The Philadelphia 76ers gave the New York Knicks a taste of their own medicine with an improbable overtime win in Game 5 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series and kept their season alive. The series now heads back to Philadelphia for another do-or-die Game 6 for the home team, who are banking on their home support to level the series at 3-3. However, the 76ers could have to do it without Joel Embiid.
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As per the NBA’s latest injury report ahead of Game 6 in Philadelphia, the reigning MVP is nursing a left knee injury and has been listed as ‘Questionable’ for the game against the Knicks. He recently had surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his left knee and hasn’t had enough rest to recover fully. He’s grinding through the pain to guide the 76ers as deep as possible in the playoffs and unless his knee completely buckles, he’ll suit up and play.
Despite playing on only one healthy knee, Embiid has been torching the Knicks. He’s averaging 31.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists in this series and has denied New York an easy path to the second round. The Knicks are still favorites to win the series, but Embiid intends to make it as arduous as possible and go out on his shield. However, in the last game, Tyrese Maxey had a fabulous fourth quarter to win it for his team.
Joel Embiid’s grit and Maxey’s wild performance deny Knicks a series win
Joel Embiid’s Herculean effort on one leg was almost for naught, as the Knicks had the series win in the palm of their hands in Game 5. With less than 29 seconds left on the clock, New York had a six-point lead and had seemingly booked their second-round berth at the expense of the 76ers.
The crowd inside Madison Square Garden was preparing to celebrate when Tyrese Maxey hit a wild off-balance three-pointer and also drew a foul to cut the lead to two. The 76ers intentionally fouled Knicks forward Josh Hart and hoped he’d miss one, if not both free throws to keep them alive in the game. Their prayers were answered as he went 1-of-2 from the free-throw line, extending his team’s lead to three. The Knicks guarded the three-point line knowing they needed only one stop to end the contest.
With the clock winding down and the Knicks players in position to contest any shot from close to the arc, Maxey hoisted a Hail Mary 34-foot three-pointer and banked it to tie the game.
In overtime, Embiid and Maxey combined for nine of the 76ers’ 15 points and led their team to an improbable win. It was sweet revenge for Philadelphia, who were the victims of a wild comeback in Game 2 against the Knicks, which they lost despite leading by five points with less than 28 seconds left. It’s been an exceptionally entertaining series so far but it could end if the 76ers lose for the second game running at home.
