Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey's Back-to-Form Performance Leads the Sixers to a 'Lucky' Last-Second Win Over the Kings.
In a game where the Philadelphia 76ers couldn't seem to do anything right, coach Nick Nurse wouldn't have it. "I think we're pretty lucky that we got out of there with a W," he admitted post-game. The lowly Sacramento Kings had already put the Sixers in an 11-point hole midway through the fourth quarter, but Nurse's trusty duo – Embiid and Maxey – came to the rescue.
The performance from these two superstars was nothing short of spectacular. They collectively poured in 77 of the team's 113 points, with both players exceeding expectations in a night that will be remembered for what they did in the final minutes to drag their team across the finish line. What made this win so impressive wasn't just their individual brilliance but the manner in which they worked together seamlessly.
Maxey finally broke out of his slump, scoring 40 points and displaying an early season pep in his step once again. His game-winning basket on a one-and-one layup will be etched in the memories of Sixers fans for a long time to come.
On the other hand, this was not exactly Joel Embiid's best game. He managed to score 37 points without making any truly noteworthy plays across the first three quarters before settling into his usual form. That quintessential Embiid experience – casual dominance – returned as he scored 10 points in the first eight possessions and would eventually have some standout plays mixed in.
Beyond their individual brilliance, what made this win so special was how they worked together. This duo's game-winning connection on the final play will likely be all anyone remembers about this game, but it was truly a testament to their partnership that brought everyone else to life on the court. The supporting cast struggled to make any sort of waves in this one.
While Embiid and Maxey are undoubtedly elite players, Coach Nurse has been emphasizing the importance of his team playing as a cohesive unit. He wants everyone to be involved in the offense rather than relying solely on these two superstars. In a game where no other player could find their spark, even Embiid was willing to acknowledge what felt obvious – that when the game is close, their bread and butter needs to shine.
With this win, Nurse's message echoed louder than ever: "We need to worry about the 76ers, man. Doing what we're capable of doing, playing a little bit for the bigger picture, worrying more about us than who we're playing, and executing." The home locker room was ecstatic, but the coach made it clear that there's still work to be done if they want to reach their full potential.
As the Sixers head into the weekend, they'll look to build on this momentum while addressing the numerous issues that came up against Sacramento.
In a game where the Philadelphia 76ers couldn't seem to do anything right, coach Nick Nurse wouldn't have it. "I think we're pretty lucky that we got out of there with a W," he admitted post-game. The lowly Sacramento Kings had already put the Sixers in an 11-point hole midway through the fourth quarter, but Nurse's trusty duo – Embiid and Maxey – came to the rescue.
The performance from these two superstars was nothing short of spectacular. They collectively poured in 77 of the team's 113 points, with both players exceeding expectations in a night that will be remembered for what they did in the final minutes to drag their team across the finish line. What made this win so impressive wasn't just their individual brilliance but the manner in which they worked together seamlessly.
Maxey finally broke out of his slump, scoring 40 points and displaying an early season pep in his step once again. His game-winning basket on a one-and-one layup will be etched in the memories of Sixers fans for a long time to come.
On the other hand, this was not exactly Joel Embiid's best game. He managed to score 37 points without making any truly noteworthy plays across the first three quarters before settling into his usual form. That quintessential Embiid experience – casual dominance – returned as he scored 10 points in the first eight possessions and would eventually have some standout plays mixed in.
Beyond their individual brilliance, what made this win so special was how they worked together. This duo's game-winning connection on the final play will likely be all anyone remembers about this game, but it was truly a testament to their partnership that brought everyone else to life on the court. The supporting cast struggled to make any sort of waves in this one.
While Embiid and Maxey are undoubtedly elite players, Coach Nurse has been emphasizing the importance of his team playing as a cohesive unit. He wants everyone to be involved in the offense rather than relying solely on these two superstars. In a game where no other player could find their spark, even Embiid was willing to acknowledge what felt obvious – that when the game is close, their bread and butter needs to shine.
With this win, Nurse's message echoed louder than ever: "We need to worry about the 76ers, man. Doing what we're capable of doing, playing a little bit for the bigger picture, worrying more about us than who we're playing, and executing." The home locker room was ecstatic, but the coach made it clear that there's still work to be done if they want to reach their full potential.
As the Sixers head into the weekend, they'll look to build on this momentum while addressing the numerous issues that came up against Sacramento.
like, yeah Embiid and Maxey did put on a show, but it's not like they carried the whole team to victory or anything. The Kings were already struggling and that 11-point hole in the 4th quarter was pretty huge for Philly to overcome. And don't even get me started on how "lucky" Coach Nurse said they were 
I mean, come on, that's not exactly a winning formula right there... 
! It was like they were unstoppable when working together on offense – it's crazy to think about how much easier the game became once they got in rhythm. And let's be real, that last-minute win over the Kings? Pure clutch 
️. But what I'm even more stoked about is Coach Nurse finally getting his message across – we need to see this cohesion from our entire team, not just rely on those two stars to carry us 
. The supporting cast may have been quiet, but Embiid and Maxey's chemistry spoke for itself. Bring on the next game! 
I'm so hyped for Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey right now! They're like a dynamic duo on the court 
Their chemistry is unbeatable and it's amazing to see how they work together seamlessly 
It's clear that Embiid and Maxey are the leaders of this team, but if they can get everyone else involved, watch out for the 76ers! 
They've got some serious momentum going on right now and I'm all about it 
It's refreshing to see him be humble like that.
They just so happen to have 2 superstars who can carry them, what a relief 
. It's like the rest of the team doesn't even exist unless those two are scoring 
. Can't say I'm impressed by how easily they won this game...but yeah, Embiid and Maxey are straight fire 
I'm so hyped about Embiid and Maxey's performance tonight 
! Like for real, 77 points between them is insane 
and their chemistry on court is just electric 
! Coach Nurse really needs to be commended on making the right call in bringing those two superstars together. It was like they were unstoppable 
!
but Embiid's dominance was still there even if it wasn't as flashy as usual 
!
! We need to see more of that from the 76ers moving forward 
. It's not just about Embiid and Maxey carrying them, they have to be able to execute when it matters most