In Game 2, the Knicks got their miracle.
In Game 5, the basketball gods balanced the scales.
It was Tyrese Maxey’s star turn in Madison Square Garden, the 76ers guard knocked two critical 3-pointers — one a four-point play — in the final 25 seconds of regulation to force overtime.
MAXEY DRILLS ANOTHER 3 AND TIES THE GAME 🤯🤯🤯
— NBA (@NBA) May 1, 2024
GAME 5 IS HEADED TO OVERTIME ON TNT 🍿 https://t.co/EdhU7mHKQB pic.twitter.com/od3bVWXHMH
Maxey finished the night with 46 points and nine assists, leading Philadelphia to a 112-106 overtime win in Game 5 that keeps the Sixers season alive (the Knicks still lead the series 3-2). Game six is back in Philadelphia on Thursday.
“I was saying some things that my grandma probably wouldn’t like,” Maxey said of his postgame celebration.
Joel Embiid was both critical to the 76ers’ win and almost unplayable at points as the Knicks targeted the hobbled superstar with their attacks. He had some ugly turnovers late but still willed himself to a triple-double of 19 points (on 7-of-19 shooting), 16 rebounds and 10 assists.
Jalen Brunson was brilliant again for New York, scoring 40 points and six assists, hitting tough, well-contested shots all night. The difference was that he was not the best player on the court in this game — that was Maxey.
How serious was this game? Philly coach Nick Nurse injured himself, slamming his hand in frustration at a call.
SNY sources: Sixers coach Nick Nurse injured his finger when he slammed his hand in frustration on a call during Sixers’ Game 5 win at MSG. Unclear if it is a break or sprain. Nurse couldn’t draw plays up in the second half because he couldn’t grip a marker.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) May 1, 2024
You could tell the seriousness of this game by both coaches going to seven-man rotations (Nick Nurse did play an eighth player, backup center Paul Reed, for four minutes, but that hardly counts).
Both teams felt the weight of the night at the start of Game 5 because it wasn’t pretty. The 76ers opened shooting 4-of-14 and were still up 10-2 after the Knicks missed their first eight shots. However, eventually New York found its legs, its shots and started to come back — by the middle of the second quarter they had taken the lead. New York was up 49-44 at the half.
No team led by double digits all game and the lead never got above six either way in the second half.
Game 6 is going to be legendary.
