After getting dominated in the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, October 22, the Philadelphia 76ers needed a spark.
Anything to turn up the intensity. Anything that could get the crowd to go from boos to roaring. Tyrese Maxey had just the right idea. The star guard got into a little dust-up with his former 76ers teammate, James Harden.
The moment was rare for Maxey, who is not known for getting into any altercations on the court. The veteran guard played into the moment, and the Sixers fed off that energy.
After the game, the star guard made it clear that there won’t be any bad blood between Maxey and Harden.
“I love him and he loves me,” Maxey told reporters on Thursday night.
Tyrese Maxey vs James Harden
Harden had a quiet night in one of his former homes.
Checking in for 33 minutes, Harden shot just 5-of-12 from the field, hitting on a few of his threes. He finished the game with 16 points, dishing out five assists, and coming down with three rebounds. Harden struggled to take care of the ball, turning it over for a team-high six times.
On the other side, Maxey had the biggest night for his team. The veteran guard shot 12-23 from the field, hitting on two of his threes. Maxey had a team-high 32 points. Along with his scoring, Maxey produced six assists, three rebounds, and two steals against the Cavs.
Overall, the Sixers had a historic night against Cleveland. During the first half, the Cavaliers led the way with a 29-point deficit. As the Sixers dominated in the second half, they rallied and created a lead as big as nine points.
The 76ers defeated the Cavaliers 114-106.
