The Charlotte Hornets had their chance to win on Saturday night but let it slip away against a shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers squad. Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points to lead the visitors to a 109-104 victory, proving that even without Joel Embiid or LeBron James, the Sixers know how to close out tight games. Charles Lee, the Hornets head coach, did not make excuses after the loss. He admitted his team failed to stop Maxey’s speed and his ability to hit shots off the dribble.
Stopping Maxey Is Hard
Maxey is a nightmare to defend because he runs so fast and creates his own shot. He also finds ways to punish defenses that try to double him or shift too quickly. Lee told reporters that guarding him requires perfect spatial awareness from every defender. “He’s a guy you gotta be aware of your spatial relationship to where you are and him because he’s so fast and so dynamic,” Lee said, according to Sports Illustrated. The Hornets tried to play physical, but Maxey still found a way to score whenever he needed to. That kind of dynamic scoring beats most teams.
Clutch Time Errors
The Hornets actually built a seven-point lead with under four minutes left in the game. They had the momentum after Grayson Allen hit seven three-pointers and Brandon Miller added 24 points. But the team could not hold the lead in the final minutes. They turned the ball over and missed key shots while the Sixers made their free throws. Lee pointed out that the problem was not just one player. “It’s all of us being on the same page, and everyone being in the right spots and reacting off of each other,” he said. The team needs to fix these small errors if they want to win close games.
Lineup Changes Did Not Work
Lee tried to shake things up by starting Royce O’Neale in the second half to add balance. He hoped this move would help the defense and keep the offense flowing. The change gave the Hornets a bit more help, but it was not enough to stop the Sixers from pulling ahead. Philadelphia secured the victory with 19 points off the bench from Anfernee Simons. The Hornets shot 50% from the field overall, yet they still lost. That shows how much Maxey and the Sixers’ late-game execution mattered on Saturday.
