42 Years of Pain: The 76ers' Playoff Curse Against the Knicks

The last time the 76ers beat the Knicks in a playoff series. Moses Malone, Julius Erving, and Maurice Cheeks swept New York 4-0 en route to the 1983 NBA championship.

Game 3: Malone 28 PTS, 14 REB; Erving 20 PTS, 11 REB; Cheeks 24 PTS, 7 AST.

Games: G1 112-102 · G2 98-91 · G3 107-105 · G4 105-102.

Philadelphia went 65-17, won the Atlantic, and 12-1 in the playoffs — one of the most dominant title runs in league history. Nobody knew it would be the Sixers' last postseason series win over the Knicks for at least 43 years.

Nine completed playoff series through 2024 (see timeline for all years). 2026 is the 10th postseason clash — ongoing at publish.

76ers series wins: 5 — 1950, 1959, 1968, 1978, 1983.

Knicks series wins: 4 through 2024 — 1951, 1952, 1989, 2024 — plus leading 3-0 in 2026.

The rivalry spans roughly 76 years from 1950 to today — Mikan-era basketball, the Malone–Erving Sixers, Riley's Knicks, and the Brunson–Towns Knicks.

New York swept Philadelphia 3-0 in the first round. After the buzzer, Knicks — Patrick Ewing, Mark Jackson, Charles Oakley — grabbed a dust mop and pushed it across the Spectrum floor.

Barkley: 27 PPG, 12 RPG, 64% FG — not enough. Mark Jackson and Rod Strickland outplayed Maurice Cheeks and rookie Hersey Hawkins (Hawkins missed 21 of 24 shots in the series).

Total margin: Knicks by only 8 points combined. Game 3: 116-115 OT.

The image: Barkley on his back at midcourt; Knicks with the broom; visiting fans chanting SWEEP! SWEEP!

No Sixers–Knicks playoff series from 1989 through 2024 — 35 years.

Eagles–Giants, Phillies–Mets, Flyers–Rangers kept the cities colliding. This Atlantic rivalry went quiet in May — an empty chapter until Brunson arrived.

Knicks over Sixers 4-2 in the 2024 East first round — first playoff meeting in 35 years.

Brunson: Playoff career-high 41 points and 12 assists in Game 6 (118-115). Donte DiVincenzo: playoff career-high 23 points.

Embiid Game 3: Ankle grab on airborne Mitchell Robinson — Flagrant 1; Robinson's postseason over; surgery. DiVincenzo: dirty. Hart: could put a guy out for a significant amount of time.

Philadelphia's playoff series win drought vs. New York reached 41 years (1983–2024).

Knicks lead the East semis 3-0, one win from a sweep.

Games: G1 137-98 (+39) — Brunson 35 (27 first half). G2 108-102 (+6) — Embiid OUT. G3 108-94 (+14) — Brunson 33, 9 AST; boos at Embiid's free throws in Philly.

New York became the first team with three straight playoff wins by 25+ (29, 51, 39 spanning rounds).

76ers: Three of five 30+ point playoff losses in 2026 belonged to Philly at publish time.

3-0: 0-157 all-time comeback rate from that deficit.

Complete Knicks playoff dominance since the 1983 Sixers sweep:

1989 East first round: Knicks 3-0 · 2024 East first round: Knicks 4-2 · 2026 East semis: Knicks lead 3-0 (sweep watch).

Combined games since 1989: Knicks 10-2 vs. 76ers.

The Sixers' last series win over the Knicks had Moses Malone at center. Four decades later, New York has taken every postseason meeting — Ewing's broom to Brunson's takeover.