NBA playoffs 2024 - Why the Philadelphia 76ers' 2-0 deficit might not be as dire as it seems - ESPN

The New York Knicks pulled off one of the most remarkable comebacks of the NBA postseason to escape Game 2 with a win against the Philadelphia 76ers — and a 2-0 series lead — and the 76ers return home with history decidedly against them.

This is the 15th time in franchise history that the 76ers have dropped the opening two games of a best-of-seven series. Their record in those prior playoff matchups? Zero wins, 14 losses. And across NBA history, teams in Philadelphia's position have gone 22-265 (.083).

Yet, in the aftermath of Philadelphia's collapse in the closing seconds of Game 2, 76ers superstar Joel Embiid still firmly believes his team is going to find a way to overcome this deficit.

«We're good,» Embiid said, sitting inside Madison Square Garden's visiting locker room Monday night after playing 39 minutes on a balky left knee.

«We're going to win this series.»

There are reasons to believe Embiid's optimism is more than simple bravado. Heading into Thursday's Game 3, here are five reasons this 76ers-Knicks series could have a long way to go.

Embiid is limited for another playoff run. This time, it's his left knee, on which he had a procedure in February. He also appeared to get poked in the eye during Game 1 and spent his media session looking away from the camera after Game 2 and has worn a pair of black Gucci sunglasses whenever he's in public and not on the court.

But while Embiid hasn't been nearly the same efficient scorer he was during the regular season, shooting a combined 39% overall (including 4-for-17 from 3-point range), he's still having a massively positive impact on the series when he's on the court. In the 76 minutes he played in Games 1 and 2, the 76ers have outscored the Knicks by 17 points. In