Staff Writer

October 28, 2024

The Philadelphia 76ers secured their first win of the season with a thrilling 118-114 overtime victory against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Tyrese Maxey led the charge with a season-high 45 points, including 14 of Philadelphia’s 18 points in the third quarter and 10 of their 13 points in overtime. Maxey’s clutch performance helped rally the 76ers from a 102-97 deficit, pushing them ahead in the final minute of regulation.

With stars Joel Embiid and Paul George sidelined due to knee injuries, Maxey shouldered the load to prevent Philadelphia from falling to a 0-3 start.

Other key contributors for Philadelphia included Caleb Martin, who posted 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Eric Gordon, who also added 15 points. Andre Drummond contributed nine points and dominated the boards with 17 rebounds. The 76ers’ strong rebounding advantage (54-37 overall) helped them outpace the Pacers.

Tyrese Haliburton kept the Pacers in the fight with 22 points and a game-tying 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds on the clock, but two missed free throws in overtime left them just short of a 116 tie.

Indiana struggled from the line, going 23 of 34 on free throws—misses that proved costly in the close contest. Pascal Siakam also added 17 points for the Pacers, but it wasn’t enough to avoid Indiana’s fourth home opener loss in 17 seasons.

The 76ers head back to Philadelphia to host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.