Cam Payne erupted for 13 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter as the Philadelphia 76ers stormed back to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 139–129 on Tuesday night.
Philadelphia overcame multiple absences and a late deficit, using a decisive fourth-quarter run to seize control. Rookie VJ Edgecombe added 21 points in his return to the lineup, while Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds. Quentin Grimes chipped in 22 points for the 76ers.
The 76ers played without All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey and center Joel Embiid. Maxey is expected to miss at least three weeks with a tendon injury in the small finger of his right hand, the team announced before tipoff.
Edgecombe stepped into the point guard role after missing three straight games with a lumbar contusion. The rookie provided one of the night’s top highlights midway through the second quarter, soaring for a two-handed dunk that energized the crowd and signaled his return to full health.
Memphis appeared poised to snap its skid when Ty Jerome drilled a 3-pointer with 9:34 remaining to give the Grizzlies a 115–107 lead. But Philadelphia quickly flipped the momentum.
The Grizzlies went scoreless for nearly 3 1/2 minutes while the 76ers ripped off 12 straight points. Payne capped the surge with a 3-pointer that pushed Philadelphia ahead 119–115 with 6:29 left. The run continued when Dominick Barlow converted a three-point play to stretch the lead to 128–117 with 4:56 remaining.
Jerome led Memphis with 26 points, but the Grizzlies’ frustrations boiled over late. He was ejected with 1:18 remaining after picking up a pair of technical fouls.
Memphis has now lost five straight and 12 of its last 15 games. The injury-depleted Grizzlies entered the night with more players out (11) than available (10).
Philadelphia was also shorthanded, with Embiid sidelined for a fifth consecutive game because of a right oblique strain and Paul George serving a league suspension. Coach Nick Nurse said before the game that Embiid will be reevaluated later this week.
Up next: Memphis returns home to host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday, while Philadelphia heads to Detroit to face the Pistons the same night.
