LeBron James and the 76ers give Tyrese Maxey the perfect birthday gift against the Detroit Pistons
James said Philadelphia had to get a win for Maxey. The 76ers delivered one on his 26th birthday, holding off the Pistons 112-106
LeBron James had a birthday wish for Tyrese Maxey: “We gotta get a win for you, my dawg.” A few hours later, the Philadelphia 76ers made it happen, beating the Detroit Pistons 112-106 on Wednesday night.
The message carried extra meaning because James and Maxey were friends before they became teammates. They have worked out together for years, and Maxey has described James as a big brother. Their bond also helped draw James to Philadelphia this summer.
LeBron James and Tyrese Maxey share a bond beyond the court
Maxey finished with 19 points and seven assists, while James had 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. It wasn’t Maxey’s best shooting night he made five of 16 shots but he still helped Philadelphia secure a win that gave his birthday greeting a perfect ending.
The Sixers had to hold on. Detroit outscored Philadelphia 31-21 in the fourth quarter and cut into the lead, but Jaylen Brown’s block on Cade Cunningham’s three-point attempt with 38 seconds left helped seal the result. Brown led Philadelphia with 30 points.
LeBron also reached a historic milestone against Detroit: his basket in the second quarter made him the first player in NBA history to record 16,000 career field goals.
For Maxey, the night brought together a personal milestone and a team victory. James offered the birthday message; the 76ers answered it on the court.
Philadelphia’s win moved the 76ers to 8-1, keeping them among the NBA’s strongest early-season teams. They’ll try to extend that start Friday, Nov. 6, when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in an Emirates NBA Cup group-play game. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
