Not done yet — 76ers win thriller in OT to send series back to Philly
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Do you like comebacks? How about coming back from a 92.8% chance to lose per ESPN analytics? The 76ers have done what seemed impossible throughout the days leading up to the game, and throughout the game. Come with me as we recap a HUGE game 6 win from your 76ers.
Once again the team came out hot and would boast a 9-point lead (their largest of the night) after just the first quarter. Tyrese Maxey wasted no time to get hot as he scored 11 of the Sixers’ 26 first-quarter points. Additionally, the 76ers’ defense came to play all night, but especially in the first quarter holding the Knicks to just 17 points.
We knew the Knicks were going to strike back, and they all but flipped the script on us in the second quarter. The 76ers were outscored 32-17 and the crowd at MSG was electrified. Jalen Brunson, after a radio-silent first 12 minutes of play, woke up with 13 for New York. On the other hand, the 76ers offense seemingly had the batteries die, scoring just 17, with Embiid and Maxey combining for just 9. At half, it looked like the 76ers were falling flat once again, down by a score of 49-43.
Hope was revived again, as the 76ers offense got back on track as they cut into the Knicks lead in the 3rd quarter. Tyrese Maxey put up 9 as the teams leading scorer as Joel Embiid continued to struggle. The 76ers managed to contain Jalen Brunson to just 7 of the 21 Knicks points. The 76ers outpaced them with 26 points and went into the 4th down by just a point.
One word to describe the final 12 minutes? Cinema. Cinema and Tyrese Maxey really. Tyrese went for an absolutely insane 17 points in the final quarter when it mattered, capping off this clutch performance with a half-court bomb to send this elimination game to OT. This can not go without mentioning that the 76ers trailed by 6 with 28.3 seconds left in the game. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat at its purest.
OT started off back and forth, but slowly the 76ers pulled away as the Knicks seemingly ran out of gas. Embiid and Maxey combined for 9 of the 15 Sixer points and somehow, someway, the dream lives on.
Tyrese Maxey had to put the team on his back tonight and he did and then some. 46 points with 7 threes and 9 assists is about as good as it can get. This was especially needed with Joel Embiid having one of the worst nights you’ll see from the former MVP. Just 19 points, but recorded 16 rebounds and 10 assists to make it slightly better.
The 76ers have earned a flight home and a day’s rest to prepare for another elimination game 6. The possibility of a comeback has become even more likely, call me delusional but it seems very possible. Defend the homecourt in game 6 with momentum and just like that it’s game 7. We would then have all the momentum in the world and an even playing field in a win-or-go-home setting. I try to be cautious when getting my hopes up for the 76ers especially, but I’ll end with one question:
Are we back?
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