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  • Jared McCain has physically healed. But he’s not rushing the on-court results.

    Jared McCain has physically healed. But he’s not rushing the on-court results.

    MEMPHIS — Quelling fear, anxiety, loss of identity, and lack of confidence often takes longer than physically healing from injuries.

    Jared McCain knows that firsthand after having his rookie season cut short because of a torn meniscus in his left knee. And on top of that December 2024 injury, he had the start of this season delayed after he suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb in September.

    Sixers mailbag: Are the Sixers better on defense without Joel Embiid?

    How is the 76ers’ second-year guard dealing with the mental aspects of those injuries, particularly the left knee?

    “I’m doing great, probably the last step for me,” McCain said Tuesday before shootaround at FedEx Forum. “A lot of it is I like to rebound, and I have to jump as high as I can … when I’m trying to rebound. And you know, the past few games, I’ve been able to do that. I feel comfortable doing that.

    “But mentally, I’m great. I’m just trying to figure it out, still figuring it out, and it’s still a process.”

    McCain still experiences knee soreness on some days but battles through because he wants to play in as many games as he can. At the same time, he’s giving himself grace while trying to have as much fun as possible.

    McCain’s fun involves being part of the Sixers’ four-guard rotation with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes. Maxey and Edgecombe are the starting backcourt, while Grimes is the team’s sixth man. The Sixers view McCain as someone who comes off the bench to provide a spark.

    Sixers guard Jared McCain McCain has averages of 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 19.8 minutes heading into Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzles. However, he is shooting just 36.2% from the field and 32.9% from three-point range.

    “I want to provide a spark in any way possible, whether it’s picking up full court, whether it’s getting rebounds, making shots, of course,” he said, “any way I can provide a spark on the court when Coach calls my name, I’m ready to jump off the bench and come in the game and do whatever I can to help us get a lead or extend it.”

    McCain was averaging 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 19.8 minutes heading into Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. However, he was shooting just 36.2% from the field and 32.9% from three-point range.

    During a six-game stretch from Dec. 12 through Friday, McCain shot 28.8% overall and 21.1% from three. But he snapped out of his shooting slump Sunday in a road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. McCain had 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting, making 2 of 4 three-pointers.

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey among leaders in All-Star fan voting; two key players participate in practice

    He’s not concerned about his shooting.

    “I’m not going to fix anything or change anything with my shot,” McCain said. “It’s all going to come naturally. I know how to shoot. I’ve been doing it for a long time. I know there’s times like this. Again, I’ve been out for a whole year. So it’s still going to take some time to figure it out.

    “I knocked them down forever. I’m just going to continue to shoot it.”

    McCain’s confidence comes from his success as a McDonald’s All Americanand a standout at Duke, plus his status as an NBA rookie of the year front-runner last season before his injury. At every stop of his basketball career, McCain has been a stellar shooter who has dealt with and overcome shooting slumps.

    “When I was doing my meditation this morning that came in my mind about not judging myself off my results,” he said. “It’s super hard to do that because this job is basically judged off your results and your performance.

    “So I’m just trying to go into non-judgmental and watching it. How can I make the shots easier for myself? How can I find different windows to make the shot easier, and then just knocking it down? I know how to do it, and I think it’s one of those things that’s just going to come. It’s natural.”

  • Sixers mailbag: Are the Sixers better on defense without Joel Embiid?

    Sixers mailbag: Are the Sixers better on defense without Joel Embiid?

    MEMPHIS — The 76ers‘ three-game losing streak is their longest since they dropped 12 straight last season from March 17 to April 7.

    How can they turn things around?

    “I think we just take a look at where we can get better and go from there,” Paul George said Sunday after a 129-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center. “That’s really all we can do is just see where we can clean up our mistakes, whether it’s offensively or defensively.

    “We’ve got room for improvement for sure, and we’ve just got to address that.”

    The first opportunity to right the ship for the Sixers (16-14) will come Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.

    Sixers takeaways: Third-quarter blues persist, costly turnovers and more in loss to the Thunder

    The Grizzlies (15-17) are coming off a loss to the struggling Washington Wizards on Sunday night. But before that, they had won 11 of 16 games.

    Will the Sixers snap their skid? Will they solve their third-quarter woes and costly turnovers?

    We’ll find out what they’ll do shortly. In the meantime, I’ll answer a few of your mailbag questions.

    Missed out on the party? No worries. Submit questions for next time by tweeting @PompeyOnSixers to X with the hashtag #PompeysMailbagFlow.

    Q: Do the Sixers play better defense when Joel Embiid doesn’t play and isn’t on the floor? — @Donny076

    A: Thanks for starting the mailbag, Donald. Based on Friday’s loss to the Chicago Bulls, it’s logical to assume that is the case. However, the numbers indicate that the Sixers defense is better when the 7-foot-2 center plays. They have an average defensive rating of 114.2 in the 13 games he has played in this season, according to StatMuse. The Sixers’ rating is 115.9 in the 17 games he has missed.

    But you are probably asking this question because the Sixers have lost three straight and seven of the last 10 games in which Embiid has played. They also began the season 3-0 with him in the lineup. However, without Embiid, the Sixers are 10-7.

    Rookie VJ Edgecombe knows he can score. He still defers to the Sixers’ Big Three.

    Let’s face it, Embiid hasn’t played up to the level that has garnered him three All-Defensive honors.

    Teams no longer fear his defensive presence because he cannot move laterally as quickly as he used to, is constantly out of position, and seldom jumps. As a result, opponents are running pick-and-rolls to get him involved in defensive actions and switching on to him.

    But, again, the defensive rating comparison says they’re still better with him.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid has scored at least 31 points twice over his last four games.
    Q: Is there any possibility that they can realistically trade Embiid? — @Paulmon30725760

    A: This is a great question that constantly comes up, Paul. We are all aware that the 31-year-old is making $55.2 million this season, and his three-year, $193 million extension begins next season. That’s a lot of money to take on for a player with an extensive injury history who has been a shell of his former self this season. He’s averaging career lows in points (21.8 per game), rebounds (6.5), field-goal percentage (.443), and three-point shooting percentage (.259).

    But on the positive side, Embiid has scored at least 31 points twice over his last four games. The 2023 MVP is averaging 26.7 points and 8.2 rebounds over that stretch. So he is showing offensive improvement.

    Why are the Sixers winless with their Big Three? A lack of rhythm.

    If Embiid can improve his defense and provide 80% of what he once did, his addition to most teams makes them instant championship contenders.

    But an NBA executive would have to be really secure in his job to make that trade, because a lot could go wrong.

    Sixers power forward Trendon Watford is expected to be a solid piece off the bench once he returns from an adductor strain in his thigh.
    Q: When was the last time you thought the Sixers had a good bench? — @Thamass8

    A: While it had a few holes, I felt as if the Sixers had a good bench two seasons ago before they shipped away Marcus Morris and Patrick Beverley right before the NBA trade deadline. That said, the Sixers also have a solid bench this season. The issue has been poor health.

    Think about how loaded the Sixers’ bench would be if Trendon Watford and Dominick Barlow or Kelly Oubre Jr. joined Quentin Grimes, Jared McCain, and Andre Drummond as the four players off the bench. The only reason I’m providing the option to choose between Oubre or Barlow is that I think either player would fit in the starting lineup alongside George, Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey. But Barlow, a power forward, has been inserted into the lineup while Oubre is sidelined with a sprained ligament in his left knee.

    Meanwhile, Watford, who plays well in a point forward role, has also been sidelined with an adductor strain in his left thigh. When they return, the Sixers will have plenty of options. This season’s bench is actually younger and more athletic than it was two seasons ago. It just has to get healthy.

  • Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey among leaders in All-Star fan voting; two key players participate in practice

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey among leaders in All-Star fan voting; two key players participate in practice

    MEMPHIS — For the 76ers, Monday was a day of receiving great news.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford participated in practice at FedEx Forum as part of their reintegration into team activities. While the Sixers were on the court, the league announced that Tyrese Maxey was second in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall in the initial fan voting returns for the NBA All-Star Game.

    “I appreciate it,” Maxey said of the fans’ recognition. “Hopefully, it kind of shows us how we started out the season, winning some games. I don’t know what seed we are at right now, but trending in the right direction. We are in a little skid now. But at the beginning of the season, we did a good job of winning games. I think that’s a testimony to that.”

    Rookie VJ Edgecombe knows he can score. He still defers to the Sixers’ Big Three.

    The East’s sixth-place Sixers (16-14) head into Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies with a season-high three-game losing streak. After starting the season 4-0, they have gone 12-14. But the one constant has been Maxey, the league’s third-leading scorer at 30.7 points per game.

    “For me personally, I think my talent level has been shown in the NBA,” he said. “I think it’s growing. But for me, it’s winning games. That’s what shows like a big gap, a big difference, and a big talent level: impact on your team. When you have that type of impact, when you can help your team win games, that’s what I want to be known for.”

    Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Dončić is the league’s top vote-getter with 1,249,518 votes, while Milwaukee Bucks forward and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the East at 1,192,296. Maxey has 1,072,449 votes.

    Fans account for 50% of the vote to determine the 10 starters for the All-Star Game, which will be played on Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. A media panel and NBA players will each account for 25% of the vote. This season, All-Stars are being selected regardless of position.

    Under a new format, two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players (the World team) will compete in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games.

    “It would be cool,” Maxey said of being voted an All-Star starter. “I watched Joel [Embiid] start in an All-Star Game before. It was actually really cool to be out there and watch him. So if I’m blessed with the opportunity, I definitely won’t take it for granted.

    Joel Embiid (left) was an All-Star starter for Team LeBron in 2023.

    “You never know how many opportunities you get like that. Hopefully, I get to watch VJ [Edgecombe] and probably Jared [McCain] on Friday [Feb. 13 in the Rising Stars competition]. So we’ll see.”

    Embiid, who’s 17th in the voting (102,017), is the only other Sixer among the top 20 vote-getters in the East.

    The second voting update will be on Jan. 6. Fan voting concludes at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 14.

    Oubre (sprained left knee ligament) and Watford (strained left thigh muscle) will remain sidelined when the Sixers face the Grizzlies, while Embiid (sprained right ankle) is listed as questionable. But Oubre and Watford made their most significant strides in their return-to-play program on Monday.

    After practice, both players stayed to participate in individual workouts. Oubre even did wind sprints on the court.

    The 6-foot-7 swingman has been sidelined since suffering his knee sprain against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 14. Watford, a 6-9 point forward, has been out since suffering his injury against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 25.

    “Right now, I consider myself day to day,” Watford said when asked if he expects to return at some point during the final three games of the Sixers’ five-game road trip.

    Why are the Sixers winless with their Big Three? A lack of rhythm.

    After facing the Grizzlies (15-17), the Sixers will play the Dallas Mavericks on New Year’s Day at American Airlines Center before concluding the trip on Saturday against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

    “I was able to get some halfcourt in,” Watford said Monday. “The next step is getting some full-court in and seeing how I respond from there. But I feel good, but now, it’s on the team to clear these last two checkpoints.”

    If he does some full-court workouts on Tuesday and/or Wednesday, there’s a chance Watford could return as early as Thursday against the Mavs.

    Watford was one of the team’s top free-agent additions this summer. He provides frontcourt depth, and the Sixers also signed him to take over some of the ballhandling duties. The Alabama native, who is in his fifth season in the NBA, showed he’s more than capable while collecting 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists for his first career triple-double against the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8. He averaged 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 14 games with four starts.

    “Luckily, I was able to play a good amount … before I did get hurt,” he said. “I was able to get a good rhythm with the team and play with the guys. But it’s unfortunate. But it could always be worse, and I could be sitting up there for the rest of the season.

    “So thank God I’m not, and I get to get back out there with the guys and get back to helping the team.”

  • Sixers takeaways: Third-quarter blues persist, costly turnovers and more in loss to the Thunder

    Sixers takeaways: Third-quarter blues persist, costly turnovers and more in loss to the Thunder

    OKLAHOMA CITY — The 76ers must solve their third-quarter problem.

    They also need to take better care of the ball.

    And with the schedule getting tougher, the Sixers look like they blew golden opportunities to get much-needed victories against the struggling Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls.

    Sixers lose third straight game in 129-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder

    These things stood out in Sunday’s 129-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center.

    Another third-quarter struggle

    The Sixers (16-14) are now riding their first three-game losing streak of the season. But for a half, they appeared capable of beating the defending NBA champion Thunder, who have the league’s best record (27-5).

    The teams played through six lead changes and 12 ties before Oklahoma City took a 64-62 advantage into the intermission. Afterward, the Thunder ramped up their defense, taking the ball out of hands of Tyrese Maxey, who had 23 points on 8-for-10 shooting in the first half. The Sixers point guard was held scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting in the third quarter, while the Sixers were outscored 38-24. Maxey added five points in the fourth to finish with a team-high 28 points on 10-for-18 shooting — including missing five of seven three-pointers — to go with five assists and a game-high four steals.

    But the damage was done in the third quarter as the Thunder stretched a two-point lead into an 18-point cushion. They extended their lead to 27 in the fourth.

    Tyrese Maxey (left) had 23 of his 28 points in the first half to lead the Sixers in scoring.

    “The last game [against the Bulls], I was really aggressive in the third, which kind of helped us a little bit,” Maxey said. “Tonight, I got in the paint and passed a few times, like they were collapsing. But you know, Joel [Embiid] was on me, third quarters you got to go out there and go for it every single time. I’m going to try to do that.”

    But in Maxey’s defense, he made the right plays. He just didn’t get a lot of help.

    Turnover woes

    The Sixers were also doomed by turning the ball over.

    They committed eight that turned into 14 points for the Thunder in the third quarter. And 14 of their 23 turnovers came in the second half.

    “Just the whole second half was we were playing, obviously, the big amount of turnovers put us in trouble, getting our defense set up,” coach Nick Nurse said. “It’s obvious zero points per chance on 14 turnovers. It’s just way too many. I told the guys, the No. 1 key to the game. And a few of them, were like they are going to guard, they are going to pressure, they are going to deny, you know that. But there’s a good 10 of those are just our fault that we just didn’t make a strong enough play or the right read or whatever.”

    Rookie VJ Edgecombe knows he can score. He still defers to the Sixers’ Big Three.

    Dealing with missed opportunities

    Beating the Thunder was always going to be a tough task for the Sixers. But now, they take their longest losing streak of the season into Tuesday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.

    The Grizzlies were 15-16 heading into Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards. Memphis had won six of their last nine contests.

    As a result, the Sixers are preparing for a tough test. Then their final two games of the road trip are against the Dallas Mavericks (Thursday) and the New York Knicks (Saturday) before hosting the Denver Nuggets (Jan. 5).

    Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (right) had a game-high 29 points against the Sixers.

    With that, the Sixers could be in a downward spiral on the heels of blown opportunities in losses to the Nets (on Tuesday) and Bulls (on Friday).

    “I don’t really look at it in any of those ways,” Nurse said. “I mean, I thought we played well enough in Chicago to win. Just needed to play a little bit better down the stretch. Brooklyn, we didn’t play well enough to win. They had a big night. They continued that.

    Why are the Sixers winless with their Big Three? A lack of rhythm.

    “I don’t think that who we’re playing and who we played matters that much, because certain teams get in hot streaks. Doesn’t really matter what their records are.”

    Nurse added that teams with good records don’t always play well, either.

    “So we just got to play what’s in front of us,” he said, “and try to bounce back.”

  • Sixers lose third straight game in 129-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder

    Sixers lose third straight game in 129-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder

    OKLAHOMA CITY — Chet Holmgren had 29 points and nine rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder pulled away in the second half for a 129-104 victory over the 76ers on Sunday, ending a two-game skid.

    Holmgren made 12 of 17 shots, including 2 of 4 from three-point range for Oklahoma City (27-5), which was coming off consecutive losses to the San Antonio Spurs.

    The Thunder shot 50 for 87 (57%).

    Rookie VJ Edgecombe knows he can score. He still defers to the Sixers’ Big Three.

    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 27 points, five assists and two steals, and Jalen Williams added 14 points and six assists for the NBA-leading Thunder.

    Gilgeous-Alexander made 10 of 13 field goals and shot 7 for 9 from the line before sitting out the fourth quarter. He scored at least 20 points for the 103rd consecutive game.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (left) led the team in scoring with 28 points against the Thunder.

    Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points, Quentin Grimes had 13 and former Oklahoma City star Paul George added 12 for the Sixers (16-14), which played without injured starter Joel Embiid (ankle). Philadelphia committed 23 turnovers leading to 31 Oklahoma City points.

    George received a warm welcome from the Oklahoma City crowd. His 2019 trade to the Clippers helped shape the NBA champion Thunder, who received Gilgeous-Alexander and later Williams in the deal.

    The Thunder made their first nine field goals, but Maxey helped the Sixers keep it close with 23 first-half points. His three-pointer with 1 minute, 42 seconds left in the second quarter gave Philadelphia a 61-59 lead. But Gilgeous-Alexander’s 13-footer with 36.2 seconds left gave Oklahoma City a 64-62 lead at the break.

    Oklahoma City took control in the third quarter, outscoring Philadelphia 38-24 for a 102-86 lead heading into the fourth. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 11 points in the third before taking a seat.

    The Sixers continue their roadtrip with the Memphis Grizzlies up next on Tuesday night (8 p.m., NBC10, Peacock).

  • Rookie VJ Edgecombe knows he can score. He still defers to the Sixers’ Big Three.

    Rookie VJ Edgecombe knows he can score. He still defers to the Sixers’ Big Three.

    OKLAHOMA CITY — VJ Edgecombe’s patience on the court is undeniable.

    One might expect the third overall pick in June’s NBA draft to be anxious about making an impact. But the 6-foot-5 shooting guard picks his spots while deferring to Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George, the 76ers’ three maximum-salary players.

    “The ultimate goal is just winning,” Edgecombe said. “I just want to win, to be honest. I know I was picked [No. 3], but they brought me here just so I can make plays. We have three prolific scorers. I don’t have to score the ball. I have to pick my times, but I must stay aggressive also. But I’m also a player that just wants to win.

    “So whatever that takes, if it takes me guarding the best players on the defensive end, if that takes me playmaking, whatever, getting in the paint just to make plays for everyone else, I will do that.”

    Why are the Sixers winless with their Big Three? A lack of rhythm.

    Staying aggressive has made him a human highlight film with his high-flying dunks. And it allows him to showcase his overall skill set when needed. Folks are still raving about his season-opening performance against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Oct. 22.

    That night, the 20-year-old scored 34 points to help lead the Sixers to victory. 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 that was Embiid’s first game since February of last season, and George was sidelined with left-knee injury management. So the Sixers needed Edgecombe’s scoring prowess. Since then, the rookie has shown his scoring ability in spurts. Sometimes he’ll dominate play in a quarter or for a half — when needed. But other than that, Edgecombe defers to the Big Three.

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe is averaging 15.8 points a game.

    He took averages of 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals into Sunday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center.

    “It comes with patience,” he said. “It comes with just learning the game. I know as the No. 3 pick, but I’m on a team with people that can do that. They can score 30 a night. I can still score. I just want to win. Whatever it takes, that’s the most important thing.”

    Sixers coach Nick Nurse praised Edgecombe for having a “really good feel for the game.” He noted that the rookie doesn’t get sped up during games. Still, Nurse would not mind seeing more.

    Sixers takeaways: Bulls target Joel Embiid’s defense, Tyrese Maxey’s offense in 109-102 loss

    “I would say, I probably would lean on him to be a little bit more aggressive,” the coach said. “I think there’s more opportunities for him to use his abilities, especially in transition, up the floor, etc.

    “So, again, great feel for it. You know me well enough that I’m always pushing these guys to go a little bit more on the aggressive side, not necessarily for their own shots, but just to play-make. Get in there and draw two defenders, draw three defenders. Figure out how to start doing that and make the right play, create on offense.”

  • Why are the Sixers winless with their Big Three? A lack of rhythm.

    Why are the Sixers winless with their Big Three? A lack of rhythm.

    OKLAHOMA CITY — The word gets thrown around a lot after the rare 76ers games in which Paul George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey all play.

    Rhythm.

    The lack of it is apparent when the Sixers find themselves trailing, when their offense melts into predictable isolation plays, rushed heaves, and unforced turnovers.

    A lack of health is one reason why the odds are against the Sixers’ Big Three ever living up to their lofty expectations. A lack of self-awareness may be another. But the lack of rhythm seems to be the go-to explanation for the team’s 0-4 record when the three maximum-salary players all play.

    Sixers takeaways: Bulls target Joel Embiid’s defense, Tyrese Maxey’s offense in 109-102 loss

    “I think we need to figure it out and look at it, right?” coach Nick Nurse said when asked if he’s concerned. “I mean, it’s been a little sporadic as far as when they played together. That doesn’t help. I mean, I’d really like 10 or 15, 20 straight games so we can kind of start building some stuff and figuring out when to go where and get a little bit of rhythm and synergy. It’s just so choppy when they play together as far as in consecutive games. It’s hard to build rhythm.”

    The trio won’t get an opportunity to build rhythm in Sunday’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.

    Embiid will miss the contest with a sprained right ankle and right knee injury management. Meanwhile, George is probable with left knee injury management.

    But if we’re honest, the Sixers (16-13) have no business remaining winless in games featuring their three best players.

    Sure, George is finally regaining his old form after missing 15 games due to left-knee injury management and another one due to a sprained right ankle. And Embiid, no longer a dominant force on both ends of the court, has lacked his usual bounce and lateral movement. Sunday will mark the 17th game he’ll miss while dealing with injuries to both knees and now his ankle.

    The Sixers’ tempo has even suffered when the 7-foot-2, 280-pounder is on the floor. Instead of being a fast-paced and athletic ball-moving squad, the Sixers’ offense becomes stagnant. Defensively, has been a struggle for the 2023 MVP, who is a seven-time All-Star and three-time All-Defensive selection.

    No longer fearing him, teams are running pick-and-rolls to get Embiid involved in defensive actions and switching onto him. And they’ve been successful due to his inability to move as quickly as he used to laterally and his constantly appearing out of position. That has led to players feasting on Embiid, who rarely jumps or comes out to contest shots. Nor is he able to consistently prevent players he once dominated from getting to the rim.

    Sixers sign former Bucks first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp to two-way contract

    But he’s averaged 29 points on 18 for 32 shooting — including shooting 60% on three-pointers — over his last two games, which featured the Big Three. Yet, that didn’t make a difference against two opponents the Sixers should have defeated.

    They suffered a 114-106 loss to the struggling Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. At the time, the Sixers could have used the excuse of playing without three of their most athletic players in VJ Edgecombe, Dominick Barlow, and Quentin Grimes due to illness.

    Edgecombe, Barlow, and Grimes returned for Friday’s game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Sixers were supposed to avenge their Nov. 4 loss in Chicago, a game in which they squandered a 24-point lead.

    Joel Embiid has not been the same type of defensive deterrent for opposing teams as he has been in past seasons.

    Instead, the Sixers suffered a 109-102 loss after shooting 23.8% in the fourth quarter — including missing nine of 10 three-pointers. George scored three fourth-quarter points on 1-for-3 shooting, but that’s a little bit misleading.

    Despite George having a hot hand in the third quarter and the start of the fourth, the Sixers stopped involving him in the offense. As a result, George didn’t attempt a shot after re-entering the game with 5 minutes, 26 seconds remaining.

    Meanwhile, Maxey made just 2 of 9 shots while scoring six of his 27 points in the fourth quarter. Embiid had four points on 1-for-4 shooting in the final quarter on a night he finished with a game-high 31 points.

    This comes after George said on Tuesday that figuring “out how to find rhythm, playing off one another” was the next step for the Big Three to get a victory.

    On Friday, he was asked the same question.

    “It just comes down to us locking in,” George said. “Again, this was a game that we should have closed. A game we should have won. Just comes down to us locking in down the stretch. Again, this is a possession game, and close the game out. That’s when we need to be at our best.”

    But while those three players are “locking in” and trying to build rhythm, the role players have been uninvolved.

    Paul George says the Sixers need to start “locking in” and closing out winnable games.

    “I think we have to get better on both ends of the floor,” George said. “We have been getting stagnant out there, and that’s made us play a little slower. [Friday], that affected us, especially down the stretch. Chicago was able to dial into us, and they made the plays in the last few minutes. That was the game for us.”

    Despite their struggles, the Sixers remained in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings heading into Saturday’s slate of games. Yet, they are about to face their toughest test of the season in OKC. This is the second stop of a five-game road trip for the Sixers.

    The defending NBA champion Thunder have the league’s best record at 26-5 and are 14-1 at home. Oklahoma City is precisely the type of squad that a team still trying to develop rhythm wouldn’t want to face.

    “What’s tough is that we haven’t been able to have much practice time with all three of us on the floor,” Maxey said. “And that’s something we need to deal with, because the games are different. They are much different. We missed a lot of shots that we should have made. Those things happen.

    “But, we have to figure it out, quick.”

  • Joel Embiid will miss Sixers’ matchup against Oklahoma City due to a sprained ankle

    Joel Embiid will miss Sixers’ matchup against Oklahoma City due to a sprained ankle

    OKLAHOMA CITY — Joel Embiid has been ruled out for Sunday’s afternoon game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center with a sprained right ankle and right-knee injury management.

    The 76ers center has been dealing with right knee issues since early November, which led to him missing nine consecutive games earlier in the season.

    However, Embiid’s absence from the Thunder game should not come as a surprise. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder usually doesn’t play with less than two days in between games. He played in Friday’s 109-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls. So, according to his regular schedule, Embiid wouldn’t play again until at least Tuesday.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid will miss Sunday’s game against Oklahoma City due to a sprained ankle.

    Embiid is averaging 21.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. He finished with 31 points and five rebounds in the road loss to the Bulls.

    He’s already missed 16 of the Sixers’ 29 games this season.

    Sixers takeaways: Bulls target Joel Embiid’s defense, Tyrese Maxey’s offense in 109-102 loss

    Embiid isn’t the only Sixer who will miss the game. Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) will remain sidelined. Meanwhile, Paul George (left knee injury management) is probable.

    The defending NBA champion Thunder have the league’s best record of 26-5. They’re also 14-1 at home.

  • Sixers takeaways: Bulls target Joel Embiid’s defense, Tyrese Maxey’s offense in 109-102 loss

    Sixers takeaways: Bulls target Joel Embiid’s defense, Tyrese Maxey’s offense in 109-102 loss

    CHICAGO — Joel Embiid scored the ball with ease but didn’t do much else.

    Tyrese Maxey shot poorly, then got hot before regressing down the stretch.

    And Paul George continued to be an asset for the 76ers, even when he struggles to make shots. But his teammates didn’t continue to feed him the ball once he finally got hot.

    Those things stood out in Friday’s 109-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

    Solid scoring, poor defense

    Embiid had one of his best offensive performances of the season and finished with 31 points on 10-for-19 shooting to go with five rebounds, one assist, and a block. The 7-foot-2 center made two of his four three-pointers and all nine of his foul shots. He did all of that while noticeably limited by his ailing right knee.

    Embiid gingerly ran up and down the court. The 2023 league MVP also grabbed his knee while grimacing in pain on the three occasions he fell to the floor. That has been the case on most nights that Embiid plays.

    The seven-time All-Star struggled mightily on defense. He didn’t show much lateral movement and constantly appeared to be out of position. As a result, the Bulls’ post players feasted on him. Embiid didn’t have the quickness to come out and contest shots, nor was he able to prevent anyone from getting to the rim.

    “I don’t know about that,” coach Nick Nurse said when a reporter pointed out Embiid’s defensive struggles. “I got to look at that first [on film]. I thought he had some really good possessions by him defensively. But let me look at the film first before I comment. I don’t think that.”

    This appears to be the version of Embiid the Sixers (16-13) will have to live with.

    But he stepped up offensively after the Bulls knotted the score at 96 with 5 minutes, 11 seconds remaining. Embiid drained a pair of foul shots to give the Sixers a two-point cushion 10 seconds later. Then on their next possession, he assisted on Maxey’s layup that made it a 100-96 game.

    But after scoring a layup, Embiid was dunked on at the other end. On the Bulls’ next possession, Coby White shot a three-pointer over Embiid to give the Bulls a 104-102 advantage with 1:54 to go.

    None of this was surprising as Chicago (15-15) was attacking him on screen-and-roll plays all night.

    Cold to hot to cold

    For a minute, it appeared that Maxey would have his second straight horrid shooting night.

    He couldn’t find his rhythm while struggling through 3-for-14 shooting in Tuesday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets. He continued where he left off in the first quarter of Friday’s game, scoring three points on 1-for-7 shooting.

    A lot of his early issues were because of the Bulls’ defense.

    The standout point guard drew two and three defenders and had a tough time getting to his preferred spots on the floor.

    But Maxey made his first three shots while scoring nine points on 3-for-4 shooting in the second quarter. He did the same thing in the third, adding nine more points while making 3 of 4 shots. The 2024 All-Star’s persistence is why he’s an All-NBA candidate.

    Then came the fourth quarter, when he had six points on 2-for-9 shooting as the Sixers faded. Maxey finished with 27 points, eight assists, and two blocks.

    George’s contribution

    George made solid contributions, even though it took the forward a while to find his shooting touch. He played solid defense, grabbed rebounds, and initiated the offense while recording 15 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists. George shot 5-for-15 — including going 4-of-9 on three-pointers.

    He was held to three points on 1-for-5 shooting while missing both of his three-point attempts before intermission. George got going in the third quarter, when he made three huge three-pointers and had nine points.

    He made a three-pointer at the start of the fourth quarter to give the Sixers a seven-point cushion. The nine-time All-Star then missed two shot attempts before subbing out with 6:41 left.

    Sixers sign former Bucks first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp to two-way contract

    However, he didn’t attempt a shot after reentering the game with 5:26 remaining.

    Would Nurse like to see George more involved in the fourth quarter after his solid third period?

    “Yeah, for sure,” he said. “I think that we certainly got him going in the third. Tried to stagger some different guys in there to do just that. He was giving on defense there. He was really playing hard and was doing a lot at both ends, obviously on the boards, everything, yeah.

    “Yeah, I would have liked to see him get a few shots. But I don’t feel like there was any real horrendous possession. … I can think about some wide-open shots and some shots at the rim. We just didn’t finish them.”

    But what did George see late in the game? Did the Bulls have a defense centered on denying him the ball? Why was he was unable to get involved?

    “I just think it was the actions,” George said. “You know, I wasn’t in the actions. Yeah, that’s just kind of how it played out at the end.”

    In any sport, the cardinal rule is to feed the hot hand. The Sixers didn’t do that, and it contributed to their loss.

    But if there’s a positive, it’s that George continues to show that he can do many things to make an impact.

  • Sixers lose 109-102 to Chicago Bulls despite Joel Embiid’s 31 points

    Sixers lose 109-102 to Chicago Bulls despite Joel Embiid’s 31 points

    CHICAGO — Jalen Smith sparked a game-ending run with a thunderous dunk on Joel Embiid, and the Chicago Bulls matched a season high with their fifth straight win, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 109-102 on Friday night.

    The Bulls scored the final 10 points of the game, starting with Smith’s driving dunk. Tre Jones and Zach Collins each had 15 points, and Coby White scored 13, helping the Bulls match their best streak since a 5-0 start. They also evened their record at 15-15.

    Embiid led Philadelphia with 31 points. Tyrese Maxey scored 27 and had five 3-pointers. Paul George shook off a slow start to finish with 15 points and a season-high 12 rebounds, but the 76ers lost for the fourth time in as many games this season with their three stars in the lineup.

    The Sixers led 102-99 after Embiid backed in with 2:45 remaining, but that was all the scoring for them. Smith then drove the baseline and dunked on a rotating Embiid with about 2:30 remaining, bringing the crowd to its feet.

    White then nailed a step back 3, drawing more roars, and Jones hit a reverse layup. After a driving Maxey got blocked by Nikola Vucevic, Jones tracked down a loose ball and laid it in with 47 seconds left. He added a free throw with 17 seconds remaining.

    Embiid, who has missed 15 games mainly due to right knee soreness, scored 16 points as the cold-shooting Sixers grabbed a 52-49 halftime lead.

    Philadelphia made just 3 of 15 3-pointers and was 19 of 50 from the field through the first two quarters. Even so, the Sixers went from leading 13-2 to trailing by 11 early in the second to taking a three-point advantage to the locker room.