NBA: Tyrese Maxey's strong effort powers Sixers over Heat

Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points, handed out 11 assists, and recorded five steals to guide the host Philadelphia 76ers to a 124-117 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday.

Joel Embiid added a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 21 points and eight boards. VJ Edgecombe chipped in 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Philadelphia finished the game on an 8-0 run to secure its third straight win.

For Miami, Bam Adebayo led the way with 29 points and 14 rebounds. Tyler Herro added 25 points and seven assists off the bench, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 19 points and Andrew Wiggins contributed 18.

The Heat erased a 16-point halftime deficit in the first seven minutes of the third quarter, with Adebayo’s 3-pointer putting Miami ahead 81-80 with 5:09 left in the period. However, Oubre responded with a 3-pointer as the Sixers regained control, leading 99-91 after three quarters.

Miami came out strong in the fourth, scoring the first eight points to tie the game. The visitors remained close, but Herro’s 3-pointer with 2:44 left gave Miami a brief 117-116 lead. Philadelphia quickly countered as Maxey made two free throws and Oubre sank a 3-pointer. Adebayo and Herro missed key 3-point attempts before Embiid hit a 3-pointer from the wing to put the Sixers up 124-117 with 29.2 seconds remaining.

Maxey exploded for 20 points in the first quarter, hitting 5-of-8 from three-point range, including a shot that moved him past Allen Iverson (885) for the top spot on the Sixers’ all-time 3-pointers list. Despite his strong start, Philadelphia led just 36-35 after the first period.

Early in the second quarter, the Sixers held a 41-39 edge before going on a 22-8 run over seven minutes. Edgecombe scored 12 points during that stretch, including a three-point play, a 3-pointer, and a transition dunk. Miami briefly cut the deficit to single digits, but Philadelphia rebuilt a 73-57 lead heading into halftime.

-Field Level Media/Reuters