76ers Vs Pelicans: Game Recap — Pelicans 126, 76ers 111 as Sixers Drop Fourth Straight

The 76ers vs pelicans matchup ended with New Orleans handing Philadelphia a 126-111 defeat, extending the Sixers' losing streak to four games and underscoring roster and halftime adjustments that swung the contest. This recap distills the decisive stretches, individual contributions, lineup moves, and immediate implications for the road trip.

76ers Vs Pelicans — Late surge and turning points

New Orleans outscored the Sixers 60-35 during the final 21 minutes, erasing a Philadelphia lead that had stood from late in the first quarter until the final two minutes of the third. The Sixers led by as many as 11 points, but the Pelicans chipped away; Jeremiah Fears' free throws put New Orleans back in front at 91-89 in the third quarter. New Orleans closed the third up 97-91 and opened the fourth on a 23-8 run, capped by Jordan Poole's three that made it 120-99 with 5: 20 remaining.

Scoring and individual performances

Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 27 points while also recording seven assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25 points, and VJ Edgecombe scored 14 points with five rebounds. For New Orleans, Jordan Poole had a 23-point outing featuring five three-pointers. Zion Williamson contributed 21 points and Saddiq Bey had 20. Bench rotation scoring included Quentin Grimes with 11, Dominick Barlow with nine and five rebounds, and Jabari Walker with nine and six rebounds.

Third-quarter collapse and shooting woes

The game's decisive stretch came after halftime. The Pelicans outscored the Sixers 40-26 in the third quarter and then posted a 29-20 advantage in the fourth. Philadelphia shot 31. 4% in the second half and was only 3-for-24 from three, the equivalent of missing 21 of 24 attempts from long range. Maxey went 2-for-11 from deep in this game and is 6-for-22 from three combined in the first two games coming out of the All-Star break, a trend that amplified Philadelphia's scoring struggles when its primary playmaker was pressured.

Lineup change and interior control

New Orleans altered its starting lineup at the last minute and turned to veteran center DeAndre Jordan. One report described Jordan as a 17-year veteran center while another described him as an 18-year veteran and 37 years old; unclear in the provided context which descriptor is definitive. Jordan delivered an impact night: he was credited with 15 rebounds and four blocks in one account, and in another was listed with six points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks while finishing plus-13 in 31 minutes. That same account noted it was only his third game of the season and that he had not played since Oct. 29. Karlo Matkovic heated up as well, following with a corner three and then making three free throws after being fouled on another deep shot; that sequence produced nine points for Matkovic, beginning with a cutting dunk while being fouled, all during what was described as a 40-point period for New Orleans.

Wider implications and immediate next steps

The loss dropped Philadelphia to 30-26 on the season and extended a tough stretch when Joel Embiid is absent: the Sixers have lost eight of their last nine games in which the big man did not play. The defeat also left Philadelphia sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. With the team opening a three-game road trip, the Sixers will look to rebound on a back-to-back and take on Minnesota on Sunday night (7 p. m. ET). Recent coverage and postgame notes emphasize the need to address halftime adjustments, third-quarter execution, and ways to free Maxey when Embiid is unavailable.

Three takeaways for the Sixers after the loss

• Halftime and third-quarter breakdowns remain a season-long issue; the team was outscored 40-26 in the third and 29-20 in the fourth.
• Interior defense and rebounding were decisive after the Pelicans went big; DeAndre Jordan's 15 rebounds and four blocks were a factor.
• Shooting from distance stalled Philadelphia’s offense — 3-for-24 from three in the second half — and Maxey's 2-for-11 from deep continues a recent slump.

Details above derive from game coverage and listed game statistics. Some roster descriptors and veteran-year counts are inconsistent across accounts; unclear in the provided context which version is definitive.