In a heartbreaking turn of events, the New York Knicks fell short in Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers, losing with a final score of 3-2. The Knicks came into the game with high hopes of tying up the series and advancing to the next round of playoffs, but their dreams were shattered as they struggled to keep up with the Sixers' relentless offense.
Despite putting up a valiant effort, the Knicks were unable to overcome their opponents' strong defense and sharp shooting. The loss was a tough pill to swallow for both players and fans alike, as they had been eagerly anticipating a victory that would propel them closer to championship glory.
Philadelphia managed to make key shots late to force overtime and eventually emerged with a 112-106 victory in Game 5 Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden to cut the Knicks’ series lead to 3-2.
The Knicks had a chance to end this series Tuesday night, but they couldn’t get it done. They missed some good looks, their defense was uncharacteristically porous at times and they couldn’t do enough to shut down an embattled Sixers team in the final minutes of regulation.
Putting the Sixers away with a five-point victory, the Knicks went back to New York with a 3-1 lead ahead of Game 5.
With their season on the line, the Sixers came out looking sharp on Tuesday night. While Joel Embiid struggled to get his shot going, the Sixers received some life from the veteran guard Tyrese Maxey and the forward Tobias Harris. The two starters combined for 18 of the Sixers’ 26 points in the first quarter. Philadelphia held a nine-point lead through the first quarter.
The 76ers then intentionally fouled Hart, who stepped to the line with an opportunity to make it a four-point game, but missed his first of the two free throws to keep the game within three.
And on the ensuing possession, instead of intentionally fouling to send a Sixers player to the line for two free throws in a three-point game, the Knicks let Maxey fire away from 35 feet out.
The shot ripped through the net and pierced through the hearts of those watching from the stands at The Garden.
Maxey finished with a game-high 46 points on 17-of-30 shooting from the field to go with nine assists and seven made threes on the night.
“It’s frustrating, obviously, the way it happened, but we can’t hang our heads,” Brunson said after the game. “We gotta come back stronger, be ready to go and just learn from what we did.”
Embiid shuffled slowly through the locker room a little more than an hour before the game, resting his head in his hand while he briefly sat before going to warm up. He may have lacked energy, but the 23-year-old Maxey, the winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player award, seems to have a limitless amount.
Robinson returned after missing Game 4 with a sprained left ankle, but the Knicks announced before the game that Bojan Bogdanovic would miss the rest of the playoffs and have surgery on the left foot he injured in Game 4.
The Knicks, who have flourished when Embiid is resting in the series, started a 22-5 run while he was out in the second quarter and went up by 10 points in the period. They were ahead 70-69 going to the fourth.
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