Pacers’ 38-30 first-quarter lead quickly turns into Sixers rout

INDIANAPOLIS — All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey had 32 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to lead the 76ers to a 135-114 win over the Pacers on Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Pacers suffered four consecutive losses after the All-Star break, falling to 15 wins and 44 losses, ranking only last in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers improved to 32-26, ranking sixth in the Eastern Conference.

advertise

76ers center Joel Embiid had 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe had 23 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Guard Quentin Grimes scored 15 points. Guard Andrew Nembhard and center Micah Porter each scored 23 points for the Pacers. Guard Quinton Jackson scored 15 points and rookie guard Cam Jones scored 13 points.

Here are three observations.

Tyrese Maxey too much for Pacers

Much of the star power on both rosters was at least somewhat diminished Tuesday night. The Pacers were without Tyrese Haliburton and Obi Toppin as usual, but were also missing Pascal Siakam, Ivica Zubac and Aaron Nesmith. The 76ers are not that short-handed, but forward and former Pacers All-Star Paul George is out due to a 25-game suspension, and Embiid is back but apparently still suffering from knee issues.

advertise

But the biggest star on the floor is acting like this, and the Pacers don’t have many answers.

Maxey scored 32 points on 10-of-22 shooting, hitting 7 of 10 shots in the paint and hitting 2 three-pointers in 8 attempts. He also got to the free throw line multiple times, making 10 of 10 free throws. He grabbed 9 rebounds and 2 steals and dished out 8 assists with two turnovers. He’s unstoppable in the open field and nearly unstoppable in half-court.

Pacers start strong, struggle in second quarter

As has been the case with most games since the All-Star break, the Pacers started strong, but all their gains quickly disappeared.

advertise

The Pacers led 38-30 at the end of the first quarter. They made 14 of 25 shots in the first quarter, 6 of 11 three-pointers, and scored 1.35 points per possession. Rookie guard Cam Jones was outstanding, scoring the Pacers’ first eight points, and Micah Porter also scored eight in the first quarter; contributions from unexpected places seemed to bode well.

But their lead quickly evaporated early in the second quarter and never came back. The 76ers started the quarter with a 17-0 run and gained a 47-40 advantage. The Pacers missed their first 10 shots but made one. The 76ers defeated their opponents 45-27 in this quarter and led 75-65 at halftime. They made 16 of 21 shots and scored 1.51 points per possession. At the same time, the Pacers made 10 of 28 shots in this quarter, 2 of 13 from 3, and scored 0.88 points per possession. The Pacers took the lead at some points in the second half, but the 76ers eventually took the lead.

Micah Porter, Cam Jones set career scoring highs

With Ivica Zubac still sidelined and Embiid at 280 pounds a particularly tough matchup for the skinny Jay Huff, the Pacers are burdening Porter with a little more muscle at the 5. The former Wisconsin star responded with the highest-scoring game of his NBA career.

advertise

Porter made 9 of 11 shots from the field, including 3 of 5 three-pointers, and scored 23 points, breaking the 20-point mark for the first time. He also grabbed 3 rebounds, 2 blocks and 3 assists. The Pacers were -8 in his minutes, one of the best plus-minus numbers on the team.

Jones scored the first eight points of the game, and although he slowed down a bit after that, he scored a career-high 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, plus six rebounds and three assists.

Dustin Dopilak has played all season for the Pacers. Get more coverage with IndyStarTV and the Pacers Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared in the Indianapolis Star: Pacers vs. 76ers: Tyrese Maxey leads Philadelphia with nearly triple-double