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.
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…” 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.
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.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com
Recent Posts
Paul Finebaum says Texas belongs in CFP, shouldn’t be ‘penalized for doing the right thing’
"In my mind, Texas belongs in the College Football Playoff, even with that record."
Aidan Hutchinson to Pat McAfee: ‘ESPN has really let you run free…’
"How bout your girth?"
TV and streaming viewing picks for November 30, 2025: How to watch NFL Week 13
L.A. Rams at Carolina and San Francisco in the early window along with Buffalo at San Francisco in the late afternoon window and Denver at Washington are among the highlights in this NFL Week 13 Sunday.
Deion Sanders promises to resurrect Colorado next season: ‘This was the Last Supper’
"If anybody’s built to reconcile and to get this back on course, it’s me."
Mark Stoops says there’s ‘0% chance I walk away’ from Kentucky
"Zero means zero. Zero percent chance I walk."
Thom Brennaman coulda swore Syracuse fan Nancy Pelosi was in the house
"I don't know if Nancy Pelosi being from California is a Syracuse fan..."