Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid reacts during the second half of Game 6 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Boston Celtics Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Finally finished with Boston, a trip to New York came quickly for the Philadelphia 76ers. So did the memories.

The Eastern Conference semifinals are a rematch of a tight series between Atlantic Division rivals from nearby Northeast cities, a Knicks victory in six games in 2024.

Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Maxey delivered unbelievable performances. Both teams made unimaginable rallies.

Knicks fans were deafening inside Madison Square Garden — and in Philadelphia. (And no, Joel Embiid hasn’t forgotten).

When it was over, the Knicks had outscored the 76ers 650-649. They start up again tonight, believing this series can be even better.

“I expect nothing less. Actually more,” Maxey said. “That was a first-round matchup. This is a second-round matchup. So I think both teams are going to come out there and be extremely competitive. It’s going to be a dogfight, it’s going to be a chess match and I’m just ready to get started.”

The Knicks had a few days to rest after finishing off Atlanta with a 140-89 victory on Thursday in Game 6, setting an NBA postseason record by building a 47-point halftime lead. The 76ers have only one full day to recover after completing the NBA’s 14th comeback from a 3-1 deficit by beating the Celtics 109-100 on Saturday.

Philadelphia became the first No. 7 seed to beat a No. 2 since the first round became a best-of-seven format. That was the matchup when the 76ers and Knicks met two years ago.

The 76ers were on the verge of tying that series in Game 2 before the Knicks came from five points down with under 30 seconds remaining. Brunson scored a Knicks playoff-record 47 points in Game 4 and New York was poised to wrap it up at home in Game 5 before Maxey scored seven points in the final 25 seconds of regulation and the 76ers won in overtime.

“Man, that was a fun series. We were going punch for punch,” Josh Hart said after the Knicks practiced Sunday. “When you think about that, you always think of the good games, so you guys can guess what games those are. But you know that you’ve got to turn the page. Those are memories. They don’t affect tomorrow but they’re fun memories.”

Brunson received booming “MVP! MVP!” chants in the Game 4 victory in 2024 after Knicks fans poured into Philadelphia, and Embiid expressed his disappointment with 76ers fans after the game. He implored them not to let the noisy New Yorkers take over again.

“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it.

“Knicks fans, they travel. There’s going to be some people that need the money and probably going to sell tickets, but don’t do it. We need you guys. We’ve got a pretty good chance. We’re going to need our support. We’re going to need them to be extremely loud and if you need money, I got you.”

Wolves vs. Spurs

Rudy Gobert knew long before the rest of the world.

Victor Wembanyama was only 13 when Gobert first heard of him. It didn’t take long for Gobert to see the enormous potential in his French countryman. When they would talk, Wembanyama asked the questions and Gobert gave him the answers.

“And the rest is history,” Gobert said.

The basketball world is now fully aware of what Gobert saw in Wembanyama years ago. A French center will be headed to the NBA’s Final Four in a couple of weeks; which one it’ll be hangs on the outcome of a Western Conference semifinal series between Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs and Gobert’s Minnesota Timberwolves. Game 1 is tonight in San Antonio.

“I’m very, very proud and I’m very excited to watch him grow every day, to see his work paying off,” Gobert said. “Outside of the talent, he’s someone that has a very unique soul, a very unique mind and nothing is an accident. It’s not an accident that he’s having the success that he’s having.”

Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards is questionable with a knee injury tonight.

Pistons advance

DETROIT — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 12 assists, Tobias Harris added 30 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 116-94 in Game 7 on Sunday to win a playoff series for the first time in 18 years.

Cunningham averaged 32.4 points for Detroit, which last won a postseason series by beating Orlando in the second round in 2008.

Cavaliers move on

CLEVELAND — Jarrett Allen tied his playoff career high with 22 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as Cleveland advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 114-102 victory over Toronto in Game 7 of their series Sunday night.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 22 points and James Harden added 18.