Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers face an inflection point after 126-111 loss to Pelicans
tyrese maxey appears in roster talk as the 76ers fell 126-111 to the Pelicans on Feb. 21, 2026, a defeat that left Philadelphia 30-26 and staring at a four-game losing streak that coach Nick Nurse called the "toughest moment of the season, for sure. All year. Without question. "
Pelicans seize control in second half, McGowens sparks run
New Orleans pulled away after halftime, fueled by a corner three from Bryce McGowens that drew the celebration directly in front of the 76ers’ bench and punctuated a second-half onslaught that produced the 126-111 final score on Feb. 21, 2026. The Pelicans entered the game at 15-42 and elected to start veteran center DeAndre Jordan — who had not played since Oct. 29 — as part of a jumbo lineup that helped tilt the matchup in the second half.
Tyrese Maxey and a locker room bluntly assessing the slide
Inside the visitors’ locker room, Kelly Oubre Jr. delivered a blunt diagnosis after scoring 25 points in the loss, saying, "I think we’re a little too entitled right now. Teams aren’t going to roll over and let us win any of those games. " Coach Nick Nurse had warned about the need to stop the skid about 90 minutes before tipoff and later said the team must "get ourselves corrected" as it heads into 26 remaining regular-season games.
Road trip highs and sudden lows: a run that unraveled
The loss came after a stretch that Nurse considered the team’s best this season: a West Coast swing that began on Feb. 1 with a five-game road trip in which the Sixers won three of their first four matchups, including a Feb. 8 victory at the Phoenix Suns. After that high, Philadelphia was blown out at Portland and at home by the New York Knicks, then lost their first game after the All-Star break to the Atlanta Hawks before Saturday’s defeat to the Pelicans, amplifying concerns about consistency.
Other roster disruptions cited in postgame remarks included the abrupt 25-game suspension of starting wing Paul George and the emotional departure of second-year guard Jared McCain at the trade deadline; Dominick Barlow said "the vibes were great" on the earlier road trip even with those events unfolding. Nurse noted the team has shown it can play "at the highest levels" and "at the lowest levels, " underscoring the uneven results behind the current 30-26 mark.
The immediate consequence is plain: the Sixers have lost four straight games and face 26 regular-season games to try to reverse the slide. Nurse and his players said the next steps are getting corrections in place as they move forward through the remainder of the schedule.
