If you pulled up the philadelphia 76ers vs new orleans pelicans match player stats from February 21, 2026, here is what you found: the Pelicans walked away with a convincing 126-111 win over Philadelphia at home in New Orleans. Jordan Poole led the charge for New Orleans with 23 points on 53.3% shooting, while Tyrese Maxey was Philadelphia’s top performer with a game-high 27 points despite the loss.
This was not a close game by the end. The Pelicans turned a tight first half into a blowout by outscoring Philly 40-26 in the third quarter alone, and the Sixers never recovered. Let’s get into exactly what happened, player by player.
Table of contents
Final Score and Quarter by Quarter Breakdown
| Quarter | New Orleans Pelicans | Philadelphia 76ers |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 24 | 29 |
| Q2 | 33 | 36 |
| Q3 | 40 | 26 |
| Q4 | 29 | 20 |
| Final | 126 | 111 |
Philadelphia actually led after the first half 65-57, so this game had a story. But whatever the Pelicans said at halftime worked. They came out of the locker room and put up 40 in the third quarter, the kind of run that breaks a team’s spirit. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the game was effectively done.
New Orleans held a biggest lead of 21 points at one stage. Philadelphia’s biggest lead was just 11.
Team Stats Comparison
| Stat | New Orleans Pelicans | Philadelphia 76ers |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 126 | 111 |
| FG Made / Att | 40 / 81 | 36 / 94 |
| FG% | 49.4% | 38.3% |
| 3PT Made / Att | 17 / 34 | 12 / 46 |
| 3PT% | 50.0% | 26.1% |
| FT Made / Att | 29 / 38 | 27 / 33 |
| FT% | 76.3% | 81.8% |
| Total Rebounds | 57 | 58 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 10 | 12 |
| Assists | 25 | 19 |
| Steals | 5 | 10 |
| Blocks | 8 | 5 |
| Turnovers | 15 | 11 |
| Points in Paint | 46 | 36 |
| Fast Break Points | 26 | 17 |
| Bench Points | 55 | 31 |
| Effective FG% | 59.9% | 44.7% |
| True Shooting% | 64.5% | 51.1% |
The numbers tell the story clearly. New Orleans shot the ball far better from everywhere on the court. That 50% three-point shooting on 34 attempts is exceptional, and the bench scoring gap, 55 to 31, is arguably the single biggest reason this game got away from Philadelphia.
Philadelphia won the steals battle 10 to 5 and generated 27 points off turnovers versus New Orleans’s 11, but they simply could not convert their shot attempts at an acceptable rate. Shooting 26.1% from three on 46 attempts is a recipe for defeat against a team that is clicking from deep.
New Orleans Pelicans Player Stats
| Player | POS | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG | 3PT | FT | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Poole | G | 23 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 8/15 | 5/11 | 2/2 | +21 |
| Zion Williamson | F | 21 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 7/14 | 0/0 | 7/8 | +24 |
| Saddiq Bey | G | 20 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7/14 | 4/7 | 2/2 | +3 |
| Herbert Jones | G | 14 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5/11 | 2/5 | 2/2 | +1 |
| Bryce McGowens | G | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4/5 | 3/4 | 2/4 | +3 |
| Derik Queen | F | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/5 | 1/1 | 5/6 | +1 |
| Jeremiah Fears | G | 7 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2/10 | 0/3 | 3/6 | +11 |
| DeAndre Jordan | C | 6 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2/3 | 0/0 | 2/4 | +13 |
Spotlight: Jordan Poole
Poole was the Pelicans’ most efficient scorer on the night. He finished 8 of 15 from the field, 5 of 11 from three, and converted both of his free throw attempts. His +21 plus/minus led everyone in the game and reflected just how much better the Pelicans were when he was on the floor. Five assists with zero turnovers is an efficient floor game to go alongside those 23 points.
Spotlight: Zion Williamson
Zion’s line was about more than scoring. 21 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals with a +24 plus/minus. He was dominant around the rim, generating all 21 of his points in two-point range and scoring 14 of them in the paint. His 8 assists with just 1 turnover shows the playmaking dimension that makes him so difficult to scheme against when he is fully engaged.
DeAndre Jordan: The Quiet Anchor
Six points is not a stat line people talk about, but DeAndre Jordan’s 15 rebounds and 4 blocks in limited minutes were critical to keeping Philadelphia off the offensive glass and protecting the paint. His presence changed shot selections all night.
Philadelphia 76ers Player Stats
| Player | POS | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG | 3PT | FT | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrese Maxey | G | 27 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 9/23 | 2/11 | 7/8 | -4 |
| Kelly Oubre Jr. | F | 25 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7/15 | 4/10 | 7/8 | -7 |
| Quentin Grimes | G | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3/9 | 2/7 | 3/4 | -16 |
| Jabari Walker | F | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3/5 | 2/3 | 1/1 | +5 |
| Dominick Barlow | F | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3/9 | 0/1 | 3/5 | -14 |
| Andre Drummond | C | 5 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2/7 | 0/2 | 1/2 | -16 |
| Cameron Payne | G | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2/7 | 1/6 | 0/0 | -6 |
| Adem Bona | F | 4 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 | 0/0 | 2/2 | +2 |
| Justin Edwards | F | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 0/0 | 0/0 | -7 |
Spotlight: Tyrese Maxey
Maxey was the only Sixer who truly showed up, and even his game had complications. 27 points on 9 of 23 shooting is a high-volume, lower-efficiency night, and his 2 of 11 from three hurt the team badly. The bright spots: 5 steals, 7 assists, and the ability to draw contact and get to the line. He fouled out New Orleans defenders and generated 8 points off turnovers. On a different night with better support around him, this could have been a win.
Spotlight: Kelly Oubre Jr.
Oubre gave Philadelphia 25 points off the bench, shooting 7 of 15 overall and 4 of 10 from three. Both he and Andre Drummond picked up technical fouls during the game, which is worth noting as discipline became an issue when the game started slipping away. Still, Oubre’s scoring was the second-best performance on the court all night.
The Drummond Problem
Andre Drummond finished with 12 rebounds which looks fine on paper, but his 2 of 7 shooting including 0 of 2 from three and a -16 plus/minus told a different story. He also picked up a technical and committed 2 offensive fouls. This is not the kind of production you need from a starting center.
Advanced Stats and Efficiency Breakdown
| Metric | New Orleans Pelicans | Philadelphia 76ers |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive Rating | 122.7 | 103.2 |
| Defensive Rating | 103.2 | 122.7 |
| True Shooting% | 64.5% | 51.1% |
| Effective FG% | 59.9% | 44.7% |
| Points Per Possession | 1.23 | 1.03 |
| Assists to Turnover Ratio | 1.79 | 1.90 |
| Fast Break FG% | 66.7% | 40.0% |
| Bench Points | 55 | 31 |
| Possessions | 107.5 | 102.7 |
What Actually Decided This Game
There were three clear turning points that flipped this game from a Philadelphia lead into a Pelicans blowout.
The Third Quarter Collapse
Philadelphia scored 65 in the first half and looked capable of winning. Then the third quarter arrived and New Orleans scored 40 points while holding Philly to just 26. That is not a run, that is a statement. The Pelicans went on a 13-0 run at one point that effectively ended the contest.
Three-Point Shooting Differential
New Orleans hit 17 of 34 threes for 50%. Philadelphia shot 12 of 46 for 26.1%. That is a 12-attempt and 13-percentage-point gap in made threes, which translates to a massive point differential from long range alone. When you attempt 46 threes and only make 12, the math does not work out regardless of what else you do right.
Bench Production
The Pelicans’ bench outscored Philadelphia’s reserves 55 to 31. Bryce McGowens came off the bench and shot 4 of 5 including 3 of 4 from three for 13 points. That kind of secondary scoring creates enormous defensive problems and makes it nearly impossible for the opposing team to rotate and recover.
Head to Head Context
This game was played at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, and the Pelicans made full use of home court. The 76ers came into this one on a bit of a road stretch and had been dealing with inconsistency throughout the 2025-26 season. The loss dropped Philadelphia further down the Eastern Conference standings, where they have been fighting to stay relevant without key pieces from their championship window.
New Orleans, on the other hand, has been building around a younger core with Zion as the centerpiece alongside emerging contributors like Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen getting meaningful minutes. The blend of Zion’s downhill force with Poole’s shooting creates a tough two-man combination to defend.
For more in-depth player-by-player breakdowns and historical head-to-head data, matchvsplayerstats.com covers the full range of NBA match stats with the kind of detail that goes beyond the box score.
Key Takeaways for Each Team
New Orleans Pelicans
- Jordan Poole is playing with real confidence from three and as a playmaker
- Zion’s all-around game, particularly the 8 assists, shows expanded usage
- 55 bench points is a franchise-level performance from the reserves
- 50% three-point shooting is not sustainable but the shot selection was excellent
- Fast break production at 66.7% conversion rate showed transition excellence
Philadelphia 76ers
- Tyrese Maxey carried the load but cannot do this alone night after night
- The 26.1% three-point shooting from 46 attempts is a critical problem
- Technical fouls from Oubre and Drummond added unnecessary pressure
- The third quarter on the defensive end needs serious review
- Bench scoring at 31 points was not enough to match a deep Pelicans rotation
Final Thoughts
The Philadelphia 76ers vs New Orleans Pelicans player stats from February 21, 2026 paint a picture of a team, the Pelicans, that is starting to figure out their identity, and another team, the Sixers, that is still searching for theirs. Maxey’s 27 points and Oubre’s 25 kept this from being embarrassing, but the shooting efficiency gap and that third quarter collapse were the real story.
New Orleans shot 50% from three. Philadelphia shot 26% from three. That gap does not lie.
