NEW YORK – Tyrese Maxey was so passionate that he was shouting some things that “his grandma probably wouldn’t like”, but the Philadelphia 76ers would love him after he helped to stun the New York Knicks 112-106 in overtime.

On April 30, the 23-year-old guard produced a 46-point gem in New York as the Sixers kept their National Basketball Association (NBA) Eastern Conference play-off hopes alive.

Maxey led his team back from the brink of defeat in the fourth quarter with a late burst of scoring before dominating in overtime to ensure a Game 6 back in Philadelphia.

The Knicks, leading the best-of-seven first-round series 3-1 heading into the game, had looked poised to progress after Jalen Brunson helped the second seeds take a six-point lead with 29 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

But Maxey drained a three-pointer and then hit a stunning long-range shot from the logo with nine seconds left to send a pulsating duel into overtime.

It looked as if the Knicks had reclaimed the initiative after Brunson scored five points to give New York a five-point lead before a raucous Madison Square Garden.

Yet Maxey and NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid had other ideas, launching a 9-0 run to give the Sixers a 106-102 advantage. New York pegged it back to 106-106, but the Sixers regrouped and pulled clear again to seal victory.

“Season on the line, we fought for 53 minutes and never gave up,” Maxey said.

“Even when we were down late... guys still went out there and made plays – that was big time.”

A pumped-up Maxey could be seen roaring in defiance after helping the Sixers take the game to overtime.

“I was saying some things that my grandma probably wouldn’t like,” he added.

“I’m a happy guy, but I absolutely hate losing.”

Maxey’s 46-point haul included seven three-pointers, while Embiid posted a triple-double of 19 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists.

Tobias Harris added 19 points for the Sixers and Kelly Oubre Jr finished with 14.

Brunson led New York’s scoring with 40 points, while Josh Hart had 18 and O.G. Anunoby 17.

“It was a tough way to lose because you get up six, eight and then we had a couple turnovers and we’ve got to just be better,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.

“Play tougher with the lead, use good judgment. Fourth quarter is different, understand the difference. So we can do better and we will.”

Elsewhere in the East, the injury-hit Milwaukee Bucks stayed afloat by beating the Indiana Pacers at home, winning 115-92 to also extend their series to Game 6.

Milwaukee, trailing 3-1 and missing injured stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, looked to be heading for an early post-season exit after Indiana raced into a 31-23 first-quarter lead.

But the Bucks bounced back in the second and third, outscoring Indiana 64-36 to take control.

Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis led Milwaukee with 29 points apiece, while Malik Beasley added 18.

Tyrese Haliburton top scored for Indiana with 16 points, but endured a frustrating night against a sterling Milwaukee defensive effort.

“We’ve just got to understand that they’re a team on the brink of their season being done, and they’re playing desperate, they’re playing hard, as they should be,” the point guard said.

“At the end of the day, they outcompeted us tonight. They played harder. They played better. They kind of just dominated us in every facet of the game tonight.”

In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell rattled in 28 points – including 14 in the fourth quarter – as the Cavaliers ground out a 104-103 win over the Orlando Magic to take a 3-2 lead.

Orlando had fought back from 2-0 down to level after recording emphatic wins in Games 3 and 4 in Florida. But Cleveland dug deep to ensure they will head back to Orlando for Game 6 with a chance of clinching the series.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando’s scorers with 39 points, eight rebounds and four assists. AFP