> At a Glance
> – Joel Embiid goaltended Bruce Brown’s layup with 5.3 seconds left in overtime, sealing the 125-124 loss
> – Tyrese Maxey missed a potential game-winning floater at the buzzer after Embiid’s goaltend
> – The Nuggets were without Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon yet still snapped the Sixers’ three-game win streak
> – Why it matters: The shorthanded loss exposes the Sixers’ vulnerability at home and raises questions about their ability to close out winnable games
The Philadelphia 76ers returned home after a five-game road trip and promptly stumbled against a severely understaffed Denver Nuggets squad, falling 125-124 in overtime Monday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
How It Slipped Away
The Sixers led by as many as nine points late in the third quarter, with Tyrese Maxey (28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) and Joel Embiid (32 points, 10 rebounds) dominating the action.
But the fourth quarter unraveled quickly. With Embiid on the bench, the Nuggets capitalized on a four-point play by Hunter Tyson to take a 104-100 lead. A Bruce Brown four-point possession-after an Adem Bona foul on a corner three-pushed Denver ahead 120-115 with under a minute left.
VJ Edgecombe drilled a clutch three and Maxey tied it with a layup, forcing overtime. In the extra frame, Embiid’s goaltend on Brown’s drive with 5.3 seconds left proved decisive. Maxey’s last-second floater rimmed out.
Edgecombe’s Wild Night
The rookie endured a brutal first half, missing his first five shots and sitting scoreless until a jumper with 6:52 left in the third. Yet he finished with 17 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds, keeping the Sixers afloat when the stars rested.
Injury Updates
Head coach Nick Nurse said Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left knee adductor strain) could return “any day now” after both completed full-court 3-on-3 work Monday morning.
Key Takeaways
- The Sixers fall to 19-15 and host the Wizards on Wednesday
- Denver’s Jalen Pickett torched Philly for a career-high 29 points, including 7 three-pointers
- Philadelphia missed its first six threes and never found an offensive rhythm until late
- Talent alone wasn’t enough-the Sixers’ slow start and sloppy fourth-quarter execution cost them a winnable game
The bitter overtime defeat snaps Philly’s three-game win streak and leaves them searching for answers before Wednesday’s matchup with Washington.
