(Field Level Media) Donte DiVincenzo hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 13.1 seconds left last night for the host New York Knicks, who scored the final eight points in the last 28 seconds to stun the Philadelphia 76ers 104-101 and take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round series. Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday night in Philadelphia.
“Well, there’s been some pretty wild finishes, but that was right up there with the best of them,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “And that just shows you what the playoffs are all about. And oftentimes, it’s a hustle play here, a hustle play there, just finding a way to win.
“We had some guys make some big shots, big hustle plays, getting on the floor, coming up with a steal, coming up with a block, made free throws. And we needed it all. We had a lot of contributions from different people.”
The 76ers overcame an eight-point deficit by mounting a 19-6 run that ended with Kyle Lowry splitting a pair of free throws with 47.3 seconds left for a 101-96 lead. New York’s Jalen Brunson, who missed his first five 3-point attempts, got a shooter’s roll on a corner 3-pointer with 27.4 seconds left.
Josh Hart stole the inbounds pass from Tyrese Maxey and dished to DiVincenzo, who missed a 3-point try. New York’s Isaiah Hartenstein pulled down the rebound and kicked the ball back out to DiVincenzo, who drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
“They score, we take a look at getting it in quick, we don’t get it in quick,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse said. “I call timeout (makes the timeout motion). Referee looked right at me, ignored me. Went into Tyrese. I called timeout again (makes the timeout motion), and the melee started.” The 76ers were then able to call a timeout with 13.1 seconds left and the team down 102-101. Afterward, Maxey’s layup was blocked by Hartenstein. OG Anunoby was fouled and drained a pair of free throws. The 76ers, who had no timeouts left, raced up the court before Maxey dished to Joel Embiid, who missed a 3-point attempt as time expired.
“We’re going to win this series,” Embiid said. “We’re going to win this. We know what we’ve got to fix. We did a better job today, so we’re going to fix it. We’re the better team and we’re going to keep fighting.”
Hart (21 points, 15 rebounds) had a double-double for the Knicks while Brunson finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists. DiVincenzo had 19 points while Hartenstein (14 points) and Anunoby (10 points) also reached double figures.
Maxey, who was listed as questionable pregame due to an illness, came within one rebound of a triple-double (35 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds). He had the first nine points of the game for the 76ers — who opened a 10-point lead six times in the first half — and scored 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Embiid, who was questionable because of a chronic left knee injury, had 34 points and 10 rebounds. The Knicks outscored the 76ers 11-7 during the final four minutes of the third while Embiid was on the sideline icing his knees.
