PHILADELPHIA – In a tense matchup, Tyrese Maxey led the Philadelphia 76ers to a narrow 109-103 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night by scoring the decisive basket with just 23.7 seconds remaining. Maxey ended the game with an impressive 29 points, demonstrating his ability to step up in the absence of several key players.
Guerschon Yabusele also played a pivotal role for the Sixers, contributing 21 points and making a crucial defensive play by blocking a potential game-tying layup with only 14 seconds left on the clock. Philadelphia’s roster was notably thin, with stars like Joel Embiid, Paul George, Kyle Lowry, and Andre Drummond all sidelined. Washington, too, was missing its leading scorer, Jordan Poole, along with Malcolm Brogdon.
Despite the absence of key players, the atmosphere at the Wells Fargo Center felt reminiscent of preseason games until the Wizards mounted a significant comeback in the fourth quarter. Bilal Coulibaly sparked Washington’s rally from a 16-point deficit, hitting a jumper that put the Wizards ahead 101-98. However, Eric Gordon quickly answered back with a three-pointer to level the score for the Sixers.
Maxey shot 11 for 27 from the field and also recorded six assists. He was supported by Gordon and Kelly Oubre Jr., each of whom scored 15 points. On the opposing side, Jared Butler led the Wizards with 26 points, and Corey Kispert contributed 23 points toward Washington’s efforts.
The Wizards’ string of losses continued, marking four consecutive defeats and six losses in their last seven games, which leaves them with the worst record in the NBA at 6-29. On the other hand, for those attending the game, including actor Scott Wolf, tickets in the lower levels were surprisingly available for under $10 shortly before the game began.
A pivotal moment came when Kyle Kuzma’s bucket appeared to feature a traveling violation that provided Washington with a brief lead at 103-101. However, Maxey responded by hitting two free throws to tie the game, and he then sealed the win with his final basket.
Notably, Washington struggled from the free-throw line, managing to make only 6 of their 9 attempts.
Looking ahead, the Wizards are set to visit Chicago for their next game on Friday, while the 76ers will host the New Orleans Pelicans in their upcoming match.
