Jon Stewart, Tracy Morgan and Ben Stiller went to Madison Square Garden expecting to celebrate the New York Knicks advancing to the second round of the NBA Playoffs Tuesday night, and then Tyrese Maxey broke them.
The Knicks and their fans entered Game 5 of their first-round playoff series with the Philadelphia 76ers hoping for a gentleman’s sweep. And as the Knicks held a six-point lead with 28 seconds left in the game, the Garden was preparing to celebrate the series win. Maxey, however, had other ideas, scoring seven points in the final 25 seconds of regulation, including a three from the logo to force overtime.
Philly would go on to win in overtime, extending the series to Game 6, breaking the hearts of Knicks fans everywhere, particularly on celebrity row. After Maxey’s logo three to force overtime, the NBA on TNT broadcast caught Tracy Morgan flipping Philly’s All-Star point guard the bird. Ben Stiller, meanwhile, stood next to Morgan, appearing in literal pain as he grimaced at Maxey’s Herculean effort.
Since the current Madison Square Garden opened its doors in 1968, no opposing player has scored more points in a playoff game pic.twitter.com/kKNpKG2kfJ
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 1, 2024
And then there was Jon Stewart, who looked to be frozen as Maxey celebrated past celebrity row on his way back to the Sixers bench. Completely bewildered by the Knicks blowing a six-point lead in less than 30 seconds, Stewart’s stunned reaction became an instant meme, which he later reacted to.
Respect to Maxey…but damn…I’m clearly getting too old for this shit… pic.twitter.com/XjOkPOfaaQ
— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) May 1, 2024
“Respect to Maxey…but damn…I’m clearly getting too old for this shit…” Stewart wrote in reaction to his viral reaction.
While the entire arena was deflated and stunned by New York’s fourth quarter collapse, Stewart can at least relish teaming up with the Sixers All-Star to create beautiful art after the shot that demoralized Knicks fans.
The Angel of Death, by Edvard Munch, 1893 pic.twitter.com/R6vzxSAAu0
— ArtButMakeItSports (@ArtButSports) May 1, 2024
Maxey’s Reggie Miller-like performance sends the series back to Philadelphia for Game 6, which will take place Thursday night with the ridiculously late tip-off time of 9 p.m. ET. One could argue Knicks fans need a day to regroup just as much as the players do. But Stewart, Morgan and Stiller should hope they’re not back on celebrity row until the second round of the playoffs, meaning the Knicks will have ended this series in Philly.
