Tyrese Maxey provided a rare highlight Wednesday night as the Philadelphia 76ers fell 133–107 to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Maxey fought through heavy defensive pressure to knock down a fadeaway floater early in the first quarter, one of few bright moments in a difficult outing for Philadelphia. The 76ers struggled to find rhythm as Cleveland controlled the game on both ends, silencing the home crowd and pulling away before halftime. Maxey finished with 14 points while facing constant pressure from the Cavaliers’ backcourt.
The NBA took to its official X (formerly known as Twitter), sharing the contested bucket from Maxey during the opening quarter.
“Picked up his dribble.
Defender draped over him.
Still gets the fadeaway jumper to fall.
Tyrese Maxey scoring in style!”
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Picked up his dribble.
Defender draped over him.
Still gets the fadeaway jumper to fall.
Tyrese Maxey scoring in style! pic.twitter.com/nvSArAv9kL
— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2026
The Cavaliers started the game with a decisive run that immediately put the 76ers under pressure. The Cavaliers’ ball movement and perimeter shooting stretched the floor, forcing Philadelphia into defensive rotations that consistently broke down. By halftime, Cleveland had built a commanding advantage by effectively eliminating the 76ers' transition opportunities.
Maxey struggled to generate consistent offense as the Cavaliers sent length and pressure at him on nearly every possession. He finished 5-of-16 from the field and 2-of-8 from beyond the arch while adding four assists and two steals in 31 minutes played. Despite the efficiency issues, the 76ers guard remained aggressive, often drawing multiple defenders and attempting to spark momentum.
Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 20 points and reached a milestone by becoming the seventh player in franchise history to surpass 13,000 career points. Paul George added 17 points, but the 76ers shot just 40.4 percent overall and 27.9 percent from beyond the arc, limiting any sustained comeback attempt.
The home crowd voiced its frustration as Cleveland pulled away behind Donovan Mitchell’s 35 points and nine assists, with Darius Garland adding 20 before exiting late with a foot injury. The loss marked one of Philadelphia’s toughest outings of the season, as the Cavaliers dictated the game throughout and left Maxey’s contested fadeaway as a rare bright spot.