NEW YORK— Reggie Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds in this identical venue 29 years ago, leaving the New York Knicks and their supporters with a painful memory.
They didn't quite receive full atonement in Game 2 of their first-round series with the Philadelphia 76ers, but eight points in 20.4 seconds - on the other end of the floor as Miller's heroics - was enough for the Knicks to transform a five-point deficit into a three-point win on Monday.
On the other hand, it was a devastating sequence for the Sixers, who had recovered from an eight-point deficit early in the fourth quarter and appeared to have the game under control.
Here are some comments, remarks, figures, and footage as the series travels to Philadelphia, with the Knicks leading 2-0.
1. A stunning sequence turns things around for the Knicks.
Before things got crazy, Kyle Lowry was fouled in the backcourt and had a chance to put the Sixers up six with 47.3 seconds remaining. However, he missed both of his free throw attempts, leaving the game tied at five points.
Over the last four seasons, Lowry has hit 86% from the line, and the Sixers had the second-best free throw shooting percentage in the regular season (82.6%). However, they were only 16-for-22 (72.7%) on Monday, with Joel Embiid going 8-of-12. This season, Philadelphia has only shot below 73% from the line 11 times (in 85 games), with three of those coming at Madison Square Garden.
Then the madness started:
Brunson was stripped, but Donte DiVincenzo recovered the ball from Lowry.
DiVincenzo eventually found Brunson in the left corner, and Brunson's side-step 3-pointer bounced high off the rim and through the net, making it a two-point game with 27.0 seconds left.
Tyrese Maxey fumbled Lowry's inbounds pass, maybe because he was restrained by Brunson. He reached up and grabbed the ball, but lost his balance and fell to the ground. Josh Hart then took away the ball.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse later claimed that he called timeout twice, first before the ball was inbounds and again while Maxey was on the court. But after reviewing the footage, it appeared that he was hesitant to call what would have been the Sixers' final timeout in the first place. And after Maxey hit the floor, it was only a split second before Hart grabbed the ball away.
- Hart sent the ball to DiVincenzo, who missed a wide-open left-wing three for the lead. But Isaiah Hartenstein crashed from the outside, going unscathed as he jumped and retrieved the offensive rebound (more on that later).
- Despite being crowded, Hartenstein was able to get the ball to OG Anunoby, who then passed it to DiVincenzo at the arc. Nicolas Batum fought hard to the end, but DiVincenzo hit a deep three to take the lead with 13.1 seconds remaining.
Winning in this league is difficult. The Sixers learned the hard way in Game 2.
2. Winning the rebounding battle means winning the game.
The Knicks dominated the Sixers on the glass in Game 1, converting 23 offensive rebounds into 26 second-chance points. In Game 2, the Sixers fared much better, with New York totaling 12 offensive rebounds and only 12 second-chance points.
But Philadelphia required those numbers to be 11 and 9. Even with the backcourt turnover, they can win the game if they get a body on Hartenstein and recover DiVincenzo's initial miss.
The Sixers ended up with 49.1% of the available rebounds on Monday.
"If we win the rebounding battle in that game," maxed out, "we win the game."
3. The Sixers' MVP is Tyrese Maxey.
The last sequence spoiled Maxey's tremendous game, which included 35 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists. This came after he scored 33 points in Game 1 on Saturday and then became ill in between games.
The Sixers deemed their point guard questionable for Monday, but he did what was required to play ("I really can't stand taking medicine," he remarked). He logged more than 44 minutes and was the top player on the court.
The Knicks simply do not have an answer for Maxey, who has found numerous ways to beat them.
He really turned it up in the fourth quarter, when he scored 15 points and the Sixers scored 27 on their first 18 possessions to establish a five-point advantage.
If the Knicks stopped his initial drive, Maxey wanted to grab the ball back and attempt again.
Tyrese Maxey Pull-Up Jumper
"The last 15 minutes," the nurse added, "he was really chasing it down, turning on the jets and slamming on brakes, doing all the things he can do time and time again."
4. Brunson continues to struggle on the pitch.
The Sixers frequently tried to match Brunson up with Maxey. On the other end of the court, the Knicks attempted the same thing. Brunson, meanwhile, was not as effective, going 16-for-55 (29%) in the series.
Yes, there are 55 shots in just two games.
The All-NBA candidate is undoubtedly the Sixers' primary defensive target. They aren't double-teaming him, but they are shading him, especially if he gets the Maxey switch. And if he gets into the paint, a second Philadelphia defender will leave his man to fight Brunson's shot.
That attention is the primary reason Hart (who played 48 minutes on Monday) tried 15 3-pointers in the two games. One of the main reasons the Knicks have a 2-0 lead is because he has made eight of those 15.
Brunson should definitely pass more because his shot chart is inefficient, with 37 of his 55 attempts (67%) coming from within the restricted area and the 3-point line. This rate is up from 51% during the regular season.
That attention is the primary reason Hart (who played 48 minutes on Monday) tried 15 3-pointers in the two games. One of the main reasons the Knicks have a 2-0 lead is because he has made eight of those 15.
Brunson should definitely pass more because his shot chart is inefficient, with 37 of his 55 attempts (67%) coming from within the restricted area and the 3-point line. This rate is up from 51% during the regular season.
5. Hartenstein comes up huge.
Embiid was not particularly efficient (34 points on 12-for-29 shooting), but he performed better offensively on Monday than in Game 1. And the Sixers have now outscored the Knicks by 17 points in his 76 minutes in the series, while being outscored by 27 (72.7 per 100 possessions) in his 20 minutes off the court.
Hartenstein wasn't Embiid's equal in Game 2, but he was everything the Knicks needed at the five, ending with 14 points, eight rebounds (including one that set up DiVincenzo's game-winning three), four assists, and four blocks.
Eight of those points came from four really massive push jumpers in the final 15 minutes, providing an outlet for the Knicks ballhandlers who drew attention away from Embiid.
And after DiVincenzo's 3-pointer put the Knicks ahead one, Hartenstein was able to stay with Maxey and block his layup to ultimately seal the win for the Knicks.
He's not the MVP, and his value has decreased since Mitchell Robinson returned from a three-and-a-half-month hiatus. But Hartenstein has been extremely valuable to the Knicks this season and in this series.
The series is not ended yet. After two closely contested games, the Sixers return home, where they are 20-5 with Embiid in the lineup. Game three will take place on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT).
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