Sixers were down 22 to Knicks, take lead behind Joel Embiid, lose it and NBA playoff series

PHILADELPHIA − Before the game, 76ers coach Nick Nurse likened this series with the Knicks to a boxing match, saying, "There have been a number of games where we’ve taken a heck of a punch from them. It felt like a flurry of right-lefts, right-lefts."

Then things got really crazy in Game 6.

The Sixers took a huge blow in the first quarter of Game 6, falling behind by 22 points in a game they had to win to extend this first-round Eastern Conference series to a deciding seventh game.

But the Sixers punched back. They grabbed the lead in the second quarter behind little-used reserve Buddy Hield and of course Joel Embiid. Then they stretched it to 10 in the third quarter before the Knicks responded with another flurry, taking an 8-point lead on OG Anunoby's slam with 2:43 left in the fourth.

The Sixers got to within a point on Kelly Oubre's slam with 1:11 left, and tied it on Tyrese Maxey's three-point play with 34.9 seconds left.

But the Knicks' Josh Hart responded with a 3-pointer, and Delaware native Donte DiVincenzo hit two free throws with 11.1 seconds left, and the Sixers' season ended in a 118-115 loss Thursday night.

The Sixers lost the series 4-2 in games as the Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals to face the Indiana Pacers.

"I think that’s probably one of the closest series I’ve been in in my young career," Maxey said. "It was tough. That was a well-fought series. Hats off to them. Those guys made shots and they made big-time shots."

Embiid finished with 39 points and Hield came off the bench to add 20. But Jalen Brunson scored 40 for the Knicks and DiVincenzo added 23.

That's why Nurse said this when asked before the game about the general theme of rebounding as opposed to other factors in this series: "I’ve decided that nothing matters. They kill us on the glass, it goes down to the buzzer. We kill them on the glass, it goes down to the buzzer.

"Joel (Embiid) scores 50, it goes down to the buzzer. (The Knicks' Jalen) Brunson scores 47, it goes down to the buzzer. Tell me what matters. When anybody figures it out, let me know … It seems to me that these are two teams fighting their guts out no matter what."

But it wasn't enough for the Sixers. Tobias Harris didn't score in what might have been his final game as a Sixer, and Maxey, who scored 46 in the Sixers' Game 5 overtime win, had just 17 points Thursday on 6-for-18 shooting.

And now the Sixers head into another offseason trying to figure out how to advance beyond the second round, something they haven't done since 2001.

"The season was kind of like this series," Nurse said. "It was really tough and difficult. I think we had a lot of injury issues all year long, but I thought we fought and tried to figure out a way to fight."

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It was physical, and it was grueling. But the Sixers came up short.

"I think both teams are playing as hard as they can," Nurse said. "I’m loving every game. I’m loving being in this series. I’m hoping we can extend it. It’s really fun to be a part of."

And then it was over.

Joel Embiid is doing it all, while Tyrese Maxey struggles

Embiid had 33 points through three quarters, helping the Sixers turn a 22-point deficit into a 10-point lead midway through the third quarter.

It was Tyrese Maxey's 3-pointer that gave the Sixers that 71-61 lead. At that point, the Sixers had outscored the Knicks 60-28 since the Knicks grabbed that 33-11 lead.

The Knicks had tied the game by the end of the quarter.

But Maxey, who had 46 points in the Sixers' 112-106 overtime win in Game 5, hadn't done much. Maxey had just five points through the third quarter on 2-for-10 shooting.

Little-used Buddy Hield (!), Sixers cut Knicks 22-point lead down to 3

The Sixers, facing elimination, couldn't have started much worse. They trailed 33-11 with 3 minutes left in the first quarter. That's when they started chipping away.

Buddy Hield, barely used in this series, came off the bench and buried two straight 3-pointers early in the second quarter. Then Joel Embiid went to work. His free throws, followed by a basket inside, go the Sixers to within 5 points with 6:32 left in the first half.

It was down to 3 after two more Embiid free throws.

Donte DiVincenzo, Knicks burying Sixers early, but Sixers climbing back

The Sixers got off to a brutal start, in large part because of Delaware native Donte DiVincenzo.

The Salesianum School and Villanova star hit three 3-pointers early for 9 points and Jalen Brunson added 10 points through the first 8 minutes of the game, giving the Knicks a 28-9 lead with 4:01 left.

DiVincenzo had made only 30% of his threes through the first 5 games of the series.

It was 33-11 Knicks about a minute later. By the end of the quarter, the Sixers punched back somewhat, getting to within 36-22.

Getting the Max-ey from Tyrese

Through 5 games, it's Tyrese Maxey, not Joel Embiid, leading the Sixers in scoring. Maxey came into Game 6 averaging 32.4 points per game in the series, while Embiid is averaging 31.8 points in 41.6 minutes per game. Kelly Oubre is next at 12.4.

For the Knicks, Brunson is averaging 34.4 points per game, while Josh Hart is next at 17.0 points per game. Delaware native and Villanova star Donte DiVincenzo is averaging 9.8 points per game. DiVincenzo has made 9 of 30 attempts from 3-point range.

Sixers, Knicks announce starting lineup

The Sixers are going with the same starting lineup as last game, with Joel Embiid at center, Kelly Oubre and Tobias Harris at forward, and Kyle Lowry and Tyrese Maxey at guard. The Knicks are starting Isaiah Hartenstein at center, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart at forward, with DiVincenzo and Brunson at guard.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.