Maxey, Embiid Power Sixers Past Kings in Nail-Biting Finish
On a January night in Orlando - or at least one that felt like it - the Sixers pulled off a dramatic 113-111 win over the Sacramento Kings, thanks to a late-game push led by Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. It was a game that never quite found a rhythm but delivered in crunch time, with Maxey’s go-ahead layup in the final seconds sealing the deal.
Let’s break it down.
Maxey Lights It Up, Embiid Steadies the Ship
Tyrese Maxey came into this one ready to cook. The Sixers guard rediscovered his deep range and his confidence, pouring in 40 points on an ultra-efficient 12-of-18 shooting night.
He was electric off the bounce, fearless from deep, and relentless attacking the rim. His go-ahead layup with just seconds left was the exclamation point on a night where he looked every bit the offensive engine the Sixers need him to be.
And then there was Embiid. The reigning MVP didn’t need to shift into full takeover mode - but when he did, it mattered.
He quietly dropped 37 points on 13-of-21 shooting, adding five boards and a steadying presence throughout. Whether it was bullying his way to the line or hitting key midrange jumpers, Embiid was the anchor that kept Philly afloat when things got choppy.
First Quarter: Maxey Starts Hot, DeRozan Answers
Maxey wasted no time setting the tone. He got the Sixers on the board with a smooth turnaround, then hit back-to-back step-back threes that had the crowd buzzing early. His third attempt - a heat check - rimmed out, but the message was clear: Maxey was dialed in.
While Maxey was cooking, the rest of the Sixers opened just 1-of-6 from the field. Embiid got a bank shot to go but wasn’t consistently getting the better of Domantas Sabonis in the post. He had more success against rookie Dylan Cardwell, drawing contact and getting to the line.
On the Kings’ side, DeMar DeRozan came out aggressive, hitting four of his first five shots and knocking down Sacramento’s first three of the night. The Sixers got a small boost from Kelly Oubre Jr., but a late foul on DeRozan gave the Kings two freebies to cut the lead to three heading into the second.
Second Quarter: PG Finds a Groove, Maxey Keeps Cooking
Paul George found his rhythm early in the second, knocking down a pair of jumpers with the second unit. Jared McCain got some early run but didn’t see much action with the ball - though he did flash some playmaking with a nice bounce pass to Dominick Barlow, who drew a foul.
DeRozan continued to live in the midrange and at the line, helping push the Sixers into the bonus midway through the quarter. But Maxey had an answer for everything. He danced with Dennis Schroder and buried step-back threes like they were layups, finishing the half with 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
Embiid added a highlight of his own with a tough finish through contact. Justin Edwards got some run when VJ Edgecombe briefly exited with discomfort, and he made the most of it by hitting one of two wide-open threes. Oubre had a chance to extend the lead before the break but missed a wide-open dunk, leaving the Sixers up six at halftime.
Third Quarter: Kings Surge, Sixers Stumble on the Glass
Embiid came out of the break in rhythm, knocking down midrange shots and finishing through contact for an and-one. Maxey, now facing full-court pressure and frequent double teams, got some help from Embiid on a slick give-and-go bounce pass that led to a bucket.
But the Kings weren’t going away. DeRozan kept slicing into the lane, and he started finding Sabonis for easy dump-offs.
Sacramento dominated the offensive glass, racking up a staggering 19-0 edge in second-chance points at one point. That effort helped them claw back, with a Schroder three giving them their first lead since early in the game.
McCain, looking to bounce back from a quiet first half, had a couple of strong drives - but also committed a costly foul on an inbound and struggled to stay composed. With Embiid off the floor, the Sixers’ size disadvantage was glaring. A buzzer-beating three from Keon Ellis gave Sacramento a four-point lead heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter: Chaos, Turnovers, and a Clutch Finish
Nick Nurse made a switch, bringing in Andre Drummond for Adem Bona to try and shore up the interior. It didn’t help much. Maxime Raynaud and Precious Achiuwa still found ways to score inside, and the Sixers coughed up a string of brutal turnovers just when it looked like they might regain control.
McCain got stripped bringing the ball up, and both George and Edgecombe made ill-advised passes that led to empty possessions. The crowd let the team hear it, showering boos as the Sixers called timeout with just over eight minutes left.
Offensively, the Sixers leaned heavily on their stars all night - and when the shots stopped falling, the offense stalled. After George opened the quarter with two quick buckets, the team went over three minutes without a field goal. Maxey finally broke the drought with a driving layup, and Embiid started living at the line again.
With the Kings’ smaller lineup on the floor, the Sixers began winning the rebounding battle and getting stops. Embiid chipped away at the deficit, and Maxey gave them the lead again with a strong drive that forced a Sacramento timeout.
But the Kings weren’t done. A defensive lapse left Zach LaVine wide open for a three that put Sacramento back on top. After both teams missed jumpers, Maxey pushed in transition, drew a foul, and tied the game with 27 seconds left.
DeRozan got a decent look but missed long. Embiid secured the rebound and called timeout with just over five seconds remaining.
The Sixers’ first inbound was nearly a disaster, but the second one worked: Oubre hit Embiid at the free throw line, who found Maxey in stride. Maxey sliced through the defense, laid it in, drew the foul - and left the Kings with no timeouts.
He missed the free throw, but that actually worked in Philly’s favor. LaVine’s desperation heave didn’t come close, and the Sixers walked off with a gritty, hard-fought win.
Final Takeaway
This wasn’t the prettiest win of the season for Philly, but it was one of the gutsiest. Maxey was sensational, Embiid was steady, and despite getting hammered on the glass and turning the ball over far too often, the Sixers found a way to close it out. That’s the kind of resilience that matters in the long run - especially come spring.