The short-handed Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Utah Jazz 106-102 after Quentin Grimes hit two tiebreaking free throws with 16.4 seconds left in the game on Wednesday night.
Tyrese Maxey had 25 points, Jabari Walker had 22, and Grimes finished with 16, while they played without Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and suspended Paul George.
On the other hand, Keyonte George scored 30 points for the Jazz and has lost seven in a row.
The 76ers entered the Eastern Conference playoff race in sixth place, trailing 100-94 with 4:51 left after George hit a 3. But Utah missed its next six field goals, and Philadelphia tied it at 100 on Adem Bona’s follow-up dunk with 1:50 left.
Isaiah Coollier’s layup 46 seconds later put Utah up by two points, but Grimes tied it on a drive with 46.8 seconds remaining.
After George misfired on a long-range shot for the Jazz, Grimes converted both free throws after being fouled.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy did not call a timeout, and a wide-open look from long distance by Kyle Filipowski was off.
Meanwhile, Embiid missed his third straight game with a strained right oblique, while Edgecombe suffered a lower back contusion in Tuesday’s 131-91 loss to the Spurs.
For the Jazz, Jaren Jackson Jr. (left knee injury recovery), Walker Kessler (left shoulder injury recovery), Lauri Markkanen (right hip impingement), Jusuf Nurkic (nose injury recovery), and Vince Williams Jr. (left knee injury management) were out.
Up next: the Jazz at Washington on Thursday, while the 76ers at Atlanta on Saturday.
