Tyrese Maxey delivered in the clutch, scoring the decisive basket with 23.7 seconds left to lead the Philadelphia 76ers (15-20) to a 109-103 victory over the Washington Wizards (6-29) on Wednesday night. The win snapped Philadelphia’s two-game losing streak and extended the Wizards’ struggles to four consecutive losses.
Despite the absence of key starters Joel Embiid, Paul George, Kyle Lowry, and Andre Drummond, the Sixers relied on Maxey’s offensive prowess and Guerschon Yabusele’s two-way impact to edge out the win. Yabusele contributed 21 points and delivered a game-saving block with 14 seconds remaining, denying Washington a chance to tie the game.
The Wizards, playing without Jordan Poole and Malcolm Brogdon, overcame a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter, led by Bilal Coulibaly and Jared Butler. Coulibaly’s jumper gave Washington a late 101-98 lead, but Eric Gordon’s timely three-pointer tied the game for Philadelphia.
Maxey finished with 29 points on 11-of-27 shooting, along with six assists. He responded to Kyle Kuzma’s controversial bucket, which appeared to involve a missed travel call, by sinking two free throws and nailing the go-ahead shot. Gordon and Kelly Oubre Jr. chipped in 15 points apiece for the Sixers, while Yabusele’s five three-pointers kept the offense afloat.
Ricky Council IV contributed eight points, and rookie Adem Bona added defensive energy with three blocks. Philadelphia capitalized on Washington’s mistakes, committing only seven turnovers compared to the Wizards’ 17.
For Washington, Butler was a standout performer off the bench, scoring 26 points, including three triples, and dishing out seven assists. Corey Kispert added 23 points and five assists, while Kuzma recorded 16 points and five rebounds. However, the Wizards’ struggles at the free-throw line, where they shot just 66.7%, ultimately hurt their chances.
