PHILADELPHIA — Tobias Harris had 31 points and 12 rebounds and Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 121-114 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.
The 76ers won for just the second time in six games, but remain in the hunt for a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference as they try to stay afloat in the standings until the full return hope of last season’s MVP, Joel Embiid. They are 8-17 this season without Embiid and 5-8 since he went down in a Jan. 30 game and ultimately required knee surgery.
The 76ers said there was no timetable for his return.
An All-Star for the first time this season, Maxey carried the load without Embiid and helped rally the Sixers from a 12-point deficit to hold off the Hornets. He delivered a chase block to Tre Mann in the final moments, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Getting an offensive boost from Harris certainly helped. He was 13 of 19 from the field against the Hornets.
Harris, in the final season of a five-year, $180 million contract, has been in a state of depression over the past month and has taken full blame for the 76ers’ recent struggles. Harris vowed to “push my way out” after scoring 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting in a loss at Boston. He has scored just 17 baskets in his last four games and has no assists in the last two games.
Grant Williams hit a 3 that put the Hornets up 114-112 with two minutes left only for Harris to go down and bury his fifth 3-pointer that helped seal the victory.
Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Richards scored 19 points.
Charlotte is heading into an eighth straight season without making the playoffs, the NBA’s longest current skid. The Hornets have been riddled with injuries and roster instability – especially after shuffling their roster at the trade deadline.
The Hornets lost a night earlier at home to Milwaukee, but immediately hit the road to Philadelphia for their fifth road game in their last six.
“The hardest thing about all the travel and the newness of our team is that we have enough talent to win, but we’re just not organized enough yet,” coach Steve Clifford said. “With the traveling and back-to-back practices and everything, we don’t get a lot of practice time. We have to understand this.
Kyle Lowry was one of the players who left Charlotte after the deadline – although he never played a game with the Hornets. A six-time All-Star, Lowry took a buyout and signed a deal with his hometown Sixers. With Kelly Oubre Jr. dealing with right shoulder soreness, Lowry finished with 15 points and 10 assists in his first start in four games with the Sixers.
FOLLOWING
Hornets: Play Sunday night at Toronto.
76ers: Play Sunday at Dallas.
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