76ers’ Tyrese Maxey drops blunt reaction to 2nd-straight loss to Cavs

The Philadelphia 76ers were dealt their second straight loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, falling 117-115 at home. The defeat was Philadelphia’s third loss to Cleveland this year and felt all too familiar, as the Sixers have now lost six of their last seven against the Cavaliers.

After the game, 76ers star point guard Tyrese Maxey spoke plainly about where things stand.

“I mean, as of right now, it looks like it,” Maxey said of the Cavs being a difficult matchup for the Sixers. “[We’re] 0-3 versus them. So we’re trying to find different ways to figure out the double big lineup, the double guard lineup with [Donovan Mitchell] and [Darius Garland], and then sometimes [Craig Porter Jr.] and [Jaylon Tyson]. So as of right now, I guess they got to be right? We’re 0-3 versus them, and it’s been difficult for us to beat them.”

Friday’s loss was particularly painful given the context. Philadelphia led for the majority of the night and held a 100-89 advantage with 8:47 remaining in the fourth quarter. The 76ers looked set to claim an important Eastern Conference win with Cleveland shorthanded and Donovan Mitchell off his game. However, the Cavaliers rallied behind the heroics of second-year guard Jaylon Tyson.

Tyson put up a career-high 39 points on 13-of-17 shooting, drilling 7-of-9 from three-point range and going a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line. He also added five rebounds and four assists, with his final assist setting up Evan Mobley’s game-winning dunk with 4.8 seconds remaining.

After Maxey hit a floater to tie the score at 115-115 with just over eight seconds left, the Cavs came out of the timeout with a picture-perfect play. Tyson drew defensive attention and threaded a wrap-around pass to Mobley, who finished at the rim for the winning basket.

The Sixers made it a priority to limit Mitchell after he scored 35 points in Cleveland’s 133-107 win on Wednesday. The adjustment worked statistically, as Mitchell finished 4-of-13 from the field for 13 points, including 4-of-7 from three and 0-for-6 on two-point attempts. Rookie VJ Edgecombe spent most of the game defending Mitchell and helped keep him in check. However, the emphasis on Mitchell opened opportunities elsewhere, and Tyson capitalized repeatedly, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers erased multiple double-digit deficits.

Joel Embiid was a force for the 76ers, finishing with 33 points, the fifth time this season he has reached 30 points. Paul George and Quentin Grimes each scored 14 points, and Edgecombe chipped in 10. Maxey scored 22 points and contributed five rebounds, nine assists, five steals, and two blocks, shooting 9-of-23 from the field. Over the last two games against the Cavs, Maxey shot 14-of-39 from the floor, finding the Cavaliers’ long and active defense a constant obstacle.

The loss dropped Philadelphia to 22-18, seventh in the Eastern Conference, while Cleveland improved to 24-19, sixth in the standings and just ahead of the Sixers. The 76ers will remain at home and look to rebound Monday against the Indiana Pacers.

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