The ending of Game 2 between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks became an instant NBA Playoff classic. In what was a hotly contested game throughout, it looked as if the 76ers were going to pull through and even the series up at one victory apiece.
With 47.3 seconds remaining in the game, Kyle Lowry was at the foul line looking to ice the game away. He missed the second free throw, which left the door ajar for the Knicks and they kicked right through it.
After Lowry stripped Jalen Brunson of the ball, Donte DiVincenzo came away with it. He found Brunson in the corner, who knocked down his first 3-pointer of the evening courtesy of a friendly bounce off the rim.
The 76ers then looked to inbound the ball when all hell broke loose. Head coach Nick Nurse was hesitant to call a timeout as the ball was inbounded to Tyrese Maxey. He fumbled it, eventually falling to the ground with Josh Hart taking it away.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Nick Nurse, 2024 NBA Playoffs, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Hart found DiVincenzo wide open on the wing, but he missed the 3-pointer. Isaiah Hartenstein was on the scene for the offensive rebound, as he pitched the ball out to OG Anunoby as he was falling to the floor. Anunoby swung the ball to DiVincenzo at the top of the key and he buried the jumper, giving the Knicks a 102-101 lead.
Maxey would attempt to give the 76ers the lead back on the ensuing possession, but his layup was blocked by Hartenstein. Anunboy secured the rebound and knocked down two free throws to seal the win.
“[Maxey] did his job,” Joel Embiid said after the game, when asked whether he needed to say anything to his star guard following the turnover and a blocked potential go-ahead layup in the closing seconds. “That’s on the league. That’s on the NBA. That’s on the frigging referees. I hate to put the game on them. But I am sure the two-minute report is going to come out and we are going to see what happened.
“But like I said, that’s unacceptable. That’s not on him. That’s not on any of us. We fought for 47 minutes and whatever 20 seconds. For that to happen … that’s not OK.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Nick Nurse, 2024 NBA Playoffs, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
A loss like that hurt certainly hurts for the 76ers. Salt was rubbed in the wound when the NBA revealed their two-minute report and it included several errors being made on the plays that decided the game.
It was revealed that Maxey was fouled twice on the inbound where he turned the ball over. The NBA referees should have also awarded a timeout to Nurse upon review of the play, according to the report.
“Well, the first thing is obviously they score,” Nurse said. “We take a look at getting it in quick. We don’t get it in quick. I call timeout. Referee looked right at me. Ignored me. Went in to Tyrese, I called timeout again. Then the melee started.
“I guess I got to run out onto the floor or do something to make sure and get his attention, but I needed a timeout there to advance it. Would’ve been good.
“But, couldn’t get it.”
Maxey took a different approach during his interviews and press conferences. Instead of blaming the referees, he took accountability for turning the ball over. He also acknowledged the 76ers still had opportunities to win the game but were unable to capitalize on them.
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