Jalen Brunson Speaks on Knicks' Reaction to Game 5 Loss vs Sixers

Where are the Knicks at after a tough Game 5 loss against the Sixers?
Apr 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates his three
Apr 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates his three / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

In the final minute of Game 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers, the New York Knicks looked as though they were on their way to advancing to the second round. Despite being down six with 30 seconds to go, Tyrese Maxey had no intentions of letting his team roll over and accept defeat.

First, Maxey converted a four-point play after Mitchell Robinson fouled him beyond the arc. Josh Hart answered by splitting a pair of free throws at the other end. Maxey then quickly stormed down the court and nailed arguably the biggest shot of the series. With only eight seconds to go in the game, he nailed a logo three that tied the game.

Jalen Brunson got off a shot at the buzzer, but it was blocked by Nic Batum. In the overtime period, the Sixers managed to secure a 112-106 win to keep their hopes alive.

Leading up to Game 6, Knicks star Jalen Brunson touched on the Knicks’ reaction following this heartbreaking loss. He stated that the entire team was quiet in the locker room after letting that game slip away.

“When we walked into the locker room, we didn’t say anything,” Brunson said. “I think that spoke volumes. Clearly, we let one slip away. You got to credit them for playing the way they did until the last buzzer. We didn’t say too much, but we knew that we let one go.”

Maxey was the star in Game 5, erupting for 46 points, five rebounds, and nine assists. Thanks to his heroic efforts, the Sixers brought the series back to Philadelphia for Game 6 on their home floor. Facing elimination once again, Joel Embiid and company will look to pull out another victory and force Game 7 in New York.


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Justin Grasso

JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA