Anthony Black scored 27 of his career-high 31 points in the first half, Franz Wagner added 21 points and the Orlando Magic routed the injury-depleted 76ers 144-103 in an NBA Cup game on Tuesday night.
Orlando’s Jalen Suggs was ejected with 27 seconds left in the first half after receiving two technicals during a heated altercation between the teams.
Tyrese Maxey scored 20 points to lead the Sixers, whose absences included Joel Embiid (right knee injury management), Paul George (right ankle sprain) and rookie VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness).
Orlando improved to 3-0 in the Cup and the Sixers dropped to 0-3.
The game was tied at 35-all after the first quarter before the Magic took control in the second period. Philadelphia fans started showering boos on the court when Orlando went up 17 points with 5½ minutes left.
The frustration spilled onto the court with 27 seconds before the break when the altercation led to Suggs’ ejection.
A scuffle between Sixers’ Andre Drummond and Magic’s Wendell Carter Jr. led to Jalen Suggs’ ejection.
The Magic dominated the second quarter, outscoring Philadelphia by 26 points in the period to take an 86-60 lead at halftime.
Trendon Watford limped to the bench with just over four minutes left in the first half and did not return due to a left adductor strain.
Embiid missed his eighth game in a row and 11th this season. The seven-time All-Star and 2023 MVP began the season recovering from left knee surgery, limiting him to 20-to-25 minutes when available, but has since had issues with his right knee.
George, who signed a four-year, $212 million deal with Philadelphia prior to last season, made his season debut on Nov. 17 after offseason knee surgery. He missed the following game, played the next two before sitting out against Orlando.
For Orlando, Paolo Banchero was sidelined for his seventh consecutive contest with a left groin strain.
Up Next
The Sixers travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Friday night (7:30 p.m., NBCSP).
The 76ers will be without Joel Embiid and Paul George when they face the Orlando Magic in Tuesday night’s NBA Cup game at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The perennial All-Stars were scratched from the game on Tuesday afternoon.
George is sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Meanwhile, Embiid will miss his eighth consecutive game because of knee injuries. The 2023 MVP was listed as questionable on Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
So what happened?
“Just not quite there yet [to play],” coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid before the game. “I mean, you guys know that we said yesterday that he practiced fully, and he participated in most, well, I don’t know, parts of the shootaround today, but just not quite there.”
If Embiid’s still not quite ready, why did the Sixers list him as questionable?
“I guess I would say there was a chance he would be ready,” Nurse said. “I think that’s what we have to do. It was trending towards he was going to play.”
This contest will mark the seventh straight game Embiid has missed as the team manages the soreness in his right knee. 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, had been listed as day to day. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder has already missed 10 of the Sixers’ 16 games because of knee ailments. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.
Sixers center Joel Embiid watches his teammates play the Orlando Magic on Oct. 27.
George injured his ankle in Sunday’s 127-117 loss to the Miami Heat. The nine-time All-Star had 10 points and five assists in his third game of the season. He missed the first 12 as he recovered from a left knee injury.
Nurse was asked if there was any additional information on George’s ankle that caused him to be downgraded from probable to out.
“Nope,” he said. “Just that it is reported soreness in the ankle after the game the other night. He has not been in anything since then, and we’re just trying to keep following up with that and see where he is.”
The 6-8, 220-pounder is averaging 13.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and one block in 22.0 minutes.
Nurse said the Sixers have yet to determine whether George will miss an extended period of time with the injury.
“I think we’re in the process of checking in to see what exactly is wrong and what the extent of it is,” he said. “We’ll, obviously, give you that when we have it.”
Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), and reserve center Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s game.
As a result, Tyrese Maxey and Dominick Barlow, who started the first two games in place of George, are the Sixers’ only available starters from the opening day lineup.
Joel Embiid’s availability is either the NBA’s biggest mystery or the 76ers’ best-kept secret.
The 2023 MVP has missed the last seven games because of knee injuries. So what is his status for Tuesday’s matchup against the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena?
“The same as it was,” coach Nick Nurse said Monday, hours before Embiid was listed as questionable. “He’s still day to day.”
Embiid has missed the last six games because of soreness in his right knee. 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 as part of the rest and recovery plan for his left knee.
The Sixers have said there’s no structural damage to his right knee. So what’s holding up his return?
“Just waiting for doctors to clear him,” Nurse said.
Asked if Embiid has been a full participant at practice, the coach said he was during Monday’s session. Nurse said the center is in good spirits despite being sidelined for two weeks.
“He’s a little frustrated about it,” the coach said. “But I think it was cognizant that he was feeling something there, and he immediately wanted to get it figured out.
“Like I said last night, he’s trying to do a lot of stuff to try to get back on the floor. So his spirits are good.”
The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder has missed 10 of the Sixers’ 16 games. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.
Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) talking with Tyrese Maxey after a victory against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 27.
The expectation was that Embiid would miss some time this season after arthroscopic surgery in his left knee in April. It was his second left-knee surgery in 14 months and third in nine years.
The plan was for Embiid sit out the second night of back-to-back games. He also wasn’t expected to play when there were fewer than two days of rest between games.
But now Embiid hasn’t played since Nov. 8, when he scored a season-high 29 points and posted six rebounds and four assists in a season-high 25 minutes, 57 seconds against the Toronto Raptors.
He has missed 64 games since the start of the 2023-24 season because of injuries. Embiid played in 39 games in 2023-24 and 19 games last season.
“As a friend, you want him to be healthy and ready to play,” Tyrese Maxey said of Embiid. “You want him to be happy. As long as he’s happy, then I’m happy. That’s at the end of the day.
“Yes, basketball is our career, but life is life, you know what I’m saying? You only get one life. So you’ve got to live life to the fullest. And as long as people are happy, his family’s good, he’s good, and he can get on the basketball court as much as possible, I’m happy.”
But Embiid isn’t the only banged-up player on the Sixers’ roster.
Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness), and reserve center Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s game. Paul George (sprained right ankle) and Maxey (sprained right shoulder) are listed as probable. However, Maxey downplayed his injury.
When asked about coping with the team’s injuries, Maxey said the Sixers have a good mentality about them this season.
“It’s just like whoever’s playing is playing, whoever is not is not,” he said, “and they’re going to cheer the teammates on.”
Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. shooting over Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs on Oct. 27.
The standout point guard said he would love to have everyone available for all 82 regular-season games. Maxey knows that’s not possible.
“But you just have to have the next-man-up mentality,” he said, “and we move on from there.”
The Sixers (9-7) are focused on securing their first NBA Cup victory when they host the Magic.
They’re 0-2 in East Group B after a 114-105 loss to the Pistons on Nov. 14 at Little Caesars Arena. The Magic (10-8, 2-0) are tied with the Pistons for first place in the group.
The Sixers must find a way to contain Orlando forward Franz Wagner, who averages 23 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. The 6-10, 230-pounder has scored in double figures in every game this season. He scored at least 20 points on 13 occasions, including a season-high 37 points Saturday in a 133-121 victory over the New York Knicks.
Orlando All-Star forward Paolo Banchero will miss his seventh consecutive game with a left groin strain. Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel on Sunday, Banchero said he’s “pretty close” but could not pinpoint when he would return.
The Magic had their three-game winning streak snapped Sunday in a road loss to the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Sixers are 5-7 after opening the season with four straight victories.
While the team has faded a little, Maxey has been one of the season’s elite players.
He scored a career-high 54 points to go with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks Thursday in a 123-114 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Maxey was second in the league in scoring before Monday’s games at 33.0 points per game, and seventh in assists at 7.8.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey shoots as Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson defends him on Sunday.
“I just want us to win,” Maxey said when asked if winning MVP was a goal. “If we win, and that comes with it, I’m happy. But I don’t really care. Like last night, we lost [to the Heat]. When I play well, and we lose, it doesn’t make me happy at all.
“But when I play bad, and we win, I’m extremely happy because at the end of the day … the wins mean more to me. Right now, we have nine wins. That means the most to me. It’s to keep stacking days, keep winning, keep getting better every single day, and keep leading this team.”
The 76ers have a tough time matching up with towering, athletic post players.
Even in a loss, Justin Edwards is developing into a steady player who makes the right play.
Jared McCain is starting to regain the rhythm that made him a rookie-of-the-year front-runner last season before he suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Andre Drummond was the tallest available Sixer on Sunday at 6-foot-11. Dominick Barlow, who backed him up at center, stands 6-9. Meanwhile, starting forward Paul George and reserve forward Trendon Watford are both 6-8.
Miami started 7-foot Kel’el Ware at center and 6-9 Bam Adebayo at power forward. The duo took full advantage of their height advantage. Ware finished with 20 points and 16 rebounds. He had eight points and eight rebounds (six offensive) in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Adebayo, a three-time All-Star, had 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Drummond held his own, finishing with 14 points and a season-high 23 boards for his sixth double-double in seven games. But the Sixers were outrebounded, 58-46.
“The biggest challenge was, I think he really got going when we got into rotations for Drum being out,” coach Nick Nurse said of matching up with Ware. “His size was just a little too much for our other guys tonight with what we had out there.
“So then, we tried to do as much as we could, matching Drum with his minutes. But again, he was just a little too long and bouncy down there for us for most of the game.”
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo dunks on Dominick Barlow in the fourth quarter.
The Heat (11-6) took advantage of the Sixers (9-7) not having starting center Joel Embiid and reserve Adem Bona.
But this isn’t the first time they have had a tough time matching up against towering post players. They struggled trying to defend Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley in a 132-121 road loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 5. Embiid missed that game. Bona played, but struggled mightily against the 6-11 big men.
On that night, the Sixers held a 43-34 rebounding advantage in a game that was basically over after three quarters. Allen had 24 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks in 29 minutes, 31 seconds. Mobley added 23 points, five rebounds, and three blocks in 34:02.
The Sixers need to find a way to erase their margin of error, regardless of who’s available to play.
“I think who is in and out of the lineup is out of our control. Let me start with that,” Drummond said. “And the guys who do play, we play to the best of our ability. We’re playing good teams. And you know it’s hard to find a rhythm when we are not knowing who we are playing with on a nightly basis. So still not an excuse. I think this game was very winnable for us.
“Just a few mistakes down the stretch of the game. It’s a good team we’re playing. It’s a great team. So we’ll get them next time.”
Drummond has a point: This was a winnable game. The Sixers battled back from a 16-point deficit, closing the gap to two points (105-103) on Trendon Watford’s layup with 8:28 remaining.
The Heat responded with a 13-2 run to put the game out of reach.
Tyrese Maxey had 27 points on 10-for-23 shooting along with six assists, two steals, and three turnovers before exiting the game with 1:29 left.
But the Sixers must do a better job of defending opposing bigs regardless of who’s on the floor. If not, they could be in trouble.
Edwards’ heady plays
Edwards made his third consecutive start at small forward in place of the injured Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee). The former Imhotep Charter standout is doing a solid job of filling in.
Edwards is starting to develop a knack for making the right play. He knows that his teammates, Maxey and George, are the go-to players. So he spaces the floor, hustles for loose balls, crashes the boards, and looks for his shot only when he is open.
Doing that, Edwards finished with seven points on 3-for-8 shooting to go with four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks against the Heat.
The second-year player out of Kentucky also did a solid job of getting Maxey the ball. One of his assists came on Maxey’s three-pointer right before the shot clock expired with1:22 remaining in the half. On the next possession, he assisted on McCain’s three-pointer.
“I’m just playing basketball, making the right play,” Edwards said. “That’s what I do. That’s my role. I’m not trying to play outside of my role. I’m just going to do whatever keeps me on the court. I’m not going to go out there, trying to play Tyrese Maxey’s role. That’s not my role.
“So I just make the right play. If I’m open, I’ll shoot it. If I drive and they [bring] help, whoever the next man is, I’ll pass it. It’s the right play, honestly.”
Sixers guard Jared McCain reacts after making a third quarter three-point basket.
McCain’s best game
McCain posted his best performance of the season with a season-high 15 points on 5-for-11 shooting — including making 3 of 4 three-pointers — in a season-high 25:43. The second-year guard had eight points in 13 minutes on Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks and five points in 14 minutes the night before vs. the Toronto Raptors.
McCain failed to score on a combined 0-for-9 shooting during his first four games of the season. The 6-3, 210-pounder is starting to show his scoring prowess as he gets reacclimated to playing basketball.
He made his season debut on Nov. 4 against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. McCain was rusty in his first game since suffering a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee on Dec. 13, 2024. He was supposed to return in time for training camp, but a torn ligament in his right thumb cost him the first six games of this season.
“It definitely felt the best,” McCain said of Sunday’s game. “I think each game is just getting more reps on the knee and more reps of movement. But I felt really good today.
“Felt like I got a little burst for my first step, and yeah, just continue to build off each game. And the more minutes I play and the more time I’m in, I feel like I can get more reps up. And yeah, it felt really good.”
Sixers coach Nick Nurse watches his team take on the Miami Heat.
Injuries have certainly hurt
Sunday was the Sixers’ 16th game of the season. By this time, teams should have a pretty good idea of their competitiveness.
But that hasn’t been the case for the Sixers because of injuries, preventing a full lineup. Embiid missed his seventh consecutive game because of knee injuries. He missed the last six games with right knee soreness. He also missed the Sixers’ Nov. 9 home loss to the Detroit Pistons for injury management on his left knee.
Meanwhile, Oubre and Bona (sprained right ankle) missed their fourth consecutive games. Sunday marked the first game that VJ Edgecombe sat out because of left calf tightness.
It also marked the third game that George (left knee injury recovery) has played in since being sidelined for the first 12. Two other Sixers — McCain and Watford (hamstring tightness) — were sidelined at the start of the season. And it was Barlow’s fifth game back after missing nine with a lacerated right elbow.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (center), who missed his first game of the season, watches his teammates take on the Miami Heat with forward Paul George (left) and guard Kyle Lowry.
As a result, the Sixers started Edwards, George, Drummond, Quentin Grimes, and Maxey against the Heat.
While the situation isn’t ideal, Nurse hasn’t been concerned by how the injuries have slowed the evaluation process. He actually sees it the other way.
“I think we are getting some really good evaluations on a lot of the younger guys that we maybe wouldn’t have gotten,” Nurse said. “But, you know, obviously, we barely integrated Paul and Joel. Paul’s [played around 65 minutes]. Joel’s played six games. Most of those were minutes restricted, right? I think we’re still trying to work Jared McCain back into it. He’s still minutes restricted. I think I’m not in a big hurry to evaluate and figure out who we are right now, just trying to play as hard as we can each night and keep kind of working these guys back in.”
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.”
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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Western Conference
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Sixers center Joel Embiid hasn’t been on the court much so far this season.
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.
