Rookie Jared McCain scored a career-high 27 points to help the Philadelphia 76ers to a 107-105 overtime win over the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
Guerschon Yabusele added 20 points for Philadelphia, which continued to play without stars Joel Embiid (knee) and Tyrese Maxey (hamstring). Paul George scored 15 points on 6-of-18 shooting and dished out nine assists for the Sixers, but he didn’t play in OT after logging 33 minutes in his continued return from a knee injury.
LaMelo Ball scored 38 points to pace Charlotte, which rallied from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and forced overtime on Ball’s corner 3-pointer with eight seconds remaining. Brandon Miller chipped in 22 points for the Hornets, while Grant Williams had 17 off the bench.
The Sixers survived in overtime to snap a five-game losing streak and defeat the Hornets for the 24th time in the last 26 meetings.
McCain’s bucket with 1:26 left in overtime put Philadelphia in front, 103-102, and Kelly Oubre Jr.’s foul shots with 58 seconds remaining gave the Sixers the lead for good. Caleb Martin made two clutch free throws with two seconds left to make it a three-point game.
Williams split a pair of free throws after being fouled by Yabusele following Martin’s foul shots.
Philadelphia led 16-15 after an ugly first quarter, and still held a one-point lead, 46-45, at the half.
The Sixers began to create some separation early in the third quarter as George knocked down a fadeaway jumper and a 3-pointer to put the hosts ahead 58-50. In the final four minutes of the quarter, McCain gave the Sixers a 10-point lead on three separate occasions, including a 3-pointer in the final seconds that created a 76-66 advantage.
Philadelphia’s lead grew to 82-66 on Jeff Dowtin Jr.’s jumper with 9:44 remaining, but the Hornets came charging back.
Ball made a 3-pointer to get the visitors within 84-76 and then another with 5:46 left to make it a one-point game.
Miller gave Charlotte the lead twice down the stretch in regulation, including his bucket with 2:30 left that put the Hornets in front, 89-88. However, McCain answered with a 3-pointer and then Martin knocked down one of his own with 1:34 to play, making it 94-89.
Miller answered with another 3-pointer for the Hornets, but the Sixers still held a three-point lead until Ball tied things up.
George missed badly on an isolation 3-pointer at the fourth-quarter buzzer.
