The crazy series between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia turned irrational again on Tuesday with the victory of the 76ers (112-106, ap) at Madison Square Garden thanks to a turnaround driven by an exceptional Tyrese Maxey and a counterattack from Nicolas Batum.
Tyrese Maxey pulled off an exceptional match and a small miracle to save the Philadelphia 76ers from elimination against the New York Knicks, Tuesday at the end of another crazy match in this series which is just as crazy where the Knicks lead 3 -2.
Batum’s decisive counter on Brunson to snatch overtime
In a boiling and hostile Madison Square Garden, the young Tyrese Maxey (23 years old) had a huge match, his best in the play-offs with 46 points and 9 assists to allow the 76ers to only be led 3-2 by the Knicks, thanks to a 112-106 success after overtime. Maxey, named last week as the player with the greatest progress of the year, especially shone during a once again crazy end to the match, the 5th in 5 matches in a grandiose series.
The Sixers were however trailing by six points with 29 seconds remaining. But two long-range shots from Maxey, the second from the floor logo, far behind the arc, put the 76ers back in the game. A final counter from Frenchman Nicolas Batum on Jalen Brunson allowed the visitors to snatch extra time. Brunson, leader and darling of the Garden, planted 5 entry points (40 in total, for a crazy average of 34.4 over the series), before the Knicks collapsed by conceding nine consecutive points.
“We were just trying to survive, the season was at stake. I have confidence in my work,” commented Maxey, who roared after snatching extra time. New York, which announced on Tuesday the withdrawal of Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic for the rest of the play-offs, will have to return to Philadelphia for Game 6 on Thursday. Once again insulted by Madison Square Garden, Joel Embiid stood out with a triple double (19 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists) and a bad move on Brunson which almost cost his team the match in overtime.
Cleveland takes the lead
Donovan Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers (28 points) reacted after two defeats to narrowly win at home against the Orlando Magic (104-103), and lead 3-2. The Cavaliers were however deprived of pivot Jarrett Allen (shot to the ribs) and had to face the fury of Paolo Banchero, author of 39 points and 8 rebounds, he who is playing at the age of 21 in his first play-offs for his second NBA season . A decisive block from Evan Mobley (14 points, 13 rebounds) on Franz Wagner sealed the outcome of the match six seconds from time.
