Instant Observations: Maxey Scores 43 Points, Leads Undermanned 76ers to Win Over Lakers

Tyrese Maxey had an incredible night, scoring 43 points while leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 118-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. With the win, the Sixers extended their winning streak to three games.

Kelly Oubre Jr. totaled 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Guerschon Yabusele added 14 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals.

Joel Embiid (left knee injury management), Paul George (left finger sprain), Jared McCain (left knee meniscus surgery), Caleb Martin (right hip sprain), KJ Martin (left foot stress reaction) and Andre Drummond (left toe injury recovery) were all out of the lineup for the Sixers.

More details emerged before the matchup against the Lakers about George’s finger injury. The team announced on Tuesday afternoon George, who injured his finger in the win over the Chicago Bulls, “underwent an MRI and ultrasound which revealed an injury to the extensor tendon in his left fifth finger.” George will be re-evaluated on Wednesday to get a better sense of his return to play, according to Austin Krell of On Pattison. Head coach Nick Nurse, via Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports, believes it is not a major injury and that George is “day-to-day.”

LeBron James led the Lakers with 31 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. Dalton Knecht added 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting off the bench. The Lakers were without Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery recovery), Christian Wood (left knee surgery recovery), Gabe Vincent (left knee soreness) and Jalen Hood-Schifino (left hamstring strain). Anthony Davis left the game in the first half with an abdominal muscle strain.

The Sixers next take on the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Here are some instant observations from the big win over the Lakers:

Likes:

– For as long as the Sixers remain banged up (to say the least), the offense is going to run nearly entirely through Maxey and Yabusele. The duo accounted for all 25 of the Sixers’ points in the opening quarter of action. Yabusele opened up the scoring for the Sixers with a driving dunk. Later on in the quarter, he scored on Anthony Davis in the post and proceeded to do the “too small” celebration while going back down the court. A few plays later, Yabusele continued his excellent start with a steal and dunk in transition that delighted the Philadelphia crowd.

beware of the bear. 🐻⚠️ pic.twitter.com/vutAGU6V9z

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 29, 2025

Maxey went stride for stride with his teammate, scoring 15 points in the first quarter. Most of his success came from inside the arc, where he used his speed and touch to wreak havoc around the basket. He found an early rhythm and never looked back. The Lakers had no answer for Maxey, who victimized them all night long. He dipped into his scoring arsenal, using floaters and step-back jumpers to effectively work in the mid-range area when he was not busy punishing the Los Angeles defense on drives to the rim.

His success on drives then opened up some more space for him on the perimeter. This cause and effect could be seen from the following two plays in the first half. Maxey blew by Reaves, slicing right through the Lakers defense and scoring an easy layup. Later on in the half, Maxey used the threat of his speed and driving ability to get Knecht on his back foot in transition. With Knecht giving him space, Maxey pulled up and drained the open 3-pointer.

There is a clear difference in his play between the past few weeks and the first portions of this season. After struggling to be at the helm of the Sixers’ undermanned offense, he has effectively found his footing. He is driving to the basket with purpose and aggression, and the results are clear for all to see. His drives are either leading to easy buckets or, in this contest against the Lakers, a healthy amount of trips to the free-throw line. The 3-pointer is also starting to come around, making Maxey an even more lethal player offensively. The 24-year old seems to have turned a corner over the last handful of games and put his early-season struggles in the rearview mirror.

The Sixers possessed a 23-point lead going into the fourth quarter. As a result, Maxey was able to sit for a large portion of the final frame. If it was not for the Sixers blowing out the Lakers, Maxey would have had a fairly good chance to eclipse his career-high 52 points.

There were some questions before the Sixers’ recent stretch of good play about whether they should be sellers at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. If Maxey continues to play at this high of a level along with the Sixers starting to get a bit healthier, Philadelphia has a chance at being able to start climbing up the standings. The chances of the Sixers electing to punt on the rest of this season are slimmer now than they were a few weeks ago.

– Justin Edwards made his first career start, and he did not disappoint. While he was quiet offensively, Edwards competed hard defensively despite being given the unenviable task of attempting to defend James. The Philly native has a nose for the basketball which often leads to him forcing turnovers. The highlight of Edwards’ night came midway through the third quarter. With the shot clock ticking down, Edwards faced up on James and drained a 3-pointer in his face.

the rook over the vet. pic.twitter.com/ag07HwoVqX

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 29, 2025

Edwards finished with seven points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Nurse spoke to reporters, via Paul Hudrick of Liberty Ballers, before the game about his desire to see Edwards on the floor even when the Sixers get fully healthy. Given his production this season, Edwards has definitely earned a consistent rotation spot. It is only a matter of time until the Sixers convert his two-way contract to a standard deal.

– While this was far from a perfect game, there continues to be multiple reasons to be optimistic about Adem Bona’s development in recent weeks. The rookie second-round pick is slowly finding his footing offensively, making an impact by crashing the glass hard. He struggled a bit defensively against the Lakers, getting into some foul trouble in the first half. However, Bona battled through it and made a positive impact on the game. He finished with four points, six rebounds (five on the offensive glass) and three blocks in 19 minutes.

– Ricky Council IV put together one of his best games of the season. He impacted the game in a variety of ways including scoring as a cutter, hitting the boards and playing with active hands defensively. Council even mixed in a couple of 3-pointers. He ended his night with 16 points, seven boards and two steals.

– For much of this season, the Sixers played as if they were just going through the motions. Nurse recently called out the team’s lack of effort, and they responded with some inspired basketball. The Sixers, including this win over the Lakers, are in the midst of a three-game winning streak. During this latest stretch, the Sixers have been playing with more purpose and energy. As Shaquille O’Neal said on the TNT Halftime Break, it was clear the Sixers wanted to win this game more than the Lakers. That desire showed up largely through playing strong defense and beating the Lakers to loose balls. Philadelphia forced the Lakers to commit 22 turnovers. The Sixers deserve credit for the way they have responded over the last couple of games.

Dislikes:

– There was nothing to dislike about the Sixers’ performance against the Lakers. They wiped the floor against a team much more talented than them on paper. The Sixers’ winning streak continues.