Tyrese Maxey returned to the Sixers’ lineup as they overcame a red-hot Hornets team in Charlotte by a final score of 118-114. Maxey, Joel Embiid and Paul George combined for 81 points in the win.
Here’s what stood out.
The Sixers’ Big 3 have not played together since Jan. 29, when they hosted the Sacramento Kings. This season, only 18 of the team's 74 games have seen all three take the court. While the team is just 11-8 in those opportunities, that same group is 11-4 in their last 15, signalling improving chemistry.
This win against Charlotte is among the team’s best this season, given their opponent and the Sixers’ resilience in not only remaining in the game but also securing the win.
Scoring 81 combined points between Maxey, Embiid and George, the Sixers gave a peek of how dangerous they can be when operating at or near full health. Trailing the Toronto Raptors by just half a game for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, a strong push in these final eight games can lead to significant movement in the standings for the Sixers and make Philadelphia a far less desirable matchup than the team was a month ago.
Since returning from his 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, Paul George made his much-awaited return to the Sixers. Following up a 29-point performance in his return against the Chicago Bulls, George scored 26 points while pulling down 13 rebounds and racking up four steals in 36 minutes of action.
George has felt much more like himself since returning to the court. That physical improvement has carried over to his mental well-being, helping revitalize him this season.
"I’m in a much better place physically, so I'm, from a personal standpoint, really excited about that,” George said ahead of his return to the court. “This 25 games was just what I needed, I think, for my body to kind of heal and be in a better place. And I've been feeling great, I've been feeling awesome on the court. And so I'm looking forward to putting it to the test.”
So far, Paul has passed that test with flying colors, averaging 27.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.0 blocks and 4.0 steals, while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three.
Nick Nurse has been criticized throughout this season and beyond for failing to make positive adjustments. Sixers backup center Andre Drummond has also been criticized for his inconsistent play and motor, but both Nurse and Drummond deserve praise for Saturday night’s game.
Drummond played only six minutes and failed to register a point, but his impact was clearly felt, and the Sixers were able to make a push in the fourth quarter in part thanks to the tone that he set.
The Sixers once again struggled to rebound, but by opting to go with the bigger bodies in Drummond early in the fourth, Nurse set in motion the necessary change that provided a pivotal moment, thanks to Drummond, who made the most of the opportunity.
The Sixers have another crucial matchup Monday night as they head to Miami to take on the current No. 9 seed Heat. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST on Monday, March 30.
Unless otherwise stated, all stats included in this article are via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass, Basketball Reference or Team Rankings. All salary information via Spotrac.
