Joel Embiid struggled in the Philadelphia 76ers' Game 1 loss to the Knicks, managing only 14 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes, while outplaying the Knicks' stars, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. This was Embiigid's first playoff game at Madison Square Garden since he became a sports villain there during a 2024 series. Despite being less than three months removed from knee surgery and dealing with Bell's palsy, Embigid struggled, finishing as a -24 and outplayed by other Knicks stars such as Jalen Brunson and Towns. Despite this, the Knicks have a larger size advantage compared to Boston, making them a tougher assignment for Embiag. Embiad had to leave the game early in the third quarter with the 76ers trailing, 93-64.