Philadelphia 76ers Dominate Minnesota Timberwolves Behind Tyrese Maxey’s Masterpiece

Sometimes, you just need to catch a break. The 76ers got exactly that on Sunday night in Minneapolis. Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, the Sixers faced a Timberwolves squad missing both Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid. Instead of squandering the opportunity like they’ve done so many times this season, Philadelphia actually capitalized on it.

The result? A convincing 135-108 victory that felt refreshing after watching this team stumble through four consecutive double-digit losses without Joel Embiid.

Maxey Reminded Everyone Why He’s An All-Star

Tyrese Maxey put on an absolute clinic, dropping 39 points on 16-of-28 shooting while dishing out 8 assists. This wasn’t the frustrated, forcing-shots version of Maxey we’ve seen lately. This was the guy who torched defenses early in the season, the one who made his first All-Star team look like a foregone conclusion.

The difference? Maxey wasn’t settling. He attacked downhill, manipulated speeds to get defenders off balance, and mixed in floaters when the paint got crowded. When Minnesota’s defense sagged off, he punished them from deep. When they closed out hard, he blew past them for buckets at the rim.

His third-quarter performance deserves special mention. With the Timberwolves threatening to make things interesting, Maxey personally extinguished any hope of a comeback, scoring 13 of Philadelphia’s 26 third-quarter points. For a team that’s been allergic to strong third quarters all season, that kind of dominance felt borderline miraculous.

Edgecombe and Grimes Provided the Perfect Support

VJ Edgecombe picked the perfect night to remember how to shoot. The rookie knocked down six three-pointers and finished with 24 points and 7 rebounds. Some of those triples were straight-up prayers as the shot clock expired, but hey, sometimes prayers get answered.

Quentin Grimes finally looked like the player the 76ers thought they were getting when they acquired him. He poured in 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc, and added 7 assists for good measure. More importantly, he wasn’t just chucking up threes. Grimes showed some genuine playmaking chops, finding cutting teammates and making the right reads in pick-and-roll situations.

When your backcourt combines for 82 points and 15 assists while shooting 56.7% from the field, you’re probably going to win some basketball games.

The Defense Actually Showed Up

Let’s not get carried away—Minnesota was missing two of its best interior defenders. But the 76ers did display some genuine effort on the defensive end, particularly in transition. There were actual hustle plays. Guys dove for loose balls. Cam Payne nearly launched himself into the third row trying to deflect a long pass.

Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona made life difficult for Minnesota’s skeleton crew of big men, combining for 16 points, 8 rebounds, and several highlight-reel blocks. When you’re not getting bullied in the paint, everything else becomes a little easier.

The Sixers Finally Won a Third Quarter

If there’s one stat that sums up how weird and wonderful this game was for Philadelphia, it’s this: they outscored Minnesota 26-20 in the third quarter. For a team that’s made a habit of sleepwalking through the second half, that kind of focus feels like character growth.

The 76ers led by 10 at halftime and could’ve easily let the Timberwolves claw back into it. Instead, they extended the lead.

Reality Check: This Doesn’t Fix Everything

Before we start planning the parade, let’s pump the brakes. The 76ers shot 21-of-37 from three-point range (56.8%). That’s an unsustainable heater, not a sustainable offensive identity. Minnesota was missing two rotation bigs and playing a 19-year-old rookie at center who picked up two fouls in about three minutes.

This was a get-right game against a shorthanded opponent. The real test comes when Embiid returns, and the 76ers have to integrate him back into an offense that’s been running without him. Paul George is still serving his suspension, and the calendar says there are only seven weeks left in the regular season.

Looking Ahead

The 76ers improved to 39-22 with the victory, maintaining their grip on a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference. But they’re still treading water until Embiid returns, whenever that might be.

Their three-game road trip concludes Tuesday night in Indiana against the Pacers. It’s another game the Sixers should win on paper, but we’ve seen this movie before. Philadelphia has made a habit of dropping winnable games this season.

For one night, though, they took care of business. They played with energy, knocked down open shots, and didn’t completely implode in the third quarter. In a season defined by disappointment and dysfunction, that’ll do.