in three of the four quarters, including 14 in the final period. He made three jumpers off the dribble during clutch time. When the 76ers tried to double-team him in the final 30 seconds, Brunson dribbled to the left corner and drew attention from nearly all five defenders before passing to Josh Hart who was wide open on the top of the key.

Hart tricked Tyrese Maxey with a fake pass toward Donte DiVincenzo. At that moment, DiVincenzo had made five of his eight attempts from downtown in Thursday's game and had a bigger reputation as a shooter; Hart went 2-for-4 in triples, but he averaged only 31 percent per game behind the arc during the regular season. Therefore, Maxey decided to stay next to DiVincenzo instead of dashing to deflect Hart's shooting.

Hart made his third 3-pointer to give the Knicks a three-point lead (114-111) when there were 24.4 seconds left. The two teams exchanged eight points in the next 16.7 seconds but the gap remained at three. The 76ers had Buddy Hield take the final shot. He had knocked down six of his eight attempts outside the 3-point line before that play, but failed to save the day this time.

Hield was sidelined in the previous two games of the series and averaged less than 10 minutes in the first three games. Coach Nick Nurse sent him to the court on Thursday night as a desperate move because they trailed by as many as 22 points (33-11) in the first quarter. The 76ers' starting lineup was deterred by their Knicks' counterpart. They allowed as many as nine offensive rebounds in the first period alone. As the team's ace, Joel Embiid couldn't close out to deflect the opponents' shooting or stayed in the paint to protect rebounds.

The 76ers' backup unit, led by Hield and Nicolas Batum, saved their side from falling apart early because of Embiid's awkward role. Those two, plus Cameron Payne, outscored their Knicks' counterpart 42-5 with more abundant energy, faster defensive rotations and better spacing. They even secured a 10-point lead (71-61) in the third quarter.

The Knicks led 20-16 in offensive rebounds. It was not a great disparity, but neither did it display the gap in wills of the two teams in battling for every 50-50 loose ball. The Knicks did it better and that's why they led 13-10 in fast break points. They didn't lead by much on any front of Thursday's game, but the little edge they had in many stats made their final win.

In the eighth NBA season he played, Embiid again failed to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Of course, he did his best on Thursday night to get 39 points and 13 rebounds for the 76ers, but his way of getting those numbers simply wasn't trustworthy during clutch time. He needed to dribble more to find his pace of shooting, which made it easier for the Knicks to double-team him. Moreover, his style of playing was more exhausting, not to mention that he has been carrying a knee injury during the series. That explained why he grew much slower in the fourth quarter and less helpful for the team on both ends of the game.

Compared with Embiid, Brunson remained the Knicks' most trustworthy leader for every of the 43:36 when he was on the court. He led both teams in free throw attempts (16) and points in the paint (14). Thursday's contest marked his fourth 40+points postseason game as a Knick, the second-most in franchise history, more than Carmelo Anthony and Patrick Ewing.

Bucks lose both the game and the crowd

The Indiana Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 120-98 in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Thursday, winning the series 4-2. They will play the Knicks in the Eastern semifinals from Game 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City on May 6.

The Pacers had six players score double-digit points. Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell had 21 and 20 points respectively off the bench. Tyrese Haliburton missed eight of his 10 triples, but he and McConnell kept the team's offense at a high pace and crumbled the opponents' defense with constant early offense. The two combined to deliver 19 assists with only three turnovers. The Pacers led 21-6 in fast break points and 60-46 in points in the paint.

The Bucks trailed by at least 15 points most of the fourth quarter on Thursday. Damian Lillard played in the game despite a right Achilles injury that cost him the previous two games. He made four triples out of 12 attempts and shot 10-for-10 at the free throw line to contribute 28 points. Both Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez got 20 points, but their hero for the victorious Game 5, Khris Middleton, struggled to make only six of his 15 field goals (FGs).

The Bucks lacked their best player Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a left calf strain injury during the whole series. They were eliminated in the first round for the second straight campaign. The team was obviously frustrated, but that didn't justify Patrick Beverley's act of attacking spectators in Thursday's game. In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, he chucked the ball at a female Pacers fan and threw the ball harshly at another male fan.

Beverley wasn't ejected from the game immediately, but the league is likely to discipline him later.