The Philadelphia 76ers scored the first victory of their season against the Indiana Pacers this Sunday, a success to which Tyrese Maxey greatly contributed.
Tyrese Maxey scored ten of his 45 points in overtime to give the Philadelphia 76ers their first victory of the season on Sunday, 118-114 on the Indiana Pacers floor.
“I wasn’t that disappointed with my offensive play in the first two games, but by focusing too much on offense, I had neglected defense. Today (Sunday), I was very hard in defense and the team took advantage of it.commented Maxey. Philadelphia’s start to the season is complicated by the absences during the first two games of Joel Embiid and his rookie Paul George, injured. But on Sunday, Maxey was determined to open the victory column.
After missing four of his six shots in the first period and his first seven attempts in the third quarter, he finally adjusted the sights. He first put the Sixers in the lead (79-78) with a basket 2 seconds from the end of the quarter, then scored 14 points in the fourth. With a winning basket less than four seconds from the end of regulation time, Tyrese Haliburton (his team’s top scorer with 22 points) allowed the Pacers to equalize at 105-105 and send the match into overtime. Maxey then gave a three-point advantage on his first shot to the Sixers who were never caught again.
Portland and Brooklyn finally win
Like Philadelphia, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Brooklyn Nets won their first victory of the season on Sunday. At home, the former beat the New Orleans Pelicans (125-103) and the latter dominated Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks (115-102).
Jerami Grant (28 pts) and Anfernee Simons (27 pts) finished top scorers for Portland who, also thanks to 17 points and 12 rebounds from DeAndre Ayton, were never behind in the second half, despite the 27 points in total from CJ McCollum, Pelicans leading scorer. In Brooklyn, the Nets offered their new Spanish coach Jordi Fernandez his first victory thanks in particular to Cam Thomas (32 pts) and Dennis Schroder (29 pts).
At the end of a very tight third quarter, the Nets took the advantage 83-78 and, under the leadership of Thomas and his 11 points, they were no longer threatened despite the 22 points and 12 rebounds, in total, from the Bucks’ double MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Winners of their opening match, the Bucks then suffered two defeats.
On the contrary, Oklahoma City remains undefeated in three games after its home victory against Atlanta (128-104). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and made nine assists, not to mention three steals, to put the Thunder on the path to victory. His teammates Chet Holmgren (25 pts) and Jalen Williams (20 pts) were not left out, while on the Atlanta side, Trae Young was the top scorer (24 pts) and the Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher, first choice draft this year, added 13 points for the Hawks.
In California, Golden State lost Stephen Curry during the fourth quarter to a left ankle injury and lost on its floor against the Los Angeles Clippers (104-112). The Clippers were able to count on James Harden (23 points, 11 assists) and Ivica Zubac (23 points and 17 rebounds).
