Sixers grades: Tobias Harris’ big night, Tyrese Maxey’s quiet step forward earn high marks

Tobias Harris dropped a season-high 37 points. The 76ers’ big men played with high energy, yet did not try to do too much in Joel Embiid’s absence. And the Sixers sharply executed a new-look defensive scheme, which held the Sacramento Kings to 33.7% from the floor and generated 29 points off 17 turnovers.

That all added up to an impressive 112-93 victory Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center, which snapped the Sixers’ three-game losing skid and was perhaps their most impressive performance without Embiid this season.

Here are the instant grades:

Tobias Harris was the star of the night — on both ends. He said that drawing the defensive assignment on All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis fueled his offensive start, when he scored 14 first-quarter points and had 23 by halftime.

He got those buckets in a variety of ways: in transition, by going one-on-one, and while playing in a developing two-man game with Maxey. And though coach Nick Nurse said Harris was “puffing” for air at halftime, he maintained his energy level after the break.

Harris grinned while acknowledging “it was fun” to have the Philly crowd — which has not always been the kindest to him over the course of his lucrative contract — chanting “Tobi! Tobi! Tobi!” while encouraging him to fire away for 40. He missed his final four attempts to fall just short of that, and a new career-high.

“I wish it was a closer game,” Harris said. “Then I probably would have got it. The lesson of the story is don’t force it. Just let it flow. … I wanted it, but it didn’t happen.”

Nico Batum was also incredibly effective Friday, in both his crisp 14 points on 4-for-4 from deep and in his defensive assignment. With Harris on Sabonis, Batum was often guarding the ball. That helped with switching because, in Nurse’s words, “it doesn’t look as post-up-able when there’s two 6-8 guys involved.”

Marcus Morris (zero points on 0-for-5 shooting, four rebounds) and a back-in-the-rotation Danuel House Jr. (four points, two rebounds) were relatively quiet. Nurse was hopeful following the game that Kelly Oubre Jr., who was a late scratch with big toe soreness, and Robert Covington, who remained out with knee inflammation, could return as soon as Sunday’s practice.

Tyrese Maxey’s 6-for-17 shooting performance does not exactly pop off the page. Yet Nurse called the way he handled the Kings’ blitzing scheme “awesome,” a positive step in Maxey’s continued education in being a lead guard and the defense’s focal point when Embiid cannot play.

“We got [the ball] to where it needed to go,” Nurse said. " … You’re trying to either get a catch-and-shoot, wide-open three or a rim attempt. And I thought our guys were just very well-organized and they stayed in the play to make people available.”

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Maxey also still put together a dose of highlight-worthy baskets. After starting 1-of-6 from the floor, he nabbed a steal for a fastbreak layup that rolled around and in, then buried a three-pointer from the left wing. He later hung in the air for a floater and drained a step-back deep shot to make the score 63-43 just before the break. Another tough shot in the lane gave the Sixers an 81-60 advantage in the third quarter.

Patrick Beverley also struggled form the floor (2-for-8), but filled the box score with nine rebounds and seven assists, including a slick behind-the-back pass to Mo Bamba for an inside finish. Melton was also 2-of-9 from the field in his second game back from injury, but those two makes were from beyond the arc on back-to-back possessions early in the third quarter.

Before a reporter could even finish their question about the impact of Mo Bamba and Paul Reed, Maxey interrupted with an emphatic “active.”

Active while still playing within themselves. Reed finished with eight points, seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Bamba added four blocks and went 4-of-6 from the floor — including 2-of-2 from long range — for 11 points.

That’s what the Sixers need from those big men in Embiid’s absence. Nurse bluntly assessed Bamba’s performance, saying, “When he’s giving a great effort, he can do some stuff.” Maxey also revealed that he delivered a candid pregame message to Reed about focusing on playing the high-octane style that has made him a fan favorite and effective backup.

“I told P. Reed, ‘Listen, I’ve been with you for three years. And I’ve seen you go get every offensive rebound, every defensive rebound, block every shot, get steals,’” Maxey recalled. “I want you to get back to that, because that’s who you are.

“That’s just a conversation that you can have with somebody when you have a good relationship with them.”