Maxey Torches Bucks For Career-High 54 in Thrilling Comeback Overtime Win

Tonight was the tail end of a back to back for the Sixers, and going into the game both teams would be without their superstar big men, thought it’s becoming more of a normal sight for the Sixers not to see Joel Embiid in the lineup, Milwaukee not playing with Giannis Antetokounmpo just feels off, thought tonight’s contest is the third game without him in the lineup.

The Sixers generated some spot-on looks early against the Bucks’ light zone defense, but they just missed the opportunities given to them. The Bucks’ zone defense isn’t good without Giannis in the middle, and the Sixers took full advantage, going up 33-20 in the first. In the second quarter, the Sixers’ defense relented and allowed the Bucks to not only close the gap but also go into half with momentum. One new thing is that the Sixers didn’t wait until the third to implode. Tonight, when the second quarter started, Milwaukee went on a 10-0 run, which closed the lead down to 3, and they kept their foot on the gas and went into halftime with a 57-55 lead over the Sixers.

The Sixers’ nemesis, the third quarter, was again not kind to them, though the Bucks didn’t pull away. Andre Drummond picked up his 5th personal halfway through the period, getting Dominick Barlow some playing time, and he made the most of it, swatting a Gary Trent Jr. shot into the crowd. The third quarter was a bit of an improvement, with the Bucks taking the third 24-22. Given the way that the Sixers played in third quarters this season, that feels like a push. The 4th quarter was a boat race, with the Sixers taking the lead, thanks in large part to Tyrese Maxey, who kept the pressure on the Bucks, dropping in a career high with 54 points. He sank the 2 free throws with 7 seconds in the game to tie it at 106, and Milwaukee got two looks, but Ryan Rollins, who had been the Bucks’ top scorer in the game, airballed it, and off to overtime we went.

The Sixers scored the first 5 points of the overtime period and then kept the pressure on defensively. Milwaukee clamped down on Maxey in the OT period, but Justin Edwards and Quentin Grimes picked up the torch and carried the Sixers to a 119-116 win. This is thanks in large part to the fact that the Sixers were +9 in rebounds and +8 made free throws. The NBA’s best 4th quarter team played like it, edging the Bucks 29-25 in the fourth and 17-8 in OT, pulling out the 124-114 win.

The main issue for the Sixers tonight in this game was how easy Milwaukee got to the cup. The Bucks put pressure on the Sixers’ low-post presence, and the defense folded frequently in the second and third. This is part of why Drummond picked up five fouls halfway through the third quarter. Though in the fourth, Nick Nurse turned up the heat on the Bucks when they pressed going in. Without Drummond in the fourth quarter, the Bucks stayed in the game, and though the Sixers outplayed the Bucks in the fourth, the Sixers’ defense would let them linger the entire game.

The scary part tonight is that the Bucks didn’t have Giannis. With him, this game would have been a blowout given the way the Sixers defended tonight. The fact that the Bucks were able to hang around and streak to the hoop. Rollins and Kyle Kuzma played well tonight, but in all honesty, Doc Rivers‘ plan was to put the ball into Rollins’ hands and let him cook, and tonight he delivered.

With that said, the night belonged to Maxey, who has been the Sixers’ MVP, and took the lead tonight, not just by scoring and playing hard on both sides of the floor, but by playing the entire second half and overtime period. It’s not just an impressive feat, but on the tail end of a back-to-back, is other-worldly. Not only did he drop in 54 points, but he really steadied the Sixers on the defensive end late.

If there is anyone who is more deserving of the unofficial title of MVP of this point in the season, I can’t imagine anyone but Maxey is the winner. No player has meant more to his team than Maxey has to the Sixers. Not just by dropping 54 on the Bucks, but by on-court leadership, and keeping the young Sixers players focused and directing traffic all game. Paul George contributed well with 21 points, and Grimes put in 14 and played his best down the stretch. Though the night belonged to Maxey, this win doesn’t happen without Grimes and his gritty play in the OT period.

In a back-to-back where you have to play Toronto and Milwaukee in consecutive nights, splitting the games feels like a strong win. I’m most impressed with the determination down the stretch, with extremely impressed with the way the Sixers never gave up, and took everything the Bucks threw at them. This was a very difficult win, and proved just how important a healthy Embiid is to this team. The way they hung in without him and Drummond for most of the second half is impressive.

The Sixers have some time to rest before coming home to play the Heat back in South Philly on Sunday. If Embiid can’t play in that game, Nurse is going to have to scheme on the defensive side of the ball to prevent a repeat of tonight. The Sixers can’t keep counting on Maxey to drop career highs every game.

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