Too many mistakes from an undermanned Sixers force a crucial loss to the Brooklyn Nets

NEW YORK — In the end, the 76ers just didn’t have enough.

In a game that had 13 lead changes and seven ties, ultimately, they were unable to overcome the absence of All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey in Tuesday’s 112-107 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.

Brooklyn outscored the Sixers, 28-15, down the stretch to improve to 25-37, snapping the Sixers’ two-game win streak. The loss also dropped the Sixers (35-26) two spots to seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings with 21 games remaining.

“Yeah, I mean it was a combination of our offense wasn’t [performing well] — they were playing in transition a lot,” coach Nick Nurse. “We weren’t scoring enough. We got a little stagnant down there as far as continuing to move and cut and things like that. Then we just had to guard the ball a little bit better or help a little bit better on the defensive end.”

» READ MORE: Tyrese Maxey sidelined with mild concussion, must clear NBA protocol before return

Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith led Brooklyn with 20 points each. Reading’s Lonnie Walker IV added 19 points while making 4 of 6 three-pointers. And Nic Claxton had 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Kelly Oubre Jr. paced the Sixers (35-26) with a game-high 30 points. Tobias Harris had 18 points and nine rebounds. Kyle Lowry finished with 14 points and five assists before fouling out late.

The Nets shot 58.8% in the fourth quarter while the Sixers committed three costly turnovers.

“We have to watch the film together as a group and learn from it,” Oubre said. “But I do know Nico (Batum) told me after the game they went on a (13-0 run), I think. in the second half.

So you know, we got to stop that. Like that’s not acceptable, especially when we’re trying to win and play for a bigger purpose and get better for the next game and then also the next months. So you know, it’s something that’s unacceptable from our group. We just had to play defense, one, and take it personal.”

The Sixers can’t catch a break when it comes to keeping players healthy.

Maxey missed the game with a mild concussion. There’s no timeline on the fourth-year guard’s return. Maxey has to clear a five-step protocol before being returning to play.

The Sixers were also without Joel Embiid (left knee surgery), De’Anthony Melton (spine) and Robert Covington (left knee bone bruise).

» READ MORE: Tyrese Maxey sidelined with mild concussion, must clear NBA protocol before return

Maxey’s concussion stems from when he fell to the court and was inadvertently struck in the back of the head in the third quarter of Sunday’s victory over the Dallas Mavericks. The 23-year-old was examined by attending physicians and cleared to return. Doctors reassessed him after the game and declared him symptom-free. However, he started experiencing symptoms on Monday.

With Maxey out, the Sixers unveiled their 24th different starting lineup this season. They went with Buddy Hield, Harris, Mo Bamba, Lowry, and Cam Payne, who started in place of Maxey.

For Nets interim coach Kevin Ollie, this was a matchup against the team of which he has fond memories.

The 51-year-old had three stints as a reserve guard with the Sixers, averaging 2.6 points, 1.1 assists and 12.5 minutes in a combined 280 games over six seasons. He was a member of the squad that advanced to the 2001 NBA Finals, losing in five games to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Just Larry Brown, the kind of coach that [propelled] as an NBA basketball player,” Ollie said. “You know I owe him the world, embracing me, the 76ers culture embracing me. That toughness that they show as a city was always a pride of that team. So you know, it kind of fit in perfectly for me and the players I played with there.”

» READ MORE: The Sixers’ Kyle Lowry will consider his legacy when he’s done playing: ‘I’ll reflect on it once I retire’

He’s still great friends with former teammates Aaron McKie, Allen Iverson, Eric Snow, and George Lynch. In addition to competing on the court. Ollie will always have great memories of the moments he and his teammates spent — off the court.

“It was a very connected group,” he said. “We kind of showed that making that run to the NBA Finals. “After we won the first game, I was like man we are about to get a ring. Then Shaq and Kobe beat us four in a row, I was like never mind that. But it was a good run.”

The Sixers head back to Philly for Wednesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Wells Fargo Center (7 p.m., NBCSP). The Grizzlies (21-41) snapped a five-game losing streak with Monday’s 106-102 road victory over the Nets.

Jaren Jackson, the reigning NBA defensive player of the year, has a chance to return on Wednesday after missing the last three games with right quad tendinitis. The 6-10, 240-pounder is averaging a team-best 22.5 points along with 5.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks.