Did ‘Bricken For Chicken’ save the Sixers’ season? Some fans think so.

The Sixers were down 11 points in the third quarter. The crowd was out of it. Caleb Martin was at the line to shoot two free throws for the Heat. And the entire momentum of the game was about to shift, thanks to … free chicken?

That’s because the Sixers have had a “Bricken for Chicken” promotion in partnership with Chick-fil-A since 2022 that rewards fans with free chicken nuggets when opponents miss — or “brick” — consecutive free throws in the second half of a game.

To the delight of the Philly crowd during an otherwise awful start to the game for the Sixers, Martin missed both his free throws, giving the crowd an extra pop and a free five-piece from Chick-fil-A. But the free chicken hyped up more than just the fans.

Through the promotion, the first time an opposing player misses two consecutive free throws in the second half, all fans in the region can redeem a free five-piece of chicken nuggets at a Philadelphia-area Chick-fil-A. The second time bumps it up to an eight-piece. And if it happens a third time, everyone can redeem a 12-piece.

The Sixers’ Nugget Counter says 780,928 nuggets have been given away as a result of the promotion, and after Wednesday’s play-in game, that number’s about to spike even more.

After Martin missed both of those free throws, the Sixers went on an 8-0 run to cut it to a one-possession game. They were able to keep the Heat within single digits the rest of the game, eventually taking the lead in the fourth quarter (on a Nico Batum three, of course) to narrowly beat the Heat, 105-104, and secure their spot in a postseason series with the second-seeded Knicks.

So is the chicken responsible for the Sixers’ turnaround? Fans certainly think so.

Batum’s 20-point game also helped propel the Sixers to victory, so some fans spread the credit around. The first points after the Sixers secured free chicken came from a Batum three-pointer, and the veteran forward proceeded to hit four more threes the rest of the way, finishing 6-for-10 from outside.

Make sure to head to your local Chick-fil-A to redeem your free nuggets — whether you were at the game or not. Fans have until 10:30 a.m. the day after the game to claim their voucher in the app, and then three days to redeem it at a local Chick-fil-A.

If you already missed this one, don’t worry, the promotion will continue through the Sixers’ playoff run, so the magic from the free nuggets might not be over yet. The next Sixers’ home game will be Game 3 of their first-round series vs. the Knicks, on Thursday, April 25.