Tyrese Maxey absolutely went off for 38 points as the Philadelphia 76ers clawed their way to a 109-104 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday, doing it all without their two biggest stars on the floor. Talk about a statement game!
Missing Pieces and a Sluggish Start
This wasn’t just any game, it was the second night of a back-to-back for Philadelphia. And while Jaylen Brown made his return to the lineup after missing Friday’s NBA Cup opener with left patellar tendinopathy, the Sixers were still missing some massive firepower. Brown was listed as questionable all day, but he got upgraded to available after hitting the pregame shootaround, with coach Nick Nurse confirming he was out there shooting despite the lingering questions.
But the real shocker? Both LeBron James and Joel Embiid sat this one out. LeBron was on sciatica management, and Embiid was sidelined for right foot, plantar fascia management. Playing for the second consecutive night, it seemed the Sixers came out a little sluggish. The Hornets, also on a back-to-back, took full advantage, jumping out to a 37-27 lead in the first quarter. Maxey was the only offense in sight for Philly early on, dropping 15 points in that opening frame, while Brown managed only a single point.
However, the Sixers didn’t stay down for long. They absolutely dominated the second quarter, outscoring Charlotte 30-17, and took a 57-54 lead into halftime. Maxey continued his scoring clinic, hitting 19 points by the break, including a sweet 3-for-5 from behind the arc. He was locked in a first-half duel with Charlotte’s Grayson Allen, who also poured in 19 points, scorching the net with 5 of 6 three-point shots. Brown, unfortunately, was still struggling, heading into the locker room with just 5 points.
Fourth Quarter Chaos and Maxey’s Heroics
The Hornets weren’t ready to roll over, though. They came out of the half reasserting themselves, going on a 14-4 run in the third quarter to snatch back an 8-point lead. Naz Reid was a big part of that surge, chipping in 6 points. Philly tried to fight back, cutting the deficit to 79-77 with timely 3-pointers from Maxey and Anfernee Simons, but Charlotte scored the last 4 points of the quarter to take a 6-point lead into the final 12 minutes.
The fourth quarter? It was pure pandemonium. Midway through, things boiled over when Grayson Allen poked the ball away from Jaylen Brown under the Charlotte basket. The two went to the floor battling for the loose ball, then popped up and exchanged shoves before teammates rushed in to separate them. Both players got hit with technical fouls. You love to see the fire, right?
Allen kept the pressure on, draining a 3 with 3:41 left to push the Hornets ahead 101-94. But then, it was showtime for Philly. Simons and Maxey combined to score the next eight points, and just like that, the Sixers roared back to a 102-101 lead. Brandon Miller missed a short turnaround jumper for Charlotte, and then VJ Edgecombe hit a clutch stepback 3 right over Allen to put Philadelphia up by four! After Sion James missed on the Hornets’ next possession, Maxey drew a foul on Allen and calmly sank two free throws, sealing a 107-101 lead for the Sixers.
What a wild one. The Sixers showed serious grit, especially with Maxey putting on an absolute clinic to drop 38 points. This win, without Embiid and LeBron, proves this squad has fight and depth. You gotta wonder what this means for their season when the whole crew is healthy. Keep an eye on Maxey, because he’s playing like he wants the keys to the city.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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