The second round of the NBA Playoffs is here. After a First Round that produced just one sweep and three different series that went all the way to Game 7, the Conference Semifinals promise to be just as thrilling, and the NBA on NBC has a front-row seat with every single Game 1 of the bracket airing on NBC, Peacock, or both.
How to Watch
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We begin this week in the NBA’s best-known arena, Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks hope that a few days’ rest will serve them well in a battle against an old rival: the Philadelphia 76ers, coming off one of the best comebacks we’ve seen in recent NBA history. The two teams took very different paths to get here, but now they’re primed for a Conference Semifinal battle for the ages.
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How to Watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks Game 1
The Sixers and the Knicks will tip off their series Monday night, May 4, at 8 p.m. ET, live on NBC and streaming simultaneously on Peacock. NBC Sports will be on hand in Madison Square Garden to bring you all the action as these two storied franchises fight to advance to the Conference Finals.
Noah Eagle will call the action for NBC, with analysis from Grant Hill and Robbie Hummel and courtside reporting from Ashley ShahAhmadi. And be sure to tune in early to NBA Showtime, the NBA on NBC’s exclusive pregame show, beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
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What to expect from the Sixers vs. Knicks Conference Semifinals Game 1
The Philadelphia 76ers weren’t supposed to be here. Down 3-1 to Eastern Conference favorites Boston Celtics, it seemed like their 2026 NBA Playoffs run wouldn’t extend beyond the First Round. Then Joel Embiid came back from an emergency appendectomy, Tyrese Maxey locked in, and the Sixers became just the 14th team in NBA history to come back and win a series from a 3-1 hole.
But the victory came with a price. Embiid is now dealing with hip soreness after a very physical fourth quarter of Game 7 versus Boston, and the Sixers squad has a quick turnaround that could put them at a disadvantage heading into the Garden. The Knicks, on the other hand, have had almost a week of rest, Karl-Anthony Towns is playing some of the best basketball of his career, and Jalen Brunson seems primed for another classic duel against Maxey. The Knicks are the Game 1 favorites, but it’s a long series, and we’ve seen how Philly can battle when they need to.