Tyrese Maxey’s breakout season continued on Thursday night when the 25-year-old guard scored a career-high 54 points in the Sixers’ 123-114 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The All-Star continues to grow as a veteran leader in his sixth season with the Sixers — but his personality and impact off the court often steal the show.
That was on display Saturday morning as a line steadily formed out front of the Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center as Maxey hosted the Tyrese Maxey Foundation’s fourth annual holiday turkey giveaway. And this year the foundation gave away 3,000 Thanksgiving meals to Philadelphia families in need.
“It’s growing,” Maxey said. “The foundation, my uncle, my mama, everybody that’s part of it, is doing an amazing job. I remember when I first came to it, like I said, it was just a small idea that I wanted to do and it turned grand, and that’s a really good feeling.”
With each passing year since it started in 2022, the event continues to make massive leaps.
In its first year the foundation gave away 400 meals. The following year, that number increased to 1,000 meals, and in 2024 the foundation gave out 2,000 meals.
“It shows my connection with the city,” Maxey said. “I try to do whatever I can to give back, honestly. It’s just one of the many things I try to do. But for me, my family, and my foundation, I really do appreciate them for helping me bring a plan like this to fruition.
“I want people to see that I’m not just a basketball player. I’m a person as well. I grew up in places where I wanted to give back there too. And so now I’m blessed to be able to have that impact in Philadelphia.”
Tyrese Maxey poses with fans before his foundation provides 3,000 turkeys to families on Saturday.
Each Thanksgiving meal included a turkey, sides, fresh produce, and sweets. Philadelphia native Ceriene M. Lofton, 71, was grateful to have the help from the Sixers guard ahead of the holiday season.
“He is humble,” Lofton said. “You have a lot of basketball players and you have a lot of stars, they wouldn’t even give you a dime. But him doing this is a great help for the community, especially for senior citizens who can’t get out or don’t have the means to have any type of dinner. So, you know what, I really honor him and I respect him for that because he doesn’t have to do that, but he does it out of his heart.”
Saturday’s event was just one way the Tyrese Maxey Foundation plans to strengthen the community. During the day, Franklin the Dog made an appearance and Maxey met with children, first responders, and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship founder David Feldman.
Tyrese Maxey at the 4th annual Tyrese Maxey Foundation holiday turkey giveaway pic.twitter.com/Myd0QtyGBI
Wearing his bright red Tyrese Maxey Foundation T-shirt, Maxey couldn’t help but reminisce on a past interaction from his 2022 turkey drive, a day after he broke his foot.
“I was able to go, and I still walked people around and was there the entire time,” Maxey said. “I remember this one lady came up to me just crying, happy that I was there. She just didn’t think I would be here because I broke my foot the day before. … Those are the moments that we live for. That’s why I do it.”
Tyrese Maxey’s foundation provided 3,000 Thanksgiving meals to families on Saturday.
As the event continues to grow, Maxey has big plans for the future.
“It’s the holiday season, I just try to spread joy,” Maxey said. “Just keep making people happy. Right now, it’s a hard time in the world. … A lot of stuff has been changing, but the more families we can feed, the more smiles we can put on people’s faces, I’m happy.”
His value to the city is greater than his stellar play as a 76er. That’s just the basketball version of Maxey. As a person, the 25-year-old continues to build a legacy of giving back to this proud city of roughly 1.57 million people.
So it wasn’t surprising that before participating in Saturday morning’s practice in Camden, Maxey and his Tyrese Maxey Foundation hosted their largest turkey giveaway at the Alan Horwitz Sixth Man Center in Nicetown. They provided 3,000 Thanksgiving meals to families in need this holiday season.
Kathleen Pointer is greeted by Sixers mascot Franklin at the Tyrese Maxey Foundation turkey giveaway.
This annual tradition highlights Maxey’s continued commitment to giving back. But it’s bigger than that, as this event brings together local partners, volunteers, and families to ensure more Philadelphians can enjoy a happy holiday and a Thanksgiving meal.
“The foundation, my uncle [Brandon McKey], my mama, everybody that is a part of it is doing an amazing job,” Maxey said. “I remember when I first came to it, like I said, it was a small idea that I wanted to do, and it’s turned grand. And that’s a really good feeling.”
All this comes after Maxey hosted some of his other annual events this summer.
He held his Night of Giving dinner at the Fitler Club, located at 2400 Market St., on July 31.
The next day, Maxey hosted a celebrity golf tournament at the Union League Golf Club at Torresdale to raise money for the foundation. And on Aug. 1, he held the Tyrese Maxey 1% Skills Camp at Penn Charter. The free basketball camp was for ages 7 to 12.
“I think we are blessed to have somebody like Tyrese,” said Eric Worley, the vice president of basketball operations for Philly Youth Basketball. “From the time that [Maxey’s family] came here to the city, you just kind of saw how authentic and genuine they were in regards to giving back and him wanting to really kind of engage in the community.”
People wait in line as Sixers star Tyrese Maxey’s foundation provides 3,000 turkeys to families on Saturday.
Several years ago, Maxey reached out to the founders of Philly Youth Basketball to help identify the location for his first camp. Worley was impressed by how thorough Maxey’s parents and his uncle, Brandon McKay, were when he first met them.
“And it has continued to carry on six or seven years later,” he said. “They’ve been consistent in regards to what their objective and what their mission has been.”
On Saturday, Maxey arrived early before the giveaways to greet the volunteers and business partners, and even posed for countless pictures. He also went around each station with the first person in line, personally putting a turkey and other items in her cart.
And he had to be proud to know that his charitable work was about to help the long line of people waiting to enter the building to pick up their items.
People leave with Thanksgiving meals, courtesy of Tyrese Maxey’s foundation.
Meanwhile, several folks in attendance were overjoyed to meet one of the NBA’s best players. The point guard is second in the league in scoring with an average of 33.4 points per game. He finished with a career-high 54 points along with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks Thursday in Milwaukee to lead the Sixers to a 123-114 overtime victory over the Bucks. But to Maxey, this isn’t about a star player giving back to the community. He intended to help regardless of his status in the league.
“It had nothing to do with basketball to give back,” he said. “I think my biggest thing was what my grandmother told me at a young age: If I was able and blessed to make it, this is the one thing that she wanted me to do. So I was able to do that as soon as I got into the league. Of course, not my first year because it was COVID.
“But the next year, as soon as we were capable to do it and come up with a plan, we brought it the first year.”
Sixers star Tyrese Maxey’s foundation provided 3,000 Thanksgiving meals to families on Saturday.
And none of this is surprising to Sixers coach Nick Nurse.
Nurse was moved last October when the team was in Des Moines, Iowa, for a preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. As players exited the bus, a little guy around 5 years old was standing in a Maxey jersey. With no one saying a thing, Maxey got off the bus, saw the jersey, walked right over, and autographed it for the kid.
And the Dallas-area native has done similar things in Philly and other cities.
Maxey is aware of his popularity and embraces the responsibility that comes with it.
“As good a player as he is, he’s a better person,” Nurse said. “I said that when they did the thing to sign him to his big contract. You just don’t say that because he’s a nice guy and he’s nice to people, and he works hard and he’s got good character and all that stuff.
“He also proves it in his actions. [Saturday morning] is just another example.”
Joel Embiid will miss his seventh consecutive game for right knee injury management Sunday afternoon against the Miami Heat, per the NBA’s injury report released Saturday evening.
The Sixers said following Saturday’s practice that Embiid is still experiencing soreness in that knee, which has not undergone multiple surgeries in recent years. The medical staff does believe Embiid is progressing following his most recent evaluation, the Sixers added.
Rookie starting guard VJ Edgecombe (calf tightness) is listed as questionable to play Sunday. Reserve center Adem Bona (sprained ankle) will also remain out for at least the Sixers’ next two games against the Heat and Tuesday against the Orlando Magic, the Sixers said. He will be reevaluated after that.
Embiid has missed the Sixers’ past six games with the knee issue. The former NBA Most Valuable Player was briefly upgraded to doubtful to play in Wednesday’s loss against the Toronto Raptors, but then was ruled out of that contest and Thursday’s overtime win at the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I can’t predict any of it,” coach Nick Nurse said when asked about the bigger-picture outlook for Embiid’s health. “I think we’re trying to take the best care we can of him and get him out there. He wants to play. He’s being very diligent, all this stuff. He’s doing a lot to try to get back on the floor, and I think it’ll be soon.
“I know this has been a long, ‘I think it’ll be soon,’ but just keep doing the right things and keep listening to what the doctors tell us.”
Embiid has averaged 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in six games played this season. He has previously been under a minutes restriction, and has had scheduled absences for select practices and games as part of his recovery plan from the longtime left knee issues.
Grimes a Sixth Man of the Year candidate?
Quentin Grimes hit a massive three-pointer to put the Sixers up, 116-112, with less than two minutes to play in overtime of Thursday’s win in Milwaukee. It was another example of his value in crunch time, and in the Sixers’ potent three-guard lineups.
But because Grimes has initially come off the bench in all 15 of the Sixers’ games entering Sunday, he also is considered an early contender for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.
He entered Sunday averaging 16.9 points, which entering Sunday ranked third among reserve players, along with 4.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds. He also regularly takes on challenging perimeter defensive assignments, such as James Harden in Monday’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Quentin Grimes has embraced his role as the Sixers’ sixth man after failing to come to terms on a deal with the team this summer.
When asked if he has considered his candidacy for such an honor, Grimes responded with, “No, not really.”
“If you start thinking about stuff like that,” Grimes said, “you can get lost in everything [and] you start losing the focus on the game. … I worry about going out there and winning and doing [things] to impact the game. [Awards will] take care of itself if that happens.”
Grimes, though, did start the second half in three of the Sixers’ past four games. That generally gets him on a better rotation pattern to be part of the closing lineup. Thursday in Milwaukee, however, he did not begin the third period on the floor, but then played nearly seven consecutive minutes in that frame and then the entire fourth and overtime. His schedule will also likely continue to evolve as Embiid and Paul George are reintroduced to the lineup.
“It doesn’t change my mindset,” Grimes said. “I know what I bring to this team offensively and defensively. Just coming in and try to impact the game as soon as I get in the game — whether I’m starting the game, starting the second half, coming off the bench …
“Impact the game in a positive way, and help swing the momentum a little bit.”
Sunday matinee
Sunday’s game against the Heat will be a rare weekend matinee matchup. That means, from a preparation standpoint, Saturday’s practice essentially served as a shootaround.
Grimes added that the atypical tipoff time did not change much about his pregame routine. He will sub his two-plus-hour afternoon nap with sleeping in later Sunday morning, rather than waking up earlier for shootaround. And his pregame meal will be breakfast, likely “four or five” over easy eggs and pancakes.
Quotable
Justin Edwards on Paul George’s 11-point outburst to begin the Milwaukee game: “We were all hyped for him. I was in the game laughing because I’m like, ‘Yo, he’s just out there killing it.’”
The 76ers said Saturday that Joel Embiid is still experiencing soreness in his right knee.
It was determined that he’ll need a little more time. But the team said the doctors feel he’s progressing well. The center, who has no structural damage to his right knee, has been listed as day-to-day.
“I think we’re trying to take the best care we can of him and get him out there,” said coach Nick Nurse. “He wants to play. He’s being very diligent. He’s all the stuff. He’s doing a lot to try to get back on the floor. And I think it will be soon.
“I know this has been a long [process]. I think it will be soon, but just keep doing the right things, keep listening to what the doctors tell us.”
The Sixers entertain the Miami Heat at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Embiid hasn’t played since the Sixers’ 130-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8.
He missed the last five games due to right knee injury management. Embiid also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder has already missed nine of the Sixers’ 15 games because of his knee ailments. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) did not participate in Saturday’s shootaround-type practice for Sunday’s contest.
MILWAUKEE — Tyrese Maxey recovered from a rough performance against the Toronto Raptors to kick the Milwaukee Bucks in the teeth.
Now, now. That wasn’t so hard, was it?
In turning a hostile Fiserv Forum into his personal playground, the 76ers star erased memories of fourth-quarter shortcomings to post a historic performance in a 123-114 overtime victory over the Bucks.
Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points along with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, three blocks, and five turnovers in 46 minutes, 38 seconds.
He joins Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only two players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a single game.
Against the Bucks, Maxey made 18 of 30 field goals and went 12-for-14 from the foul line. Sixteen of his points came in the fourth quarter on 5-for-7 shooting. He added six points in overtime one night after failing to score any fourth-quarter points in a 121-112 home loss to the Raptors.
Maxey finished that contest with game highs of 24 points and nine assists. He made 8 of 14 shots, but only attempted one — a missed three-pointer — in the fourth quarter.
“Certainly a big difference,” coach Nick Nurse said. “And again, it’s a variety. I keep thinking, it’s obviously a great amount of threes [six] because he’s such a good shooter. [He had] a few drives all the way, a few floaters, playing on top, playing along the baseline, you know, just moving him around and trying not to make it too predictable.”
Tyrese Maxey scores one of his seven left-handed layups against the Milwaukee Bucks.
One thing that no one could have predicted was Maxey making a career-high seven layups with his left hand. It was the most made layups by an NBA player with their nonshooting hand in a game this season.
But on second thought, maybe folks shouldn’t be surprised.
“I work hard, and I don’t shoot shots that I don’t work on, if that makes sense,” Maxey said. “I don’t just try stuff. Every shot that I shoot is a shot that I worked on before. So I have confidence in it.”
He and the Sixers (9-6) know it’s just a matter of remaining aggressive.
The sixth-year player was second in the league in scoring at 33.4 points per game entering Friday’s matchups. He also led the league in made three-pointers (61) and was seventh in assists (7.9). In addition, he was fourth in the NBA in fourth-quarter points (8.9) for players who’ve played at least four games. Maxey also averaged 5.8 shot attempts in the quarter. So to attempt just one against the Raptors is out of character.
And his 14 total field goals were well below his average of 23.4 per game.
“Joel [Embiid] definitely got on me as soon as I got in the locker room,” Maxey said. “He pulled out the stat sheet, showed me the 14 shots, and said, ‘This ain’t going to cut it.’ And Joel is normally right.”
So Maxey responded by tying Hall of Famer Allen Iverson for the ninth-most points in a game in franchise history. Iverson scored 54 points twice as a Sixer.
“He’s special. He’s special,” Paul George said of Maxey. ”Man, he’s gifted. I think what you guys don’t see and what stands out is after the game on a back-to-back, 50 [points], 45-plus minutes, he goes and lifts.”
George thinks that speaks volumes to who Maxey is and where he is in his career. George, a nine-time All-Star, has played alongside Hall of Famers, future Hall of Famers, and borderline Hall of Famers.
“And that’s what they do,” George said. “They do the stuff like that that keeps them going, keeping them strong, and always working on themselves. Therefore, you always see his production on the floor. He puts the work in. And you know, it’s special. He’s a talent.”
Sixers Tyrese Maxey (0) looks for a shot against Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (20) in the first overtime at Fiserv Forum.
And George realized that even before signing with the Sixers on July 6, 2024.
He saw how Maxey excelled while playing alongside former Sixer James Harden. Then he watched how the guard had more added to his plate after Harden was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2023-24 season. Maxey responded by becoming an All-Star and the league’s Most Improved Player that season.
“I noticed it early on,” George said. “Just watching him, man, he’s got better. I think it’s his mindset. It’s his mentality. And like I said, he works on his game tirelessly. So all of that adds up, and he’s just a great leader. He’s young, but he’s a great leader. And he’s the total package.”
Sixers announcer Alaa Abdelnaby had high hopes this Sixers team would erase the memory of disappointment from last season. So far, he’s gotten his wish.
Coming off a thrilling overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Sixers seem rejuvenated this season behind young talents Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe. Though things have slowed following their red-hot 4-0 start, newfound interest in the Sixers is showing up in the team’s TV ratings.
Through nine games, Sixers games on NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC Sports Philadelphia+ are up 73% compared with the same point last season, according to Nielsen numbers obtained by The Inquirer. That works out to an average of about 138,000 viewers tuning into each game.
As a result, Philadelphia has the fourth-strongest growth in NBA TV ratings this season, trailing behind only Portland, Chicago, and Denver.
Not surprisingly, the most-watched Sixers game this season was last week’s win against the Boston Celtics, which, along with Denver Nuggets vs. Sacramento Kings on the West Coast, averaged 2.9 million viewers across NBC and Peacock.
A large reason behind the surge of interest is Maxey’s MVP-caliber performance. In his sixth season in the league, Maxey is averaging 33.4 points, up big from the 26.3 per game he put up last season.
Edgecombe, the Sixers’ energetic rookie, has dropped back down to Earth a bit after his 34-point debut against the Celtics. Still, Edgecombe is averaging 15.6 points and six rebounds and has been a workhorse for the Sixers, averaging 37.4 minutes per game, the second-most in the NBA behind Maxey.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s pre- and postgame coverage, featuring Amy Fadool, Marc Jackson, and Jim Lynam, has also benefited from the increased interest in the Sixers. Viewership for Sixers Pregame Live is up 150% compared to last season’s average, while Sixers Postgame Live is up more than 60%.
Podcasts are also enjoying a bump. The Rights to Ricky Sanchez, the popular Sixers podcast co-hosted by 94.1 WIP’s Spike Eskin and Mike Levin, tends to have a loyal audience that doesn’t surge or sink too much. But Eskin said the podcast has seen a “pretty good jump,” especially during the Sixers’ hot start.
“The Ricky listeners are die-hards so they’re always there,” Eskin said, “but the hot start certainly gave the pod a lift as the people who checked out of the team last year seemed excited to get back in.”
Sixers NBA standings
Eastern Conference
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Sixers news
Sixers center Joel Embiid hasn’t been on the court much so far this season.
Each Friday, Inquirer photo editors pick the best Philly sports images from the last seven days. This week, we’ll take another look at the latest big night from the Eagles defense, the return of Paul George against the Los Angeles Clippers, and the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s friendly in Chester. We’ve even got one of Philly’s three new Michelin star chefs, Amanda Shulman of Her Place Supper Club, ringing the bell before a Sixers game …
Sixers forward Paul George made his season debut Monday against the Clippers. He played 21 minutes, but finished with just 9 points (on 2-of-9 shooting), 7 rebounds, and 3 assists, in 21 minutes. After the game, George admitted he was “rusty.”
Sixers center Andre Drummond, seen here getting fouled on a rebound against the Clippers, has been starting in place of Joel Embiid, who missed his sixth straight game Thursday night as he deals with a knee injury.Her Place Supper Club chef-owner Amanda Shulman rings the ceremony bell at the Sixers game on Wednesday. A night earlier, her restaurant became one of three in Philly to earn the city’s first Michelin stars.
Members of the Penn Quakers — Ethan Roberts (23), Cam Thrower (5), AJ Levine (0), and Augustus Gerhart (25) — react in the final minutes of their 83-74 win over the Saint Joseph’s Hawks at The Palestra on Monday.
USA midfielder Tanner Tessmann (center) beats Paraguay’s Julio Enciso (left) and Alex Arce (right) to the ball during the United States’ 2-1 win over Paraguay at Chester’s Subaru Park on Saturday.Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham waits to be introduced before the team’s game against the Detroit Lions. Graham came out of retirement earlier this year to rejoin the team he helped win a pair of Super Bowls.
Eagles fans celebrate after the defense stops the Lions on fourth-and-goal in the third quarter of Sunday’s win. The defense has allowed just 16 points in its last two games.
Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean hits Lions quarterback Jared Goff, causing him to fumble. Vic Fangio’s defense has allowed just 14.5 points per game during the Eagles’ current four-game win streak.While the Eagles defense has soared, the offense has soured. They’ve scored just 26 points in their two games since the bye, and earlier this week a report said there was internal frustration with Jalen Hurts.
Maxey showed why he’s a legitimate candidate for MVP, scoring a career-high 54 points on 18-for-30 shooting to go with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. His 54 points tied Hall of Famer Allen Iverson for the ninth-most points scored in a regular-season game in team history. Iverson did it twice, in December 2004 and January 2001.
Maxey joins Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only two players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a single game.
“Great. We won. That’s what matters most,” Maxey said of tying Chamberlain.
But how does he feel about being in that company?
“Blessed,” Maxey said. “I thank God for it. Anytime you are in a conversation with Wilt, who scored 100 points, you can’t complain.”
Maxey didn’t have a repeat of Wednesday night when he attempted one fourth-quarter shot attempt — a miss — in a 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors. On Wednesday, he passed out of double teams and made what would typically be the correct play in the fourth quarter. In the game, Maxey attempted only 14 shots, which is 9.4 shots below his average of 23.4.
However, the Sixers aren’t good enough for him to serve as a decoy or a secondary player at this moment.
Against the Bucks, with the Sixers down 85-82 with 10 minutes, 10 seconds remaining, Maxey came up with three clutch plays in a short span.
He drained a 20-foot jumper to pull the Sixers within one point. After grabbing the defensive rebound on the ensuing possession, Maxey drained a three-pointer to put the Sixers up, 87-85, with 9:26 to play.
He scored 22 in the fourth quarter and overtime session on 6-for-9 shooting. He made four clutch foul shots in overtime.
The Sixers need Maxey to remain aggressive throughout games to win.
Coach Nick Nurse said after Wednesday’s loss that Maxey needed to shoot the ball more.
“It was a different game last night,” Maxey said of Wednesday. “I definitely was not as aggressive as I should have been. I got hit in the head, and I also got hit in the quad. So it was a little tough for me. Kind of like pop up and get the ball and be extremely aggressive, as I probably need to be. And we were making some shots. I made some plays and got guys open. So I was trying to feel the game out.
“But [Nurse is] definitely right. I got to be aggressive. Joel [Embiid] definitely got on me as soon as I got in the locker room. He pulled out the stat sheet, showed me the 14 shots, and said, ‘This ain’t going to cut it.’ And Joel is normally right.”
The Sixers’ Paul George played a major role on both sides of the ball.
George’s presence
George’s presence has been noticeable in the two games he’s played in this season. The 35-year-old, who made his season debut on Monday, provided early offense and made a defensive impact in Monday’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers and in Thursday’s win against the Bucks.
He finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and two steals while playing 24 minutes, 42 seconds against Milwaukee. This comes after George had nine points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks vs. the Clippers.
George had an excellent start for the second consecutive game.
After scoring the game’s first five points in Monday’s debut, he scored the Sixers’ first 11 points while making his first four shots.
He scored the game’s first basket by driving through the lane and muscling his way to a basket. Then he added three-pointers on the Sixers’ next three possessions.
“That was kind of the mindset,” George said of attacking Thursday’s game from the start after sitting out Wednesday’s loss. “I know these guys played last night.. So I’m fresh. I tried to come in, get the boost, just morale on both ends. I tried to impose my will on the defense, and then come out with a burst offensively.”
The Sixers’ following points came when he assisted on an alley-oop dunk by VJ Edgecombe to make the Sixers’ lead 13-4 with 7:11 left in the quarter. George came out with 6:16 left in the quarter before returning at the start of the second.
While he missed his lone shot and committed a turnover, George made a pair of foul shots and had an assist to go with a steal in his short stint.
George did a solid job running the Sixers’ offense in the half-court and provided solid defense. One of his highlights was stealing the ball on Kyle Kuzma’s layup attempt at the 8:30 mark of the third quarter.
“Listen, whatever it is, to make the game easy for No. 0,” George said of running the offense. “I’ve been saying he’s been doing a lot for us. He might not want to say it, but I know he’s tired. He’s got to be tired. So, you know, I’m just trying to make the game easy for him within the offense, play my game.
“But also, you know, I do feel like I can see plays ahead and kind of see where guys should be and balancing the floor and just trying to give us the best possibility of getting a good shot each possession.”
If there was a negative to his performance, it was that he appeared to run out of gas. He missed five of his next six shots after starting the game 4-for-4. He even missed a third-quarter layup.
Edwards’ defense
With Kelly Oubre Jr. out (sprained left knee), Edwards made his second consecutive start at small forward. There was no drop-off defensively with him in the lineup. While Maxey and George provided the offensive scoring, the former Imhotep Charter standout provided stiff defense. Edwards finished with a season-high two steals, both coming in the opening quarter. The most he had in a game before Thursday was one. And he did that three times in his first 12 games.
“I take pride in it,” Edwards said of his defense. “You know that’s what the coaches expect from me every game. So, you know, I go out there and try to guard everybody’s best ballhandler and put them to the test, honestly.”
While he struggled shooting (seven points, 3-for-10 shooting), Edwards kept making the right plays on the offensive end. On one occasion, he drove the lane and wrapped a pass around a defender and into the arms of Andre Drummond, who scored an easy layup. Edwards had three assists and four rebounds.
But Edwards made two huge baskets in overtime. He opened the extra session with a three-pointer to give the Sixers a 109-106 advantage. Then, with 2:23 left, his 14-foot pull-up jumper gave them a five-point cushion.
He mentioned what the three-pointer meant to him after struggling from the field most of the game.
“It doesn’t bother me,” he said. “But it does bother me. I ain’t even going to lie. I was about to try to do my media-training stuff, but it does bother me. I just got to have short-term memory, because I feel like I’ve made a lot of growth. Last year, maybe college, I probably would not have shot that. I probably would have driven it. But that just shows the confidence in myself. I put the work in. I shot that shot a million times.”
Sixers forward Justin Edwards was one of the players charged with guarding breakout star Ryan Rollins.
Battered teams
The Sixers were without Embiid (right knee injury management), Oubre, and Adem Bona (sprained right ankle). Maxey (right quadriceps contusion) was cleared to play right before the game.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (left adductor strain) could be out for up to two weeks. The Bucks were also missing Taurean Prince (neck surgery) and Kevin Porter Jr. (right knee meniscus surgery).
But long injury lists aren’t isolated only to the Sixers and Bucks. Injuries have been up around the league this season.
Sacramento Kings standout center Domantas Sabonis (partially torn meniscus in left knee) will miss three to four weeks. Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (fractured hip) is expected to have season-ending surgery. And the Dallas Mavericks’ Anthony Davis, Portland Trail Blazers’ Jrue Holiday, San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper, and Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant and Ty Jerome are out with calf strains.
“Anybody can speculate about what they think it is, right?” Nurse said. “I think nutrition plays a big part of it. I think that the preseason plays a part of it, too. I think we are not getting a lot of gamelike reps [in the preseason], and then all of a sudden we’re going 100 miles an hour [in the regular season.]
“And like I said … on our way over here, this is our third road back-to-back, and it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. The games early in the season have been coming out of the chute. It’s a heavy, heavy load.”
It was the Sixers’ fourth back-to-back overall through their 17 games. And the Sixers have been dealing with injuries all season, as George (left knee injury management), Jared McCain (right thumb surgery), and Trendon Watford (hamstring) have also missed time.
MILWAUKEE — Tyrese Maxey scored a career-high 54 points and tied the game by hitting two free throws with seven seconds left in the fourth quarter of the 76ers’ 123-114 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.
Maxey’s previous career high was a 52-point performance in a 133-126, double-overtime victory over San Antonio on April 7, 2024. He also had nine assists and played over 46½ minutes.
Maxey, who entered Thursday averaging a league-high 40.3 minutes, had played 39 minutes one night earlier in a 121-112 home loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Milwaukee’s Ryan Rollins scored 32 points to match a career high and also had a career-best 14 assists. The Bucks have lost four of their last five games.
Neither team had its former league MVP available.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, the MVP in 2019 and 2020, got hurt Monday at Cleveland and is expected to miss about two weeks. The Bucks labeled it a left groin strain Monday but have since specified that it’s a left adductor strain.
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, who won the award in 2023, missed a sixth straight game due to an issue with his right knee.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse watches his team during the first half of their win against the Bucks.
The Sixers (9-6) scored the first five points in overtime on a three-pointer from Justin Edwards — who scored just two points in regulation — and a basket from Maxey.
Milwaukee (8-8) got the margin down to 113-112 on a driving layup from Rollins with 1 minute, 43 seconds remaining, but Quentin Grimes hit a three-pointer 20 seconds later and Philadelphia stayed ahead by at least two the rest of the way.
Milwaukee trailed 94-87 midway through the fourth quarter but rallied to take the lead on Myles Turner’s three-pointer with 14.8 seconds remaining.
The Sixers tied the game with seven seconds left when Maxey drove into the lane, drew a foul, and hit his free throws. Rollins missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.
Paul George added 21 points for Philadelphia. Bobby Portis had 19 and Kyle Kuzma 17 for Milwaukee.
The Sixers return home Sunday to host the Miami Heat (1 p.m., NBCSP) at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
MILWAUKEE — Joel Embiid will miss his sixth consecutive game when the 76ers face the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night at Fiserv Forum.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey is listed as probable with a right quadriceps contusion. But Paul George will return after missing Wednesday’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Thursday’s contest will mark the fifth straight game Embiid has missed with right knee injury management. He also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
Embiid, who has no structural damage to his right knee, has been listed as day-to-day. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder has already missed eight of the Sixers’ 14 games because of his knee ailments. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.
Tyrese Maxey scored 24 points in the Sixers’ loss to the Raptors on Wednesday.
Maxey is dealing with a quad injury after finishing with 24 points, nine assists, and three steals in Wednesday’s loss. George had the night off due to not playing in back-to-backs. The forward (left knee injury management) made his season debut in Monday’s 110-108 home victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Adem Bona (sprained right ankle), Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee), and Hunter Silas (G League two-way assignment) will also miss Thursday’s game.
The Bucks will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo (left adductor strain), Kevin Porter Jr. (meniscus surgery in right knee), Taurean Prince (neck surgery), and Alex Antetokounmpo (G League two-way assignment). Gary Harris (illness) is listed as questionable.
