76ers recover from first loss, take down Brooklyn to advance to 5-1
Nov 2, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (77) dunks the ball as Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin (8) trails during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
After suffering their first loss of their 2025 campaign against Boston on Friday, Philadelphia bounced back and defeated the Brooklyn Nets 129-105 to push to 5-1 on the year.
The Sixers hold the 2 seed in the East after the win, while the Nets fall to 0-6 on the season and the 15 seed in the conference.
Philadelphia was led by Kelly Oubre Jr., who scored 22 of his 29 points in the first quarter alone. Oubre shot 12-21 from the field and knocked down 3 three-pointers. He held Michael Porter Jr. to just 2 points in the first half alone, helping lead the team to an 18-point halftime lead. Oubre’s downhill attack was unstoppable, and he utilized his speed and touch at the rack to finish down low.
Along with Oubre, Quentin Grimes was a major contributor in Philadelphia’s win on Sunday night. Grimes’ 13 assists were a new career-high for the 25-year-old, and his behind-the-back left-handed dish in transition to Trendon Watford was his top playmaking highlight. He had a +32 plus/minus in his time on the floor and scored 22 points to add to his passing. Grimes shot 7-13 from the field and 4-8 from beyond the arc, demonstrating his efficiency from deep. He also snagged 7 rebounds to finish off his dominant night.
Tyrese Maxey‘s 26 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds were a huge contribution to the Sixers’ 24-point win. Maxey shot 9-19 from the field and had just 1 turnover throughout the game. He drilled 4 three-pointers and was a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe.
Watford played a big part as well, with his versatility shining through. Watford acted as a Swiss Army knife, scoring 16 points, dishing out 7 assists, and snagging 9 boards in his 25 minutes off the bench. He hit 7 of his 9 shot attempts and played excellent defense against Brooklyn. Philadelphia’s one glaring weakness is depth at the forward positions. Watford’s game proved that he could be the man to fill that void.
The team’s overall offensive and defensive production completely shut down Brooklyn from both sides of the ball. The Nets allowed 5 different 76ers players to score at least 16 points, while only Cam Thomas was able to put up at least 20 (29).
Sunday’s game was put away early, which gave Nick Nurse the chance to let the bench guys get more minutes than usual. Kyle Lowry‘s first shot of his 19th NBA season was a made 3 that was followed up by Hunter Sallis‘ first career bucket. Johni Broome also scored his first NBA points.
Philadelphia will fly to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night at 8:00 PM.
Evan Hartenstein
Evan has been a member of the Philly Sports Reports team since March 2023. He is covering the 76ers and wants to pursue a long-lasting career in Sports Journalism.
Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox:
