Tyrese Maxey’s night was a nightmare as the Philadelphia 76ers were defeated 114-106 by the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Maxey’s Disappointing Performance
Maxey finished with 13 points on 3-for-14 shooting, three rebounds, four steals, two assists and four turnovers. He went scoreless in the first quarter and missed his first six field goals. Maxey’s frustration was evident against Terance Mann’s tight defense, and he and coach Nick Nurse had a heated exchange with crew chief Courtney Kirkland near the end of the second quarter.
Embiid’s Return and Injury Scare
Joel Embiid suited up for his first game since the loss to the Hawks. He opened the game with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting and three rebounds in the first quarter. Twenty-five seconds into the third, Embiid was bumped by Mann, grabbed his knee, and walked to the bench. He returned with 6:49 left in the third quarter after a brief pause.
Nets’ Dominance and Key Players
Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 28 points. The Nets’ run was fueled by Porter’s 7-for-9 shooting and 25 points in the first half, giving them a six-point edge at intermission. The Sixers’ outside shooters struggled, finishing 40.7% from the floor and 25.9% from beyond the arc. With VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and Dominick Barlow sidelined by illness, the Sixers played shorthanded and canceled their morning shootaround.
Road Ahead
The Sixers will begin a five-game road trip Friday night in Chicago against the Bulls. Despite late-game energy-including a Maxey steal, a Bona alley-oop, and two Embiid free throws that cut the deficit to 99-90-the team could not close the gap and fell 114-106.
Key Takeaways
- Tyrese Maxey struggled, shooting 1-for-10 in the second half.
- Joel Embiid returned after a knee injury scare but missed only 4 minutes.
- Michael Porter Jr. scored 28, leading the Nets to victory.
The loss underscores the Sixers’ need for consistency as they head into a challenging road stretch.
