Tyrese Maxey talks missed clutch free throws after 76ers fall to Hawks

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers were locked in a battle with the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night looking to get the job done against a tough group. Tyrese Maxey stepped to the line in overtime with Philadelphia leading 126-124 in the first overtime session and a chance to ice the game with 4.6 seconds left. What ensued was heartbreak.

Maxey, who entered the night shooting 88.3% from the line, missed both. The Hawks then tied it with 0.3 seconds left when Jalen Johnson stepped to the line and knocked down two clutch ones following a Dominick Barlow foul. That forced the second overtime session before the Hawks finished off the Sixers 142-134 behind 41 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists from Johnson.

"I thought I was gonna make them and then we'll figure it out for that," a somber Maxey said after the loss. "That’s life. That’s what I get for messing with VJ (Edgecombe)."

Maxey was likely referring to when Edgecombe missed two clutch free throw on opening night in Boston. He was just messing around as he smirked afterward.

The fourth quarter was a real turning point for Maxey and the Sixers. Philadelphia led by six entering the fourth, but the Hawks went on a 13-0 run to open the final frame as they began playing their game. They forced seven turnovers which led to eight points the other way and they received clutch shots from Johnson and Keaton Wallace down the stretch.

"They turned us over," Maxey added. "Beginning of the fourth, Keaton hit some big shots. Like, a layup and a 3. They made some tough layups, but we kept fighting."

The Sixers did keep fighting. The Hawks led by eight and it appeared they were going to pull it off in regulation, but Philadelphia dug deep, Maxey got going, and he drilled the game-tying 3 with 8.3 seconds left to force the first overtime. However, a better start to the fourth would probably have led the Sixers to a win.

"Well, we had a few good looks to start, and didn't make them, and then we turned it over," added coach Nick Nurse. "I think we had six turnovers in the fourth. Just went through one of those stretches where it felt like we were fumbling a lot. Just kind of weird. We've a few of those this year, where just the ball got really slippery for us. That got us in a little bit of a hole, but somehow found a way to keep fighting, which is good."

The good thing for the Sixers in this one was the fight that they showed--a theme in the 2025-26 season--and they had Joel Embiid on the floor for the first time since Nov. 8. That is going to be a big factor moving forward as Philadelphia looks to climb up the standings in the East.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Tyrese Maxey talks missed clutch free throws after 76ers fall to Hawks