Skip to content
Sixers
Link copied to clipboard

Tyrese Maxey saved the Sixers from elimination and shocked Knicks fans. Here’s how the world reacted.

Nick Nurse said, considering the circumstances, the 46-point performance was the best of Maxey’s career.

Tyrese Maxey set social media ablaze after a game-tying 34-foot three-pointer that sent Game 5 to overtime between the Sixers and Knicks.
Tyrese Maxey set social media ablaze after a game-tying 34-foot three-pointer that sent Game 5 to overtime between the Sixers and Knicks.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer
    by Gabriela Carroll
    Updated 
    Published 

Tyrese Maxey completed a four-point play. And then he hit another three-pointer, tying the game for the Sixers with under a minute to play and ultimately saving the Sixers’ season.

Nick Nurse said, considering the circumstances, the 46-point performance was the best of Maxey’s career.

» READ MORE: Tyrese Maxey saves Sixers’ season with miracle performance in 112-106 Game 5 overtime win

After Maxey’s potential Game 2 dagger was overshadowed by the heroics of Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo, Maxey pulled the Sixers up off the mat in Game 5 to send the series back to Philadelphia with a signature moment of his own.

He shocked the entire Garden crowd — including comedian and TV host Jon Stewart, who later tweeted: “Respect to Maxey…but damn…I’m clearly getting too old for this [expletive]…”

Knicks superfan Ben Stiller sent Maxey his respect …

… after the fact, at least. During the game, not so much.

Even Lakers star LeBron James was locked in.

Eagles second-round draft pick Cooper DeJean’s mind was blown as well.

There might be no better response than how Maxey reacted himself. At the end of regulation, Maxey walked down the court celebrating — including using some language he said his grandmother would not have liked.

“That’s a lot of emotion,” Maxey said postgame. “Like I said, I’m a happy guy but I actually hate losing, especially when it’s certain times like I missed three free throws, crucial free throws, and I turned the ball over. People don’t see me upset a lot, but I was really upset and I just wanted to go out there and make up for it for my teammates, man. I feel like I played very well in the whole game and to lose a game like that, end the season like that, I would have been crushed.”

After Maxey’s massive shot, Sixers superfan and legendary basketball coach Dawn Staley urged Sixers fans to pack the Wells Fargo Center on Thursday for Game 6.

» READ MORE: Dawn Staley hopes WNBA expansion leads to a franchise in Philly: ‘We’re ready’

If the Sixers manage to pull off the 3-1 comeback, one thing’s for certain — those 20 seconds of Tyrese Maxey are going into the history books.