“I F**ed Up”: Mitchell Robinson On Fouling Tyrese Maxey For 4-point Play That Led To Knicks’ Demise in Game 5

In what was a thrilling and intense matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks, the former came out smiling after forcing overtime and winning it. And it was all thanks to Tyrese Maxey. The young guard proved his mettle yet again in a crucial matchup. Philly could have packed their bags for good by now, were it not for Maxey’s phenomenal effort.

Unfortunately, though, Mitchell Robinson can’t help but feel that he was partly the reason why the Knicks weren’t able to end the night in their favor. Talking to Ian Begley of SNY Sports, Robinson provided no excuses. “(I have to) take it like a man. I f—-ed up.” So, what exactly happened?

The clock showed that there were only 28.2 seconds left for Game 5 to end. Philadelphia was trailing 90-96 at the time, and Nick Nurse had the good grace to call a timeout. That’s when the entire atmosphere shifted. Mitchell Robinson fouled Maxey when he was knocking down a three. It was naturally whistled, and Tyrese hit the free throw for a 4-point play.

But the Knicks were still leading. Josh Hart hit one of his two free throws and the score was 94-97. But Maxey had taken charge already. In an unbelievable play, the 23-year-old drained a three from 34 feet. Score? 97-97. A tie. And then OT.

Mitchell Robinson’s foul on Maxey might have been a lucky opening, but the first-time All-Star carried the 76ers on his back all through the night

Tyrese Maxey’s stat line tonight read 46 points, nine assists, and five rebounds as he went 17-of-30 from the field, 7-of-12 from downtown, and 5-of-8 from the charity stripe. Only Jalen Brunson had 40 points. The rest of the players, on both teams, scored below 20. But then again, Brunson and Maxey were locked on each other for the majority of the night.

The overtime saw the Knicks and 76ers in a tight contest. Brunson and Co. were looking forward to the second round when the Texas native ensured Philly wasn’t going down without a fight. Jalen tied the game at 106 on a four-point possession after a flagrant foul on Joel Embiid. With just five seconds remaining, Maxey once again rose to the occasion with two free throws. Just like that, the Sixers pulled off a late rally.

For the Knicks, it was an embarrassing situation. They had the lead at 3-1 going into Game 5. Everyone gathered at The Garden was simply waiting for the hammer to drop. The crowd featured some of the most prominent names.; from diehard Knicks fan Ben Stiller to notable alumni of the franchise like Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, Walt Frazier, and more.

Suffice it to say, New York isn’t going to forget tonight’s loss anytime soon. But that’s how the playoffs work. Teams are desperate, and some of the brightest shine even brighter under such high-pressure situations.