The Philadelphia 76ers, led by Tyrese Maxey‘s resilient 30-point performance, secured a 109-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets during Saturday’s NBA action, overcoming a vigorous fourth-quarter comeback attempt by their opponents. Maxey, who sustained a bloody nose from a flagrant foul by Brandon Miller, remained undeterred throughout the game.
“I’m all right,” Maxey said of the second-quarter hit. “I tell everyone that I’m a soldier, so it is what it is. But I’m going to take UFC lessons, though.”
Despite Joel Embiid‘s absence due to a meniscus injury, which has significantly impacted the 76ers’ performance, the team managed to hold its ground, thanks to contributions from Kelly Oubre Jr. and Buddy Hield. Oubre Jr. added 22 points, and Hield contributed with crucial plays that kept the momentum going for Philadelphia.
“I thought Buddy kept us going there for stretches in the second half,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said. “He got some good spots and got some good looks. We only scored 109 points, but I thought the offense was really good.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers, Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets Updates
The Hornets, despite trailing for most of the night, momentarily seized the lead in the final quarter, highlighting a competitive spirit that has been present despite their struggling season record.
“We were right there with three and a half minutes left,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “We had a couple blown sets where we got a little disorganized there, but we got back into the game and I would say that we played well for about 43 minutes. The second quarter, we had a couple minutes there where the ball didn’t hit the paint and we took a couple OK shots and put a lot of pressure on the defense.”
In the game’s critical moments, Maxey and Oubre Jr.’s ability to penetrate the Hornets’ defense proved decisive, allowing the 76ers to clinch the win with a combination of strategic offense and tenacious defense.
“It usually comes down to shot-making and stop-making,” Nurse said. “We were able to do both consecutively there in the last three minutes of the game. We had a couple of good shots, got an and-one and got to the foul line at the end of the game. And then we were good enough at the defensive end to make some stops there at the end of the game.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers, Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets Updates
Maxey, reflecting on his role in the absence of Embiid and Tobias Harris, who missed the game due to an ankle injury, emphasized the need to maintain aggression and ensure team involvement throughout the match.
“I need to be aggressive and find a way to get my teammates involved as well,” Maxey said. “I need to tell them to take the shots they have and to keep bring aggressive in all four quarters. There’s been a few times in the fourth quarter (without Embiid) where I wasn’t able to close the game out because I exerted a lot of energy in the first three quarters. Now, I have to find a way to be the best player I possibly could be for all 48 minutes.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers, Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets Updates
As the 76ers look ahead to hosting the Miami Heat and the Hornets prepare for their game against the Orlando Magic, both teams continue their journey through the NBA season, facing their respective challenges head-on.
