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76ers Broadcaster Jinxes Team Against Knicks
Few, if any, saw the New York Knicks' epic comeback on the horizon, and that included the Philadelphia 76ers' local broadcast.
There are announcer "jinxes" and then there's whatever voodoo the Philadelphia 76ers' broadcast team toyed with on Monday night.
Less than a minute remained in the 76ers' Eastern Conference Quarterfinal showdown against the New York Knicks but NBC Sports Philadelphia's crew couldn't wait to start the celebration. In their defense, their Sixers held a 101-96 lead over the Knicks with just over 47 seconds remaining, even after Kyle Lowry had misfired the latter half of a two-free throw set. Victory and a tied best-of-seven series heading back to Wells Fargo Center seemed inevitable and the visiting broadcasters weren't shy in declaring it.
"The goal is getting homecourt advantage by winning one of the two games on the road,” color commentator Alaa Abdelnaby said (h/t @DJACENBA on X). “Job done, let’s head down to the (Pennsylvania) Turnpike.”
Apr 22, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo (0) reacts after
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Play-by-play woman Kate Scott concurred, remarking that the network's ensuing postgame coverage would be "fun." But Philadelphia affairs took on a decidedly somber tone after a metropolitan miracle, one that saw Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo three-pointers sandwich a Josh Hart steal, creating the necessary margin for a 104-101 Knicks victory. New York thus holds a commanding 2-0 lead in the series, holding such an advantage in a playoff series for the first time since 2013's opening round.
Scott's tone switched from jovial to stoic while Abdelnaby noted that the Sixers' rebounding proved to be their "Achilles heel." It was an Isaiah Hartenstein rebound that partly saved the day for the Knicks as the starting center emerged with the ball after DiVincenzo's first try at a go-ahead shot fell short.
Things were obviously far more uplifting on the Knicks' broadcast, where longtime play-by-play man Mike Breen was moved to a rare double usage of beloved "BANG!" call after DiVincenzo's winner. Including their regular seasons finales, the Knicks have now won seven games in a row as they seek out their first conference finals appearance since 2000.
Both broadcast crews, with Breen flanked by Walt "Clyde" Frazier, will be back in action on Thursday when Game 3 tips off in Philadelphia (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/NBC Sports Philadelphia).
