Tyrese Maxey delivered a historic performance, scoring a career-high 54 points and tying the game with two free throws in the final seven seconds of regulation to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 123-114 overtime win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday at Fiserv Forum.
Maxey added nine assists and logged over 46 minutes, marking his second consecutive game playing heavy minutes after averaging a league-high 40.3 minutes entering the night.
Philadelphia trailed late in the fourth quarter but Maxey’s clutch free throws sent the game into overtime, where the 76ers opened with a 5-0 run, including a three-pointer from Justin Edwards and a basket from Maxey, to secure the lead.
Paul George contributed 21 points, complementing Maxey’s scoring, while Philadelphia overcame the continued absence of Joel Embiid, who missed his sixth straight game with a right knee injury.
For Milwaukee, Ryan Rollins scored a career-high 32 points and added 14 assists, keeping the Bucks within striking distance late in regulation. Kyle Kuzma finished with 17 points, and Bobby Portis added 19, but the team fell short despite a strong rally.
Myles Turner gave Milwaukee a late lead with a three-pointer with 14.8 seconds remaining, but Maxey’s drive and free throws leveled the score, and Rollins’ last-second three missed at the buzzer.
Philadelphia shot 43% from the field and 34% from three-point range, while Milwaukee connected on 49% overall and 39% from deep. The 76ers also won the battle on the boards 52-42.
The victory improves Philadelphia to 9-6 and ends a brief two-game losing skid, while the Bucks fall to 8-8, losing four of their last five games.
Both teams played without their former league MVPs: Embiid for the 76ers and Giannis Antetokounmpo, sidelined with a left adductor strain for Milwaukee.
Philadelphia will host the Miami Heat on Sunday, while Milwaukee returns home to face the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
