According to the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report from Game 5 of the Philadelphia 76ers’ 112-106 overtime win against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference first-round series, Tyrese Maxey traveled on his four-point play late in the fourth quarter with 26.5 seconds remaining.
Video evidence shows that Maxey traveled on his clutch 3-pointer. Knicks center Mitchell Robinson fouled him on the shot attempt, leading to an improbable four-point play. Brunson then drained his free throw to keep the 76ers in it.
“Maxey (PHI) gathers the ball on his left foot, takes two legal steps, and then moves his right foot again just before he is fouled on his shot,” the league said in the report on Wednesday.
In its 2-minute report, NBA says refs missed a travel on Tyrese Maxey on his 4-point play late in 4th Q of PHI’s Game 5 win vs NYK. Several other missed calls as well. pic.twitter.com/IFyiBdS5sa
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) May 1, 2024
Brunson’s four-point play led to Philadelphia’s impressive comeback from down six points with 28.9 seconds remaining in regulation to go on to win in overtime.
Had the refs correctly called the traveling violation, the Knicks likely would have won Game 5 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. New York would have had the ball with 25 seconds remaining and a six-point lead.
“It was a tough way to lose because you get up six, eight, and then we had a couple turnovers. … We’ve got to just be better,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.
“Play tougher with the lead, use good judgement. Fourth quarter is different, understand the difference. So we can do better and we will.”
NBA officials made three other incorrect calls in Game 5, Tyrese Maxey scored a playoff career-high 46 points
Tyrese Maxey scored a playoff career-high 46 points in the Sixers’ Game 5 victory. It was the most points by a Sixers player to avoid elimination, surpassing Hall of Famer Allen Iverson’s 44 in a Game 7 win against Milwaukee in the 2001 Eastern Conference Finals.
“Going through my mind right there was just, find a way to survive,” Maxey said about his four-point play. “Like, we had to. Our season on the line.”
Additionally, three other incorrect calls were cited by the NBA.
First off, the clock should have had 0.4 seconds left in regulation and Knicks ball, after Nicolas Batum blocked Brunson’s potential game-tying shot out of bounds. Instead, the clock ran out, sending the game to overtime.
Next, Brunson should’ve been called for an offensive foul in overtime on the play that was ruled a flagrant foul on Joel Embiid for hitting Brunson in the head.
Lastly, Josh Hart did not go out of bounds with 41.5 seconds to go.
According to @mdwbasketball
Tyrese Maxey traveled on the shot that forced overtime versus the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/OjuYkS07M8— Big Knick Energy (@BigKnickEnergy_) May 1, 2024
This first-round series has been quite an edge-of-your-seat thriller. New York had several officiating errors work in its favor in Game 2 against the Sixers. This is based on the league’s Last Two Minute Report from that game.
Both New York and Philadelphia have now come back from at least five-point deficits inside the final 30 seconds of regulation to win a game in this series.
Before these playoffs, that rare instance had occurred just three times in the past 25 years. It has now happened twice at Madison Square Garden in the last 10 days.
Game 6 will take place Thursday night in Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center. If the 76ers manage to tie the series, New York will host Game 7 on Saturday night.
Per multiple NBA betting sites, the Knicks hold seventh-best odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
