PHILADELPHIA — Throughout more than twelve NBA seasons split among six teams, Sixers guard Cameron Payne has witnessed many remarkable playoff performances, especially from guards.
Paul George going on a hot streak with jump shots. Klay Thompson establishing a then-record of 11 three-pointers. Deandre Ayton’s impressive game-winning “Valley Oop” dunk with a fraction of a second remaining.
At the top of Payne’s list is teammate Tyrese Maxey’s 46-point outburst in Game 5 against the Knicks on Tuesday, which involved two important three-pointers in the final 28 seconds to force overtime and eventually secure a win.
This wasn’t an easy choice. During the 2015-16 playoffs, when Payne was a first-round draft pick of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Thompson had a scorching performance from beyond the arc.
“We were leading 3-1 in the series and ended up losing in seven games,” Payne mentioned after the shootaround on Thursday. “It was the Klay Thompson game, Game 6, that shattered our hopes.”
Two seasons ago with the Phoenix Suns, Paul set a record by making all his shots to lead Payne and the team to a Game 6 playoff victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
“Fourteen-for-14, that’s something else,” Payne remarked about the shot accuracy. “Especially all jumpers.”
During his time with the Suns, Payne was present on the court for center Ayton’s controversial “Valley Oop” dunk from an inbounds pass that lifted the team to a last-second 104-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. The dunk would have been considered offensive goaltending if it had not been from an inbounds pass.
“Valley Oop, a live game winner, that’s comparable to Tyrese’s,” Payne mentioned. “But I still rate Tyrese’s above that one. That was amazing, man. An and-one (three-pointer, resulting in a four-point play), that’s significant. And we won the game. That’s huge.”
Irrespective of the series’ outcome, Maxey’s performance was outstanding. The Sixers aimed to use it as a stepping stone as they approached Game 6 of their first-round series on Thursday against the Knicks.
Maxey’s performance against the Knicks places him in the NBA record book alongside legends such as Jerry West, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James, as well as Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, Trae Young, and Devin Booker. Only 10 NBA players have achieved at least 46 points, five rebounds, and nine assists in a playoff game, as Maxey did.
“In my view, that’s the top one,” Payne stated about Maxey’s Moment. “I’ve experienced some myself, but this one here was one of the biggest ones.”
Maxey was averaging 32.4 points and 45.0 minutes in the playoffs as of Thursday, the highest among the Sixers. His teammate Joel Embiid was averaging 31.8 points and a career-high 41.6 minutes.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson was averaging 34.4 points. Additionally, he was averaging 43.8 minutes and 29.6 field goal attempts, the latter being significantly the most in the playoffs.
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The survivor of the Sixers-Knicks matchup will begin the Eastern Conference semifinals next Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers secured a 120-98 victory over the Bucks on Thursday evening to close out the series 4-2.
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Nic Batum, a veteran player for the Sixers, blocked Rick Brunson's shot in regular time, leading to overtime in Game 5.
Another noteworthy moment was when Batum interrupted an airborne Brunson's shot, causing a crucial turnover in overtime.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse praised Batum for his versatile abilities, including defense, passing, shooting, and leadership. Nurse highlighted Batum's impact on the game even without scoring points, emphasizing his competitiveness.
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In the Sixers' starting lineup were Kelly Oubre Jr., Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid, Kyle Lowry, and Maxey. The Knicks lineup included Brunson, Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstine, Donte DiVincenzo, and OG Anunoby. Mark Lindsay, originally from Drexel Hill and a graduate of Malvern Prep and West Chester University, officiated the Sixers-Knicks game as part of a 3-man crew.
