March 7, 2026, 8:30 p.m. ET

The Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday to begin a quick 2-game road trip looking to pick up an important win. Things have gotten extremely tight in the Eastern Conference playoff race and every game matters at this stage of the season. With Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George sidelined, and facing a team they haven’t been able to beat all season, the challenge was tall.

The Hawks have been a thorn in the side of the Sixers all season long, and that was no different in this one as they used a big third quarter to rally from 13 points down to win it 125-116. The win gives the Hawks a season series sweep over the Sixers and they are now only 1.5 games back of the Sixers. Philadelphia is now in the play-in tournament with this loss as well.

Tyrese Maxey had 31 points and five assists to lead Philadelphia, Kelly Oubre Jr. had 24 points, five rebounds, and four assists, and Quentin Grimes had 26 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Trendon Watford added 10 points off the bench while Jabari Walker had nine points and five rebounds.

Here are the player grades following the loss:

Tyrese Maxey: A

The All-Star guard went to work early and often in this one. He was aggressive getting into the paint and made life easy for everybody on the floor. He was able to finish at the basket, make plays for others, knock down open 3s, and look like himself a bit. The Sixers needed his scoring in this one and he brought it at all three levels. He had some fantastic isolation buckets in this one just by using his speed and quickness to get to his spots on the offensive end. He was also aggressive with his 3-point looks as he was constantly hunting those shots. The Hawks shaded a lot of attention his way as the game wore on, which led to some costly turnovers, but he had an overall good night.

Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!Quentin Grimes: A

Grimes bolted up into a triple off the dribble to start his night and he was then able to take advantage of Atlanta’s aggressive defense by putting the ball on the floor and coming up with some buckets in the paint. He carried Philadelphia’s offense in the third quarter as he was constantly getting into the paint and coming up with important buckets to keep the Sixers in this game. Philadelphia has needed Grimes to give them some offense from the perimeter and he did so in a big way in this one, especially with so many pieces out.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: A

After missing two games due to an illness, Oubre started off quickly in this one. He was attacking the paint early and was able to come up with some impressive finishes at the basket and he knocked down a triple to get the scoreboard moving for Philadelphia. He was a consistent source of offense as he used his length to be able to find open looks within the offense. He rose up over Atlanta’s defenders and was able to find a lot of success. He was also tough on the defensive end as he gave the Sixers a presence on that end of the floor along with being able to help on the glass. It was a good Oubre night in his return to the floor.

Dominick Barlow: C-plus

Barlow had a usual night. He played with a ton of energy, moved his feet on the defensive end, and he was able to get easy buckets in transition just by leaking out and being able to make himself available. He was in the right spots on both ends of the floor and the Sixers will take the energy he played with in this one. He had some good moments on the defensive end.

Adem Bona: C-plus

The Sixers turned to Bona rather than Drummond in the starting lineup and he brought a lot of energy to that group. He did a great job of moving without the basketball on the offensive end to give himself an opportunity for easy buckets in the dunker spot. He was also bouncy and active on the defensive end which is always a big help for this group.

Trendon Watford: A

The initial stint for Watford was terrific. He used his size, strength, and skill to be able to get into the paint and find buckets in the post against the smaller Hawks. He had some important jump hooks to keep the offense moving in the right direction and he did a good job of then adjusting and moving into playmaking mode to give Philadelphia a rhythm. He brought an edge to the floor in this one as he gave the Sixers a big boost.

Jabari Walker: A-minus

Once again, Walker hopped off the bench and produced. He was active on the glass as he fought his way into the paint to create extra possessions for Philadelphia. He also knocked down another corner triple as he continues to find a rhythm on that offensive end of the floor. He had another good performance off the bench as the Sixers continue to receive good bench production.

Cam Payne: B-plus

The overall run for Payne was good. He brought a ton of energy and had some impressive finishes in transition to help the Sixers find their rhythm by running and using their speed and athleticism. When Payne is able to let out some energy and bring a good vibe off the bench, it can make a difference. He was contributing both with his own scoring as well as his playmaking and vision.

Andre Drummond: C

The night started with Drummond fouling Jock Landale on a 3-pointer, but he then flashed into the paint for a two-handed slam, and had some nice passes from the high post. He was helpful on the glass and then chased Landale off the 3-point line as well after the initial bad foul.