Category: Sixers/NBA

Walking through the main concourse of Xfinity Mobile Arena after a game, fans often hear the faint sounds of drums rattling in the distance. If one follows the high-pitched rhythm of the snare to the melody of the tenor and eventually to the deep pulse of the bass, they’ll find the Sixers Stixers.

The group has been the official drum line of the 76ers dating back to 2013. For over a decade, they’ve performed in perfect cohesion — relying on teamwork, discipline, and unity — building lifelong friendships deeply rooted in brotherhood, and providing life-changing opportunities for inner-city youth through the power of music.

“We have nothing else,” said 46-year-old Antoine Mapp Sr., the director of the Sixers Stixers. “Everyone don’t play sports, everyone don’t play basketball, everyone don’t play football, everyone don’t play baseball, everyone don’t bowl. However, music is universal. Music touches the soul.

“When you’re part of a team, you start feeling accepted. You start feeling like you belong to something, you start feeling important. All kids really need is love and affection. You don’t know what these kids go through at home. You don’t know what they go through in school, but when it comes to being a part of something like this, we all family, and we say before we leave, ‘I love you, bro,’ because I don’t know if he’s going to make it back tomorrow.”

‘Take these drum sticks, jail cell, or graveyard’

In 1991, Mapp was first introduced to drumming by his late grandmother, Elsie Wise. To keep young boys and girls out of trouble in the West Powelton neighborhood, Wise created a drum line and drill team known as the West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad, which still practices today.

“My grandmom came to me and said, ‘Well, I’ll give you three options: take these drum sticks, jail cell, or graveyard,’” Mapp recalled. “I decided to pick the drumsticks. And I asked her what I’m supposed to do with these drumsticks. She said, ‘Figure it out.’”

At that time drum squads and drill teams weren’t as accepted. At 11 years old, Mapp remembers being called every name in the book.

“In the ’90s, drill team wasn’t accepted,” Mapp said. “They looked at us as being wimps, looked at us as being cowards, looked at us as being punks. They used to disrespect us, call us names, say vulgar things about our sexuality because they didn’t understand drumming, they didn’t understand the culture. They didn’t understand music and how it touches the soul and how it saves your life.”

However, that culture was on full display when Mapp attended Cheyney University, the nation’s first Historically Black College and University. He decided to attend Cheyney, on the border of Chester and Delaware Counties, to stay closer to home — giving him time to continue helping with the West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad.

In 2001, Mapp became the first person in his family to graduate college, with a major in accounting and minor in computer programming. And as he pursued his degree, he joined the Cheyney drum line.

“The band is the culture of the HBCU,” Mapp said. “The band is the heartbeat. The band is the lifeline. The band is what draws the attention. The sports team being good is a bonus when it comes to an HBCU.”

Not only was it the lifeline of the HBCU, but it was the lifeline for Mapp himself. The Philly native credits the drum line for saving his life.

“First of all, making it to 18 years old where I’m from, it’s like making it to 100,” Mapp said. “We used to make it to 18 and say, ‘OK, we have nothing to live for. We made it.’ That’s the mentality we used to have. Drumming saved my life. … The drill team and drum line raised me because the guys on the team became my brothers. The young ladies on the team became my sisters.”

A family affair

“Break down!” Mapp yelled as the Stixers began to choreograph their routine for the halftime show of a recent game against the Wizards.

Listening to the order, the rest of the Stixers changed formation — closing in on one another as they drummed out the melody that was discussed on their ride to the stadium. Wearing matching Sixers gear, their black Nikes moved in perfect harmony — one pair looking rather smaller than the rest.

That pair belonged to 11-year-old Antoine Mapp Jr., the son of Mapp, who joined the Stixers at the start of the season. After their first performance together, Mapp sent out a message to another famous father-son NBA duo.

“When I seen LeBron [James], it was the best feeling in the world,” Mapp Sr. said. “I said to LeBron, ‘Hey Bron, you ain’t the only one on the court playing with your son. It was a beautiful moment. Just to be able to say that, I never thought in a million years that I would be on the Sixers floor in the NBA drumming alongside my son. It’s the best feeling in the world.”

If you would have told Mapp that he was going to be performing alongside his son on the Sixers court in 2014, he would have never believed it.

“I just lost in 2014,” Mapp said. “I just lost my job. My son, Antoine, they told me to abort him. They told me that his stomach and his lungs were growing in his chest. They told me he wasn’t going to walk, talk, run, or do anything. My grandfather, the only father figure that I knew, was in the hospital passing away. I was losing my son and my grandfather.

“On Father’s Day, I lost my grandfather. My son was in the NICU for six months. He was the only baby that survived the NICU.”

Throughout all the struggles, drumming was one thing that helped him persevere. Mapp remembers sitting in the parking lot and praying for guidance.

“[The Lord] spoke to me,” Mapp said. “That same week, I got a phone call from [76ers director of game presentation] Derrick Hayes. When Derrick called me he said, ‘Well, we’re calling you about being a Sixers drum line.’ I said, ‘OK, I’ll do it for free.’ That’s what I’m used to with the after-school program. Drumming was my payment. My life being saved, that was payment enough.

“When he told me that he was going to pay me for doing the game, a light bulb went off in my head. What is one of the reasons why there’s so much crime in my neighborhood? Lack of funds. That’s one of the reasons. So, I said, ‘OK, if the Sixers are paying us, let me change my program to I pay you to save you.’”

‘Don’t ever stop’

In 2020, Mapp’s 29th season helping with the West Powelton Steppers and Drum Squad, he had his last conversation with his grandmother.

“Before she took her last breath, I asked her, ‘Why am I still here?’” Mapp said. “She said, ‘Because you still love it.’ The last thing she said to me, she said, ‘Don’t ever stop,’ and took her last breath.

“That’s been ingrained in my brain ever since — and I haven’t stopped.”

Mapp has spent over three decades with the West Powelton Steppers and over a decade with the Sixers Stixers, performing alongside children as young as 4 years old to grown men in their 40s.

“We have no age limit,” Mapp said. “We don’t cap out. We’re in your life for the rest of your life. It’s our 35th year, and we have so many people that are still part of this group and have kids who are part of the group.

“I can’t wait to see what my son does with it 20 years down. I can’t wait to say we’ve been with the Sixers for 50 years, I’ll probably be like 96. But, I’ll still be here. And I’ll still be out there leading my guys. I’m so honored to be a West Powelton drummer and to be a Sixer Stixer.”

Andre Drummond prepares for each 76ers game with an identical routine. A weightlifting and running workout. A trip to the sauna. A meal of chicken and rice.

“The only thing that probably [will] change,” he told The Inquirer at his locker late Tuesday, “is I probably won’t take my warmup pants off some games.”

Such repetition is beneficial in situations like this week, when Drummond faced about as drastic of a role shift as a player can experience from one night to the next. The veteran center did not play in Monday’s 113-104 Sixers victory over the Indiana Pacers, then started Tuesday’s 116-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns in place of the injury-managing Joel Embiid. Teammate Adem Bona, meanwhile, was the backup center in both games but closed Tuesday’s matchup as the Sixers attempted a late rally against Phoenix.

Until that pecking order is more clear-cut, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said, those minutes and responsibilities for Drummond and Bona will continue to fluctuate from game to game, matchup to matchup, and, sometimes, “moment to moment.” Halfway through the regular season, both big men are used to the shifts.

“We’re both professionals at the end of the day,” Drummond said. “Whenever our number is called and whatever we’re needed for, I think we’ve both done a good job of being prepared and being ready for what’s to come.”

This back-to-back did come with some clarity in advance. Though Embiid has significantly progressed in his availability following multiple knee surgeries, he still will not play two consecutive nights. Nurse said last week that, in most cases, he prefers to start the 6-foot-11, 289-pound Drummond in the games Embiid misses. Opponents tend to go small with their backup big man, the coach concluded, which lends itself to a matchup with the athletic, 6-10 Bona.

That was how Tuesday unfolded. With a fresher body than teammates who played Monday, Drummond (eight points) said he attempted to set the tone with 15 rebounds — including six in the first quarter — that sometimes led to putbacks and kick-outs for three-pointers.

Bona, meanwhile, recorded his first double-double of the season, with 11 points and 10 rebounds. And after the Sixers fell behind by 17 points during a disastrous second-half stretch that was stamped with defensive and rebounding woes, Bona reentered. His block led to a Tyrese Maxey three-pointer to cut into Phoenix’s lead. He also recorded four rebounds during that stretch, including a putback off a VJ Edgecombe miss that got the Sixers within 112-105 with 3 minutes, 23 seconds remaining.

“We needed a little spark of energy,” Bona said, “so that was why Coach put me back in there.”

Added Nurse: “I probably wouldn’t do anything different there.”

Such pivots are helped by the fact that Drummond and Bona have been tight since they became teammates during the 2024 offseason.

They will double high-five like soccer players when they replace each other in the lineup. They can hear each other’s vocal support from the bench. Bona, who regularly unleashes a scream or flex after a high-flying dunk or block, said Drummond has helped him not get overly emotional about mistakes.

“Just having someone like that, making it easier for you to just step into the role,” said Bona, who is averaging 4.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 17.1 minutes across 33 games this season, “you’re never worried about if the other person is [ticked] or anything.”

Added Drummond: “He’s been seizing the opportunity, and I’m really happy for him.”

Those players have taken vastly different paths to this platoon in their second season together.

The 32-year-old Drummond, a two-time All-Star and one of the best rebounders of all time, was plagued last season by turf toe that he still manages by stepping onto an acupressure mat with replica pebble stones that press into the bottoms of his feet. Bona began his rookie season as a deep reserve who spent time in the G League before impressing as a rim protector and lob threat while sliding into the starting job when the Sixers transitioned into tank mode.

Though Bona won the backup job out of this fall’s training camp, both players had appeared to take control of that spot at various points this season. Yet even when Nurse makes a switch in the middle of the game, Bona said he “never” worries about being replaced if he stumbles during one of his stints.

“I know Coach is going to do what’s best for the team,” he said. “I don’t think I’m going to play a certain type of way to please Coach so I stay on the floor. I just go out there and give my all-out effort all the time, and whatever fits the matchup or the game at the moment, I trust Coach is going to do that.”

Those players’ differing styles and strengths, though, change how teammates such as forward Jabari Walker play alongside them.

Walker drifts out to the perimeter more frequently when Drummond is on the floor, he said, because Drummond takes up more space underneath the basket and will never pop out of a pick-and-roll. Bona’s presence allows Walker to be more aggressive defensively because they can both switch on screens and Bona is a reliable rim protector.

“It’s never a bad thing,” Walker said last week. “… They’ve done such a great job of just staying engaged and knowing that they’re both important to what our team needs. That’s all we can ask from them.”

Another frontcourt personnel wrinkle? Nurse has experimented with sliding Bona into that power forward spot next to Embiid. That duo had a plus-17.5 net rating in 40 minutes across six games entering Wednesday. Bona said learning how to play consistently in that look, where offensive spacing is crucial and going for every blocked shot is not necessary with Embiid as a defensive anchor, is a personal goal.

“[A player] should just be trying to figure out any way possible to get on the floor,” Nurse said. “And I think that’s more [Bona’s] mindset of, ‘Listen, if Joel’s healthy, he’s probably going to play a lot at the 5 [center]. So what else can I do to get some more minutes?’ And playing alongside him is obviously the answer to that.”

Bona and Drummond, whose $5 million expiring contract also makes him a player to watch entering the Feb. 5 trade deadline, are not the only Sixers navigating uncertain playing time.

Justin Edwards on Tuesday returned to the first-half rotation before Trendon Watford received second-half minutes. Nurse said pregame that the coaching staff is considering inserting guard Quentin Grimes into the starting lineup to try to jump-start the guard. With Kelly Oubre Jr. rounding back into form following a knee injury, a decision could loom about starting him or Dominick Barlow. Jared McCain has completely slipped out of the rotation and was sent on a G League assignment over the weekend.

And any time Drummond needs a mental boost throughout the uncertainty, he can glance at his right hand.

There, “DON’T QUIT” is tattooed in block letters. The placement is intentional, because “any time I put my head down, I normally see that first.” So is the message. After “doubting myself a little bit” during last season’s struggles to stay healthy and produce, Drummond decided to get the ink when he returned to Philly for the start of training camp.

“I needed to find a new way to get motivated again,” he said. “… That was my dedication to myself to not give up.”

No matter the role, which right now can shift drastically from one night to the next.

“I never take it personal,” Drummond said. “At the end of the day, I want to see everybody succeed …

“[I need to] continue to be the player that I am. Being a good locker room guy. Being ready when my number’s called. And being a great teammate.”

Kelly Oubre Jr. has found his rhythm.

There will be times when teams get physical with Tyrese Maxey and he isn’t efficient, but his overall play often makes up for it. The 76ers needed more than that on Tuesday night.

They also must do a better job of guarding the three-point line and converting their own wide-open looks.

Those things stood out in the Sixers’ 116-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Oubre is back

Tuesday marked Oubre’s eighth game back with the Sixers (23-19) since he sprained a left knee ligament against the Detroit Pistons in November. He made his second straight start and third overall in that span because Paul George was sidelined for left knee injury management.

And if we learned anything in the last two games, it’s that Oubre is back to being a solid contributor.

The 6-foot-8 small forward finished with 21 points while making 5 of 10 three-pointers against the Suns (27-17). Oubre was a game-best plus-13 in 34 minutes and added four rebounds and two steals. This comes after he had 18 points on 8-for-14 shooting along with five assists, two steals, and one block in Monday’s 113-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers. George missed both games.

Oubre has played with his trademark energy upon his return. It was just a matter of making shots. He’s now done that in each of the last three games.

“I’m not getting tired as easily as I was when I first started coming back,” Oubre said. “Obviously, I had to weather that storm and getting in game shape. But now my legs are under me. I’m able to pick up full [court], allow my defense to pick up my offense, and just lock in on my fundamentals. Everything is working out.”

Oubre’s performance didn’t prevent the Sixers from losing four of their last six games. Against the Suns, they were without Joel Embiid (right ankle injury management). So that put a heavy onus on Maxey and VJ Edgecombe (25 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and one block).

Maxey’s lack of efficiency

Maxey had his second-worst shooting performance of the season (28.0%) while shooting 7 of 25, including missing six of eight three-pointers, and finishing with 20 points. However, he had game highs of seven assists and three steals to go along with one block.

The 6-2 point guard’s all-around play usually enables him to overcome rough shooting nights. His ability to get to the rim, drain three-pointers, rack up assists, and compile steals earned him a spot as an Eastern Conference All-Star starter on Monday.

But while his versatility is great, the Sixers need him to make shots. And for the third time in his last four games, he hasn’t been efficient.

“I don’t think it’s physicality,” Maxey said. “I think it’s just more me, just a little tired. I don’t know. But it will be all right. I’ll be fine.”

The sixth-year veteran, who is third in the NBA in scoring at 30.0 points per game, believes he’ll bounce back.

“That’s what I do,” he said. “That’s why I’m here. I’ll be just fine. Take a day off tomorrow, and get some treatment. I’ll be back at it, whatever day it is. I don’t even know what day.”

The Sixers’ next game is Thursday against the Houston Rockets at home.

For a while, Maxey’s all-around contributions kept the Sixers competitive.

There was a stretch in the third when Maxey took over the game without making a basket. He stole Mark Williams’ bad pass 28 seconds into the half, raced downcourt, and assisted on Edgecombe’s three-pointer to knot the score at 57.

Maxey later assisted on three consecutive baskets — one by Oubre, followed by two straight by Dominick Barlow — to help the Sixers take a 68-61 lead with 8:44 left in the quarter.

But as the game progressed, his team needed him to make shots rather than set up teammates.

“It’s a fine line,” Maxey said. “ … I was getting in the paint, creating shots for us. But in games like this, I know we need that scoring punch, you know what I’m saying? It can come late sometimes. It can come early. But I know it’s going to be a time in the game where we need it.

“I just couldn’t make certain shots. Like, I got easy, easy, easy, easy looks tonight, like floaters, wide-open threes, layups. Just tough. Ball didn’t bounce my way tonight. So it’s all right.”

Better job of defending the three

One can argue that one of the biggest differences between the Sixers and the squad they aspire to be is consistent three-point shooting. The season will remain rocky until they correct that.

Against the Suns, they made just 11 of 34 threes (32.4%). Even that’s misleading, considering Oubre made 5 of 10. So his teammates shot 6-for-24 from deep.

It’s hard to win shooting that poorly.

Meanwhile, the Suns shot 16-for-39 from deep. A lot of their three-point attempts came on wide-open looks. The Sixers basically left Grayson Allen (16 points on 4-for-9 three-point shooting) and Royce O’Neale (nine points on 3-for-7 three-point shooting) all alone.

The Sixers also struggled with pick-and-roll defense. But the disparity at the three-point line really doomed them.