76ers rally against Sacramento Kings to chop the fourth win in a row

Tyrese Maxey pumped the fist as he went against the 76ers bench and beat his hands with Kelly Oubre Jr.

Oubre had just hit two free throwing with 55.3 seconds left to end a fourth consecutive win for Sixers, deleting a 12-point deficit on the second half to top Sacramento Kings, 117-104, Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

“Our defense was really, really good in the fourth man,” coach Nick Nurs said of a unit that limited the kings to 6-of-21 shooting and 17 points in the last period. “We just flyed everywhere, tipping a bunch of balls around.”

Wednesday’s victory also brought Sixers within the percentage point of Chicago Bulls, which will hold 10th place in the eastern conference for the last place of the Play-in Tournament.

It was also another game that Sixers (19-27) played without stars Joel Embiid (Knee) and Paul George (Finger), both of whom underwent a pregame on-cost training on Wednesday. Rotation players Caleb Martin (HIP), Andre Drummond (Toe) and KJ Martin (Foot) also missed the game.

»Read more: Joel Embiid Injury Tracker

Still, Sixers took control in the fourth quarter against an opponent who went in Wednesday from 11 of his last 14 games. It was a complete face from the last time these two teams met on January 1st when Sixers surrendered 15 unanswered points to blow up the game.

“They were pretty disappointed, we gave one away in Sacramento,” Nurse said of his team. “A lot of talk about, ‘we have to get this man. We deserve a wi evening, but we have to work for it. ” ‘

Sixers started the fourth on a 9-2 race, including a hard drive of Oubre (15 points, six rebounds) to run his team a 98-89 benefit, a game high at the time. The lead stretched to 104-94 on an ubre Corner three-pointer with 5:51 back. Then, after a Demar Derozan jumper cut Sacramento’s deficit to 108-102 with 3:04 to play, Maxey converted two driving finish to push the benefit back to double digits and all except the victory.

Maxey followed his 43-point outbreak in Tuesday’s national TV game against Los Angeles Lakers with 30 points on 12-of-24 shooting and eight assists. Eric Gordon added 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while Kyle Lowry (13 points, eight assists, five rebounds) and Ricky Council IV (13 points) anchored Sixers ’40 bench points.

»Read more: Tyrese Maxey has carried Sixers. But will it be enough to land another all-star nod?

Malik Monk led Kings with 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Versatile Big Man Domanta’s Sabonis drew up its eighth triple double in the season with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Star Point Guard de’aaron Fox, whose name is cut up in trade rumors approaching on February 6th, ended with 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Derozan added 19 points.

Sacramento (24-23) built an early nine-point lead when a Sabonis-Three Point made it 25-16 with 2:13 back in the first quarter. Sixers answered and grabbed a 38-34 advantage of a Justin Edwards long-range shot early in the second quarter.

No team created real separation again until about midway through the third quarter as Fox threw a spawning-oop dunk, Sabonis sank two free kicks after giving Kings an 80-68 lead. But Sixers responded with a 21-7 race to end the period, uncovered by a reggie Jackson-Three Pointer to give them an 89-87 benefit that enters the fourth.

Sixers continues their six-game Home Stand, their longest season, Friday against three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić and Denver Nuggets. They then take on defending champion Boston Celtics on Sunday, before a back-to-back against Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat next Tuesday and Wednesday.