On a night when the Philadelphia 76ers were once again without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey delivered a performance worthy of franchise legends. The All-Star guard scored a career-high 54 points, leading the Sixers to a hard-fought 123-114 overtime win in Milwaukee.
He refused to let a shorthanded roster falter on the second night of a back-to-back. Maxey, who came into the game leading the league in minutes and had already played 39 the night before, logged over 46 minutes. His career night surpassed his previous career high of 52, set in a double-OT thriller last season, and he added nine assists in arguably his best performance of his career.
Even without their 2023 MVP, the Sixers found answers where they needed them. Justin Edwards kicked off overtime with a clutch three-pointer. Quentin Grimes hit a crucial shot from deep after the Bucks cut the lead to one. Paul George contributed 21 steady points.
The Sixers never lost the lead once overtime began. With Embiid missing his sixth straight game, Philadelphia fully leaned on Maxey’s star power, and he channeled his inner Allen Iverson to get the job done tonight. Let’s uncover the four takeaways of this exciting game.
1. Tyrese Maxey Delivered An Epic Allen Iverson-Like Performance
Tyrese Maxey had a memorable night that felt like it belonged to the Iverson era. His career-high 54 points on 18-for-30 shooting, which included 6-of-15 from three and 12-of-14 at the line, were truly special. Already leading the NBA in minutes with 40.3 per game before this game, Maxey played for 47 minutes.
He carried the offense without Joel Embiid and still had enough energy to hit clutch shots late in the game. He also added nine assists, becoming the first Sixer since AI to score over 50 points and have more than nine assists in a game. After Milwaukee briefly took the lead with Myles Turner’s three-pointer and 14.8 seconds left, Maxey confidently drove into the lane, took contact, and made two crucial free throws with seven seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
In overtime, he scored early and ended with a +18 plus-minus, the highest in the game. With Embiid out for his sixth straight game, Maxey took control of the team that is now his. No question, this is Maxey’s roster from now on.
2. Supporting Cast Stepped Up In The Clutch
While Maxey will grab most of the headlines, Philadelphia wouldn’t have won without timely help from the supporting cast. Paul George contributed 21 points in 25 minutes on an efficient 7-of-12 shooting. Rookie Justin Edwards, who was scoreless for 31 minutes in regulation, started overtime with the biggest shot of the game, a rhythm three that sparked a 5-0 run and changed the momentum.
Meanwhile, VJ Edgecombe was an all-around presence, finishing with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and a +1 rating in 38 critical minutes, looking far from a rookie when the Sixers needed stops. The bench made valuable contributions, too, particularly Dominick Barlow and Quentin Grimes.
Barlow’s play (2 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) helped the Sixers dominate the paint while Drummond rested, and he ended with a +16, the second-best on the team. Grimes hit a crucial three-pointer with 1:23 left in overtime, part of his 14 points on 3-of-9 shooting from deep, along with four assists. Philadelphia’s bench outscored Milwaukee’s 41-20, won the rebounding battle 21-10, and produced several defensive plays that stifled the Bucks.
3. Philadelphia Dominated Through Hustle
The Sixers’ control came through hustle. They outrebounded Milwaukee 52-42, including 11-3 on the offensive boards. Andre Drummond played only 18 minutes but grabbed eight rebounds (six defensive), blocked a shot, and helped the Sixers stay even in the paint against Myles Turner and Bobby Portis.
Edgecombe and Barlow added 12 more rebounds combined, and their energy allowed Philadelphia to score 19 fast-break points, nearly double Milwaukee’s output (10). Philadelphia also forced Milwaukee into uncomfortable plays.
The Sixers created nine steals, scored 16 points off turnovers, and limited the Bucks to just three blocks. Even though both teams ended up with 14 turnovers, the Sixers made much more from theirs. Without Embiid defending the paint, Philadelphia had to rely on teamwork, and they did that.
4. Philadelphia Survived Milwaukee’s Best Offense
Even with the win, the Sixers had to handle some standout performances from the Bucks. Ryan Rollins had an impressive game with 32 points and 14 assists while playing 40 minutes. Milwaukee shot 49% from the field and 39% from three-point range, with Bobby Portis (19 points, 9-for-14) and Myles Turner (14 points, 10 rebounds, three threes) playing very well.
Milwaukee even led late in regulation after being down 94-87, executing a 14-3 run highlighted by Turner’s go-ahead three-pointer. However, without Giannis Antetokounmpo, they ultimately fell short and couldn’t finish the game. The Sixers attempted 97 shots compared to Milwaukee’s 92, made four more three-pointers, and doubled Milwaukee at the free-throw line (21-26 vs. 10-13).
Their defense in overtime held Milwaukee to just 20% shooting, forcing the Bucks into contested shots on three straight possessions once Grimes pushed the lead to four. Even as Rollins nearly won the game at the end of regulation, his contested three at the buzzer just rimmed out, the Sixers proved they can handle the clutch. Surviving a 114-point game on the road against a team shooting nearly 50% shows that this team knows how to win, even without Joel Embiid.
