NBA: Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid fuel 76ers past wobbly Kings

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey made a clutch layup with 1.3 seconds left, leading his team to a thrilling 113-111 victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings on Thursday.

Maxey finished with 40 points and eight assists, while Joel Embiid added 37 points and eight assists of his own. Paul George contributed 15 points as the Sixers overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit.

For Sacramento, Dennis Schroder scored 27 points and DeMar DeRozan added 25, but the Kings suffered their seventh straight loss and fell to 0-4 on their six-game road trip. Sacramento’s record away from home this season is 3-21.

The game was tight in the final minute. After trailing by a point, Zach LaVine drained a wide-open 3-pointer with 1:21 left. Following missed opportunities by both teams, Maxey was fouled on a drive and converted both free throws to tie the game at 111 with 27.3 seconds remaining.

After DeRozan missed, the Sixers had one last chance. Embiid inbounded to Maxey, who drove and floated a left-handed layup over two defenders. Maxey was fouled on the play and missed the free throw, but LaVine’s long 3-pointer came after the buzzer.

The first quarter saw neither team leading by more than five points, with Philadelphia holding a 28-25 edge. Maxey scored 14 points in the second quarter, helping the Sixers take a 60-54 lead into halftime. Maxey and Embiid combined for 42 first-half points, while DeRozan (21) and Schroder (14) led the Kings.

Philadelphia led by seven early in the third, but Sacramento responded with a 9-2 run to tie it at 70. The teams traded ties until Maxime Raynaud and LaVine pushed the Kings ahead 89-87 heading into the fourth quarter.

Sacramento opened the final period with a 7-0 run, building a 103-92 lead. The Sixers answered with a 17-5 run, all points coming from Maxey and Embiid. Maxey’s driving layup gave Philadelphia the lead with 1:57 left, setting the stage for his game-winning heroics.

—Field Level Media/Reuters