TYRESE MAXEY scored a playoff career-high 46 points, including the tying 35-foot 3-pointer with 15.3 seconds left in regulation, and Kelly Oubre, Jr. converted the tiebreaking layup with 1:02 remaining in overtime (OT) as the visiting Philadelphia 76ers avoided elimination with a 112-106 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Game 6 is Thursday in Philadelphia and if the 76ers can extend the series again, the teams will play a seventh game Saturday in New York.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 40 points. The Knicks were 28.9 seconds away from closing out the series after Miles McBride’s 14-footer put them up 96-90. Following a timeout, Mr. Maxey converted a 4-point play with 25.4 seconds.
After New York’s Josh Hart split two free throws with 15.3 seconds left, Mr. Maxey buried a 35-foot 3-pointer with 8.5 seconds left for a tie at 97 and the game reached overtime when Nicolas Batum blocked Mr. Brunson’s 10-footer right before the horn. Mr. Brunson scored the first five points of overtime but the Sixers countered with nine straight points for a 106-102 lead on Mr. Embiid’s 3-point play with 1:40 left.
After Mr. Embiid was called for a flagrant one foul, Mr. Brunson split two free throws and sank a 3-pointer with 1:14 left.
Mr. Oubre got the ball from Mr. Batum and hit a well-contested layup to snap the tie and Mr. Brunson missed a layup with 42.5 seconds left. After the teams traded turnovers, Tobias Harris and Mr. Maxey converted at the line in the final 15.8 seconds to keep the series going.
Mr. Maxey made 17-of-30 shots and hit seven 3-pointers for the Sixers, who survived Mr. Embiid hobbling through the game.
Mr. Embiid added 19 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists after missing the morning shootaround with a migraine.
Mr. Harris contributed 19 and Oubre finished with 14 as the Sixers shot 46.2% and were 15 of 39 from 3-point range. Hart added 18 points and OG Anunoby chipped in 17 for New York, which shot 46.5% but was just 10 of 36 from behind the arc.
The third quarter featured 12 lead changes and Hart’s jumper in the lane with 1:03 left put New York ahead 70-69 entering the fourth.
Mr. Batum hit an uncontested 3 for a 74-70 Philadelphia lead 40 seconds into the fourth, resulting in a New York timeout. A Maxey 3 put the Sixers up 77-72 with 8:58 left and following consecutive turnovers by Philadelphia, baskets by Mr. Anunoby and Mr. McBride put the Knicks ahead 80-77 with 6:15 to play.
Mr. Brunson’s three-point play made it 85-79 with 5:03 left. The Knicks took a 91-86 lead when Mr. Anunoby dunked over Mr. Maxey with 1:39 left and Mr. Brunson’s 14-footer over Mr. Batum pushed the lead to 93-88 with 1:12 remaining. — Reuters
