New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado reacts after giving a foul during the first half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and helped New York seize control of a close game after a run of blowouts, leading the Knicks to a 108-102 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Playing without the injured Joel Embiid, the 76ers put up a far better fight than in the Knicks’ 137-98 romp in Game 1. The game featured 25 lead changes, 14 ties and neither team led by more than seven points.

But those kinds of situations are made for Brunson, who made the tiebreaking basket with 5:06 remaining and added another jumper for a 103-99 advantage with 3:45 to play before Mikal Bridges’ basket made it a six-point game.

OG Anunoby added 24 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the Knicks, whose Game 1 victory made them the first team to win three straight postseason games by at least 25 points.

Tyrese Maxey scored 26 points for the 76ers, who face another big climb after falling behind 3-1 against Boston in the first round.

The series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 on Sunday, where Embiid will find out if gets his wish for the arena to be filled with Sixers fans or if New Yorkers made their way in.

Embiid was ruled out with right hip and ankle injuries after waking up with soreness and being unable to go through the 76ers’ morning shootaround.

But the 76ers, who won Game 2 in Boston without him while he was still recovering from a late-season appendectomy, got 19 points each from Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. and 17 from VJ Edgecombe to nearly overcome their big man’s absence.

They were ahead for the final time at 99-96 after Oubre’s 3-pointer before Josh Hart — who had appeared to hurt his left hand or wrist in the third quarter and left the game — made a 3-pointer with 6:52 remaining.

Maxey managed only 13 points in Game 1 but was back to leaving defenders in the dust Wednesday, scoring 15 points in the second quarter and 19 in the first half.

The Knicks did a better job on him in the second half, led by Bridges, who also contributed 18 points.

Giannis on their mind

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam says he would like to have Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future sorted out before next month’s NBA draft.

Haslam spoke Wednesday alongside general manager Jon Horst at a news conference introducing Taylor Jenkins as the Bucks’ coach. Antetokounmpo has spent his entire 13-year career with the Bucks, but it’s possible he could leave Milwaukee after a frustrating, injury-marred season.

“I just think before the draft is a natural time,” Haslam said. “Because if Giannis does play somewhere else, we’ve got to have a lot of assets. That’s Jon’s job to do. And if he’s here, then you build the team differently.”

Antetokounmpo has said repeatedly that he likes playing in Milwaukee but wants to play for a franchise committed to competing for championships. The Bucks went 32-50 this season to snap a string of nine straight playoff appearances.

The Bucks can offer Antetokounmpo a four-year, $275 million contract extension in October. If Antetokounmpo doesn’t sign, he could become a free agent after next season.

The Bucks will have a lottery pick this year either in their own spot or in New Orleans’ spot, whichever is less favorable. The draft lottery is Sunday.

Doncic frustrated

OKLAHOMA CITY — Luka Doncic said Wednesday he was given platelet-rich plasma injections in Spain as the Los Angeles Lakers star tries to speed up his eight-week timeline for returning from the hamstring injury that has sidelined him since early April.

“I went to Spain to do PRP,” the NBA scoring champion told reporters as the Lakers prepare to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals. “Everybody knows that it’s one of the best countries to do that. Obviously, you know, we talked with the Lakers doctors, so everybody agreed for me to go there.”

Each injection required four days of rest in between, resulting in an extended stay in Spain, he said.

Doncic was injured during the third quarter of a loss to Oklahoma City. on April 2. The Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs, with 41-year-old LeBron James taking up much of the scoring slack.

The Lakers lost to the top-seeded Thunder 108-90 in Game 1 on Tuesday. If Doncic can’t speed up his recovery timeline, he would miss the entire series and part of the conference finals, should the Lakers advance.

Look at me Detroit

DETROIT — After being overlooked for much of his career, Daniss Jenkins has played himself into a key role with the Detroit Pistons.

The former two-way player got 29 minutes of playing time in Detroit’s Game 1 win over Cleveland. The reserve guard had 12 points and three assists, bringing the ball up the court at times to give Cade Cunningham a break. He also had playoff career highs with seven rebounds and four steals.

Jenkins was undrafted out of St. John’s in 2024 and was playing on a two-way contract just a few months ago.

He’s been building for it all year,” Detroit guard Duncan Robinson said. “His journey is unique, and it takes somebody with a special will and character to have that story. He has unshakeable confidence for someone who’s been overlooked his whole career, and he just wears it as a chip.”

Don’t worry Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Hornets guard Brandon Miller had surgery to address left shoulder instability.

The team said Wednesday Miller will be out indefinitely and additional updates on his status will be provided as appropriate, but he is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of next season this fall.

Miller played most of the season with a wrap around his left shoulder after sustaining a subluxation injury in October. He averaged a team-leading 20.2 points in 30.3 minutes in 65 appearances despite the injury.