Knicks Rout 76ers 137-98, Brunson Scores 35 in Game 1

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson poured in 35 points, including 27 before halftime, as the Knicks routed the Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 on Monday night to take a 1-0 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks shot 63 percent from the field and built a 40-point lead in a game that extended their postseason dominance. They became the first team in NBA history to win three straight playoff games by at least 25 points and the first since detailed play-by-play tracking began in 1996-97 to lead three consecutive postseason contests by 30 or more points. Over their last four victories, including the final three games of their first-round sweep of Atlanta, New York outscored opponents by 135 points combined.

Brunson capped the first half with a 3-pointer at the buzzer, giving the Knicks a 74-51 advantage after scoring their final 11 points. A 3 from Karl-Anthony Towns early in the third quarter pushed the margin to 90-60, after which coaches emptied benches for most of the fourth. OG Anunoby added 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting, while Towns and Mikal Bridges each scored 17. Towns contributed six rebounds and six assists in just 20 minutes....