Tyrese Maxey scored 24 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter, to lift the host Philadelphia 76ers past the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-97 on Friday.
Maxey hit four straight free throws in the final 21.5 seconds.
Cam Payne added 16 and Tobias Harris had 15 points and nine rebounds. Buddy Hield contributed 13 points and made a 3-pointer with 31.3 seconds left for a 100-92 lead.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 10 points and Paul Reed grabbed 12 rebounds for the Sixers, who snapped a two-game losing streak.
The Sixers played without Joel Embiid, Robert Covington and Kyle Lowry.
The Cavaliers were missing Donovan Mitchell (illness) for the second consecutive game.
Jarrett Allen led the Cavaliers with 24 points and nine rebounds, and Darius Garland added 20 points and nine assists. Max Strus scored 14 points, Isaac Okoro had 11 and Evan Mobley swept 10 rebounds.
The Cavaliers have dropped two straight.
The Cavaliers closed within 83-79 with 7:48 left after Georges Niang dropped in a 3-pointer from the wing.
Maxey drove to the basket and made a twisting bank shot with 7:00 remaining for an 87-81 advantage.
After the Cavaliers cut the deficit to three, Maxey hit a baseline jumper for a 92-87 lead with 3:26 to go.
Hield was whistled for a flop with 3:45 remaining in the second quarter despite objections from coach Nick Nurse.
The Sixers went ahead 49-45 with 2:53 left after Hield drove to the basket and scored.
Garland responded with a tough basket in the lane on the Cavaliers’ next possession.
The Sixers led 53-50 at halftime thanks in large part to 13 points from Payne.
Garland paced the Cavaliers with 12.
Philadelphia extended to a 68-57 advantage with 6:45 left in the third following a 3-pointer by Oubre.
Garland produced a difficult reverse layup and then Mobley and Strus each threw down dunks to close Cleveland within five, 68-63.
The Sixers led 74-70 at the end of the third.
–Field Level Media
