3 observations after George-Maxey duo scores 73 points, Sixers beat Hornets originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers’ two available stars had 73 points Monday night.
The Paul George-Tyrese Maxey duo led the team to a 121-108 victory over the Hornets at Spectrum Center.
George scored his most points to date as a Sixer, with 33 on 13-of-20 shooting. He also had eight assists, five rebounds and two steals.
Maxey had 40 points, five assists, five rebounds and four steals.
Monday’s result improved the Sixers’ score to 8-16 and dropped Charlotte to 7-19. The Hornets will look to avoid a 4-0 season sweep when they face the Sixers again Friday in Philadelphia.
The Sixers had four players injured: Joel Embiid (right sinus fracture), Jared McCain (left lateral meniscus tear), Caleb Martin (right shoulder impingement) and Adem Bona (left knee tendinopathy).
Embiid will be re-evaluated in about a weeka Sixers official said Monday. Head coach Nick Nurse told reporters before the game that Embiid’s sinus fracture is “not as serious” as the two orbital fractures he suffered during his NBA career.
Here are some observations from the Sixers’ victory in Charlotte:
George and Maxey happy to have all the buckets
The Sixers didn’t start out as a team deflated by all the recent negative news on the injury front. Maxey’s second three-pointer gave them a 15-8 lead.
Maxey hit three deep jumpers in a row late in the second quarter. With a 6-of-12 night from long range, he increased his season percentage from 30.3 to 31.7.
George was great early, putting up 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting and three assists in the first quarter. He and Maxey set a strong tone, bringing the necessary aggression and faster pace required without Embiid. Everyone was happy to rely on the star duo. At one point in the first quarter, the George-Maxey pair recorded 24 straight Sixers points.
George scored with his signature sweet variety. He nailed a post-up jumper over Josh Green, a pull-up three and a well-guarded fadeaway jumper with 19.2 seconds left in the first quarter. George’s fourth triple of the night allowed him to pass Jason Terry for 10th place in the standings. The NBA’s all-time three-point list.
Sixers must work around foul trouble
The Sixers started Andre Drummond at center.
This was a solid matchup for Drummond on paper against Mark Williams and Nick Richards, who are both traditional 7-foot centers who don’t shoot. However, Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele both ran into foul trouble in the first half.
Drummond still managed to grab 10 rebounds in the first half, but the Sixers’ foul prevented them from opening the game. Drummond was booked for his third foul with 3:07 left in the second quarter when he charged at Richards. KJ Martin fouled Brandon Miller on a three-pointer 13 seconds into the third quarter. The Sixers also wasted some possessions on a 20-turnover night.
The team’s second unit wasn’t a strong point in the first half either. Eric Gordon joined the team’s rotation for the first time since November 30 and missed two three-point attempts. The Sixers defense was visibly more slippery when Gordon and Kyle Lowry shared the floor. In total, Charlotte scored the first 15 bench points of the game.
Vital window to hold off the Hornets
In addition to his scoring — 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting — Kelly Oubre Jr. participated in many useful role-playing moments, including a nifty pass to Drummond for a dunk early in the third quarter.
Oubre had four assists, two steals and a block in Charlotte. He’s been reliable and productive as of late for a Sixers team that hasn’t been able to rely on much. Monday’s performance was Oubre’s 10th straight double-digit game. He finished one rebound away from a fourth straight double-digit rebounding game.
George and Maxey continued to be the Sixers’ go-to players in the third quarter, but they didn’t have to do everything. Gordon eventually made the first basket off the bench and added two more threes shortly after. The Sixers were up 21 points on two free throws from Ricky Council IV with 1:46 left in the third quarter.
The Hornets fought back and the Sixers weren’t sharp at all late in the third and early in the fourth quarter. Drummond considered whether to take a wide-open three, decided to let it fly and missed. Martin committed his fifth foul on an illegal screen in the backcourt. Josh Green drained a three that cut Charlotte’s deficit to 95-89.
Oubre broke up the run with a difficult and timely mid-range jumper. He scored the Sixers’ first four points of the fourth quarter and hit a big three on a pick-and-pop with George.
A George three seconds after an offensive board from Oubre appeared to truly pop the Hornets return ball. The next time, Maxey scored a driving layup. Late free throws allowed him to reach the 40-point mark for the second time this season.
He spent 40 minutes Monday night in Charlotte, as did George and Oubre.
