Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid proved to be an unstoppable duo as the Philadelphia 76ers edged out the Sacramento Kings 113-111 in a thrilling matchup. The two superstars combined for 77 of their team's 113 points, with Maxey scoring eight points in a three-possession span in the first quarter and Embiid delivering on his historic scoring prowess.
The Sixers' defense was put to the test by the Kings, who were playing without three key rotation pieces. Despite being expected to take an easy matchup lightly, Nurse's team came out strong, but eventually trailed entering the final frame. However, Maxey and Embiid came through in the clutch, with the duo submitting a combined effort in the fourth quarter that sealed the win.
Maxey looked more like his early-season self, regaining the free-flowing dominance that had eluded him in recent games. His efficiency was a far cry from stellar, but he made up for it with heaters in each of the first two quarters. Embiid also had a tremendous game, showcasing his rapid progression over the last month as a three-level scorer.
The Sixers' offense was cohesive throughout, but they struggled to find their rhythm early on. However, after a sluggish second half, Maxey's return to form enabled the team to find its footing once again. Embiid's historic scoring surge was on full display, with the big man sleepwalking to 10 points in the first quarter without doing anything particularly impressive.
The game highlighted just how difficult it was to conceive of something like this even a month ago, when Embiid scored only two points in 20 minutes as the Sixers stormed to victory without him. Now, Embiid's progression over the last month is changing the outlook for the team short- and long-term.
Other takeaways from the game include Jared McCain's quiet performance after a breakthrough on Tuesday, with Embiid and Maxey's excellence rightfully dominating the team's offense. The backup center spot also saw Adem Bona and Andre Drummond toggle in and out of action before Nurse made his final decision to go with Bona.
The Sixers will look to build on this momentum as they take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, a reunion for the 2001 Sixers.
The Sixers' defense was put to the test by the Kings, who were playing without three key rotation pieces. Despite being expected to take an easy matchup lightly, Nurse's team came out strong, but eventually trailed entering the final frame. However, Maxey and Embiid came through in the clutch, with the duo submitting a combined effort in the fourth quarter that sealed the win.
Maxey looked more like his early-season self, regaining the free-flowing dominance that had eluded him in recent games. His efficiency was a far cry from stellar, but he made up for it with heaters in each of the first two quarters. Embiid also had a tremendous game, showcasing his rapid progression over the last month as a three-level scorer.
The Sixers' offense was cohesive throughout, but they struggled to find their rhythm early on. However, after a sluggish second half, Maxey's return to form enabled the team to find its footing once again. Embiid's historic scoring surge was on full display, with the big man sleepwalking to 10 points in the first quarter without doing anything particularly impressive.
The game highlighted just how difficult it was to conceive of something like this even a month ago, when Embiid scored only two points in 20 minutes as the Sixers stormed to victory without him. Now, Embiid's progression over the last month is changing the outlook for the team short- and long-term.
Other takeaways from the game include Jared McCain's quiet performance after a breakthrough on Tuesday, with Embiid and Maxey's excellence rightfully dominating the team's offense. The backup center spot also saw Adem Bona and Andre Drummond toggle in and out of action before Nurse made his final decision to go with Bona.
The Sixers will look to build on this momentum as they take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, a reunion for the 2001 Sixers.
, tyrese maxey is back to being himself and joel embiid is a straight-up beast 
he's getting better by the game and it's crazy to think about how far they've come just a month ago, embiid was barely on the court. and jared mccain's quiet night actually worked out in their favor lol, it's all coming together for this team 
they're gonna be tough to beat when they take on new orleans saturday can't wait to see what they do next 
his form is getting better every game and it's so cool to see him dominate on the court. did anyone else notice how jared mccain was quiet today tho? i mean, he had a great game but like, what happened to the mccain we know 
. And Embiid is just on another level right now, his scoring is insane 
maxey and embiid are straight fire! i was worried they were gonna lose big time without some of their other key players but nope they stepped up and showed us what they're capable of 
. it's like a whole new team out there, embiid is gettin those three-pointers down and maxey's got his game face on again 
can't wait to see what they do against the pelicans this weekend! 
I'm loving how Tyrese Maxey has finally gotten back to his old self! 
. And Embiid's scoring explosion? Forget about it! He's been on fire lately and it's so cool to see him finally becoming the dominant force I knew he could be. 
. And you know what's even more impressive? The way they bounced back from that slow second half - it just goes to show that mental toughness is key 
. For me, this game is like life: we gotta be able to adjust to unexpected twists & turns, and trust our team to have each other's backs 
. By doing so, we can overcome even the toughest challenges 
. I mean, what's up with him suddenly becoming a three-level scorer? One month ago he was struggling and now he's dominating games? It's just not believable. And don't even get me started on Maxey's return to form - it's like he's trying too hard to prove himself all over again 
. The Sixers' offense is still super dependent on their two stars, which makes them look really vulnerable when they're both having an off night. I'm not buying the hype around this team just yet... 
can you believe how good Tyrese Maxey is now?! I mean, he was so bad last season 
. It's crazy how far Embiid's come since last month, I was skeptical at first but he's really stepping up his game now. And can we talk about Maxey's 3-pointers? 
Plus, Jared McCain's quiet performance is the icing on the cake - I'm so hyped for this team right now! 
. I mean, come on, Embiid's scoring surge is just a fluke, he'll totally regress next game and the team will get embarrassed. And don't even get me started on Maxey, he's gonna have another meltdown because of his inconsistent play. Jared McCain's quiet performance was just a result of him being in a funk and Andre Drummond coming off the bench to save the day lol. The 76ers' momentum is just a temporary thing and they'll definitely drop some more games soon. Bring it on, Pelicans! 
. This win against the Kings was a great confidence booster for him, and Joel Embiid's performance didn't hurt either - that dude is unstoppable on offense! 
nathan hackett put up some solid numbers too 
can't wait to see what the rest of the season holds for these two superstars 
. I mean, 10 points in the first quarter without doing anything special? That's just ridiculous 
he's been carrying that team all season and it's crazy to think how far he's come from being down with only 2 points in 20 minutes last month 
and now they're an unstoppable duo 
. gotta give props to coach nurse for trusting them both so much and playing their strengths, it really paid off 
.
, it's like they're unstoppable 
.