Tyrese Maxey scored 39 points and Andre Drummond collected 14 points and 18 rebounds to highlight the Philadelphia 76ers’ 110-108 come-from-behind victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.
Quentin Grimes chipped in 19 points for Philadelphia while VJ Edgecombe added 14. Paul George (knee) made his season debut for the Sixers and finished 2 of 9 from the field for nine points in 21 minutes.
James Harden led Los Angeles with 28 points on 7-of-25 shooting while Ivica Zubac registered 14 points and 13 rebounds. Clippers rookie Kobe Sanders, making his first start, provided a career-high 17 points.
Harden knocked down three foul shots with 4:38 left to put Los Angeles ahead by two. Edgecombe, Grimes and Maxey responded with 3-pointers in the next 2 1/2 minutes to give Philadelphia a 108-104 lead.
The Sixers maintained a 110-108 lead with 11.7 seconds left when a Clippers foul was challenged and overturned into a Sixers turnover, which gave the visitors one last chance.
Harden missed two contested 3-pointers in the waning seconds to send Los Angeles to its eighth loss in nine games.
Harden dominated the first quarter, scoring 17 points as Los Angeles took a 33-25 lead after 12 minutes.
In the second quarter, Philadelphia used a 13-4 run to get within 44-43 on Dominick Barlow’s bucket with 2:50 remaining. Los Angeles reeled off a dozen points in the final 2 1/2 minutes, including Brook Lopez’s 3-pointer in the waning seconds, that sent the Clippers into the locker room ahead 56-46.
Harden shot only 2 of 10 in the third quarter, while Maxey was 4 of 7 in the period for 13 points. Both teams scored 27 points in the third, which left the Clippers ahead by 10 heading into the fourth.
The margin remained at 10 with under nine minutes left when Grimes’ driving basket and Drummond’s lay-in got the hosts within 91-85. On the Sixers’ next two possessions, Maxey made a 3-pointer and converted a three-point play to make it 94-91 with 6:52 left.
Shortly thereafter, Maxey’s drive to the hoop gave the Sixers their first lead since it was 5-4.
–Field Level Media
