Can the 76ers Pull Off Another Upset? We Simmed the Knicks Series in NBA 2K26

After a rude awakening in the first game of the Conference Semifinals, many are already counting the Philadelphia 76ers out. After all, can they even put up a fight if the Knicks keep up the pace?

Well, for all wondering if Embiid can repeat the magic we saw in their seven-game nail-biter against the Celtics and bring forth another upset, here’s what NBA 2K26 had to say after a few rounds of simulation.

Settings and Approach

To start, we will simulate all games starting with tomorrow’s Game 2 using 2K26‘s Simcast feature, then repeat the process two more times to get a more precise estimate. To make sure the results are as accurate as possible, we also decided to keep the default settings untouched, which means full 12min simulated quarters, Hall of Fame rosters, injuries enabled, and all Simulation sliders locked at 50. We also left it to the CPU to decide whether a player should be benched or play through the pain.

Simulation #1: Knicks In Four

The last thing Philadelphia fans want to see is our first simulation, which showed the Knicks sweeping the 76ers in four games, with the latter unable to capitalize on Jalen Brunson’s pinched nerve after game three. The subs also made a huge difference, with the Knicks’ bench answering for 54 of the team’s points in Game five alone. Here’s a more in-depth breakdown of each game.

• Game 2 (76ers 96 – 125 Knicks): After a quick start that saw the Knicks build up an 8-point lead, the 76ers managed to answer in the second quarter, only to lose the chase in the fourth after a 50/19 blowout. The key to the match? The Knicks’ ability to dominate defensively, while relying on both fast breaks and Mikal Bridges’ 31, to close the deal.
• Game 3 (127 Knicks – 122 76ers): After a similar start, which saw the Knicks end the first quarter with a 40-33 lead, the 76ers were not able to keep up and ended up unable to push through, even after a close 4th and stellar performances by Tyrese Maxey and Paul George.
• Game 4 (Knicks 128 – 96 76ers): Continuing the trend, game five saw New York end the first half ahead, with Philadelphia struggling on the paint and forcing threes, as shown by their 22% 3-Point percentage (3/22). What followed was a 27-point gap during the 3rd and the premature end of the series.

Simulation #2: Philadelphia Fights, But Comes Short In Five

Even if bearing a similar outcome to the above, our second simulated series saw Philadelphia show its claws and fight, with their performances in games three and four standing out. Funny enough, those were also the only games in the series in which the 76ers dominated in the paint.

• Game 2 (76ers 120 – 137 Knicks): Game two started with the Knicks opening up a 17-point lead at the end of the second quarter, courtesy of Jalen Brunson’s 19 points and Mikal Bridges’ 14. That lead allowed them to clinch victory, even after the Sixers managed to close the gap on the third.
• Game 3 (130 Knicks – 128 76ers): Breaking the mold, game three started with Philadelphia finally showcasing its rebounding game and leading at the end of the second quarter. Brunson and the Knicks bench, however, had other plans, as their combined 59 saw New York get ahead at the end of the third and snatch the lead after a back-and-forth at the final seconds. Even if in a loss, Embiid and Maxey also set themselves apart, with the former scoring a double-double (18pts + 10 REB).
• Game 4 (Knicks 113 – 128 76ers): Just when I was losing hope for anything but a 4-0, game four started with the 76ers taking the early lead before trailing by 10 at halftime. The team, however, stayed on New York’s heels and took the lead at the start of the fourth with Maxey, who took them to game five with a 32-point game, while combining for 75 with Embiid and Drummond.
• Game 5 (76ers 108 – 141 Knicks): Feeling the loss, the Knicks started game 5 with a dominant first quarter, marked by multiple Philadelphia turnovers. That set the stage for the game, with the home team only administering the result for a 141 to 108 blowout win.

Simulation #3: No Contest

In a series once again defined by turnovers, the 76ers were outclassed in all three games in our final NBA 2K26 simulation, while the Knicks once again showed their defensive prowess by staying ahead on defensive rebounds across all games and still suffocating offensively.

• Game 2 (76ers 118 – 149 Knicks): Kicked off with a strong start by the 76ers, game two saw the team close the first quarter with a 3-point lead. The happiness was short-lived, though, with New York taking center stage on the second, only to pull ahead by the end of the third and seal their win behind a 40-point game by Jalen Brunson, who saw him combine with Karl-Anthony Towns for 75.
• Game 3 (Knicks 150 – 97 76ers): With a 15-point gap in favor of the Knicks at the end of the first quarter, game three was a slaughter that saw the away team finally break the 150 barrier. There’s nothing else to say here, as the Sixers 25 turnovers speak for themselves.
• Game 4 (Knicks 147 – 91 76ers): Following last game’s tune, game four saw the Knicks set up a lead early on with a good first quarter by Brunson and Clarkson. The lead, however, only grew, with New York’s ability to clinch defensive rebounds being once again key.

Can the 76ers Pull Off Another Upset?

Well, as you can see above, the Philadelphia 76ers have a steep mountain to climb, with the team only managing to scrape one win across all three simulated series, all while usually losing by large margins. But don’t lose hope if you are a fan, as the above indeed shows that Embiid and Maxey can steal games from the favorites, though doing so will require dominating in the paint both offensively and defensively, something the team could not accomplish in game one.