Healthy Sixers Secure Statement Road Win Over Red-hot Hornets

Even if no one predicted this would be an important one when the schedule came out, that’s a great win for the 76ers.

Philadelphia snuck out with a 118-114 win over the Charlotte Hornets Saturday night.

They are 41-33 (Birds), still the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.

In his first game back in three weeks, Tyrese Maxey eased his way back into 26 points on 10-of-18 shooting along with eight assists.

Joel Embiid, off another big first quarter, finished with a game-high 29 points going 8-of-19 from the floor with six rebounds and two blocks, including a crucial denial with 7.4 seconds remaining. Paul George steadily put up 26 points, 12 rebounds and four steals shooting 9-of-19 from the field.

VJ Edgecombe sliding back into that fourth option role, finished with 13 points on 11 shots. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 29 as well.

Remarkably, the Sixers were pretty much at full strength, only missing Johni Broome (meniscus tear). Charlotte was without Tidjan Salaun (calf strain).

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• Charlotte’s fast pace gave them an edge on the boards early, flying quicker to rebounds to give them two second possession opportunities. LaMelo Ball and Embiid both hit each other in the face inadvertently trying to secure rebounds. Ball definitely took a more direct hit. A challenge successfully took Embiid’s foul away but not before the big fella got T’d up for catching Ball with an elbow.
• It was slow going early for a Sixers offense that couldn’t buy a jumper. Embiid bullied his way past Ryan Kalkbrenner for a layup, but missed the short midrange working the two-man game with Maxey. He finally nailed one from three and another from the free throw line, but the guards playing off him missed the good looks they got.

• Coming off the bench in this one, Kelly Oubre Jr. made his first shot burying a corner three, but he was whistled for a travel on his next attempt. Embiid continued to be the offensive engine, putting up 14 in the first, though less efficient than Wednesday, doing so on nine shots. Charlotte got hotter as the quarter wore on. Miller led the way there especially after Cam Payne fouled him on a three-point attempt. Maxey had only attempted a transition layup, but got to the line with a second left in the quarter, making both to cut the Hornets’ lead to 11.

Second Quarter

• Maxey looked for his shot a bit more running a unit with Embiid on the bench, nailing a fadeaway from the block and a three from the wing. George also had a lot of responsibility. He poked free a steal, then hit a three and a layup on the other end. The Sixers’ defense still needed work though, with Grant Williams getting open in the corners and Miles Bridges doing so by the basket, the Hornets kept the Sixers at bay.
• Coby White also did quite a bit of damage making his first five shots of the night, but the Sixers were able put something together when Embiid checked back in. Edgecombe collapsed the defense to hit the center for a wide open three. On the next possession, Embiid took advantage of a 4-on-3, guiding Maxey to the corner for a three of his own. Another pull-up three from Maxey gave a good indication of how his pinky is feeling and prompted a Charlotte timeout.

• Somehow giving up multiple offensive rebounds on multiple possessions didn’t completely undo all of that good work they’d done. Ball got going off the dribble again, finding Kon Knueppel for an open three in the process. Strong takes to the basket from Maxey and George kept the Hornets lead at five at the break.

Third Quarter

• PG nailed another pull-up to start the second half, and while Dominick Barlow put back his second attempt, Charlotte was still conclusively winning the rebounding battle. The Sixers just hadn’t adjusted to how many Hornets would crash for the ball every time a shot went up. Two more threes from Miller prompted a quick timeout from Nick Nurse. They gave up four more second-chance points coming out of the timeout in what turned into an extended 17-2 run.
• Aside from Kalkbrenner blocking his poster attempt, Edgecombe had a fairly reserved first half — he only attempted four shots. He attacked more in the third, driving for a couple of baskets before knocking down a three that capped off an 8-0 Sixers run in response.
• The Sixers continued to claw back after a Charlotte timeout too. Embiid made a nice read to find Oubre wide open for a dunk. Maxey ran a nice fast break with Justin Edwards then hit a nice up-and-under layup. Again, it was an inability to get rebounds that halted their momentum. They gave up every kind of offensive rebound possible. They got outmuscled on free throws, they got drawn in on threes and watched long rebounds go over their heads, the whole nine yards. A split pair of free throws by Embiid kept the Sixers within five after three.

Fourth Quarter

• Maxey posterized Miles Bridges and got the whole Sixers bench buzzing. A few moments later, Maxey gave the Sixers their first lead of the game with a nice layup off the glass and Oubre followed that up with an even more impressive poster on Moussa Diabate. The only thing not going the Sixers’ way during this stretch was George picking up his third, fourth and fifth fouls.

• An adjustment Nurse made to start the fourth was going to Andre Drummond over Adem Bona. Drummond only had two rebounds, one on each end, but they were not conceding second-chance opportunities possession after possession. Drummond also had a nice block during the run and a kickout for a Quentin Grimes three.
• Not many stoppages of play meant Embiid couldn’t check back into the game until there was 5:40 left, and by that time threes by Ball and Knueppel swung the lead back to Charlotte. Edgecombe took it back with a three coming out of a Sixers timeout, then they slowed their offense feeding Embiid. He went 1-of-2 before a Ball three tied the game again.
• A pair of free throws from Oubre was answered quickly by a deep three by Bridges. Both teams got a pair of stops before the Hornets answered another pair of free throws with another deep three, this time from Ball. Embiid quickly drew a foul on the other end. He only split the pair, but Williams couldn’t corral it and the Sixers kept possession. George somehow sprung free on the inbound and drilled a corner three.
• PG didn’t let up for a moment. He and Maxey were able to get their hands on a pass for a steal as the Hornets were trying to get up the court. Maxey was also able to get to the line, but he also split his pair, keeping the Sixers at a three-point lead. Ball’s long attempt rimmed out, but the Hornets got another chance when the ball went out of bounds. It got swung to Miller in the corner, and Embiid was able to get out and block it. With seven seconds remaining and four on the shot clock, the Hornets went to Ball, who pump faked George, but came up short on his final attempt, sealing the win for the Sixers.