NBA

Tyrese Maxey wrecked Knicks’ celebrity row: Tracy Morgan middle finger, ‘seething’ Ben Stiller and a Jon Stewart meme

Tyrese Maxey was the star of his own movie at The Garden on Tuesday night during Game 5 of the Knicks-Sixers first-round playoff series.

The 76ers All-Star guard put on a show — he finished with 46 points, including seven three-pointers and the game-tying three to force OT — and it wasn’t well received by MSG’s famed celebrity row of diehard Knicks faithful.

Comedian Tracy Morgan flashed his right middle finger in the direction of Maxey after the 23-year-old celebrated saving Philadelphia’s season with his game-tying three at the end of regulation.

Tracy Morgan and Ben Stiller react after Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey hits a game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation in Game 5 of the Knicks-Sixers first-round playoff series at Madison Square Garden April 3, 2024. X

Stiller, meanwhile, was standing next to Morgan, as seen in a photo of the viral moment, which showed the actor staring at Maxey with an angry grin on his face.

“I never really understood what ‘seething mad’ meant until i saw ben stiller’s face here,,buddy STEAMING lmaooo,” one fan wrote on X.

Comedian and television host Jon Stewart poked fun at himself when his perplexed reaction to the Maxey show became a meme.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) hits a shot over New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) in overtime. Robert Sabo

“Respect to Maxey…but damn…I’m clearly getting too old for this s–t,” Stewart wrote in a post on X, including the image, which featured him standing at his courtside seat as Maxey ran past him towards the 76ers bench after hitting the game-tying shot.

Maxey carried the 76ers to the 112-106 overtime win against the Knicks, but still trail the series 3-2.

Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 30, 2024 in New York City. Getty Images
Comedian Jon Stewart poked fun at himself when his perplexed reaction to Tyrese Maxey’s game-tying three-pointer became a meme in Game 4 of the Knicks-Sixers first-round playoff series at Madison Square Garden April 30, 2024. X

He had seven points in the final 25 seconds of regulation as the 76ers rallied from a 96-90 deficit.

The former Kentucky star finished with five rebounds and nine assists.

“Going through my mind right there was just, find a way to survive,” Maxey said of the elimination contest.

The Knicks-Sixers first-round playoff series shifts back to Philadelphia for Game 6 at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday.