The Knicks appeared to have Game 5 and their series against the 76ers all wrapped up on Tuesday night at the Garden — before they didn’t.

And their fans, Stephen A. Smith among them, were left completely stunned.

With the Knicks up by six points and 25.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Tyrese Maxey drilled a 3-pointer and was fouled by the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson, leading to a four-point play.

After Josh Hart made just one of his two free throws on the other end, Maxey took a deep trey from 34 feet out, which tied the game at 97-97 with 8.1 seconds left.

Jalen Brunson was blocked on his last-second attempt, and the 76ers rolled to a 112-106 overtime win to force a Game 6 in Philadelphia.

Smith, the ESPN “First Take” personality and Knicks fan, posted to X shortly after the heartbreaking loss and appeared to be a mix of frustrated and distraught.

READ MORE

The party had already begun at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks, one more time, had been tougher all across the fourth quarter, had made every important shot, had made every essential defensive stop.

You have to go back to 1999 — Game 6 against the Pacers, Eastern Conference finals — to find the last time the Knicks had clinched a playoff series at home.

Twenty-five years later, the Knicks were going to close out the 76ers.

There were fewer than 30 seconds left. The Knicks led by six. The only way the Sixers could survive was an immediate falling of dominoes, one into the other, an instant series of unfortunate events. The roof was about to blow. The Knicks were fixing to ease into the second round.

“It wasn’t the greatest of circumstances,” Philly coach Nick Nurse said.

Then the first domino fell: Tyrese Maxey made a 3.

READ MORE

Tom Thibodeau made it sound like the Knicks were instructed to foul on last 76ers possession of regulation when Tyrese Maxey tied the game with 8.1 seconds left. He didn't fault anyone, but when asked if they should've fouled Maxey on the play, he said: "We could have. I'll leave at that."

The coach felt the communication wasn't good on the play. "We have to be better and we will," he said.

At every level, coaches say it. Little things cost you games. They sure did for the Knicks. Fouling Tyrese Maxey on his 3-pointer. A missed free throw. Not fouling up three with just over 8 seconds left. Of the myriad reasons the Knicks blew a six-point lead over the final 25 seconds of regulation, those are the chief reasons. The Knicks gave the 76ers two extra points by fouling Maxey and Hart missing the free throw.

Now, they will need to respond in a major way Thursday in Philadelphia to avoid a Game 7 back at MSG on Saturday. This team has answered the bell all year. Now it has to do it again after blowing what should've been the series Tuesday night at the Garden.

There will be a Game 6, mostly because of Tyrese Maxey. His seven points in the final 25.1 seconds of regulation forced overtime and the 76ers rallied from an early five-point deficit in the extra session to pull out the 112-106 win. Two Tobias Harris free throws with 15.8 seconds left iced it, but the Knicks had the game and let it get away. Josh Hart missed a crucial free throw, and Maxey's two long bombs may have changed the series.

Maxey scored 46 points and hit seven 3's. Jalen Brunson had 40 points for the Knicks. This was payback. The Knicks stole Game 2 with some late-game dramatics. Here's a look at the shot that kept the 76ers alive:

Tyrese Maxey has stunned the Garden. Seven points in the final 25.1 seconds erased a six-point lead. His 3 with 8.1 seconds to go tied it. Jalen Brunson's game-winner hit the side of the backboard. MSG went completely silent. Stunning.