NEW YORK — There was Joel Embiid’s repaired knee, the Bells palsy affecting his right eye. There was Tobias Harris’ fade into basketball oblivion and a bench full of MIA’s led by Buddy Hield.
Heck, Kelly Oubre didn’t do the Sixers any favors questioning the resolve of the movie stars and comedians who make up Celebrity Row at Knicks games. Ben Stiller, of all people, took offense and tweeted about it on X.
“Oh, I think I care a lot more than you think that you thought I cared … Kelly Who-bre? #KNICKS #PURPLECOBRAS.”
Just when it seemed there were too many fires for the Sixers to extinguish, they not only dialed 911 but played with life-or-death urgency in a 112-106 win over the Knicks in overtime at Madison Square Garden.
Tyrese Maxey exploded for 46 points, including a 4-point play to help the Sixers erase a six-point deficit in the last 30 seconds and Embiid contributed a triple-double with 19 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to send the best-of-7 series back to Philly Thursday. The Knicks lead 3-2.
While the media rolled with a 35-foot triple on that clutch 4-point play, three-point bomber Buddy Hield of the Sixers said it was at the logo, which is 40 feet. Whatever the distance, it was vintage Maxey in rhythm.
“Going through my mind right there was just finding a way to survive,” Maxey said. “Our season was on the line. I trust my work, I trust a lot of what I’ve done all my life. I just tried to get to a spot and raise up and knock that shot down.”
There was no way the Sixers were going to let the Knicks, who hadn’t clinched a playoff series at home in a while, finish them off in five games. The Sixers outhustled the Knicks down the homestretch the way the Knicks defeated them in Game 2.
Let’s be honest about the Knicks. Jalen Brunson’s will and the bond he shares with Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, who each won an NCAA Tournament title with him at Villanova are special. Watching them finish games at warp speed is a next-level experience.
At the same time, you cannot honestly look at their lineup, one with several changes due to injury and say it’s better than Philly’s. Embiid or Brunson? Hart or Maxey?
Brunson scored 40 points Tuesday and the Knicks lost. He had 39 two games ago and the Knicks lost. The game of basketball is more than that, though, and Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau will argue that to his death.
“It’s not the best individual players that win always,” Thibodeaux said. “It’s the best team that wins. And that’s what we have to be.”
On this night the Sixers were a team. Not a superstar and a budding super, but the better team. While Maxey introduced himself to the world at the mecca, Tobias Harris stepped up with what Nick Nurse called the “second biggest shot” of the night for the Sixers. The Sixers were down by five and fading when Harris buried a turnaround.
“For me, it’s always about staying balanced in the moment,” said Harris, who contributed 19 points and eight boards. “This team is centered arund Tyrese and Joel. Everybody else has to complement them. … If that’s critera as not being assertive … That’s always how I’ve played basketball. I stay balanced.”
With Maxey scoring 11 points and Harris stepping up with seven, the Sixers battled for a 26-17 entering the second quarter. They outrebounded and outhustled the Knicks, and subtly told their opponent they weren’t going anywhere, Brunson managed just two points on five shots.
But Brunson scored 13 points in the second quarter, canning 7 of 10 shots as the Knicks surged ahead to dance into the intermission with a 49-43 lead.
Interestingly, Embiid played just 10 minutes in both the first and second quarters. When the fourth quarter began he’d played just 33 minutes, leaving him fresher than in the previous game of the series.
Maxey scored 24 points in the first three quarters compared to 22 for Brunson as the teams fought on.
The Sixers got within 1 point with a little less than three minutes remaining on a follow by Embiid and had a chance to go ahead moments later. Instead, Brunson found his range with 2 minutes left and made two free throws for a 89-86 lead, and OG Anunoby dunked.
Maxey answered with a drive to the basket to get the Sixers within 91-89 but missed the free throw and Brunson hit a pullup. Miles McBride added a pullup to make it 96-90 with 28.9 ticks left.
With 25.4 ticks left, big man Mitchell Robinson fouled Maxey on a three-pointer. Maxey turned it into a four-point play that got the Sixers within 96-94 with 15.3 ticks left.
The Knicks fouled Hart, who made one of two for a three-point lead but Maxey made a 35-footer with 8 seconds left to force overtime. Maxey scored 17 of his 41 points in regulation in the fourth quarter.
Overtime was a shootout between Brunson and Maxey. Brunson scored the first five points, Maxey the next two.
With 2:21 left in overtime, Embiid snuffed Hart and the Sixers found Oubre for a breakaway dunk.
With the Sixers holding a 106-102 lead, Embiid was flagged for a flagrant foul on Brunson, who missed one of two free throws, then nailed a triple on the possession to tie the game.
Oubre scored inside to give the Sixers a 2-point lead, and the Sixers turned the ball over. Brunson threw the ball out of bounds trying to get the ball to Isaiah Hartenstein. Nic Batum pressured Brunson.
With 15.8 ticks to go, Harris made two clutch free throws for a 110-106 lead. The Knicks were done.
Finally, it was Embiid who threw himself on a loose ball like it was a fumble, and alertly called time with 5.2 seconds left in OT.
Maxey put the game away with two free throws.
“I was on the bench and I was upset because I missed three free throws,” Maxey said. “I turned the ball over. Buddy Hield grabbed and told me you know what you can do. Crucial free throws and I turned the ball over. People don’t see me upset a lot but I was really upset and I just wanted to go out there and make up for it for my teammates. To lose a game like that in a season like that, I’ve have been crushed.”
To contact Bob Grotz, email rgrotz@delcotimes.com.
Source: Berkshire mont
Be First to Comment