Jalen Brunson Receives Unique Compliment as Knicks Take 3-0 Lead Over 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers led the New York Knicks after the first quarter, and it was all Knicks from there.

The Knicks beat the 76ers 108-94, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday night.

New York holds an unassailable 3-0 series lead over the 76ers, who haven’t been able to get in sync due to a banged-up Joel Embiid and Mikal Bridges’ lockdown defense on Tyrese Maxey. Knicks All-NBA and All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 33 points, shooting 11-for-22 (3-for-8 from three) from the floor, and added nine assists.

Brunson has been the Knicks’ leading scorer in all three games of this series, and head coach Mike Brown knows what he has in the 2025 Clutch Player of the Year.

At his postgame presser, Brown was asked whether having Brunson helped him remain calm when the Knicks fell behind in the first quarter.

“What’s the dude’s name on Snoopy? Linus? He got a blanket? I’m Linus, and Jalen’s my blanket,” Brown said, referring to the iconic Peanuts character. “He helps me relax at a lot of different times throughout the course of games, but that’s what great players do. They keep you poised. They make the game easier for everybody else.”

While Brown referenced Peanuts, there’s a much more timely pop culture reference to be had: The Knicks haven’t lost since “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” featuring a Karl-Anthony Towns cameo, released in theaters last Friday.

The Knicks haven’t lost since April 23, actually. The Atlanta Hawks led the Knicks 2-1 in their first-round series, and the Knicks proceeded to close them out with a 51-point win in Game 6. The Knicks are riding a five-game winning streak - the only close game was a six-point win over the 76ers on Wednesday - and looked poised to sweep Philly in Game 4 on Sunday.

If so, New York will make its second straight Eastern Conference Finals appearance. The Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games last year.

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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 9:18 PM.