Takeaways Tyrese Maxey saves Sixers as Knicks lose Game 5 in ...

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Former Villanova head coach Jay Wright talks about his 'Nova Knicks'

Jay Wright talks about a New York Knicks squad that's stacked with former Villanova champions.

Sports Seriously

NEW YORK – The Knicks couldn’t put the Sixers away.

Philadelphia managed to make key shots late to force overtime and eventually emerged with a 112-106 victory in Game 5 Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden to cut the Knicks’ series lead to 3-2.

The series now shifts back to Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia for Game 6 on Thursday.

The Knicks had a chance to end this series Tuesday night, but they couldn’t get it done. They missed some good looks, their defense was uncharacteristically porous at times and they couldn’t do enough to shut down an embattled Sixers team in the final minutes of regulation.

So the fight continues.

The Sixers pulled back ahead in the third quarter and managed to make some big shots in the fourth quarter to take a five-point lead with about eight minutes to go, but again the Knicks fought back and regained control.

A three-point play by Jalen Brunson, serenaded with “MVP!” chants as he stepped to the free-throw line, gave the Knicks a five-point lead with five minutes to go before Tyrese Maxey, who was stellar for Philadelphia, drained a long three to make it a three-point game.

After a pair of free throws by Brunson, Mitchell Robinson poked the ball away from Joel Embiid, and OG Anunoby corralled it and finished on the other end with a fast-break layup.

A jumper by Brunson made it a five-point game with a minute to go before Maxey hit a three while being fouled by Robinson. Maxey made the foul shot to cut it to two.

The Sixers fouled Josh Hart, who made one of two but Maxey drained another long three to tie it. Brunson couldn't hit his attempt in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime, which was as much of a fight as regulation.

Sixers pull away in overtime

A three-point play by Joel Embiid gave the Sixers a four-point lead with 1:36 to go in the extra period.

Embiid then was called – after a review – for a flagrant 1 foul against Brunson, who made one of two. Brunson then drained a three to tie it at 106 before bucket by Kelly Oubre Jr. put the Sixers back ahead by two.

Tobias Harris then hit a pair of free throws with 15.8 seconds left.

That essentially sealed the win for the Sixers.

Takeaways

1. Knicks didn’t shoot well from three-point range

This wasn’t a good shooting night for the Knicks.

They shot just 10-of-36 (27.8 percent) from the perimeter.

The Knicks had some good looks, they just couldn’t knock them down and it cost them.

2. Costly turnovers

Thibodeau frequently talks about the importance of three things: Rebounding, playing tough defense and taking care of the basketball.

The Knicks didn’t do enough of the latter on Tuesday night, committing 15 turnovers that led to 21 points for Philadelphia.

Was that the reason the Knicks lost? Of course not.

But in a tight game like this, those points mattered.

A lot.

3. Knicks didn’t have an answer for Tyrese Maxey

While the Knicks contained Embiid, they couldn’t do the same against Maxey.

The Sixers guard finished with 46 points on 17-of-30 shooting, including 7-of-12 from beyond the arc, to propel the Sixers.

He hit some incredibly difficult shots.

Maxey carried the Sixers on his back.