MILWAUKEE — Tyrese Maxey recovered from a rough performance against the Toronto Raptors to kick the Milwaukee Bucks in the teeth.
Now, now. That wasn’t so hard, was it?
In turning a hostile Fiserv Forum into his personal playground, the 76ers star erased memories of fourth-quarter shortcomings to post a historic performance in a 123-114 overtime victory over the Bucks.
Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points along with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, three blocks, and five turnovers in 46 minutes, 38 seconds.
He joins Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only two players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a single game.
Against the Bucks, Maxey made 18 of 30 field goals and went 12-for-14 from the foul line. Sixteen of his points came in the fourth quarter on 5-for-7 shooting. He added six points in overtime one night after failing to score any fourth-quarter points in a 121-112 home loss to the Raptors.
Maxey finished that contest with game highs of 24 points and nine assists. He made 8 of 14 shots, but only attempted one — a missed three-pointer — in the fourth quarter.
“Certainly a big difference,” coach Nick Nurse said. “And again, it’s a variety. I keep thinking, it’s obviously a great amount of threes [six] because he’s such a good shooter. [He had] a few drives all the way, a few floaters, playing on top, playing along the baseline, you know, just moving him around and trying not to make it too predictable.”
Tyrese Maxey scores one of his seven left-handed layups against the Milwaukee Bucks.
One thing that no one could have predicted was Maxey making a career-high seven layups with his left hand. It was the most made layups by an NBA player with their nonshooting hand in a game this season.
But on second thought, maybe folks shouldn’t be surprised.
“I work hard, and I don’t shoot shots that I don’t work on, if that makes sense,” Maxey said. “I don’t just try stuff. Every shot that I shoot is a shot that I worked on before. So I have confidence in it.”
He and the Sixers (9-6) know it’s just a matter of remaining aggressive.
The sixth-year player was second in the league in scoring at 33.4 points per game entering Friday’s matchups. He also led the league in made three-pointers (61) and was seventh in assists (7.9). In addition, he was fourth in the NBA in fourth-quarter points (8.9) for players who’ve played at least four games. Maxey also averaged 5.8 shot attempts in the quarter. So to attempt just one against the Raptors is out of character.
And his 14 total field goals were well below his average of 23.4 per game.
“Joel [Embiid] definitely got on me as soon as I got in the locker room,” Maxey said. “He pulled out the stat sheet, showed me the 14 shots, and said, ‘This ain’t going to cut it.’ And Joel is normally right.”
So Maxey responded by tying Hall of Famer Allen Iverson for the ninth-most points in a game in franchise history. Iverson scored 54 points twice as a Sixer.
“He’s special. He’s special,” Paul George said of Maxey. ”Man, he’s gifted. I think what you guys don’t see and what stands out is after the game on a back-to-back, 50 [points], 45-plus minutes, he goes and lifts.”
George thinks that speaks volumes to who Maxey is and where he is in his career. George, a nine-time All-Star, has played alongside Hall of Famers, future Hall of Famers, and borderline Hall of Famers.
“And that’s what they do,” George said. “They do the stuff like that that keeps them going, keeping them strong, and always working on themselves. Therefore, you always see his production on the floor. He puts the work in. And you know, it’s special. He’s a talent.”
Sixers Tyrese Maxey (0) looks for a shot against Milwaukee Bucks guard AJ Green (20) in the first overtime at Fiserv Forum.
And George realized that even before signing with the Sixers on July 6, 2024.
He saw how Maxey excelled while playing alongside former Sixer James Harden. Then he watched how the guard had more added to his plate after Harden was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2023-24 season. Maxey responded by becoming an All-Star and the league’s Most Improved Player that season.
“I noticed it early on,” George said. “Just watching him, man, he’s got better. I think it’s his mindset. It’s his mentality. And like I said, he works on his game tirelessly. So all of that adds up, and he’s just a great leader. He’s young, but he’s a great leader. And he’s the total package.”
Maxey showed why he’s a legitimate candidate for MVP, scoring a career-high 54 points on 18-for-30 shooting to go with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. His 54 points tied Hall of Famer Allen Iverson for the ninth-most points scored in a regular-season game in team history. Iverson did it twice, in December 2004 and January 2001.
Maxey joins Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only two players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a single game.
“Great. We won. That’s what matters most,” Maxey said of tying Chamberlain.
But how does he feel about being in that company?
“Blessed,” Maxey said. “I thank God for it. Anytime you are in a conversation with Wilt, who scored 100 points, you can’t complain.”
Maxey didn’t have a repeat of Wednesday night when he attempted one fourth-quarter shot attempt — a miss — in a 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors. On Wednesday, he passed out of double teams and made what would typically be the correct play in the fourth quarter. In the game, Maxey attempted only 14 shots, which is 9.4 shots below his average of 23.4.
However, the Sixers aren’t good enough for him to serve as a decoy or a secondary player at this moment.
Against the Bucks, with the Sixers down 85-82 with 10 minutes, 10 seconds remaining, Maxey came up with three clutch plays in a short span.
He drained a 20-foot jumper to pull the Sixers within one point. After grabbing the defensive rebound on the ensuing possession, Maxey drained a three-pointer to put the Sixers up, 87-85, with 9:26 to play.
He scored 22 in the fourth quarter and overtime session on 6-for-9 shooting. He made four clutch foul shots in overtime.
The Sixers need Maxey to remain aggressive throughout games to win.
Coach Nick Nurse said after Wednesday’s loss that Maxey needed to shoot the ball more.
“It was a different game last night,” Maxey said of Wednesday. “I definitely was not as aggressive as I should have been. I got hit in the head, and I also got hit in the quad. So it was a little tough for me. Kind of like pop up and get the ball and be extremely aggressive, as I probably need to be. And we were making some shots. I made some plays and got guys open. So I was trying to feel the game out.
“But [Nurse is] definitely right. I got to be aggressive. Joel [Embiid] definitely got on me as soon as I got in the locker room. He pulled out the stat sheet, showed me the 14 shots, and said, ‘This ain’t going to cut it.’ And Joel is normally right.”
The Sixers’ Paul George played a major role on both sides of the ball.
George’s presence
George’s presence has been noticeable in the two games he’s played in this season. The 35-year-old, who made his season debut on Monday, provided early offense and made a defensive impact in Monday’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers and in Thursday’s win against the Bucks.
He finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and two steals while playing 24 minutes, 42 seconds against Milwaukee. This comes after George had nine points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks vs. the Clippers.
George had an excellent start for the second consecutive game.
After scoring the game’s first five points in Monday’s debut, he scored the Sixers’ first 11 points while making his first four shots.
He scored the game’s first basket by driving through the lane and muscling his way to a basket. Then he added three-pointers on the Sixers’ next three possessions.
“That was kind of the mindset,” George said of attacking Thursday’s game from the start after sitting out Wednesday’s loss. “I know these guys played last night.. So I’m fresh. I tried to come in, get the boost, just morale on both ends. I tried to impose my will on the defense, and then come out with a burst offensively.”
The Sixers’ following points came when he assisted on an alley-oop dunk by VJ Edgecombe to make the Sixers’ lead 13-4 with 7:11 left in the quarter. George came out with 6:16 left in the quarter before returning at the start of the second.
While he missed his lone shot and committed a turnover, George made a pair of foul shots and had an assist to go with a steal in his short stint.
George did a solid job running the Sixers’ offense in the half-court and provided solid defense. One of his highlights was stealing the ball on Kyle Kuzma’s layup attempt at the 8:30 mark of the third quarter.
“Listen, whatever it is, to make the game easy for No. 0,” George said of running the offense. “I’ve been saying he’s been doing a lot for us. He might not want to say it, but I know he’s tired. He’s got to be tired. So, you know, I’m just trying to make the game easy for him within the offense, play my game.
“But also, you know, I do feel like I can see plays ahead and kind of see where guys should be and balancing the floor and just trying to give us the best possibility of getting a good shot each possession.”
If there was a negative to his performance, it was that he appeared to run out of gas. He missed five of his next six shots after starting the game 4-for-4. He even missed a third-quarter layup.
Edwards’ defense
With Kelly Oubre Jr. out (sprained left knee), Edwards made his second consecutive start at small forward. There was no drop-off defensively with him in the lineup. While Maxey and George provided the offensive scoring, the former Imhotep Charter standout provided stiff defense. Edwards finished with a season-high two steals, both coming in the opening quarter. The most he had in a game before Thursday was one. And he did that three times in his first 12 games.
“I take pride in it,” Edwards said of his defense. “You know that’s what the coaches expect from me every game. So, you know, I go out there and try to guard everybody’s best ballhandler and put them to the test, honestly.”
While he struggled shooting (seven points, 3-for-10 shooting), Edwards kept making the right plays on the offensive end. On one occasion, he drove the lane and wrapped a pass around a defender and into the arms of Andre Drummond, who scored an easy layup. Edwards had three assists and four rebounds.
But Edwards made two huge baskets in overtime. He opened the extra session with a three-pointer to give the Sixers a 109-106 advantage. Then, with 2:23 left, his 14-foot pull-up jumper gave them a five-point cushion.
He mentioned what the three-pointer meant to him after struggling from the field most of the game.
“It doesn’t bother me,” he said. “But it does bother me. I ain’t even going to lie. I was about to try to do my media-training stuff, but it does bother me. I just got to have short-term memory, because I feel like I’ve made a lot of growth. Last year, maybe college, I probably would not have shot that. I probably would have driven it. But that just shows the confidence in myself. I put the work in. I shot that shot a million times.”
Sixers forward Justin Edwards was one of the players charged with guarding breakout star Ryan Rollins.
Battered teams
The Sixers were without Embiid (right knee injury management), Oubre, and Adem Bona (sprained right ankle). Maxey (right quadriceps contusion) was cleared to play right before the game.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (left adductor strain) could be out for up to two weeks. The Bucks were also missing Taurean Prince (neck surgery) and Kevin Porter Jr. (right knee meniscus surgery).
But long injury lists aren’t isolated only to the Sixers and Bucks. Injuries have been up around the league this season.
Sacramento Kings standout center Domantas Sabonis (partially torn meniscus in left knee) will miss three to four weeks. Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (fractured hip) is expected to have season-ending surgery. And the Dallas Mavericks’ Anthony Davis, Portland Trail Blazers’ Jrue Holiday, San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper, and Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant and Ty Jerome are out with calf strains.
“Anybody can speculate about what they think it is, right?” Nurse said. “I think nutrition plays a big part of it. I think that the preseason plays a part of it, too. I think we are not getting a lot of gamelike reps [in the preseason], and then all of a sudden we’re going 100 miles an hour [in the regular season.]
“And like I said … on our way over here, this is our third road back-to-back, and it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. The games early in the season have been coming out of the chute. It’s a heavy, heavy load.”
It was the Sixers’ fourth back-to-back overall through their 17 games. And the Sixers have been dealing with injuries all season, as George (left knee injury management), Jared McCain (right thumb surgery), and Trendon Watford (hamstring) have also missed time.
MILWAUKEE — Joel Embiid will miss his sixth consecutive game when the 76ers face the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night at Fiserv Forum.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey is listed as probable with a right quadriceps contusion. But Paul George will return after missing Wednesday’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors.
Thursday’s contest will mark the fifth straight game Embiid has missed with right knee injury management. He also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
Embiid, who has no structural damage to his right knee, has been listed as day-to-day. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder has already missed eight of the Sixers’ 14 games because of his knee ailments. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.
Tyrese Maxey scored 24 points in the Sixers’ loss to the Raptors on Wednesday.
Maxey is dealing with a quad injury after finishing with 24 points, nine assists, and three steals in Wednesday’s loss. George had the night off due to not playing in back-to-backs. The forward (left knee injury management) made his season debut in Monday’s 110-108 home victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Adem Bona (sprained right ankle), Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee), and Hunter Silas (G League two-way assignment) will also miss Thursday’s game.
The Bucks will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo (left adductor strain), Kevin Porter Jr. (meniscus surgery in right knee), Taurean Prince (neck surgery), and Alex Antetokounmpo (G League two-way assignment). Gary Harris (illness) is listed as questionable.
The Sixers (8-6) can rely on Maxey to post solid numbers against the Raptors (10-5).
He averaged 25.5 points and 5.5 assists in his previous 10 games against Toronto. That included a 44-point outing while making a career-high nine three-pointers at Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 28, 2022. Maxey also had 31 points and seven assists in the Sixers’ 130-120 victory over their Atlantic Division foe on Nov. 8.
So it wasn’t surprising that he had 24 points, nine assists, and three steals against the Raptors on Wednesday. He made eight of his shots, including hitting 5 of 9 three-pointers.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey finished with 24 points, nine assists and three steals.
Maxey imposed his will from the start. He scored 12 points in the first quarter while making 3 of 5 three-pointers.
“That was about as aggressive as he could be,” coach Nick Nurse said to reporters. “I think he was doing it all at the start of the game. And I don’t think that’s nearly enough shot attempts for him tonight.
“Obviously, they were plugging and doing some late double-teaming on him.”
Maxey made good plays while passing out of double teams. However, he needs to score more for the undermanned Sixers to win.
He only attempted two shots in the second quarter. His made basket and only points of that quarter came on a 28-foot three-pointer that gave the Sixers a 54-53 cushion with 52.1 seconds left in the half.
Maxey then scored nine points in the third quarter on 3-for-4 shooting before being held scoreless in the fourth while attempting just one shot.
Costly turnovers
The Sixers came into the game tied with the Indiana Pacers and the Sacramento Kings for the seventh-fewest turnovers per game at 14.1. And their average of 11 over their previous three games was tied with the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers for the fewest.
But, on occasion, the Sixers get sloppy with the ball and become a turnover waiting to happen.
They turned the ball over a season-worst 21 times, leading to 31 points for the Raptors.
“They certainly have some length,” Nurse said of the Raptors. “But I just think, I got to look at it on tape, but for me, it was just we weren’t quite spaced where we should have been. Threw right into some denial lanes, thinking that if you move them up higher, they’re probably not in denial lanes. If you back cut them out, somebody else is probably coming to replace. It’s probably an easier pass.”
Nurse added that the Sixers cut off their drives to the lane too early, taking pressure off the Raptors defenders.
“You give them credit because of their length, and they got their hands on balls,” Nurse said. “But I think we contributed to a lot of it.”
The Sixers turned the ball over eight times in the first quarter. Those giveaways led to 12 first-quarter points by the Raptors. They also committed eight turnovers in the third quarter, which led to 15 Toronto points.
They must cut down on the careless passes and lackadaisical ball handling.
Third-quarter blues
The Sixers had another dismal third quarter, being outscored 44-26. The Raptors shot 68.4% from the field, including making 5 of 6 three-pointers. The Raptors also took a 97-82 lead into the fourth quarter as the Sixers were doomed by their turnovers.
“Well, a lot of bad,” Nurse said of the quarter. “A lot of bad. We started to foul them right off the bat. I think they were in the bonus with 9:39 or something [remaining]. Bad start and a bunch of turnovers.
“I think we turned it over three straight possessions and committed three or four straight fouls.”
Sixers’ Trenton Watford attempts to block Raptors forward Brandon Ingram’s shot during Toronto’s victory on Wednesday night.
But while they’ve struggled in the third quarter, they’ve been dominant in the fourth.
So they attempted to post their fifth win in a game in which they trailed by at least 10 points. And it looked like they were about to make that happen.
VJ Edgecombe pulled the Sixers within three points (111-108) with 3 minutes, 23 seconds remaining. However, the Raptors responded with a 5-0 run to push their lead up to eight points before winning by nine.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse acknowledged before Monday’s game that the minutes for Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are piling up, and they are expected to carry the scoring load.
Nurse thinks things may settle down for the duo when George gets up to speed, as they do when Joel Embiid is playing.
The coach actually spoke to both of them on Sunday. He asked them four questions: Are you OK? Are you playing too many minutes? You sure? Are you looking for some help?
Maxey and Edgecombe responded “yes” to the first question and “no” to the other three.
“I said, ‘Because we don’t know when it’s going to come,” Nurse said. “’Get ready to go out there and do whatever is necessary.’
“And they’re both on board. I said, ‘Whenever these guys come back to help, we’re going to welcome them with open arms. But until that point, let’s stay focused on doing what needs to be done.”
On Monday, the Sixers (8-5) needed Maxey to take over while playing the entire second half.
That’s when he scored 27 of his game-high 39 points. It was the fifth time this season that the sixth-year guard scored at least 35 points. He also finished with three rebounds, six assists, one steal, and four turnovers while logging a game-high 40 minutes, 57 seconds.
Maxey scored 13 points in the third quarter before tallying 14 in the final quarter. But he must do a better job handling the ball in clutch situations. All four of his turnovers came after the intermission.
There’s no denying that he’s having a special season, though.
Maxey’s 39 points were the most by an NBA player on Monday night.
He ranks second in the league in scoring at 32.5 points per game, fourth in made three-pointers (50), and first in minutes (40.4).
What is Nurse looking at in the big picture with the kind of season Maxey is putting together?
“I don’t know if I think about that at this particular time,” Nurse said. “I think that you know what I talked about before … that was pretty evident tonight. You’ve got to go, and the minutes are going to be 40. And you are going to have to carry a bunch of the load. And you are going to have to figure it out.”
Sixers forward Paul George (center) scored nine points in his season debut.
PG’s debut
George hadn’t played in a game since March 4. Yet he’s been a full participant at practice since Oct. 19. As a result, it was hard to predict how the 35-year-old would perform against the Clippers (4-10).
He moved well. He got his shots. He bulked up. And, as expected, he was rusty.
George finished with nine points on 2-for-9 shooting along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 21:06 of playing time. He also made 4 of 7 free throws.
“It felt great to finally play basketball again,” he said. “It’s been like eight months since I played. So it was a long journey, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of hiccups. But it felt good to finally get out there. I felt good. Just rusty, but I felt good.”
He played in only 41 games last season — his first as a Sixer — while hampered by various injuries. George was ruled out for the remainder of that season on March 17, the day he received injections in the left adductor muscle in his groin and left knee.
He was expected to return in time for training camp. However, the nine-time All-Star had arthroscopic left knee surgery in July, which caused him to miss additional time.
On Monday, George scored a three-pointer on his first shot attempt 34 seconds into the game. On the next possession, the 6-foot-8, 220-pounder was fouled while attempting a three. He made two of three foul shots to give the Sixers a 5-0 advantage.
Paul George played 21 minutes in his season debut for the Sixers.
George missed his subsequent five attempts before turning the ball over and later scoring on a three-foot driving floater.
He missed three shot attempts after intermission. But George stepped up his game in other areas in the second half with three rebounds and a block.
Defensively, he looked comfortable and appeared to have lateral quickness.
“Yeah, it was definitely a trusting — it was definitely a trust factor,“ George said. ”When I first went out there to see what all I could do, and right away, ‘I’m ready for this.’ You know, ‘I can move, I can react, I can play physical, I can beat the guy to a spot. I can rebound.’ So that was, I think, a huge checklist for me personally, that I was able to slide my feet, stay in front of guys, and just fly around. Be reactive.”
It’s too early to know if he can be the dominant wing of the past. However, his basketball IQ, defense, rebounding, and leadership could help the Sixers once he gets in basketball shape.
Drummond’s play
Drummond is the Sixers’ lone healthy center.
Embiid missed his fourth consecutive game on Monday. It will be the third game he has missed due to right knee injury management. The 2023 MVP also sat out the Nov. 8 home loss to the Detroit Pistons to rest his surgically repaired left knee.
Sixers center Andre Drummond had 14 points and 18 rebounds against the Clippers.
And reserve center Adem Bona missed the first of at least three games with a sprained right ankle.
The 6-11, 279-pound Drummond held his own against Clippers center Ivica Zubac with 14 points and a game-high 18 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double and fifth of the season.
Zubac, who had 14 points and 13 rebounds, was outplayed by Drummond in the fourth quarter. That’s when the Sixer tallied seven points and five rebounds.
Drummond even made a pair of clutch foul shots to give the Sixers a 110-106 cushion with 1:08 remaining. Then he grabbed his 18th rebound on the ensuing possession.
Controversial ending
The Sixers will tell you a win is a win. And they probably couldn’t care less if people speak negatively about the controversial ones.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and Trendon Watford celebrate their 110-108 victory over the Clippers on Monday.
And that’s what they escaped with against the Clippers.
With the Clippers down two points, video footage showed James Harden being fouled on a three-point attempt by Quentin Grimes with 6.3 seconds remaining. Crew chief Curtis Blair was asked after the game why the foul wasn’t called on the play.
“During live play, it was deemed that Grimes legally contested Harden’s three-point shot,” Blair said.
Based on the wording “during live play,” one has to believe there’s a great chance we’ll see a different answer Tuesday on the L2M report.
But the Sixers still celebrated this victory. Maxey and Trendon Watford even sprinted down the court after time expired on the final possession.
Paul George will make his season debut Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
His return is not a surprise, as the 76ers forward looked great during post-practice drills Sunday. The 6-foot-8, 220-pounder even wore a blue practice jersey, which is usually reserved for starters, when the media was permitted in the gym.
He also had the blue jersey on during Monday morning’s shootaround. George previously wore the gray jersey, which denotes a player is in the second unit or out of the rotation, despite being a full participant in practice since Oct. 19.
On Monday, he was in the starting lineup alongside Dominick Barlow, Andre Drummond, VJ Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey.
George’s return was delayed because doctors wanted to see substantial strength in his left quadriceps before clearing him to play. As a result, George missed all four exhibition games and the first 12 regular-season games following arthroscopic left knee surgery on July 11.
Monday’s contest against his former team will be George’s first game since March 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The 35-year-old played in only 41 games last season — his first as a Sixer — while hampered by various injuries. George was ruled out for the remainder of that season on March 17, the day he received injections in the left adductor muscle in his groin and left knee.
Sixers forward Paul George never leaves the arena until he makes all three-pointers. If he misses one, he starts over from the beginning. pic.twitter.com/3VAynS7kBr
He was expected to return in time for training camp. However, the nine-time All-Star’s knee surgery caused him to miss additional time.
His return comes at a good time for the Sixers, who are without Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee ligament), Joel Embiid (right knee soreness), and Adem Bona (sprained right ankle).
The hope is that George can improve upon last season’s performance.
He struggled to create separation and averaged just 16.2 points, the fourth-lowest average of his 15-year NBA career. George also finished with a three-point percentage of .358, the third-lowest of his career.
Fortunate and exciting are the best ways to describe the Sixers. They know it. So do their first three opponents.
Yet that shouldn’t take away from the unexpected excitement surrounding the team.
After beating the Magic on Monday night, the Sixers are 3-0. It’s their best start since opening 5-0 during the 2019-20 season.
The Sixers are fortunate because they’ve had a favorable schedule to start the season, facing the Magic (1-3), Charlotte Hornets (2-1), and Boston Celtics (1-3). And they’ll travel to the 1-2 Washington Wizards on Tuesday to complete their first back-to-back of the season.
Yet, the undermanned squad is fun to watch thanks to having one of the league’s best young backcourts in Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe.
According to ESPN, the duo’s combined 186 points are the most by any team’s starting backcourt through the first three games of a season since starters were first tracked during the 1970-71 season.
“That’s a long time ago,” Maxey said with a chuckle when asked his thoughts. “Nineteen-seventy that was like … a long time ago. All I have to say is that was a long time ago.
“But I mean, listen, we are just trying to go out there and be aggressive to help us win. As long as we are doing that, then we are doing a good job. VJ is doing great.”
Several gritty, athletic, defensive-minded role players surround the duo.
As a result, this team has shown more heart than all of last season when they finished with a disheartening 24-58 record. And things should only get better once the team gets healthy.
Joel Embiid missed Monday’s game due to left knee injury management. Dominick Barlow was also sidelined while having a procedure for a left elbow laceration. Paul George (left knee surgery recovery), Jared McCain (right thumb surgery recovery), and Trendon Watford (left hamstring injury management) have yet to play this season.
Sixers guard Eric Gordon scored eight points off the bench on Monday night.
On Monday, Jabari Walker (four points, five rebounds, one block) got his first start of the season. Eric Gordon (eight points, 2-for-3 on three-pointers) and Hunter Sallis made their season debuts.
“Last year, I think lineups changed a lot. Guys in and out,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said of the team’s ability to bring it together so quickly. “But this year, I think Tyrese has been hitting it on the head. It’s like no matter who’s out there, we have this constant that we won’t waiver from. That goes into our culture and the things that we do on a daily basis.
“It’s still early. But at the end of the day, man, if we can have the next man step up, or anybody come in there and be an impact to winning, I think that we’ll be better off than we were last year.”
But like they’ve done in their first two games, the Sixers came up with big fourth-quarter plays to pull out the victory.
On this night, Maxey scored 13 of his season-high 43 points in the final quarter to give the Sixers breathing room. He also finished with a game-high eight assists and four rebounds. The 2023 All-Star is averaging 37 points.
He received MVP chants during the game.
”I’m just trying to close games out,” said Maxey, who is in his sixth season. “Joel has been on me recently about that, probably since my fourth year, about how I can help close games out and have the ball in my hand and make decisions whether I’m shooting or whether I’m passing.”
Meanwhile, Edgecombe finished with 26 points, seven assists, four rebounds, one block, and a steal. He’s averaging 25 points. And the Sixers’ backcourt is a problem for teams to defend.
The team will be tough to beat if Oubre can duplicate Monday’s performance, finishing with 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting, along with 10 rebounds and two blocks.
The Magic didn’t help their case by taking too many poor shots and only playing hard in spurts. That’s where the Sixers were fortunate in this game.
But this team is exciting and has a refuse-to-lose attitude that could benefit them once the schedule toughens.
Sixers center Adem Bona shown blocking one of his three total blocked shots on Monday night against the Magic.
Bona’s impact, excessive fouling
Bona got the start at center for Embiid. The 6-foot-8, 235-pounder was flying around on the defensive end. That enabled him to sandwich two highlight blocks around one by Oubre on consecutive defensive possessions.
However, as Bona tends to do, he got caught for reaching and jumping into players he’s defending. Bona picked up his first foul with 8 minutes, 18 seconds left in the first quarter. Then the second-year player picked up his second foul 30 seconds later and was immediately subbed out by Andre Drummond.
“Like we all know that, like even from last year, try to avoid the early fouls to avoid going to the bench, you know?” Bona said. “Sometimes it happens. Sometimes, I just got to let some stuff go. It’s just not part of my mentality. My mentality is like no one scores on me, no one scores on the team while I’m on the floor.
“Sometimes I got to know when to switch it on, switch it off. … For me, I think that’s like the next step to know when to attack everybody and when to slow down.”
Bona returned to the game early in the second quarter.
The former UCLA standout was back to his aggressive self in the third quarter. He scored on two acrobatic alley-oop dunks, grabbed three rebounds, and blocked Desmond Bane’s layup before being subbed out with 5:50 left in the third.
“That’s huge, not just for me, but the whole team,” Bona said of highlight plays. “Not just for the whole team, but for the fans. It brings excitement. It brings juice.
“When you get the fans going, the fans are behind you and bring excitement to the team. We want to play harder. We want to play faster. So that’s really big, and that’s what I do, just bring that for the team and the fans.”
He finished with seven points and four rebounds to go with his three blocks.
Bona is a considerable asset for the Sixers. He brings unmatched energy, excitement, and rim protection. He needs to cut down on committing early fouls.
Quentin Grimes continues to thrive as a scoring threat off the bench for the Sixers.
Grimes is thriving in a reserve role
After being acquired in a trade from the Dallas Mavericks in February, Grimes proved that he’s capable of starting for the Sixers.
The 6-5, 207-pounder with elite three-point shooting and solid defense would be a great compliment to Maxey in the backcourt. He would also stretch the floor to create space for Embiid and George.
But coming off the bench has enabled him to play more as a playmaker and less as a stander in the corner, waiting for catch-and-shoot opportunities.
It’s also better for him and the team in that role. There’s less competition if he’s playing for the second unit. And his impact has been felt in each of the last two games.
Grimes finished with 14 points on Monday while making 3-of-4 three-pointers, to go with five rebounds and three assists before fouling out. He made an impact shortly after checking into the game with 6:53 left in the first quarter.
He also buried three foul shots to give the Sixers an 118-113 lead with 4:52 remaining.
This comes after Grimes finished with 24 points in Saturday’s 125-121 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. In that win, Grimes gave the Sixers the lead for good on a three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining.
“I know I’m going to get starters minutes and everything [despite coming off the bench],” Grimes said. “I’m going to do my thing. I just get the opportunity to go out there and play my game … go out there and help the team win.
“We got a lot of good guys on the team, a lot of versatility. So it’s all going to play itself out. It’s going to work out for sure.”
Jared McCain, who is recovering from right thumb surgery, has been out of his split for two days. But the 76ers guard put on a solid shoot display following Monday’s shootaround, and looked like someone who could make a solid impact upon his return.
“That’s the progress,” coach Nick Nurse said before Monday night’s game against the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena. “He’s going to have to go through a series of days of contact and all that stuff, too.”
The second-year player was cleared to switch from his initial split to a smaller one and partake in drills after being reevaluated a couple of days ago. As was the case prior to injury, he shot the ball at a high percentage during the workout.
He began his session by shooting three-pointers with VJ Edgecombe and Eric Gordon. After Edgecombe and Gordon cleared the court, McCain participated in solo drills, attempting more threes and concluding with foul shots.
“Inserting him in with the VJ, Tyrese [Maxey] and [Quentin Grimes guard] group is the plan,” Nurse said of how he wants to use McCain. “That was sort of the plan going into the season. Again, I think they all can do a variety of things, and give us a chance to have some more depth. Gives us a chance to, again, play some shorter stints so the energy can stay high and all those things.
“We need him back. We look forward to having him back.”
McCain suffered the injury while working out on Sept. 25, the day before the unofficial start of his second season. He underwent surgery on Sept. 30 at the Hospital for Special Surgery.
McCain had previously been cleared as a full training-camp participant after missing the final 4½ months of last season with a torn meniscus in his left knee. He suffered that injury on Dec. 13 during a home loss to the Indiana Pacers.
McCain, now 21, was a revelation for the Sixers last season and would have been a major contributor for a struggling team if he had remained healthy.
Despite playing in just 23 games, he finished tied for seventh in the NBA’s rookie of the year voting. McCain was awarded a third-place vote from the media panel of 100 voters. Before the injury, he was the favorite to win the award.
McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He also shot 46% from the field — including 38.3% from three. The California native joined Hall of Famer Allen Iverson as the only Sixers rookies to average at least 15 points and two made three-pointers.
He made three or more three-pointers in eight consecutive games from Nov. 8-22 to set an NBA rookie record.
Sixers guard Jared McCain gets up shots with VJ Edgecombe and Eric Gordon after Monday’s shootaround: pic.twitter.com/J9sst9RDVo
McCain was named the Eastern Conference rookie of the month for games played in October and November last season.
Joel Embiid sidelined
It wasn’t surprising that Joel Embiid missed Monday’s game.
The 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star won’t play on both nights of back-to-backs, and the Sixers will face the Washington Wizards at the Capital One Arena on Tuesday.
Embiid playing “is always going to be our best version of our basketball team,” Nurse said. “He’s still obviously working his way back into being the guy that can play. I don’t know if we’re ever going to get to 48 minutes, but working his way up the ladder a little bit.
“I think we know the situation like we’re in with back-to-backs that he’d be missing one of the two games, and we got to go play, knowing that is probably better than finding out another way.”
Barlow’s procedure
Nurse said Dominick Barlow was undergoing a procedure on Monday to address a right elbow laceration while his teammates were facing the Magic. The power forward will also sit out Tuesday’s contest.
Barlow averaged 7.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as the starting power forward in the first two games.
“It was kind of a nice fit,” Nurse said of Barlow being in the starting lineup. “He was guarding tough. He was rebounding tough. He was offensive rebounding really well. We just got to move on. And again, it affects your depth.”
Joel Embiid has played alongside All-Stars and future Hall of Famers as a 76er.
So the 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star has become a good talent evaluator during his decade-plus with the franchise. And he knows that rookie guard VJ Edgecombe has a chance to be a special player.
“Whether shots are going in or not, [he] always plays the right way, makes the right plays,” Embiid added. “I think tonight he had eight assists, so letting the game come to him. In Boston, he made shots; he attacked. I thought tonight, he was a little shy — not shy, but he wasn’t attacking enough. He’s just got to keep going.
“He’s got space. Attack. He’s way too athletic for someone to be in front of him. Then, once he jumps, you’ve got no chance.”
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe finished with 15 points on 6-for-15 shooting against the Hornets. He also had six rebounds and a team-high three steals to go with his eight assists.
Edgecombe finished with 15 points on 6-for-15 shooting. He also had six rebounds and a team-high three steals to go with his eight assists.
While impressive, his scoring was a drop-off from the 34 points scored Wednesday in a season-opening 117-116 victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. The performance placed him in the same rarified air as Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain and future Hall of Famer LeBron James.
It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954. Edgecombe’s 14 first-quarter points set a record for the most in the opening period of an NBA debut, surpassing James’ 12 points on Oct. 29, 2003.
But to Edgecombe’s credit, Saturday’s decreased scoring output had a lot to do with not forcing anything while Embiid had the hot hand. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder scored five of the Sixers’ first seven points and nine of the first 18. He finished with 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting in 20 minutes, 7 seconds. Embiid played only the first 4:58 of the second half because he was on a minutes restriction.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe lays up the basketball for two of his 15 points against the Hornets.
“You’ve got to keep being aggressive, but also letting the game come to you,” Embiid said. “And that’s what he did tonight. Every night, I said it after the first game, every night — it might be Tyrese [Maxey]. It might be me. It might be him. It might be someone else, but you’ve still got to play the right way.
“Some nights, you’re not going to score. How else are you going to contribute? He’s doing it defensively and sharing the ball.”
Milestone for Nurse
Friday’s victory marked Nick Nurse’s 300th win as an NBA coach. In 556 regular-season games, the 58-year-old has a 300-256 record in eight seasons with the Sixers and Toronto Raptors.
Nurse went 227-163 with one NBA title during five seasons with the Raptors. He’s 73-93 since being hired by the Sixers on June 1, 2023.
Up next
The Sixers (2-0) will entertain the Orlando Magic (1-2) at 7 p.m. Monday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. After facing Orlando, the Sixers will play Tuesday night at the Washington Wizards.
Joel Embiid will miss the 76ers’ Monday night game against the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena due to left knee injury management.
Meanwhile, Sixers forward Dominick Barlow will also miss the Magic game and Tuesday’s contest at the Washington Wizards while undergoing a procedure on Monday to address a right elbow laceration. He will be re-evaluated later on this week.
Embiid played in the first two games of the season and the exhibition finale. Those matchups were Embiid’s first games since facing the Brooklyn Nets in a 105-103 regular-season home loss on Feb. 22.
Meanwhile, Barlow suffered the laceration in the first half of Saturday’s 125-121 home-opening victory over the Charlotte Hornets and didn’t return after intermission.
Sixers forward Dominick Barlow will miss the next two games while undergoing to procedure after suffering a right elbow laceration.
Paul George (left knee surgery recovery), Trendon Watford (left hamstring tightness), and Jared McCain (right thumb surgery) will remain sidelined.
Embiid’s game of rest comes after he finished with 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including making 3 of 6 three-pointers, to go with two rebounds, four assists, and two steals against the Hornets. He logged just 20 minutes, 7 seconds while on a minute restriction.
