Sixers react to NBA’s Last 2 Minute report pointing out missed calls
CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers were on the wrong end of some hugely important missed calls in their 104-101 Game 2 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday. The Sixers were up 101-99 with 27.1 seconds left and the Knicks got away with a lot of missed calls.
Per the NBA’s Last 2 Minute report which points out calls made by officiating in the final two minutes of a game, there were missed foul calls on New York’s Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on the chaotic inbounds play. The report stated that they both should have been called for fouls on Tyrese Maxey.
The report also stated that coach Nick Nurse should have been granted a timeout. After the loss, Nurse was adamant that he had called one, but was ignored.
For Maxey, the Last 2 Minute report brings him some peace, but he also just wants to focus on Game 3 on Thursday.
“I guess you could say peace for sure, but I think what it is for us is it gives us is reassurance,” said Maxey at practice on Wednesday. “We gotta use that and put it to the fuel for the fire. It is what it is. We’re down 2-0 and if we dwell on it, we’ll be down 0-3, but we can’t dwell on it. We gotta go out there and do what we’re capable of doing. Go out there and execute the game plan and win two games at home.”
The Last Two Minute report is out from Sixers-Knicks:
– Anunoby should’ve been called for defensive 3 seconds
– Embiid should’ve been called for a foul on DiVincenzo
– Brunson and Hart both were not called for fouls on Maxey
– Nurse should’ve been granted a timeout— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 23, 2024
Nurse took a different approach. He wanted nothing to do with Game 2 after a certain time.
“The clock hit midnight after that game and I moved on,” he said succinctly. “I always give it until midnight and move on. Get ready for the next one.”
If the Sixers can win on Thursday, then all of a sudden it’s a 2-1 series. That would give Philadelphia some momentum with another game at home on Sunday. Game 3 is essentially a must-win for the Sixers as no team in NBA history has ever rallied from a 0-3 deficit to win the series.
“At the end of the day, after Thursday, if we win that game, it’ll be 2-1 and as close as a series can be,” Maxey added. “Somebody has to be up 2-1, you know what I mean? It’s gonna be a dog fight.”
Tip off on Thursday is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT.
