Well, the Knicks didn’t turn out to be an easy match-up for the Philadelphia 76ers, as many pundits predicted. Jalen Brunson and Co. absolutely destroyed the 76ers 111-104 at MSG. To make matters worse, the Sixers’ superstar Joel Embiid seemed to have aggravated his knee injury further when he landed awkwardly during the 2nd quarter while trying an incredible off-the-backboard dunk. After the game, ESPN Analyst and ex-NBA champion, Kendrick Perkins pointed the blame at the 76ers management for worsening the reigning MVP’s knee injury.

Back in February, Perkins was the one who was really vocal about shutting Embiid down for the remainder of the season. He said, “They need to shut him down for the season… Why rush him back? We know history and his health, and I’m going to stand on this.”

After the Knicks game, Perkins again echoed his previous sentiment about Embiid, saying, “I have been the one that have been advocating for the Philadelphia 76ers to sit him down for the remainder of the season. That was his first dunk since coming back after injury… Are they really built to make a legit title push, absolutely not. So, why even sacrifice a 7 ft 280 lb franchise player right now towards the end of the season… It makes zero sense.”

It is worth mentioning that Embiid did return to the game in the 3rd quarter after exiting in the 2nd quarter. In the end, he finished the game with 29 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Also, he had a nasty collision with Brunson later in the game, which could also be worrisome for the 76ers. Right now, the Philly Team is sweating over his fitness ahead of game 2 on Monday, despite HC Nick Nurse’s assurance.

76ers wanted the Knicks over Celtics

During a recent interview with ‘Run it Back‘, Sixers forward Paul Reed revealed they wanted the Knicks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, as it would be an easier match-up for his team over the Boston Celtics.

Later, Knicks guard Josh Hart talked about Reed’s comments, and in reply, he said, “I don’t give a f**k about what he said… I could really care less. I don’t care.”

Certainly, this series has started on a fiery note and could give the fans a lot of entertainment both on the court as well as off the court. However, both sets of fans would want it to be an even contest without any injuries. Although the Knicks are already without the services of Julius Randle, an Embiid-less 76ers would certainly give them a better chance of qualifying for the next round. What do you guys think? Let us know in the comments.