Sixers end five-game losing streak with win over Nuggets
Tyrese Maxey #0 and Seth Curry #31 of the Philadelphia 76ers talk during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center on November 08, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP
Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points, Seth Curry had 20, and the visiting Philadelphia 76ers beat the Denver Nuggets 103-89 on Thursday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Tobias Harris scored 17, Shake Milton and Charles Bassey had 12 apiece and Georges Niang scored 11 for short-handed Philadelphia.
The Sixers played their sixth straight game without Joel Embiid, while Matisse Thybulle has sat for seven games. Both players tested positive for COVID-19 and have been away from the team.
22 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST@TyreseMaxey does not disappoint.
🎥 presented by @PALottery pic.twitter.com/3ioz5OZ4hu
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 19, 2021
Nikola Jokic had 30 points and 10 rebounds, Will Barton scored 19 points and Monte Morris finished with 11 for the Nuggets.
Philadelphia led 58-52 at halftime and increased the margin to 11 points in the first few minutes of the third quarter. Denver fought back to get within six again on a 3-pointer by Barton, and Morris made it 66-61 with a layup.
But the Sixers responded to take control. Curry hit a bank shot and Harris a 10-footer to stretch the lead to nine when Nuggets coach Michael Malone was hit with two technical fouls and ejected from the game with 6:04 left.
Curry made two free throws, Philadelphia hit a trio of 3-pointers and two jumpers by Harris completed a 19-3 run to make it 85-65.
The Sixers extended the lead to 91-69 early in the fourth, but Austin Rivers hit a corner 3-pointer and Morris made a driving layup to cut the deficit to 17.
Curry hit a jumper out of a timeout, JaMychal Green answered with a 3-pointer and Morris had a steal and layup to get within 93-79. Denver had a chance to get closer, but Aaron Gordon missed a jumper and Philadelphia closed it out.
The Sixers took control in the second quarter. Curry hit a 3-pointer, Furkan Korkmaz had a layup, Milton hit another from long range and Bassey converted a three-point play during an 11-0 run that put Philadelphia ahead 35-25.
Jokic’s bucket broke the streak, but Curry and Korkmaz answered with 3-pointers, and Niang’s shot from behind the arc made it a 16-point game.
The Nuggets made a run to get within six at halftime.
