The New York Knicks picked up a dominant 137-98 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of their 2026 NBA Playoffs second-round matchup. The Knicks are establishing themselves as the clear favorites to emerge out of the Eastern Conference, led by guard Jalen Brunson.
Brunson is averaging 27.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, leading the Knicks to a 4-2 series win over the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. He scored 35 points (12-18 FG) in Game 1 against the 76ers, continuing to establish the fact that he can be a genuine No. 1 option on a team contending for the NBA Championship.
The 76ers have their hands full trying to stop Brunson from getting to his spots and scoring freely. This is a problem that’s plagued many teams around the NBA, but 76ers swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. shared his theory to reporters on why Brunson is so hard to guard during a media session after practice on Friday.
“I just know he has a big head. So, you know, it’s definitely tough to guard him with his head doing all that. He’s a great player, we’ve played against him plenty of times. We have to make the adjustments that we see on film. But, you know, kudos to him. He came out and started the series and did what they had to do at home. It’s on us to respond.”
These comments might have been a joke, but Oubre did make some strong comments, which are reminiscent of the concerns many people raise with Brunson and flopping.
Jokes about Jalen Brunson having a big head are something we’ve come to see from people like his teammate Josh Hart, but it’s rare to see an opponent openly calling that out. Unless there’s a personal relationship between Oubre and Brunson, this might be an instigatory comment amid a heated Playoff series.
Oubre Jr. has averaged 9.6 points and 5.9 rebounds during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, putting up 12 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block in Game 1 against the Knicks. He’s a role-player for the 76ers but is one of their core rotational players at a time in the series where their rotation has shrunk down to seven core players and a few fringe players depending on the matchup.
The primary responsibility of stopping Jalen Brunson might fall to rookie V.J. Edgecombe, given his athleticism and strong perimeter defense, but it might be too much of a challenge for the rookie. This is why Oubre will also have to fill in as a guard defender on Brunson if necessary, along with other rotational players like Quentin Grimes. It might be too much of a challenge for point guard Tyrese Maxey, who should focus his energy on matching Brunson’s offensive production.
Game 2 of the series will be played on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, as the Knicks look to protect home-court and take a 2-0 series advantage into Philadelphia. If the 76ers still can’t limit Brunson’s production, this series might be over before they can grab a hold of it.
