The Philadelphia 76ers (37-30) played the Charlotte Hornets (17-51) as they looked to snap a losing streak. The Sixers once again let the Hornets stick around for too long but won 109-98.

Let’s break down the Sixers' win.

76ers player notes:

Tyrese Maxey: 30 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 8-20 FG shooting

An elbow to the head couldn’t knock off Maxey's smile – or slow him down on the court. He got to the free-throw line a lot in this game, refusing to let any physicality shy him away. Maxey's smaller efforts like his boxing out against bigger opponents went a long way, too, but the highlights from his evening were, of course, an array of skilled buckets.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: 22 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 8-16 FG shooting

When Oubre lets the game come to him, the results can be incredible. This game serves as a perfect example, as he took the openings in the Hornets' defense and scored frequently. His shooting from deep was poor but his quick thinking and smooth, fluid hops made him a huge factor for Phhilly, even if his hot streak only lasted for a half.

Hornets player notes:

Brandon Miller: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assists, 3-7 FG shooting

The impressive rookie wing continued to look good, controlling the ball with veteran-like poise and scoring efficiently. The stats were modest but he looked poised to take over for Charlotte if needed. However, his night ended early after hitting Maxey with his elbow, leading to an ejection.

Tre Mann: 21 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 7-16 FG shooting

Mann, like Maxey, was a bucket-getting guard with a sharp nose for the ball and a whole lot of energy. His ability to force turnovers was superb in this game, as was his shooting from deep.

Game recap:

The 76ers forged ahead in their latest game without Joel Embiid, who saw a doctor last week and whose progress is slow but steady and promising. Philly has had some of its best Embiid-less showings lately but is still fighting to stay out of the play-in. A lowly Hornets squad on the second night of a back-to-back gave the Sixers a great chance to win, though they were treated to a strong fight in their last matchup. With more playoff teams staring them down in the coming weeks, the Sixers really needed this one.

Tobias Harris did not play due to a right ankle sprain and Nico Batum started in his place. The Hornets were without LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, Seth Curry and Cody Martin.

1st half

Kyle Lowry guarded Miles Bridges and Nico Batum guarded Vasa Micic to start the game, showing Nurse's preference for the longer Batum defending guards and the stout, wise Lowry guarding bigger players he can help off of if needed. Kelly Oubre Jr. matched up with Miller and made his first dunk of the night off of a great cut down the lane that Lowry threaded the needle on. The two connected for another slam on a fast break a few minutes later as Philly got out to an early lead.

Maxey's initial defender was Mann, who had a hard time slowing down the high-octane All-Star in space. The Sixers' rebounding and activity on defense were on par, leading to easy breakaway chances. Their defense started to fall apart in the halfcourt with Miles Bridges finishing at the rim, resulting in Paul Reed's substitution into the game. Charlotte still pulled closer to Philly thanks to its ability to force and take advantage of turnovers.

Grant Williams pestered the 76ers to start the second quarter as Oubre continued to move expertly of the ball and score. His impromptu cutting helped them stay ahead despite some sloppy passing on offense and miscues on defense. Lowry's diminishing quickness was exposed at several points, including on a foul on Mann, as the entire Philly defense allowed several open threes.

A few minutes before halftime, Miller stuck his arm out trying to protect the ball and elbowed Maxey in the face pretty good. Maxey was looked at by trainers. The referees called a flagrant 2, ending Miller's game. Maxey flashed a smile as his nose got plugged to stop the bleeding and stayed in the game after hitting the technical free throw. He may not be able to catch a break but he’s got the iron will and mental fortitude to take it.

At halftime, the Sixers led 53-47.

2nd half

Batum altered a pair of shots early in the half, flexing his long reach against his smaller opponents. Oubre's scheduled missed dunk on a long lob from Maxey even came up to be somewhat positive, as it led to a Charlotte foul. Maxey then drew a pair of fouls. The Sixers went on to commit a few of their own as the Hornets' defense stayed buzzing, disrupting the offensive flow.

Bridges' ability to muscle his way into the paint and Micic's quickness off the bounce opened up shots for the Hornets, though they often clanked off the rim. Batum was able to find Buddy Hield and Lowry for three but the Sixers had a harder time cracking the defensive code.

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For the second game in a row, Cam Payne provided a huge spark off the bench. His springy, quick drives spawned floater-range shots and drew in the defense, which benefited Batum as he cut behind him for an easy dunk. A Maxey scoop layup at the third-quarter buzzer put the 76ers up by eight heading into the fourth quarter.

A continuous rhythm on offense rarely seemed within the Sixers' grasp, as they opened the fourth quarter with two points in three minutes, allowing the Hornets to pull within one. Charlotte's active hands and Philly's limited avenues to create advantages made the game grind to abrupt halts. A Williams fadeaway — a shot he went to a few times in this game — gave the Hornets their first lead since the opening minutes.

Then, fourth-quarter Maxey started to awaken. The evolved form of the 76ers superstar made himself known by draining a deep, stepback triple. The Hornets started to blitz him and he generated ball movement that led to open looks for his teammates. He breezed by his man in single coverage, busting the defense so that Reed could drive and draw a foul. Reed would go on to clean up one of his misses with an and-one putback.

Maxey drained a fallaway jumper as the Sixers and Hornets continued trading buckets. Oubre scored an and-one layup over Williams off of a turnover. Charlotte's offense had started to make critical mistakes. A corner triple from Batum gave the 76ers a 10-point lead with under a minute and a half left. That cushion was more than enough to secure the victory.

Assorted observations:

  • Not only was Kai Jones not available for a potential revenge game but Nurse said that the plan for him is to stay with the Delaware Blue Coats during this 10-day and then see where he’s at. It seems as though Jones will only play for the Sixers over the next week-plus if the injury situation gets worse.

The 76ers will face the Miami Heat on Monday.