Maxey-mum joy for Sixers

Tyrese Maxey told teammate Joel Embiid he'd step up in his absence. Then, Maxey took over the game and the fans' chants normally reserved for the 76ers' star center.

Maxey scored 13 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter, including nine in a row during a crucial stretch, and short-handed Philadelphia－without Embiid and James Harden－beat the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat 113-106 on Monday night.

Shake Milton scored 20 points and Furkan Korkmaz added 18 for Philadelphia, which pulled within 2½ games of the Heat in the conference. Embiid sat out with back soreness and Harden with hamstring tightness.

"He said, 'Go out there and help us get a W'," Maxey said of Embiid's pre-game message. "I told him, 'I got him.'"

Boy, did he ever.

Maxey took over the final 2½ minutes with the game on the line. In a contest that was tight from the tip, Philadelphia was clinging to a two-point lead when Maxey scored on a drive, was fouled and made the free throw for a 106-101 lead with 2:18 left.

After Jimmy Butler missed a 3-point try, Maxey hit a step-back 3 for a 109-101 lead. Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro couldn't convert at the other end, and the second-year guard from Kentucky drained another 3, this time for a 112-101 lead with 1:03 to play that brought "MAX-EY! MAX-EY!" chants from the sold-out crowd which usually reserves the loudest cheers for Embiid.

"He's just not scared; he's so comfortable in the moment," Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. "He's put in so much work. The more work, the more confident you are, and I think that's a great testament for Tyrese Maxey."

Maxey wasn't done.

After the Heat stole a Philadelphia inbound pass with the 76ers up six points, Maxey raced down the court and blocked Caleb Martin's attempt with 21 seconds remaining－resulting in more "MAX-EY! MAX-EY!" chants.

"I was thinking either he's going to dunk on me, or I'm going to get this block," Maxey said. "It's one of those you have to put your body on the line."

Butler scored 27, Bam Adebayo had 22 and Lowry 20 for Miami, which lost for just the fifth time in the last 20 games.

Philly fans are used to chanting this season, but it's usually "M-V-P! M-V-P!" for Embiid.

"Great feeling to see all the work you put in come together," Maxey said.

Embiid entered Monday tied with LeBron James for the NBA lead in scoring (29.8 points per game). The five-time All-Star is one of the front-runners for the MVP award.

But Maxey took center stage with Embiid on the sidelines.

Agencies Via Xinhua