76ers forward had ‘never seen’ what happened near end of win vs. Celtics before
Niang #Niang
Georges Niang said Tuesday that he had “never seen” anything like what transpired on Monday night near the end of the Philadelphia 76ers’ Game 1 win over the Boston Celtics when teammate Tyrese Maxey beat Boston’s shot clock.
As the Celtics had possession with a 113-112 lead, 33 seconds left on the game clock and the shot clock about to expire, Maxey picked off Boston guard Malcolm Brogdon’s wild pass and coasted in for a wide-open dunk to propel Philadelphia to an eventual 119-115 road victory.
If Brogdon’s pass wasn’t put exactly where it ended up at that exact moment, the shot clock could’ve sounded, and though it would’ve resulted in a Celtics turnover, it would’ve taken away Maxey’s breakaway bucket.
Jayson Tatum would connect on two go-ahead free throws on the following Boston possession, but it was Maxey’s heads up (and bizarre-looking steal and dunk) that had lots of people talking late Monday night, as well as James Harden’s game-winning three-pointer.
Harden tied his playoff-career-high of 45 points (including 15 in the fourth quarter alone), shooting an efficient 17-for-30 and 7-for-14 on three-pointers, while Maxey had 26 points and played great defense with a game-high four steals.
With MVP finalist Joel Embiid’s status still very much in doubt for Wednesday’s Game 2, Sixers fans have to be feeling good after not only taking the series opener in a hostile environment but without their best player as well.
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