Paul George scored 21 points and added nine assists on Friday, helping the 76ers beat the Orlando Magic 102-94 to split their two-game series in Philadelphia.
The Sixers had lost 106-102 to the Magic on Wednesday without George (knee), but they played a sharper game in this matchup, even without Joel Embiid (knee) again.
KJ Martin stepped up with a season-high 20 points, making 9 of 10 shots off the bench for Philadelphia. Tyrese Maxey and Guerschon Yabusele each contributed 16 points as well.
Franz Wagner led Orlando with 30 points, while Jalen Suggs added 22 points. Moritz Wagner also chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds. However, the Magic struggled with their shooting, making just 13 of 46 three-point attempts (28.3%) and turning the ball over 21 times.
The 76ers were ahead 59-57 with around three minutes left in the third quarter, but they finished the period with a 12-2 run.
Kelly Oubre, who had 13 points and 10 rebounds, started the run with a 3-pointer. Martin’s dunk made it a seven-point game, and Maxey and Jared McCain combined for the final seven points of the period. By the end of the third quarter, Philadelphia led 71-59.
The Sixers pushed their lead to 78-61 early in the fourth, thanks to George’s contested 3-pointer. But Orlando went on a 10-point run, highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Moritz Wagner and Cole Anthony.
Philadelphia responded with six straight points, four of them from George, pushing the lead back to 84-71.
Suggs kept Orlando in the game late, hitting three 3-pointers and two free throws in the final 4 1/2 minutes. However, he missed two tough three-point attempts in the last 35 seconds, and the Sixers closed out the win with free throws.
Franz Wagner had 15 of Orlando’s 27 points in the first quarter, giving the Magic a two-point lead. Philadelphia then scored the first 10 points of the second quarter and went into halftime ahead 50-41, despite 20 points from Franz Wagner. He shot 7-for-15 in the first half, while his teammates made only 7 of 28 shots.
