Madison Square Garden was ready to explode Tuesday night. Tyrese Maxey had other plans.
The 76ers’ All-Star guard scored 46 points including seven in the frantic final 25 seconds of regulation to power Philadelphia to a 112-106 overtime win over the New York Knicks and stun the MSG crowd. The win staves off elimination for the 76ers and sends the tense first-round series back to Philadelphia for Game 6 with New York leading, 3-2.
The 76ers looked defeated in regulation with New York holding a 96-90 lead with 28 seconds remaining. But Maxey scored an and-1 3-pointer to cut New York’s lead to 96-94.
Then with 8.1 seconds left on the clock, he pulled up from 34 feet tie the game at 97-97 and send the game to overtime.
In the extra session, the Knicks took a 102-97 lead on five straight points by Jalen Brunson, who was locked in a duel with Maxey all night. But the 76ers battled back to take a a 103-102 lead and rode a 9-0 run to a 106-102 advantage. Brunson then converted a flagrant foul on Joel Embiid into a four-point possession with a free throw and 3-pointer to tie the game at 106-106.
But the 76ers scored four unanswered points to retake the lead at 110-106 with 15.1 seconds remaining. Maxey iced the game with two made free throws with five seconds remaining, and the 76ers survived to play another day.
The win spoiled what was shaping up to be a coronation for these Knicks in front of a frenzied MSG crowd. Those in attendance featured a who’s who of Knicks alumni including Patrick Ewing, Carmelo Anthony, Bill Bradley, Walt Frazier, Larry Johnson and John Starks.
Brunson looked ready to further cement his name among those greats with a sensational effort that included 40 points, six assists, three rebounds and three steals. He hit big shots down the stretch in regulation then gave the Knicks the early advantage in overtime.
But the night belonged to Maxey, who outshone his Knicks counterpart and his fellow 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid to lead Philadelphia to victory. Maxey finished with 46 points, nine assists and five rebounds. He shot 17 of 30 from the field and 7 of 12 from 3-point distance. After hitting the two game-saving 3s in regulation, he made another to spark Philadelphia’s 9-0 run in overtime.
That 9-0 run was the last and decisive in a back-and-forth game that saw the lead seesaw back and forth from the opening quarter. The 76ers took the early lead with a 10-2 run to open the game. The Knicks then started the second quarter on an 18-2 to seize control and go into halftime with a 49-43 advantage.
The 76ers then started the third quarter with a 10-2 run that the Knicks would answer in the fourth with a 10-0 run of their own. In the end, it was Maxey’s late 7-1 run in regulation and Philadelphia’s 9-0 run in overtime that secured the win.
This story will be updated.
