The New York Knicks failed to close out an opening playoff series win Tuesday after the Philadelphia 76ers‘ comeback 112-106 win in Game 5.
The Knicks had the chance to seal a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals for a second consecutive year as they hosted the Sixers in front of a celebrity filled Madison Square Garden and were seconds away from doing so.
However, Tyrese Maxey came up clutch for Philadelphia with seven points in the final 25 seconds of regulation.
The 76ers trailed by six points with 28 seconds left in regulation before Maxey pulled out a comeback that evoked memories of Reggie Miller’s eight points in nine seconds for Indiana at Madison Square Garden in 1995.
The All-Star guard converted a four-point play with 25 seconds remaining to cut it to two, and after Josh Hart’s free throw, produced a game-tying three from the logo in the dying seconds of regulation to force the game into a dramatic overtime finish.
Tyrese Maxey came up clutch for Philadelphia with seven points in the final 25 seconds
The Philadelphia 76ers forced a Game 6 against the New York Knicks with an overtime win
Maxey produced a game-tying three from the logo in the dying seconds of regulation
The Knicks had held a three-point lead with under ten seconds remaining when Maxey performed his MSG miracle to tie the game at 97 points apiece.
Jalen Brunson scored 40 points for the Knicks, who were thinking about a possible Game 1 of the second round at MSG on Saturday night. Instead, it could be Game 7 of this series, which seemed all but over.
The Sixers cut the Knicks’ series lead to 3-2 and sent it back to Philadelphia where Game 6 will be played.
It was the second desperate rally to save what seemed certain defeat in what has been a razor-tight series between Atlantic Division rivals. The Knicks won Game 2 after trailing by five points with under 30 seconds remaining.
Joel Embiid, who has been ailing and missed shootaround with a migraine, didn´t score like usual after coming into the game with an NBA-leading 35 points per game in the playoffs.
The 30-year-old was mercilessly booed by the Knicks home crow before the game even started.
New York’s raucous fans were still furious after his flagrant foul on Robinson in Game 3 in Philadelphia. They had plenty of chances to jeer him after Embiid also had nine turnovers in a sloppy performance.
‘I think that considering that our No. 1 option was struggling, for him to say, “All right, I got to put this team on my back and go,” I just kept encouraging him, like, to take his chances, take his shots, make plays,’ Sixers coach Nick Nurse said.
Joel Embiid, who has been ailing and missed shootaround with a migraine, struggled again
The 30-year-old was mercilessly booed by the New York crowd as he had nince turnovers
‘And he certainly did it and got in a rhythm and made a whole bunch of them.’
Embiid shuffled slowly through the locker room a little more than an hour before the game, resting his head in his hand while he briefly sat before going to warm up.
However, Maxey had energy in abundance as he picked up the scoring load, making seven 3-pointers while adding nine assists.
His last 3-pointer got the 76ers on the board in overtime after Brunson scored the first five points. That triggered a 9-0 run that Embiid capped with a three-point play with 1:40 remaining for a 106-102 lead, and after Brunson´s 3 tied it at 106, Kelly Oubre Jr. made the tiebreaking basket with 1:02 to go and Tobias Harris followed with two free throws.
‘It was a tough way to lose because you get up six, eight and then we had a couple turnovers and we´ve got to just be better,’ Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.
Ben Still was sat courtside next to Tracy Morgan and Jon Stewart on Tuesday night at MSG
Carmelo Anthony was swarmed by fans as he entered Madison Square Garden for the game
Sting entered Madison Square Garden for Knicks-76ers alongside his wife Trudie Styler
‘Play tougher with the lead, use good judgement. Fourth quarter is different, understand the difference. So we can do better and we will.’
The Sixers’ shock victory stunned the raucous MSG crowd silent, including the many famous faces of celebrity row.
Die-hard Knicks fan Ben Stiller was joined by several other celebrities as they soaked up the on-court action.
Carmelo Anthony, Julianne Moore, Tracee Ellis Ross, Sting, Dave East, and Offset, Jon Stewart, and Tracy Morgan were all spotted courtside for Game 5.
