The Philadelphia 76ers walked a tightrope Thursday night, and Tyrese Maxey made sure they didn’t fall off.
Hosting the struggling Sacramento Kings at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Sixers flirted with disaster against a team that came in with just 12 wins on the season. With injuries continuing to chip away at their rotation and little margin for error in a crowded Eastern Conference race, Philly needed a spark. Maxey delivered a full-on fireworks show.
With the game tied at 111 and just seconds remaining, Maxey took matters into his own hands. After knotting the score at the free throw line, he attacked the rim with 1.3 seconds left, finishing through contact to give the Sixers a 113-111 win that felt more like an escape than a statement. It wasn’t the easy win fans might’ve expected-but it was the kind of gutsy finish that can define a team’s resilience.
Maxey was electric all night, dropping 40 points on an ultra-efficient 12-of-18 from the field, while also dishing out eight assists and grabbing four boards. He looked every bit the All-Star guard he’s become, blending control with aggression and refusing to let Philly lose a game it simply couldn’t afford to.
Joel Embiid, as usual, brought his own brand of dominance. The reigning MVP poured in 37 points and matched Maxey with eight assists, shouldering a massive offensive load alongside his backcourt co-star. Together, they accounted for 77 of the Sixers’ 113 points-a staggering number that speaks to both their brilliance and the team’s current limitations.
Let’s be honest: Needing nearly 80 combined points from Embiid and Maxey just to squeak past the Kings is not exactly a confidence booster. Sacramento may be scrappy, but they’re also near the bottom of the standings for a reason. And while a win is a win-especially in the grind of an 82-game season-this one raises questions about how sustainable this formula is for Philly moving forward.
Head coach Nick Nurse will no doubt spend Friday combing through film, trying to figure out how a team with championship aspirations ended up in a nail-biter against one of the league’s worst. Still, with the Sixers sitting two games behind the red-hot Cavaliers for fifth in the East, there’s no time to dwell. The standings are tight, and every win-no matter how ugly-counts.
TYRESE MAXEY IS THAT GUY 😤
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 30, 2026
The Sixers star hits the game winner and finishes with 40 points!pic.twitter.com/iWOE5D0K0V
The Sixers do have depth, but right now, they need Maxey in full attack mode every night. His ability to create, score, and control tempo is vital, especially with the roster still navigating injuries. Ideally, he won’t need to drop 40 again when the Pelicans come to town on Saturday-but if he does, he’s clearly up for it.
For now, the Sixers can exhale. They escaped with the win, thanks to their two stars playing like, well, stars. But if this team wants to make a deep playoff run, they’ll need more help-and soon.