Sixers win their fourth straight, thanks to a second-half rally vs. Kings

Gina Mizell, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Jan 29, 2025

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PHILADELPHIA — Tyrese Maxey pumped his fist as he walked toward the 76ers’ bench, slapping hands with Kelly Oubre Jr.

Oubre had just hit two free throws with 55.3 seconds remaining to finish off a fourth consecutive victory for the Sixers, who erased a 12-point second-half deficit to top the Sacramento Kings, 117-104, Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

It also was another game the Sixers (19-27) played without stars Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (finger). The duo went through a pregame on-court workout Wednesday. Rotation players Caleb Martin (hip), Andre Drummond (toe), and KJ Martin (foot) also missed the game.

Still, this matchup came down to the fourth quarter. And unlike the last time these two teams met on Jan. 1, when the Sixers surrendered 15 unanswered points to blow the game, they took control in the final frame.

The Sixers began the quarter on a 9-2 run, including a tough driving finish by Oubre (15 points, six rebounds) to propel his team a 98-89 advantage, a game high at that point. The lead stretched to 104-94 on an Oubre corner 3-pointer with 5:51 remaining. A DeMar DeRozan jumper cut Sacramento’s deficit to 108-102 with 3:04 to play before Maxey converted two driving finishes to all but seal the victory.

Maxey followed up his 43-point outburst in a nationally televised game against the Lakers with 30 points on 12-of-24 shooting and eight assists. Veteran guard Eric Gordon added 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while Kyle Lowry (13 points, eight assists, five rebounds) and Ricky Council IV (13 points) anchored the Sixers’ 40 bench points.

Malik Monk led the Kings with 21 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Versatile big man Domantas Sabonis compiled his eighth triple-double of the season, with 13 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists. Star point guard De’Aaron Fox, whose name has cropped up in trade rumors approaching the Feb. 6 deadline, finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Sacramento built an early nine-point lead. A Sabonis 3-pointer made it 25-16 with 2:13 left in the first quarter, but the Sixers answered and seized a 38-34 advantage on a Justin Edwards 3 early in the second quarter. Neither team created real separation again until about midway through the third quarter, when Fox threw down an alley-oop dunk, Sabonis sank two free throws after getting fouled on a breakaway to the basket, and Keon Ellis followed with a corner 3-pointer to give the Kings an 80-68 lead.

But the Sixers responded with a 21-7 run to end the period, capped by a Reggie Jackson 3-pointer to give them an 89-87 lead going into the fourth.

The Sixers continue their six-game home stand Friday against three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets. They then take on the defending-champion Boston Celtics on Sunday, before a back-to-back against the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat on Tuesday and Wednesday.