The Philadelphia 76ers couldn’t sweep a back-to-back, falling 116-110 to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
VJ Edgecombe erupted for 25 points and seven assists, and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 21 points, but the shorthanded Sixers came up short. Tyrese Maxey logged 20 points on 7-for-25 shooting, plus seven assists and three steals. Devin Booker paced the 27-17 Suns with 27 points.
Paul George (left knee injury management) and Joel Embiid (right ankle injury management) both sat for the second straight game.
The 23-19 Sixers next host the Houston Rockets on Thursday. Here are the key takeaways:
At a Glance
- Edgecombe scored 25 and Oubre 21, but the Sixers shot 39.8% as a team.
- Booker’s 27 led a third-quarter Suns surge that created a 16-point fourth-quarter lead.
- Maxey went 0-for-5 in the first quarter and finished 7-for-25 after playing 40 minutes Monday.
- Why it matters: The loss keeps Philadelphia below .500 and underscores how thin the roster looks without George and Embiid.
Fast Start from Edgecombe, Oubre
Nick Nurse opened with Maxey, Edgecombe, Oubre, Dominick Barlow and Andre Drummond. Oubre deflected Booker’s first pass and raced in for the game’s first bucket. Both teams started ice-cold-Phoenix missed its first nine shots and seven threes-but Edgecombe kept Philly afloat.
The rookie scored 10 first-quarter points on 4-for-7 shooting, already topping his entire first-half output from Monday. Oubre added 11 in the quarter, hitting three triples and helping offset Maxey’s scoreless 0-for-5 start.
Edwards Back in Mix
Justin Edwards checked in late in the first for his first rotation minutes since Dec. 30. The lefty wing buried a corner three on his first touch and totaled five points and two assists in 12 minutes. Nurse stuck with a 10-man rotation; rookie Jared McCain again did not play.
Phoenix found its stroke early in the second, ripping off four straight threes. Collin Gillespie’s jumper gave the Suns a 41-36 edge. The Sixers answered with a 7-0 spurt-Edgecombe rebounded, pushed, and found Oubre in the corner for his fourth triple of the half. Oubre finished 5-for-9 from deep, his most makes since last season.
Suns Seize Control in Third
The game stayed within single digits until the final minute of the third. Barlow’s run-out dunk put Philly up 66-59, but Booker and Grayson Allen (16 points, six assists) sparked a 24-8 Phoenix surge. Allen’s jumper pushed the lead to 83-74, and Nurse picked up a technical early in the fourth after Edgecombe was whistled for a back-court violation on a ball that appeared to go off Royce O’Neale’s foot.
Down 16, the Sixers mounted one last push. Maxey and Quentin Grimes hit threes, and Adem Bona’s put-back trimmed it to 112-105. Booker countered with a turnaround dagger, sealing the win and dropping Philadelphia to 23-19.
Key Numbers
| Team | FG% | 3P% | FT% | TO | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sixers | 39.8 | 32.6 | 84.2 | 12 | 110 |
| Suns | 46.1 | 40.5 | 88.9 | 14 | 116 |
Up Next
The Sixers remain home to face the Houston Rockets on Thursday night as they await word on George and Embiid’s availability.
