PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers handled their business on Tuesday as they knocked off the Washington Wizards 121-102. The Sixers jumped out to a 16-point lead in the first half and led by as many as 36 as they cruised to the victory and get back in the win column after dropping a tough one on Sunday.
Tyrese Maxey had 35 points, six assists, four rebounds, and four steals for Philadelphia, Paul George had 11 points and five rebounds, while Jared McCain had 14 points and five assists off the bench. Justin Edwards had nine points, Jabari Walker had 10 and 12 rebounds, and Dominick Barlow had 12 points while Andre Drummond added 12 and 10 rebounds.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHere are the three biggest takeaways following the win over the Wizards:
Maxey gets a rest
Dec 2, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) shoots the ball against Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) in the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesThe Sixers needed a night like this one. Maxey has been shouldering a heavy load throughout the 2025-26 season and playing a ton of minutes. With the Sixers handling the Wizards through three quarters, it was an opportunity for the All-Star guard to just sit back and relax throughout the fourth quarter and coach Nick Nurse was not going to waste that chance. This was a big moment for Philadelphia.
"Yep," Nurse said after the win. "It sure was. We had a good chance, I think, to cut down everybody there. A lot more than we probably anticipated. So, it was good all around, but especially good for him."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWalker breaks through
Dec 2, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Jabari Walker (33) drives against Washington Wizards forward Anthony Gill (16) in the fourth quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesThe Sixers have been looking for Walker to have a game such as this one as he works his way into things for Philadelphia. The 4-year forward out of Colorado gave the Sixers a big boost as he knocked down a couple of 3-pointers early, was able to produce on the glass, and help the Sixers out on the defensive end as well. This was a terrific all-around game for Walker and the hope now is for him to build off this and be a consistent producer in the rotation.
"It's good," Nurse stated. "For me, I'm really asking him quite frequently to take those 3s. Again, he's a good shooter. His numbers and things that he charts, like, they're really high. Again, you got to have that feel of meaningful games and just get the confidence to pull the trigger. We're really working on it to get him to take those. It was great to see him get some off tonight because, again, I think if he just gets to a stage where he can process it a little sooner that he knows he's open as the ball's in the air coming to him, and take a few more, he's gonna make a bunch. And, again, he snaps rebounds down, man. You guys see it. He snaps them down and he just has a knack for it."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGeorge finding a rhythm
Dec 2, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) shoots the ball against Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) in the third quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn ImagesThe Sixers were able to get some terrific 3-point shooting out of George in this one as he knocked down three triples on five attempts. He was a guy the Wizards had to pay attention to, of course, and when the Sixers kicked it out to him for open looks, he took advantage of them with efficiency. He was a reliable catch-and-shoot guy all night long. Obviously, the Sixers will want more out of him as the season progresses, but when considering the offense is moving more toward being Maxey-centric, George’s 3-point shooting is important. He is working on getting his legs and his rhythm back at this early point of the season for himself.
"It's getting there," George said of his rhythm after the win. "I just got to get my legs a little bit under me, get a little stronger. I just feel like my legs aren't as strong as they need to be. Just get them under me a little bit. I kind of feel the training camp legs a little bit. This is my training camp, the first couple games, just getting my legs and everything under me, but, yeah, I don't know. I’m a little fatigued for some reason."
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: 3 biggest takeaways for Sixers following blowout win over Wizards
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