Tyrese Maxey took over when the game tightened, and the Philadelphia 76ers kept rolling.
Maxey scored 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, LeBron James filled up the stat sheet with 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, and the 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 126-107 on Monday night for their fourth straight win. Philadelphia is now 7-1.
The win came with the 76ers’ big-name starting five all on the floor together for the first time after the group sat out back-to-back weekend victories over the Knicks on Friday and at Charlotte on Saturday. That lineup featured James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Brown delivered 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Edgecombe added 21 points. Embiid, listed as questionable because of a foot injury, still managed 15 points and eight rebounds. He didn’t need to play in the fourth quarter.
Philadelphia’s edge started to widen in the third period. The 76ers turned a five-point halftime lead into an 85-68 advantage when James finished a layup with just under five minutes left in the quarter. He also helped stretch the margin to 16 with a three-point play and 5:40 remaining, drawing plenty of attention from the crowd along the way.
James was especially sharp as a passer early, dishing out seven assists in the first half. Two of them were long bounce passes nearly the length of the floor to Edgecombe for easy baskets.
Maxey, after being relatively quiet through three quarters, found another gear in the fourth. He opened the final period with a drive to the rim and kept attacking. His 3-pointer with 6 1/2 minutes left pushed Philadelphia ahead 107-96 and helped put the Bulls away.
Rookie Caleb Wilson, the No. 4 pick in the draft, led Chicago with 24 points. Norman Powell added 18, but the Bulls dropped their fifth straight.
Up next, the Bulls visit the Knicks on Wednesday night, while the 76ers head to Detroit to face the Pistons on Wednesday night.
In Other News...
Nick Nurse Addressed Joel Embiids Late Exit Against The Bulls
Joel Embiids night against the Bulls ended early, but the bigger takeaway for the 76ers was the same one that has hovered over him since the foot issue surfaced: keeping him on the floor long enough to help, without pushing too far. Philadelphia handled Chicago 126-107, and Embiid logged 25 minutes before the team shut him down for the rest of the game as part of a minutes restriction. Tyrese Maxey picked up plenty of the offensive slack, finishing with 26 points and 11 assists in a win that looked comfortable long before the final buzzer.
After the game, Nick Nurse said Embiid was okay and made clear the late exit was a team decision tied to managing the injury. For the Sixers, that kind of night has become part of the larger balancing act, where the result matters but so does the long view with Embiid. The encouraging part is that Philadelphia still had enough firepower to control the game even with its centerpiece on a shortened leash, but the real question remains how the team handles that workload going forward. [Read more 🡒]
76ers Could Have A Veteran Answer To Their Backup Center Problem
The 76ers have been searching for ways to shore up their backup center spot, and Brook Lopez has emerged as a name worth watching. The veteran big man is reportedly a potential buyout candidate from the Clippers, a development that could put him on the market if Los Angeles decides to move on amid its struggles and his contract situation.
For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious. Lopez brings experience and floor spacing, two traits that can help stabilize a second unit that has been viewed as a weakness, and the 76ers could explore adding him if he becomes available. Nothing is settled yet, but his fit is the kind of practical roster solution teams often circle once the buyout market opens. [Read more 🡒]
LeBrons Viral Moment At Sixers Game Is Already Sparking Debate
LeBron James turned a routine courtside moment into one of the nights biggest talking points during the 76ers home game against the Bulls, when he accidentally bumped a fan behind the basket and spilled the drink in the process. He then took a sip from the fans cup, and the whole sequence quickly spread well beyond the arena, with the drink reportedly being wine.
The reaction was immediate and split right down the middle, with some fans and commentators criticizing the move and others brushing it off as harmless. For the Sixers, it was the kind of viral detour that can follow a big-game atmosphere, even when the basketball itself is supposed to be the main event. [Read more 🡒]