The Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks have waged a scintillating first round series through five games.
New York went up 2-0 at home, stealing Game 2 in shocking fashion. After the two teams split a pair of games in Philadelphia, the Knicks came home and appeared to have the series wrapped up when they took a six-point lead with less than 30 seconds remaining in Game 5.
What followed was a miraculous rally, led by 76ers point guard Tyrese Maxey. Maxey’s four-point play cut the lead to 96-94, and then he sent the game into overtime by burying a three-pointer from the logo.
Philadelphia went on to win in the extra session, setting up a Game 6 tonight in the City of Brotherly Love. Wells Fargo Center will be rocking.
ESPN’s BPI is expecting the series to go the distance. The computer gives the 76ers a 58.2% chance of winning, compared to 41.2% for the Knicks.
Many fans think the NBA is pushing for a seventh game, given the decision to assign Scott Foster as the head referee tonight. We’ll see if there are any officiating controversies to sort through later; hopefully, there won’t be.
Game 6 between the 76ers and Knicks will tip off at 9 p.m. ET Thursday night on TNT.