Sixers love late Game 6 tipoff and hope it benefits them: ‘I’m going to have a coffee tonight’

The 76ers held their morning shootaround an hour later than normal Thursday, an adjustment for a rare 9 p.m. tipoff for Game 6.

The unusual starting time is because both of Thursday’s playoff games are in the Eastern time zone, beginning with a 6:30 p.m. tipoff in Indianapolis between the Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks.

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Sixers coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday that he “absolutely [loves]” the late tip, a subtle reference to an NBA Finals games in Toronto that started at that time when he was coaching the Raptors to their 2019 championship.

Veteran guard Cameron Payne, though, in his eighth season, said after the shootaround that this is the first time he can remember playing so late.

“Hopefully, it helps us more,” Payne said. “We in our beds, and they [the Knicks] in the hotel. … Energy should be better. You get to rest all day. It’s prime time, so hopefully we’ll be ready to play.”

When asked whether he takes an afternoon nap, a part of many NBA players’ game-day routines, Payne said doing that sometimes leaves him feeling groggier than when he wakes up in the morning.

But …

“No matter what, I’m going to have a coffee tonight,” he said.

Nico Batum has been an X factor for the 76ers in the first-round series against the Knicks.

His play in Tuesday’s 112-106 overtime victory in Game 5 is a major reason the Sixers extended the series and have a chance to do so again Thursday night. In the series, Batum is averaging 4.4 points and 5.6 rebounds over 28.4 minutes while providing solid defense.

In Game 5, the reserve forward blocked Jalen Brunson’s potential game-winning layup in the closing seconds of regulation. Then he forced Brunson to pass up a shot in midair, which led to a crucial turnover with less than 30 seconds remaining in overtime.

Batum finished with eight points on 3-for-8 shooting along with a steal and a block in 33 minutes.

The 16th-year veteran shot 2-for-5 while making one of his four three-pointers through the first three quarters. However, he hit a big three in the fourth quarter.

“He was not letting whatever was happening affect the next play,” Nurse said, “and he was getting wide-open shots in the first half and couldn’t buy one, right? But he stuck a couple in the second half, right? And, obviously, he makes … one of the defensive plays of the night from the last possession to send the game into overtime. He just, again, he’s just going to stay with it.

“He’s going to try and make the right plays. He’s going to try and make the right defensive plays. Good, bad, or ugly. Next possession, he’s back there doing the right thing again.”

The aftermath of Tyrese Maxey’s miracle season-saving shots at the Garden lingered into Thursday morning.

Payne, when asked where that stacks up in playoff performances by teammates, replied, “Ohhh, that’s number one, in my eyes.”

Payne brings valuable perspective on this particular topic.

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He was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016, when the Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson went nuclear for an NBA-playoff-record 11 three-pointers in Game 6 of their Western Conference Finals series.

While with the Phoenix Suns, Payne watched Chris Paul go an NBA-playoff-record 14-for-14 from the field in a series-clinching win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

He was also with the Suns for the “Valley-oop” game-winner in the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers, when Jae Crowder lofted an out-of-bounds pass to Deandre Ayton for the game-winning slam.

Maybe it is recency bias. But Maxey’s seven-point flurry has already shot to the top of Payne’s personal list.

”Especially being the road, too,” Payne said, “and having the [guts] to take the shot and make the shot. That’s our All-Star, though. We’re riding him, and hopefully he can do it again tonight.”