Tyrese Maxey and Paul George combine for a big night in the Sixers’ win over the Charlotte Hornets

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nick Nurse had a concerned look on his face, and with just cause.

But he was able to exhale in large part due to the 76ers’ All-Star duo of Tyrese Maxey and Paul George along with Kelly Oubre Jr.’s contributions. They combined to score 92 points to lead the Sixers to a 121-108 victory over the Charlotte Hornets Monday night at the Spectrum Center.

The win improved the Sixers to 8-16. It was their fifth victory in seven games.

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Maxey scored a game-high 40 points and made 6-of-12 three-pointers with five assists. He made 8-of-10 foul shots in the fourth quarter to help clinch the game.

George added a season-high 33 points, including 6-of-9 three-pointers, along with five rebounds and eight assists. The nine-time All-Star passed Jason Terry for 10th all-time on the NBA career three-point list with 2,285.

Oubre finished with 19 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, on 7-for-11 shooting to go with nine rebounds.

“He made some big plays in the fourth,” Maxey said of Oubre. “I told him he was going to be big. At one point, he had eight or nine points. I said, ‘You have to finish the game with 15-plus for us to win.’ He did that. He was great, defensively. And we appreciate him. So shoutout to Kelly.”

Sixers coach Nurse had been concerned about facing the Hornets without his best player in Joel Embiid, Rookie of the Year front-runner Jared McCain, and key reserve Caleb Martin.

“It’s going to be tough,” Nurse said before the game. “We talked about it [Sunday], and again just to clarify that, I think Caleb, Jared, and [Adem] Bona all played in the last game down here. All three of those guys are out and [Andre] Drummond is back. We’re going to use some guys that haven’t played for a minute. So hopefully they’ll be fresh.”

Nurse hoped the underutilized players would be ready to go against the finally healthy Hornets (7-19).

» READ MORE: Sixers hope rookie Jared McCain has speedy recovery from meniscus tear: ‘We’re all behind him’

Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball (15 points, 11 assists) returned after missing seven games with a strained calf, and this was Miles Bridges’ second game back after missing time with a bruised right knee. Both standouts were sidelined in the Sixers’ 110-104 victory in Charlotte on Dec. 3.

Drummond, who didn’t play in the previous meeting, started at center in place of Embiid (right sinus fracture). The Sixers went to KJ Martin over Guerschon Yabusele as the starting power forward in a starting lineup that included Oubre, Maxey, and George.

Kyle Lowry was the first man off the bench. Ricky Council IV and Yabusele were the seventh and eighth men, respectively. Eric Gordon entered as the ninth man at the start of the second quarter.

Gordon was back in the rotation on Monday due to McCain suffering what is expected to be a season-ending torn meniscus in his left knee in Friday’s loss to Indiana.

This was the 17-year veteran’s first game since failing to score on 0-for-4 shooting in 9 minutes, 49 seconds against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 30.

Gordon had nine points on 3-of-5 three-pointers while playing 26 minutes against the Hornets.

He took career-low averages of 4.8 points and 16.5 minutes in 16 games into Monday night.

After missing his two first-half three-pointers, Gordon, who turns 36 on Christmas Day, found his rhythm while getting extended minutes after intermission.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time,” Gordon said. “I played with a lot of good players, and every good player always wanted me on the floor with them. It’s all about finding a rhythm early on in the season as a team. We are a lot better now than we were earlier. Our team is moving the ball and finding each other better.

“Once that happens, that ball finds energy and gives guys more confidence to make shots.”

That was something he had been unable to do while struggling from the field for most of this season.

Gordon was asked before the game how he’s able to remain focused and composed through a rough stretch.

“It’s tough,” Gordon said, “because you are trying to figure out a flow within the game, trying to make the right plays.”

Due to injuries, the Sixers are still trying to figure out their collective identity. A three-point threat, Gordon was signed to provide spacing for Embiid, George, and Maxey. However, he’s had to assume other roles in his limited minutes.

“I feel like for me to maybe stay on the court or whatnot, I have to hit every shot or hit the right play every single time,” he said. “It’s almost like I feel like I have to play a perfect game to get minutes. So it’s a tough agenda to have.”

That type of mindset often leads to players putting pressure on themselves instead of playing freely.

» READ MORE: The Sixers must do a better job of getting Paul George involved, regardless of who’s on the floor

But Gordon has continued to work hard. He’s been showing up for the optional workouts, and Nurse said he had a solid few days of practice heading into Monday’s game.

Gordon has been relying on the optional and regular practices as a way to stay sharp.

“I’m in the gym shooting every time, because minutes-wise I’ve always averaged around 30 minutes a game my whole career until this year,” he said. “Even last year, I almost averaged 30 minutes a game. So it’s definitely a culture shock. It’s different. It does take time to adjust.”

His play on Monday was reminiscent of what he did in his prime with the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets.

“We needed him,” Nurse said. “I think KJ got in a little foul trouble. We didn’t feel like it was a night for Yabusele and Drummond to play together with their speed along the perimeter. So Eric kind of fills in at the four — shooting four guard. That’s the circumstances that led to him playing, and obviously he had a great stretch and played a ton of minutes in the second half.

“I thought he was really good defensively as well and those shots he hit were big. They’re just such confidence boosters when he can space the floor. He shoots them so deep from that wing that it really provides a lot of space for PG [Paul George], Tyrese and Kelly to operate as well.”