Tyrese Maxey’s postseason career highs, Seth Curry’s third-quarter run and clutch free throws down the stretch | Sixers vs. Hawks best/worst
Tyrese Maxey changed the game, giving the Sixers' energy. He finished with postseason career highs of 16 points and seven rebounds.
ATLANTA — The 76ers forced a winner-take-all Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
They scored their last eight points from the foul line to hold off the Atlanta Hawks, 104-99, in Friday night’s Game 6 at State Farm Arena. Game 7 is 8 p.m. Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center.
Here’s a look at the best and worst awards:
Best performance
Tyrese Maxey gets this. The Sixers reserve point guard changed the game while giving his team energy. He finished with postseason career highs 16 points and seven rebounds. The rookie also finished a game-best plus-12.
Best performance in a losing effort
This goes to Trae Young. The Hawks point guard finished with game highs of 34 points, 12 assists and three steals.
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Worst performance
Lou Williams gets this. The Hawks reserve guard missed all five of his shot attempts, including a three-pointer, in 11 minutes, 11 seconds of action. He had three personal fouls and two turnovers while being a minus-10.
Best defensive performance
You have to give this to Matisse Thybulle on a night Joel Embiid finished with a game-high two blocks. Thybulle finished two steals and altered a couple shots in just 11:12.
Best statistic
This goes to the Sixers making 7 of 11 three-pointers (63.6%) in the third quarter.
Worst statistic
This goes to Sixers’ fourth-quarter shooting. They made 22.2% of their shots. Joel Embiid (2-for-7), Tobias Harris shot (1-for-5), Seth Curry (0-for-2) and Maxey (1-for-4), the Sixers players who attempted shots, combined for 4-for-18.
Best individual stretch
The Sixers opened the second half on the Curry-fueled 14-0 run. He started things off with a three-pointer. Then Embiid buried one, followed by two more by Curry before his 21-foot pull up jumper made it 61-51 with 8:53 left in the third quarter. Assisting on Embiid’s three-pointer, Curry scored or assisted on all 14 points.
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Best of the Best
This goes to Sixers free throws down the stretch. They scored their last eight points from the foul line. After the Hawks closed the gap to 98-95 with 20.5 seconds left, Maxey hit two huge free throws with 18.8 to play. Atlanta pulled within three points two more times. Both times, Harris responded with clutch free throws.