The 76ers have won four of their last five games. They really shouldn’t have defeated the Knicks on Wednesday, trailing 93-83 with 2:29 left, but they did it anyways.
76ers beat the Knicks despite trailing by 10 with 2 minutes left
Here’s how they did it.
It was a T.J. McConnell turnaround game-winner that did it. Here’s the shot in all its glory, which earned him a mini-mosh pit from his teammates after he sprinted the length of the court.
New York led by 13 earlier in the quarter, and a 10-point lead with less than three minutes to play is usually insurmountable. Teams almost never make up 10 points with that little time remaining. Here’s how it happened.
2:17 - Joel Embiid scores a quick and-one
Embiid’s short floater near the hoop, plus a foul from Joakim Noah, came about 10 seconds into the shot clock. He hit the free throw, making it a 93-86 game.
1:57 - Robert Covington nails a transition three
This is crucial — Embiid steals a Derrick Rose pass on the next play, resulting in a wide-open Covington three six seconds later. There’s no way the Sixers get a great look that quickly without a live ball turnover, but Rose complied and Covington made it 93-89.
1:21 - Embiid banks in a three and scores an early layup
Rose scores off an offensive rebound, making up for his turnover. But Embiid answered back ... with a bit of luck. This makes it a 95-92 game.
After a Carmelo Anthony miss, Embiid scores again — not directly on a fast break, but because he hustled down the court and established good position near the basket. Ersan Ilyasova assists on both the three and this bucket, showing why the 76ers traded for him early in the season as a veteran presence. The score is 95-94.
0:27 - Gerald Henderson hits both free throws
Rose has another difficult shot go in — this time a reverse layup — but Henderson is fouled on the other end and goes 2-of-2 at the line. That’s important.
0:06 - Kristaps Porzingis misses a potential dagger in the worst possible way
Porzingis has a wide-open corner three on the Knicks’ last possession. Honestly, with so little time left, it’s OK if he misses, which he does. It’s not OK that he airballs, leading to a rebound that directly starts a fast break.
That fast break — and a smart decision by head coach Brett Brown not to call a timeout — directly led to McConnell’s turnaround winner. If Porzingis even scrapes the rim, it might be enough to delay the 76ers as they corral the ball, and certainly it would have ruled out McConnell’s shot coming in time. Instead, the 76ers win yet again, and Embiid nearly ended McConnell’s life in celebration. This picture really is so great.
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