Tyrese Maxey Delivers Late-Game Heroics as Sixers Edge Kings in Thriller
PHILADELPHIA - In a game that came down to the final possession, Tyrese Maxey once again proved he’s built for the moment. With the score tied and just seconds remaining, the 76ers guard sliced through the Sacramento Kings’ defense, absorbed contact from Precious Achiuwa, and banked in a tough layup with 1.3 seconds left on the clock. It was the decisive blow in a 113-111 win for Philadelphia - a gritty, late-January battle that felt more like a playoff preview than a regular season tilt.
The Sixers leaned on a familiar play down the stretch, one that head coach Nick Nurse has used before to put the ball in Maxey’s hands when it matters most. And this time, the execution was spot-on.
It started with Joel Embiid catching the inbound in the middle of the floor - a setup that gave Maxey just enough room to get downhill. With Dennis Schroder trying to deny him, Maxey broke free, caught the ball in stride, and turned on the jets. What followed was classic Maxey: fearless, fast, and fully in control.
“We had enough time, like four seconds, five seconds for me to run, kind of get off of him, and catch the ball and get down here and get an attempt on the rim,” Maxey said postgame. “And I think we like our chances with that.”
The Kings had no timeouts left, which made the next decision a strategic one. After the bucket, Maxey stood at the free-throw line with a two-point lead and 1.3 seconds remaining.
Make it, and Sacramento gets a chance to set up a final play. Miss it, and the clock becomes the Sixers’ ally.
That’s where things got interesting.
Maxey turned to his teammates - Joel Embiid and Paul George - for advice. Embiid said to sink the free throw.
George said miss it. Maxey went with George’s call.
“I asked him, I said, ‘Should I miss it?’ He said, No,” Maxey said with a grin.
“Paul said, yes. So I was kind of in between.
Then I was like, You know what? I'm just gonna miss it and it worked out.
He said, ‘Don't ever do that again.’”
The miss worked out just fine. Sacramento’s desperation heave at the buzzer didn’t fall, and the Sixers walked off the court with a hard-earned win.
For Nurse, the final play was more than just a clutch moment - it was a product of preparation. The design gave Maxey options, depending on how the Kings defended him.
“It’s kind of set up for a couple things,” Nurse explained. “If they're going to go up and take Tyrese out, then he's got an opportunity to change directions on them, right? I think Jo did a great job, first of all, getting open and delivering that pass.”
And if the defense doesn’t sell out to stop Maxey?
“Then Joel is going to set a really high screen up the floor,” Nurse continued. “It just gives- I mean, Tyrese really wanted the ball there late.”
That desire to take the big shot is what’s made Maxey such a pivotal figure in this Sixers team. He’s not just filling in the gaps - he’s creating moments. And in a game where every possession mattered, Maxey's final drive was the difference.
The win wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t pretty. But it was gritty, and for a Sixers team that’s been tested throughout the season, it was another sign that their young star is growing into his role - one clutch bucket at a time.