The 76ers (27-13) have a shot at their fifth consecutive victory Saturday, visiting the Charlotte Hornets (9-30) for the back end of a back-to-back.
The Sixers won the opener of their two-games-in-two-days road trip Friday in Orlando, 124-109. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey headlined, scoring 30-plus points apiece for the eighth time this season in the victory.
Embiid was, once again, afforded lengthy fourth-quarter rest thanks to Maxey’s late-game prowess.
“I’ve been saying it all season - Whenever the fourth quarter rolls around, that is [Tyrese’s] time. That is who we should trust with the ball. He’s going to make the right play, and he is the reason I’ve had all those fourth quarters to sit and watch.”
As of Friday evening, Embiid continues to lead the league in scoring, averaging a career-high 35.1 points per game. Maxey is 13th in the NBA in scoring (26.2 ppg).
Every active 76er appeared in Friday’s matchup, including an NBA debut for rookie two-way player Terquavion Smith scoring six points (2-2 3fg) in his two-minute stint. Ricky Council IV also scored his first NBA point.
The Sixers won the first meeting with the Hornets on Dec. 16, a lopsided 135-82 victory in Charlotte.
Embiid led the way in that matchup, finishing with a 42-point, 15-rebound double-double. Maxey added 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, plus seven assists and two steals, and Tobias Harris tallied 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Saturday’s matchup marks the second of four meetings between Philadelphia and Charlotte, with the final two meetings to be played in Philadelphia on March 1 and March 16.
OPPONENT OUTLOOK
The Hornets (9-30) will also be facing the second night of a back-to-back, after winning a close one, 124-120, over the San Antonio Spurs (7-34) Friday night in Charlotte.
LaMelo Ball led the way for Charlotte Friday, scoring 28 points, eight assists, and three steals. He shot 10-for-13 from the field and 4-for-6 from deep. Brandon Miller added 24 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Ball leads the Hornets in scoring this season, averaging 24.9 points per game. He returned to the floor last Friday (Jan. 12) after missing six weeks with an ankle injury. He’s scored 20-plus in each of his four games since his return.
FRIDAY’S KEY PERFORMANCES
- Joel Embiid
- Embiid finished with 36 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and four steals in 31 minutes of play. He shot 12-for-22 from the field, 1-for-2 from deep, and 11-for-11 from the foul line.
- Tyrese Maxey
- Maxey totaled 32 points, three rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block in 34 minutes. He shot 10-for-20 overall, 4-for-10 from 3-point range, and 8-for-9 from the free throw line.
- Tobias Harris
- Harris finished with 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block.
- Kelly Oubre Jr.
- Oubre totalled 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a block, shooting 5-for-8 from the floor and 3-for-4 from long range.
- Marcus Morris Sr.
- Morris finished with a bench-high 10 points, plus a team-high nine rebounds (including four offensive boards).
QUOTE TO NOTE
Nick Nurse on coaching Tyrese Maxey:
“He’s just really, really good. What do I appreciate most? He’s an incredible person. I think everybody knows that. He never has a bad day. He’s got great energy and positivity. He loves to play, and I keep saying - he’s only getting started here.”
FOLLOW ALONG
Saturday night’s game is a 7 p.m. ET start in Charlotte.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Listen: 97.5 The Fanatic
UNIFORMS
The Sixers are scheduled to wear their white Association Edition uniforms Saturday, while the Hornets will wear their purple Statement Edition threads.
@SIXERS SOCIAL
The sixth annual Sixers Youth Foundation Gala on Wednesday evening raised a record dollar amount exceeding $1.9 million: