Sixers survive meltdown, VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey clutch up in the final seconds to beat Warriors 99-98
Outside of Tyrese Maxey, the Philadelphia 76ers did everything in their power to blow another massive lead on Thursday night.
One month after coughing up a 24-point cushion to the Chicago Bulls, the Sixers walked into Xfinity Mobile Arena, built another 24-point lead, tossed it straight into the trash, lit it on fire, and somehow still walked away with a 99-98 win over the Golden State Warriors.
The only reason disaster didn’t strike again was because VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey bailed this team out in the final seconds. With under a second left, Maxey’s potential game-winner got blocked, but Edgecombe came flying out of nowhere for a put-back layup with 0.9 on the clock.
On the Warriors’ last heave down the floor, Maxey sprinted the length of the court and came up with a game-saving block at the buzzer. He finished with 35 while the rest of the roster limped to the finish line.
VJ Edgecombe putback. Tyrese Maxey block.
The Warriors Could Not Score, And Then Suddenly They Could
The first quarter looked like one of those nights where Golden State would need divine intervention to hit a shot. They started 2-for-21 from the field and looked like they accidentally replaced the basketball with a medicine ball.
Tyrese Maxey, meanwhile, was cooking his old friend De’Anthony Melton and every other former Sixer they threw at him. Buddy Hield got the step-back treatment. McCain hit a lucky bounce three. The Sixers cruised into halftime up 56-34.
Golden State didn’t even attempt a free throw in the first half. The defense was clean, disciplined, and doing everything right.
Then the third quarter happened.
The Collapse Arrives Right On Schedule
There are sunrise times, sunset times, and the Sixers third quarter collapse time. It is the one thing this team reliably does every single night. They entered the game with a net rating of minus 22.5 in the third, one of the worst in the league, and they went out and showed why.
Seven turnovers in the quarter. No structure against the Warriors’ zone. Maxey throwing the ball away. Edgecombe coughing it up. McCain looking rattled. Suddenly the Warriors, who couldn’t hit the ocean in the first half, were pushing the game into full-court pressure and running on every rebound.
Golden State cut the lead to 80-66 after three, and by the fourth quarter, the Sixers were completely rattled. Jumpers fell for Post. Hield leaked out for easy buckets. Gui Santos walked into a layup to give Golden State a 93-92 lead.
With 2:39 left, a 22-point lead had officially evaporated, and the Sixers looked cooked.
Edgecombe Bad Until Game Winner
For as promising as VJ Edgecombe has looked, he spent much of the night dribbling into trouble and turning the ball over. But basketball is a funny sport. It rewards you for being the last guy to dive into the chaos.
With under ten seconds left, Edgecombe stole a lazy inbounds pass from Pat Spencer and called timeout. Moments later, he rose up and hammered home the go-ahead bucket after Maxey’s shot was blocked.
From goat to hero in about forty seconds. Maxey’s block at the buzzer sealed it, saving what would have been the worst loss of the season.
Maxey Continues His MVP-Level Season
There really isn’t much more to say about Maxey at this point. He was unstoppable for most of the night, controlling the pace, scoring in every way imaginable, and keeping the Sixers’ offense alive while everyone else lost their minds.
Thirty-five points on 13-for-27 shooting, including 4-for-10 from deep and a game-saving block to go with it. The rest of the backcourt, however, was a mess. Edgecombe, McCain, and Grimes combined for 29 points on 27 shots and committed 10 turnovers. Maxey once again had to drag this team across the finish line.
Embiid’s Night Was… There
Joel Embiid played only 25 minutes and did not appear in the fourth quarter. He finished with 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting and missed all six of his threes. The defensive energy early was good, and he looked more mobile than he did against Atlanta, but the shooting touch did him no favors.
Dom Barlow Was Everywhere
If there was a quiet hero of this game, it was Dom Barlow. He finished with six points but had 13 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and made every defensive rotation you dream about from a modern forward.
He switched onto guards, closed driving lanes, protected the rim, and generally played like the exact archetype the Sixers have been missing for years.
A Win Is A Win, But This Team Is Trying To Kill Us
Let’s be honest. The Warriors stink without Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler. They couldn’t run offense and couldn’t hit a shot for the entire first half. There was no reason for this to be a close game.
The Sixers’ combination of turnovers, stagnant offense, and total loss of composure turned a laugher into a near disaster. They snatched victory from the jaws of defeat because VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey refused to let them collapse all the way.
The Sixers improve to 12-9 and head to Milwaukee to face the Bucks on Friday night.
Pray for our sanity.
Join The Chase
Read More
Sixers come up short in 108-100 loss against the Celtics in Game 3
The Sixers lost 108-100 to the Celtics on Friday night…
94.1 WIP doesn’t understand this city, and Joe Giglio saying he doesn’t want Joel Embiid back is Exhibit A
I genuinely do not know who 94.1 WIP is programming…
VJ Edgecombe made NBA History on Tuesday night in Boston
I don’t want to hear another word about the Sixers…
Comments (0)