‘Absolutely absurd’ Maxey moment saves Sixers’ season; ‘wild’ stat as Bucks stay alive: NBA Wrap

The Philadelphia 76ers had been eight seconds away from crashing out of the NBA playoffs.

But a miracle shot from Tyrese Maxey saved their season as Philadelphia outlasted the New York Knicks 110-106 in Game 5 on the Garden to maintain its championship hopes alive.

Watch the very best of the primary spherical NBA Playoffs LIVE on ESPN, out there by way of Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >

Philadelphia needed to squeeze all the pieces it might out of the reigning MVP Joel Embiid, who dedicated 9 turnovers but additionally had a triple double (19 factors, 16 rebounds, 10 assists) to go along with 5 blocks as he got here up huge on the defensive finish in extra time.

Meanwhile, if it wasn’t apparent sufficient already, Wednesday’s sport was solely additional proof that Tyrese Maxey is the long run at Philadelphia.

The 23-year-old put the Sixers on his again with 46 factors, together with a emblem 3-pointer to tie the sport and ship it to extra time, to go along with 9 assists and 5 rebounds.

Jalen Brunson, in the meantime, backed up his 47-point heroics in Game 4 as he scored 40 factors — together with the primary 5 of extra time — together with six assists.

Read on for a full wrap of the largest moments from Game 5!

FULL GAME RECAP:

Tobias Harris had been fairly quiet within the sequence earlier than Game 5, averaging simply 8.8 factors.

On Wednesday nevertheless, he had Philadelphia’s first 5 factors of the sport, opening the scoring with a 3-pointer after some slick ball motion from the Sixers.

The Knicks’ offence, then again, was something however slick early as they missed their first eight area purpose makes an attempt to fall into an early 10-2 gap, prompting coach Tom Thibodeau to name a timeout after 5 minutes.

The timeout appeared to spark one thing within the Knicks, who made seven-straight area objectives and had been in a position to get it again to 18-17.

In response, Philadelphia went on a 8-0 run to finish the quarter, taking a 26-17 lead into the second as Maxey (11 factors) and Harris (seven) led the best way for the Sixers.

The Knicks completed the interval 0-of-5 from 3-point land, with Josh Hart banking what would have been a profitable halfcourt heave on the finish of the primary had it come earlier than the buzzer.

In what has been a regarding development all sequence lengthy, Philadelphia struggled within the minutes with Embiid on the bench to open the second, with New York rapidly occurring a 11-2 run.

Josh Hart’s power, particularly pushing it ahead in transition, was the proper complement to New York’s depth on the defensive finish and created an open search for OG Anunoby to empty a 3-pointer and tie the sport up at 28-all.

That prompted Nick Nurse to name a timeout and convey Embiid again into the sport nevertheless it did little to cease the swarming Knicks defence from creating stops and fastbreak alternatives.

Suddenly within the groove after their sluggish opening, the Knicks added one other seven unanswered factors to go forward 35-28 after outscoring the Sixers 18-2 early within the second.

A nook 3-pointer from Harris finally stopped the scoring run, though it was short-lived as Hart discovered Mitchell Robinson for the emphatic slam off an expertly-executed lob cross.

That put the Knicks forward 37-31 halfway via the quarter and noticed the Sixers name one other timeout.

Philadelphia was in a position to keep up a correspondence for the rest of the quarter, reducing New York’s result in six with a Maxey layup on the buzzer because the Knicks took a 49-43 buffer into halftime.

At that time it seemed like Maxey can be the Sixers’ greatest guess of pushing the Knicks and protecting the sequence alive, ending the half on 15 factors whereas taking pictures at 50 per cent from the sector.

Embiid, then again, was held to eight factors and 3-for-10 from the sector with 9 rebounds.

Brunson backed up his profession playoff-high 47 factors from Game 4 with an environment friendly 15 within the first half, going 7-for-10 from the sector.

Brunson made a tricky fadeaway jumper early within the third quarter in response to a quick begin from Philadelphia, who scored the primary 4 factors to pressure the Knicks into a fast timeout.

But as anticipated, it was Maxey who seemed the likeliest to single-handedly drag the Sixers again from the brink of elimination, scoring six straight factors as Philadelphia took a 53-51 lead.

Just because the Sixers seemed to be gaining the upperhand, the hustle performs and tenacity which have outlined the Knicks underneath Thibodeau noticed them regain the lead as Isaiah Hartenstein fought for a rebound that led to a Brunson 3-pointer.

Donte DiVincenzo then made a triple of his personal to place New York forward 65-61, prompting a Philadelphia timeout with simply over three minutes left within the quarter.

The sport went to the ultimate quarter very a lot within the steadiness, with the Knicks main 70-69 earlier than the Sixers made a rapid 5-0 run to open the fourth.

As was the case firstly of the third quarter, Thibodeau swiftly referred to as a timeout, not desirous to let the 76ers construct any actual kind of momentum.

The Sixers had been briefly in a position to keep the lead when play obtained again underway nevertheless it didn’t take lengthy for the Knicks to show the sport with their defence as soon as once more, forcing turnovers that they then changed into straightforward buckets on the opposite finish.

New York went on a 10-0 run to take a 82-77 lead earlier than Harris sunk a contested shot to halt the Knicks cost, though Brunson answered proper again with an and-1 on the opposite finish.

That was seemingly the start of the tip for the Sixers because the Knicks completed with a flurry.

But seven factors from Maxey within the area of 17 seconds, together with a clutch 3-pointer on Philadelphia’s closing possession of regulation, stored Philadelphia’s post-season alive.

As had been the case all sport, simply as Maxey put his stamp on the outcome Brunson did the identical, scoring the primary 5 factors of extra time to offer the Knicks the lead.

Of course, that operating duel continued as Maxey answered again with a 3-pointer earlier than Embiid drew a foul, making certainly one of two free throws because the Knicks led 102-101.

A Maxey defensive rebound then sparked a simple transition bucket for Kelly Oubre Jr. earlier than an Embiid and-1 pushed Philadelphia’s lead out to 106-102 with 1:40 on the clock.

Embiid was then referred to as for a flagrant-1 foul on Brunson, who made certainly one of two free throws earlier than draining a 3-pointer to tie the sport.

A defensive breakdown noticed Oubre Jr. put Philadelphia again forward by two however as soon as once more, a sport that produced so many twists and turns offered one other as Embiid turned the ball over.

Brunson although wasn’t on the identical web page as Hartenstein as he threw the ball out of bounds and the Knicks then fouled Harris, who made each free throws to place Philadelphia forward 110-106 with 15 seconds left in extra time.

It proved to be sufficient because the Sixers went on to win a thriller, including a number of further free throws down the stretch as further insurance coverage.

‘WILD’ STAT AS BUCKS STAY ALIVE

In different news, the injury-hit Milwaukee Bucks stayed afloat by beating the Indiana Pacers, successful 115-92 to increase their sequence to sport six.

Milwaukee, trailing 3-1 and lacking injured stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, seemed to be heading for an early postseason exit after Indiana raced right into a 31-23 first-quarter lead.

But the Bucks minimize free although within the second and third, outscoring Indiana 64-36 to take management.

Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis led Milwaukee with 29 factors apiece whereas Malike Beasley added 18.

Tyrese Haliburton high scored for Indiana with 16 factors however endured a irritating evening towards a sterling Milwaukee defensive effort.

Game six takes place in Indiana on Friday.

CAVALIERS WIN THRILLER AGAINST MAGIC

Elsewhere, Donovan Mitchell rattled in 28 factors — together with 14 within the fourth quarter — because the Cleveland Cavaliers floor out a 104-103 win over the Orlando Magic to take a 3-2 lead of their Eastern Conference first spherical playoff sequence.

Orlando had fought again from 2-0 within the sequence to degree after recording emphatic wins in video games three and 4 in Florida.

But Cleveland dug deep to make sure they may head again to Orlando for sport six on Friday with an opportunity of clinching the sequence.

“It’s not gonna be pretty but it’s the playoffs,” Mitchell stated after Cleveland’s win.

“The fourth quarter — that’s what I do. But I’ve got to play better for my group.

“We’ve played well at home as a group — now we’ve got to go down there in a hostile environment and handle our business.”

Paolo Banchero led Orlando’s scorers with 39 factors, eight rebounds and 4 assists.

— AFP