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Maxey scores 40, George adds 33 as 76ers top Hornets 121-108 to spoil Ball's return to the floor
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Tyrese Maxey scored 40 points, Paul George added 33 points as the Philadelphia 76ers spoiled LaMelo Ball’s return to the floor with a 121-108 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.
Maxey and George were combined for 12 for 21 on 3-pointers.
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 points, while Andre Drummond, starting in place of the injured Joel Embiid, chipped in with 15 rebounds for the 76ers (8-16).
Miles Bridges had 24 points and Nick Richards added 19 points off the bench to lead the Hornets.
Ball returned to action after missing the last seven games with a strained calf, finishing with 15 points and 11 assists in nearly 26 minutes.
Ball's return meant the Hornets (7-19) finally had their preseason projected starting five on the floor together for the first time this season. But that lasted a little more than three quarters as Brandon Miller sprained his left ankle with 8:20 remaining in the game on a drive to the basket and did not return.
76ers: With Joel Embiid out with a sinus fracture, George and Maxey had to carry the load. And they certainly did that, particularly in the first half when they combined for 44 of Philadelphia’s 54 points while shooting 9 of 16 from beyond the arc.
Hornets: The Hornets starting five struggled all night to get in sync and 76ers did an outstanding job of not letting Miller get free for open looks.
Shortly after the Hornets had cut the 76ers lead to five, George hit a short fadeaway jumper in the lane and drew a foul for a 3-point play, helping push the lead back to 13.
The Hornets shot 11 of 19 from the foul line.
The 76ers host the Hornets on Friday night. The Hornets visit the Wizards on Thursday night.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Andre Drummond vs. Mark Williams (Kelly Oubre Jr. gains possession) | ||
| 11:56 |  | +2 | Kelly Oubre Jr. makes two point pullup jump shot | 2-0 |
| 11:35 | | Brandon Miller misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:32 | | Andre Drummond defensive rebound | ||
| 11:25 | | +2 | Paul George makes two point pullup jump shot | 4-0 |
| 11:03 | | Miles Bridges misses two point driving finger roll layup | ||
| 11:01 | | Andre Drummond defensive rebound | ||
| 10:53 | | +3 | Tyrese Maxey makes three point jump shot (Paul George assists) | 7-0 |
| 10:34 | | +2 | Mark Williams makes two point alley-oop layup (LaMelo Ball assists) | 7-2 |
| 10:18 | | Paul George misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:16 | | LaMelo Ball defensive rebound | ||
| 10:06 | | +3 | Brandon Miller makes three point jump shot (Miles Bridges assists) | 7-5 |
| 9:57 | | Tyrese Maxey misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 9:54 | | LaMelo Ball defensive rebound | ||
| 9:43 | | LaMelo Ball misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 9:41 | | Mark Williams offensive rebound | ||
| 9:39 | | +3 | Miles Bridges makes three point pullup jump shot (Mark Williams assists) | 7-8 |
| 9:24 | | Hornets technical foul (Defensive three second) | ||
| 9:24 | | +1 | Tyrese Maxey makes technical free throw 1 of 1 | 8-8 |
| 9:13 | | Tyrese Maxey turnover (bad pass) (LaMelo Ball steals) | ||
| 9:07 | | Kelly Oubre Jr. blocks Mark Williams's two point running layup | ||
| 9:05 | | Andre Drummond defensive rebound | ||
| 9:01 | | +2 | Paul George makes two point running layup (Andre Drummond assists) | 10-8 |
| 8:44 | | Mark Williams misses two point turnaround hook shot | ||
| 8:41 | | Andre Drummond defensive rebound | ||
| 8:36 | | +2 | Tyrese Maxey makes two point pullup jump shot | 12-8 |
| 8:23 | | Miles Bridges misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:20 | | KJ Martin defensive rebound | ||
| 8:16 | | +3 | Tyrese Maxey makes three point running pullup jump shot (Paul George assists) | 15-8 |
| 8:15 | | Hornets 60 second timeout | ||
| 8:02 | | LaMelo Ball misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 7:59 | | Paul George defensive rebound | ||
| 7:59 | | Paul George turnover (lost ball) (LaMelo Ball steals) | ||
| 7:59 | | +2 | Josh Green makes two point driving layup | 15-10 |
| 7:59 | | Paul George shooting foul (Josh Green draws the foul) | ||
| 7:59 | | Josh Green misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 7:55 | | Andre Drummond defensive rebound | ||
| 7:46 | | Brandon Miller personal foul (Tyrese Maxey draws the foul) | ||
| 7:32 | | +2 | Paul George makes two point fadeaway jump shot | 17-10 |
| 7:21 | | +3 | LaMelo Ball makes three point jump shot (Miles Bridges assists) | 17-13 |
| 7:05 | | Josh Green blocks Tyrese Maxey's two point driving layup | ||
| 7:02 | | LaMelo Ball defensive rebound | ||
| 6:56 | | +2 | Mark Williams makes two point dunk (LaMelo Ball assists) | 17-15 |
| 6:39 | | Mark Williams blocks Tyrese Maxey's two point driving layup | ||
| 6:36 | | Mark Williams defensive rebound | ||
| 6:29 | | LaMelo Ball misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 6:26 | | Andre Drummond defensive rebound | ||
| 6:21 | | +3 | Paul George makes three point pullup jump shot | 20-15 |
| 6:06 | | Andre Drummond shooting foul (Miles Bridges draws the foul) | ||
| 6:06 | | +1 | Miles Bridges makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-16 |
| 6:06 | | Hornets delay of game violation | ||
| 6:06 | | Miles Bridges misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 6:03 | | Paul George defensive rebound | ||
| 5:50 | | Cody Martin blocks Paul George's two point driving layup | ||
| 5:46 | | Miles Bridges defensive rebound | ||
| 5:40 | | Miles Bridges misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:37 | | Kelly Oubre Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 5:34 | | Nick Richards personal foul (Andre Drummond draws the foul) | ||
| 5:23 | | Andre Drummond turnover (3-second violation) | ||
| 5:00 | | Brandon Miller turnover (bad pass) (Andre Drummond steals) | ||
| 4:54 | | +3 | Tyrese Maxey makes three point running pullup jump shot (Kelly Oubre Jr. assists) | 23-16 |
| 4:41 | | Nick Richards turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 4:35 | | Andre Drummond offensive foul (Josh Green draws the foul) | ||
| 4:35 | | Andre Drummond turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 4:16 | | Guerschon Yabusele personal foul (Vasilije Micic draws the foul) | ||
| 4:07 | | Nick Richards misses two point alley-oop layup | ||
| 4:07 | | 76ers defensive rebound | ||
| 4:00 | | Tyrese Maxey misses two point driving finger roll layup | ||
| 3:58 | | Nick Richards defensive rebound | ||
| 3:57 | | Kyle Lowry shooting foul (Tidjane Salaun draws the foul) | ||
| 3:57 | | Tidjane Salaun misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 3:57 | | Hornets offensive rebound | ||
| 3:57 | | Tidjane Salaun misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 3:54 | | Kelly Oubre Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 3:49 | | Nick Richards shooting foul (Kelly Oubre Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 3:49 | | Kelly Oubre Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 3:49 | | 76ers offensive rebound | ||
| 3:49 | | Kelly Oubre Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 3:45 | | Nick Richards defensive rebound | ||
| 3:27 | | Vasilije Micic misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 3:26 | | Hornets offensive rebound | ||
| 3:26 | | Guerschon Yabusele personal foul (Loose ball) (Nick Richards draws the foul) | ||
| 3:26 | | +1 | Nick Richards makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 23-17 |
| 3:26 | | +1 | Nick Richards makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-18 |
| 3:16 | | Tyrese Maxey misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:11 | | Brandon Miller defensive rebound | ||
| 3:06 | | +2 | Nick Richards makes two point running dunk (Vasilije Micic assists) | 23-20 |
| 3:06 | | 76ers 60 second timeout | ||
| 2:47 | | Cody Martin personal foul (Paul George draws the foul) | ||
| 2:39 | | +3 | Paul George makes three point jump shot (Kyle Lowry assists) | 26-20 |
| 2:14 | | Tidjane Salaun misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:14 | | 76ers defensive rebound | ||
| 1:49 | | Brandon Miller blocks Ricky Council IV's three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 1:45 | | Cody Martin defensive rebound | ||
| 1:42 | | Vasilije Micic turnover (bad pass) (Kyle Lowry steals) | ||
| 1:35 | | +2 | KJ Martin makes two point driving floating jump shot (Paul George assists) | 28-20 |
| 1:17 | | Brandon Miller misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:14 | | Andre Drummond defensive rebound | ||
| 1:07 | | Paul George turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 0:53 | | Ricky Council IV shooting foul (LaMelo Ball draws the foul) | ||
| 0:53 | | LaMelo Ball misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 0:53 | | Hornets offensive rebound | ||
| 0:53 | | +1 | LaMelo Ball makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-21 |
| 0:29 | | Ricky Council IV misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:27 | | Kyle Lowry offensive rebound | ||
| 0:19 | | +3 | Paul George makes three point stepback jump shot | 31-21 |
| 0:04 | | +2 | Isaiah Wong makes two point fadeaway jump shot (Cody Martin assists) | 31-23 |
| 0:02 | | Kyle Lowry misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | 76ers offensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:45 | | +2 | Miles Bridges makes two point dunk (LaMelo Ball assists) | 31-25 |
| 11:26 | | Eric Gordon misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:22 | | Miles Bridges defensive rebound | ||
| 11:17 | | Miles Bridges turnover (lost ball) (Tyrese Maxey steals) | ||
| 11:05 | | +2 | Tyrese Maxey makes two point driving floating jump shot (Eric Gordon assists) | 33-25 |
| 10:51 | | Miles Bridges offensive foul (Charge) (Paul George draws the foul) | ||
| 10:51 | | Miles Bridges turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 10:38 | | Paul George misses two point stepback jump shot | ||
| 10:36 | | LaMelo Ball defensive rebound | ||
| 10:34 | | KJ Martin personal foul (LaMelo Ball draws the foul) | ||
| 10:26 | | Josh Green misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:24 | | Guerschon Yabusele defensive rebound | ||
| 10:15 | | Tyrese Maxey misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 10:09 | | Tyrese Maxey offensive rebound | ||
| 9:59 | | KJ Martin turnover (lost ball) (LaMelo Ball steals) | ||
| 9:57 | | Paul George shooting foul (Mark Williams draws the foul) | ||
| 9:57 | | +1 | Mark Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 33-26 |
| 9:57 | | Mark Williams misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 9:52 | | KJ Martin defensive rebound | ||
| 9:33 | | Tyrese Maxey misses two point stepback jump shot | ||
| 9:30 | | Miles Bridges defensive rebound | ||
| 9:15 | | LaMelo Ball turnover (bad pass) (Tyrese Maxey steals) | ||
| 9:12 | | Kelly Oubre Jr. offensive foul (Charge) (Miles Bridges draws the foul) | ||
| 9:12 | | Kelly Oubre Jr. turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 9:12 | | 76ers 60 second timeout | ||
| 8:58 | | Josh Green misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:58 | | 76ers defensive rebound | ||
| 8:44 | | Mark Williams blocks Tyrese Maxey's two point driving layup | ||
| 8:44 | | 76ers offensive rebound | ||
| 8:38 | | +2 | Kelly Oubre Jr. makes two point fadeaway jump shot (Tyrese Maxey assists) | 35-26 |
| 8:19 | | Miles Bridges misses two point driving layup | ||
| 8:16 | | Kelly Oubre Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 8:10 | | +2 | Tyrese Maxey makes two point driving floating bank jump shot | 37-26 |
| 7:45 | | +2 | Miles Bridges makes two point driving dunk (Mark Williams assists) | 37-28 |
| 7:20 | | Mark Williams blocks KJ Martin's three point jump shot | ||
| 7:17 | | Josh Green defensive rebound | ||
| 7:14 | | KJ Martin personal foul (Mark Williams draws the foul) | ||
| 7:14 | | 76ers delay of game violation | ||
| 7:08 | | Mark Williams offensive foul (Eric Gordon draws the foul) | ||
| 7:08 | | Mark Williams turnover (offensive foul) |