The 76ers narrowly beat the second Cavaliers in the East, Maxey won 24+7+5 and made 4 free throws
On February 24, Beijing time, the NBA regular season 76ers played at home against the Cavaliers, both sides were back-to-back games, the Cavaliers' number one star Mitchell continued to miss due to illness, and the 76ers lacked Embiid and Lowry. The 76ers always maintained a slight advantage under the leadership of Maxey, and Maxey made consecutive key free throws in the final moments, and finally the 76ers defeated the Cavaliers 104-97 to end a two-game losing streak and consolidate the fifth place in the East, and the Cavaliers swallowed a two-game losing streak. Maxey's 24 points led the 76ers to five double-doubles, Allen had 24 points and nine rebounds, Garland had 20 points and nine assists, and the Cavaliers four scored double-doubles.
The first two meetings of the season have resulted in one win for each side. In the first meeting, the Cavaliers narrowly won 122-119 in overtime, Embiid had 32 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists and Maxey had 30 points and 6 assists, and Garland had 32 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists to lead the three to score 20+. In the second meeting, the 76ers narrowly won 123-121 away to end the Cavaliers' 9-game winning streak, Mitchell scored 36 points and 6 assists, Garland missed 21 points and 9 assists, and the 76ers still scored 20+ points without Embiid.
The two sides ushered in the third meeting this season, the Cavaliers' number one star Mitchell missed two consecutive games due to illness, plus Jerome was absent due to injury, and the 76ers lacked Embiid, Lowry and Covington, of which Lowry made his debut the day before and was absent from this game. The two sides battled tightly in the first quarter, and the Cavaliers reached 5 in 9 of 18 in the first quarter, including 2 of 3 three-pointers. The 76ers were close to 5 in the first quarter with 12 of 26, including 3 of 8 three-pointers, and the two sides maintained a 25-25 tie in the first quarter.
Entering the second quarter of the game, the 76ers once blossomed inside and out to take an 11-point lead, but the Cavaliers stubbornly fought back to chase the points. The 76ers scored 3 points 28-25 in the second quarter, and the 76ers led the Cavaliers by three points at 53-50 at the end of the first half. In the first two quarters of the game, the 76ers made 22 of 48 shots, and the team only Payne had 3 three-pointers and 13 points, and Maxey scored 5 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists on 2 of 7. The Cavaliers scored in double figures, Garland had 12 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists and Allen had 11 points.
After halftime, the two sides continued to bite the score, the 76ers won by 1 point in the third quarter 21-20 in a single quarter, and the 76ers led the Cavaliers 74-70 by 4 points at the end of the third quarter, and the Cavaliers scored double-doubles in the first three quarters, Garland 17 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists and Allen 16 points and 6 rebounds. Three of the 76ers scored in double figures, Maxey had nine points, three rebounds and three assists on 4-of-13 shooting, Harris had 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists, Hield had 10 points and Payne had 13 points.
Entering the final quarter of the game, the 76ers continued to maintain a slight lead to suppress the Cavaliers, and with 1 minute and 47 seconds left in the end, Mobley made two free throws to chase the difference of 3 points. Maxey hit a mid-range shot, and the two sides hit iron one after another, and Hield hit a key three-pointer with 31.3 seconds left to extend the eight-point advantage. The Cavaliers called a timeout, Garland made all three free throws and Strus made a steal and layup to chase down only three points, and Maxey was fouled and made both free throws to maintain a five-point advantage. Garland missed a three-pointer, and Maxey continued to make free throws to extend the advantage to seal the victory, and finally the 76ers narrowly beat the Cavaliers.
(Text/Drunken Sleeping)