The New York Knicks mounted a thrilling rally after falling behind by five points to the Philadelphia 76ers with less than a minute left in Game 2 of the first round of their Eastern Conference playoff series.
The Knicks scored eight points in the remaining 27 seconds and escaped with a 104-101 lead.
The next day, the NBA conceded New York's victory, fueled by non-calls for multiple fouls and a failure to grant a timeout requested by the referees.
It's safe to say the 76ers won't be feeling the best when they go home Thursday with a 2-0 loss in the best-of-seven series.
Knicks analysis
The Knicks are up 2-0 in the series despite shooting worse from the floor than the 76ers in both games.
According to NBA Advanced Stats, Knicks starters rank 14th in postseason field goal percentage (39.3 percent).
While the team isn't shooting particularly well, the bench players are outperforming the starters, ranking sixth in field goal percentage (42.6 percent).
The Knicks' reserves are tied for second with 29 points per game.
We usually expect players on the bench to perform better at home with their backs to the crowd. However, that performance doesn't always carry over when a team goes on the road in a hostile environment.
The Knicks will need to get more power from point guard Jalen Brunson. He has nearly twice as many shot attempts (27.5) as any other Knicks player, but is shooting just 29.1 percent from the floor.
Brunson made just 2 of 12 from beyond the arc and hasn't been able to get to the basket as effectively with Philadelphia's Joel Embiid patrolling the paint.
All three wins against the 76ers during the regular season were by double digits, but it's worth noting that Embiid was inactive for two of those games.
76ers analysis
Embiid's impact on Philadelphia's overall success cannot be underestimated.
Although he wasn't 100 percent in the first game, he still scored 29 points. After injuring his knee, he returned to the locker room with 2:37 left in the first half, and the Knicks went on a 9-0 run to end the quarter.
The reigning MVP improved in Game 2, scoring 34 points in 39 minutes. And after playing two games in three days, he should benefit from an extra day off.
While the Knicks' bench deserves a lot of credit for its performance in the first two games, the 76ers' role players saw little playing time.
Philadelphia's bench is tied for last in playoff scoring, averaging just 8.5 points. Perhaps a change of venue will be enough to help the 76ers' backups regain their shooting touch.
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Knicks vs. 76ers Game 3 predictions
The NBA's admission of multiple errors by its officials supports the 76ers' claims, and their legitimacy may further infuriate them.
Considering both teams' starting lineups, the 76ers have the clear advantage, with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey averaging 65.5 points combined.
The 76ers outscored the Knicks in the first quarter of both games (59-43), which is likely when Embiid is at his freshest.
With a player as talented as Embiid, coach Nick Nurse can script the first quarter pretty much to his liking.
It's hard to watch the Knicks' starters soar over opponents inside the supposedly lively Wells Fargo Center. So we should expect another quick start from the 76ers.
Recommended: 76ers 1st Quarter -1.5 points (-118, BetRivers).
