Tyrese Maxey scores 38 as 76ers beat Hornets 109-104 without LeBron James, Joel Embiid

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points, while Anfernee Simons contributed 19 points off the bench, enabling the Philadelphia 76ers to defeat the Charlotte Hornets 109-104 on Saturday night without the presence of stars LeBron James and Joel Embiid. Jaylen Brown contributed 16 points for the 76ers, who started him after considering him a game-time decision.

The sellout crowd of 19,533 at the Spectrum Center did not witness James and Embiid's performance, as both players were rested following their intense NBA Cup game against the New York Knicks. Grayson Allen contributed 27 points for the Hornets, including 7-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc, while Brandon Miller added 24 points on five 3-pointers.

Charlotte took the lead when Miller blocked V.J. Edgecombe's layup with five minutes remaining, then connected with Moussa Diabate on a perfect bounce pass for a dunk off a pick and roll, putting the Hornets up 97-90. The 76ers, however, managed to chip away, with Simons scoring two crucial buckets, and Maxey sealing the victory with two free throws with 5.2 seconds left. The 76ers shot 40% from beyond the arc to overcome Charlotte's 15-of-23 shooting from the foul line.