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  • Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George finally shared the floor. And the Sixers have a lot of work to do.

    Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George finally shared the floor. And the Sixers have a lot of work to do.

    While the game didn’t provide a definitive answer to how competitive the 76ers will be, it did present some encouraging and not-so-encouraging signs.

    Sunday’s 142-134 setback to the Atlanta Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena marked the first time Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey have been on the floor together this season.

    Sunday also marked just the 19th game that Embiid, George, and Maxey played together since George signed his four-year, $211.5 million deal on July 6, 2024. This was only the 16th game that all three finished. In those 16 games, the Sixers are 7-9.

    “It was just great to get out there with those guys,” George said of the Big Three. “We just logged minutes together. I thought it was just a ton of excitement. But we obviously got work to do.”

    On paper, Maxey, Embiid, and George are a solid mix.

    Maxey is a budding superstar. Embiid is the former MVP and arguably one of the NBA’s all-time best scoring big men. George is a nine-time All-Star forward and three-level scorer. And despite coming off July’s left knee surgery, the 35-year-old still appears to be an elite defender. However, the problem is their usage.

    Maxey is good enough that if the right co-stars surround him, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder could excel like the Cleveland Cavaliers’ perennial All-Star, Donovan Mitchell.

    The Sixers’ point guard is playing at an All-NBA level. If you put the ball in his hands, he’ll make plays for you offensively.

    And on Sunday, the Embiid, George, and Maxey lineup looked improved compared to their limited games together last season. But it was far from Eastern Conference championship worthy.

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    There were times against the Hawks when the lineup looked clunky. Embiid still spends most of his time on the perimeter. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder’s outside presence often gets in his teammates’ driving lanes to the basket.

    But when things did run smoothly, Maxey and Embiid did a solid job of orchestrating the pick-and-roll and keeping George involved. George, however, failed to knock down wide-open three-point shots on passes from the duo.

    There was one moment in the fourth quarter when Maxey dished the ball to Embiid in the pick-and-roll. The seven-time All-Star, in turn, passed to a wide-open George in the corner. But he missed the 24-footer.

    Then, a couple of possessions later, Maxey dished to George, who again was left wide-open in the corner for a three. He missed, again.

    But in his defense, George isn’t known as a catch-and-shoot three-point shooter.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid drives to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

    There were also times when the offense flowed perfectly with the trio on the floor together. And if we learned something in the overtime sessions, it’s that the Sixers need George, Embiid, and Maxey on the floor together more.

    The Sixers often replaced George and Embiid with undersized, nonshooting post players, which resulted in Maxey drawing extra attention. And he was also blitzed on screens, making it harder to free Maxey with screens or switches.

    But due to a minutes restriction, George’s night was over after the opening minute, 22 seconds of the first overtime. Meanwhile, Embiid was unable to play in the second overtime due to his minutes restriction. Sunday marked Embiid’s first game since Nov. 8 and seventh this season due to knee injuries. This was just George’s fifth game because of left knee injury recovery and a sprained right ankle.

    Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid’s motivated play, Tyrese Maxey’s missed free throws and more in loss to Hawks

    Without Embiid’s presence and George’s playmaking and stellar defense, the Sixers went Maxey or bust in the second overtime.

    He tried to do his part, scoring all eight of his team’s points in the five-minute session. However, the Sixers’ small-ball lineup struggled on the boards. Atlanta outrebounded them, 7-2, in the second overtime, which enabled it to score seven second-chance points.

    “It was tough not having [Embiid] out there in the second overtime,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He got us some open space to play in, with him just being on the floor. He created a lot of offense for us.”

    Sixers forward Paul George was limited to 28 minutes against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

    Maxey finished with game highs of 44 points and nine assists to go with seven rebounds, six turnovers, and one block in 52:18. He scored 24 of his points over the fourth quarter and overtime sessions.

    The Sixers walked away believing a victory would’ve been in the cards had Embiid, George, and VJ Edgecombe, who also sat out the extra sessions due to a minutes restriction, all played at the end. And they’re probably right under those circumstances on that particular night.

    The Hawks were without perennial All-Star guard Trae Young and standout center Kristaps Porziņģis.

    Right now, the Sixers are having a tough time beating quality opponents.

    But …

    Sixers mailbag: Does it make sense to try to trade Paul George before the trade deadline?

    “I never get real satisfaction out of not winning,” said Nurse, whose Sixers (10-9) have lost nine of 15 games after starting 4-0. “Right now, though, we’ve gotten so thin over the last 10, 12 days. It’s just nice to have a few guys filtering back in. That’s like hopefully we can come out of this, obviously, we try to recover and rejuvenate [Monday], and hopefully, we can get most of the guys back on the floor Tuesday, again.

    “And hopefully, the minute restrictions will start going up a little bit again. That’s something to look forward to again.”

    The Sixers entertain the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The Wizards improved to 3-16 after Monday’s 129-126 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. They were riding a 14-game losing streak before defeating the Hawks on Nov. 25.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and center Joel Embiid shown during the loss to the Hawks on Sunday.

    Embiid will miss Tuesday’s matchup due to what’s labeled a right knee injury recovery.

    But once he returns, the Sixers must face reality.

    Right now, they have a high-scoring speedster in Maxey and a big man who barely plays in Embiid. And when the 31-year-old does play, he doesn’t really move, especially defensively, following April’s arthroscopic left knee surgery. It was his second left knee surgery in 14 months and third in nine years.

    Even though he’s averaging 32.3 points, the Sixers can’t count on Maxey to score 44 points every night. And at times this season — including Sunday — it appeared Embiid wasn’t trying on defense or just wasn’t able to get to a spot.

    Offensively, the Sixers can give the ball to him, and he’ll score. He is averaging 19.4 points in just 24.3 minutes in seven games.

    The problem is they’re not going to beat quality opponents with Embiid being limited. But the Sixers have to endure the process of acclimating Embiid and George, and there will likely be some collateral damage.

    After all, the Sixers have been most successful in an up-tempo offense centered around ball movement. Yet Embiid is better suited to a two-man game with Maxey and isolation plays.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid holds the basketball out with teammate guard Tyrese Maxey past Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels on Sunday, November 30, 2025 in Philadelphia.

    “It’s different because he’s still really good,” Maxey said. “We still got to get him the ball. We also got to run our stuff. It’s going to come with time. … I think that may be VJ’s first time playing with Joel and Paul. A lot of guys’ first time playing with them.

    “So we haven’t really practiced with that group. It’s kind of hard, but that’s no excuse. I think we did a good enough job to win the game. We played well. We got to finish those out.”

    Joel Embiid begins another season restart: ‘You can’t put your head down and whine about it’

    But they’re elated to show some improvement.

    “I thought offensively, it kind of felt like we did have a better little rhythm out there, kind of finding, picking, choosing different lineups to incorporate, whether it’s pick-and-rolls, positioning on the floor,” George said. “And then defensively, I thought there were a lot of positives there. But again, all of it is now we’ve got to get to work and try to be consistent together.”

    While that was encouraging, the Sixers still have a long way to go.

  • Joel Embiid will miss Sixers’ game vs. Wizards; Paul George listed as questionable

    Joel Embiid will miss Sixers’ game vs. Wizards; Paul George listed as questionable

    Joel Embiid is back to recuperating.

    The 76ers center will miss Tuesday’s game against the Washington Wizards at Xfinity Mobile Arena due to a right knee injury recovery. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder played in Sunday’s double-overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks after missing the previous nine games because of knee injuries.

    Sixers mailbag: Does it make sense to try to trade Paul George before the trade deadline?

    Embiid finished with 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a block in a season-high 30 minutes. He played after initially being listed as out for the game on Saturday’s injury report. The 2023 MVP was upgraded to questionable on Sunday’s pregame report before being cleared to play before the game.

    Sixers forward Paul George scored 16 points in Sunday’s against the Hawks.

    He’s not the only Sixer missing Tuesday’s game.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) will remain sidelined. Meanwhile, Paul George (left knee injury recovery/lower back tightness) and Andre Drummond (sprained right knee) are questionable.

    Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid’s motivated play, Tyrese Maxey’s missed free throws and more in loss to Hawks

    Embiid has already missed 12 of the Sixers’ 19 games because of his knee ailments. He is averaging 19.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 24.3 minutes.

  • Joel Embiid begins another season restart: ‘You can’t put your head down and whine about it’

    Joel Embiid begins another season restart: ‘You can’t put your head down and whine about it’

    As 76ers public-address announcer Matt Cord rolled through Sunday’s starting lineup, an in-arena camera caught Joel Embiid jogging down the hallway that connects the locker room to the tunnel. He then met his huddled teammates, who bounced and threw their arms in the air while engulfing the former MVP.

    Embiid was back — again — from a nine-game absence because of an issue in his right knee. He described his first half as successful and his second half as “a little rough,” while totaling 18 points, four rebounds, and two assists in a season-high 30 minutes in a double-overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Before training camp, Embiid said he was prepared to face unpredictable health flare-ups that would force personal restarts throughout the season. He stressed the need to navigate them methodically and with positivity.

    Sixers mailbag: Does it make sense to try to trade Paul George before the trade deadline?

    So how would he evaluate his ability to put that mentality into practice?

    “It was OK,” Embiid said at his locker after the game. “Obviously, like I said, it’s going to happen, so you can’t put your head down and whine about it. Keep working hard and trying to get back at it as close as possible.

    “What can we do? The only thing you can do is keep doing the right things, focusing on the right things, and go from there.”

    Sunday’s return meant the 10-9 Sixers’ max-contract players Embiid, Tyrese Maxey (44 points, nine assists, seven rebounds), and Paul George (16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, five steals) — plus third overall draft pick VJ Edgecombe (seven points, two assists, two steals) — played together for the first time. And though Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) and Trendon Watford (thigh) remain out, it was the closest the Sixers have gotten to a “normal” top of the rotation — at least in the first half, before minutes restrictions became a factor.

    Joel Embiid passes to Tyrese Maxey, who led the Sixers with 44 points against the Hawks on Sunday.

    That it took until Game 19 to achieve this was unfortunate for Embiid, who said he was “actually getting back to myself” just before reporting soreness in his right knee the morning of a Nov. 11 home game against the Boston Celtics.

    His day-to-day status turned into nearly three weeks, including recent toggles between questionable to play and out. Embiid said Sunday that uncertainty was due to how his knee responded to on-court sessions.

    He was initially ruled out for Sunday’s game on the NBA’s official injury report, before getting upgraded to questionable in the afternoon. He stepped onto the court for his pregame warmup about 45 minutes before tipoff, then was officially announced as in the starting lineup.

    Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid’s motivated play, Tyrese Maxey’s missed free throws and more in loss to Hawks

    On the Sixers’ first possession, Embiid took his defender off the dribble to get to his spot for an elbow jumper. He hit a baseline fadeaway in the second period, then two more textbook mid-range shots. At halftime, he had 11 points on an efficient 4-of-6 shooting in 13 minutes.

    Coach Nick Nurse said he was pleased with how Embiid created offense and open space for teammates in a variety of ways. He set pin-down screens, or began possessions in the corner while George and Dominick Barlow ran pick-and-rolls in the middle of the floor. He executed dribble handoffs with Quentin Grimes. And though he could lean on his exceptional two-man chemistry with Maxey when the game got tight down the stretch, Embiid reiterated his desire to contribute to the Sixers’ faster-paced, passer-friendly offense.

    “I can make nine of those 10 shots [off the short roll] every single time,” Embiid said. “It’s easy to get there. But I think it’s also better when everybody else is involved and we play together.”

    Added Maxey: “It’s different, because he’s still really good. We’ve still got to get him the ball. We’ve also got to run our stuff. … We haven’t really practiced with that group [with George and Edgecombe], so it’s kind of hard. But that’s no excuse. I think we did a good enough job to win the game.”

    When Maxey’s heroic game-tying three-pointer forced overtime, Embiid said he “fought hard” to play in the extra frame. He missed both shot attempts during that stretch but helped Barlow protect the rim on a Jalen Johnson miss with 5.3 seconds to go.

    Embiid then “wasn’t allowed” to stretch his minutes restriction further to play in the second overtime. It was an obvious absence because of the “simple” package of plays the Sixers can run through the big man even while he is limited physically. Nurse noted that smaller players attempted to set screens for Maxey, but they “couldn’t hardly get up there because of the physicality” of the Hawks.

    “I still felt like there’s something I could have done,” Embiid said, “just being on the floor.”

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    Embiid said he will not judge his progress on his shot-making but by how he moves laterally and jumps. Though a hesitancy (or inability) to get airborne for rebounds was obvious, Embiid said Sunday’s effective first half was a “good step” on which to build.

    And the need for another personal restart is no surprise to Embiid.

    “If anybody thinks that I don’t want to play every game, that’s their problem,” he said. “But I think, this year, I’ve shown that I would do anything just to play one game of basketball. … You’ve just got to trust what you’re doing, and in God, and be OK with the fact that whatever happens, happens.

    “If I have something [that] happened to me like it happened, what can I do? Just go out and rehab, and come back as soon as possible. That’s the mindset.”

  • The Washington Post snubbed Philly on list of America’s best sports cities. Here are nine reasons they’re wrong.

    The Washington Post snubbed Philly on list of America’s best sports cities. Here are nine reasons they’re wrong.

    The Washington Post’s opinion section enlisted nine writers to share which American city they think deserves the title of the nation’s best sports city.

    Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Boston — even the likes of Kansas City and Cleveland got a mention. Which city was snubbed? Philadelphia.

    Taking a look through the comments of their recent Instagram post promoting the list, not to mention the nearly 800 comments on the column itself, we’re not the only ones who raised an eyebrow at the exclusion of Philly from the list.

    So we got nine of our own writers to argue why Philadelphia is the nation’s best sports city. Enjoy.

    It means more to us

    Mike Sielski, sports columnist

    Philadelphia is America’s best sports city because sports — not national sports, not the Olympics, but the teams and athletes here — is the lingua franca of the town and the great connector of the city and its surrounding suburbs and communities. Do you flinch when someone says the name Chico Ruiz or Joe Carter? Do you smile at a random mention of Matt Stairs or Corey Clement? Then you know and love Philadelphia sports.

    It’s America’s best sports city because Philadelphia is a provincial, parochial region where the love of and devotion to the teams’ histories and traditions are passed down from one generation to the next — a succession of unbroken bonds over a century or more. Did you sit out on your front stoop on a summer night and listen to Harry and Whitey call a Phillies game over the radio? Do you still sync Merrill and Mike’s broadcast to the TV telecast? Do you know who J.J. Daigneault is? Then you know and love Philadelphia sports.

    Eagles fans professed their love in ink after the team’s Super Bowl LIX win. These are some of our favorites.

    It is America’s best sports city because you can walk down the street here after an Eagles loss or a Phillies loss or a Sixers loss and know that those teams lost just from the vacant looks on the faces of the passersby. Do you turn up the talk-radio station on those terrible Monday mornings? Do you remember where you were when Kawhi’s fourth bounce fell through the net? Then you know and you live and you die with Philadelphia sports.

    Most of all, Philadelphia is America’s best sports city because people here care more and sports here matters more than it does anywhere else. If you don’t believe me, go ahead. Tell a Philadelphia sports fan that your city, your teams, your traditions are better. Go ahead. Dare ya.

    Philly fans celebrate the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX win in near City Hall.

    Nobody parties like us

    Stephanie Farr, features columnist

    Philadelphia is undoubtedly the best sports city in the United States and it has everything to do with our fans, who are as passionate and dedicated as they come. Here “Go Birds” is a greeting, talking trash is an art form, and being a part of it all is totally intoxicating, even if you’re completely sober (which, to be fair, most of us aren’t).

    Nobody celebrates a major win like Philly — by partying in the street with Gritty and Ben Franklin impersonators, dancing with Philly Elmo and his drum line, and climbing greased poles. When the Phillies won the NLCS in 2022, I watched Sean “Shrimp” Hagan climb a pole and shotgun seven cans of Twisted Tea thrown to him by the crowd. To his credit, at some point Hagan realized he was too drunk to get down safely and waited for firefighters to bring a ladder.

    “It couldn’t have happened without the crowd being so [expletive] Philly,” he told me. “What other city’s first thought when they see a guy on a pole would be to throw him a beer?”

    Do our Bacchanalian celebrations border on absolute lawless anarchy? Yes, but if you want to live safe and know how something will end, go watch a Hallmark movie. This is Philly, where we are fueled by the raging fire of a thousand losses — even when we win — and we thrive off the unpredictability of life.

    Go Birds.

    What Philly — and Philly sports fans — taught me about fandom | Stephanie Farr

    Yes, we’re really that crazy

    David Murphy, sports columnist

    In my early 20s, I lived in Tampa for a brief stint. The downtown area is small enough that all of its neighborhoods are in proximity to each other. My apartment was in a section popular among locals for its dining and nightlife scene. But it was close enough to the hotel district to be in the eye of the storm when the Eagles came to town.

    One Saturday evening in late October, we were sitting at a popular outside bar when the place was suddenly overcome by a wave of midnight green. Everywhere you looked, there were packs of Eagles fans who looked like they hadn’t seen the sun in two months. They swaggered through the place in their Brian Dawkins jerseys with zero regard for humanity. They ordered their Bud Lights in multiples of two and yelled Eagles chants at each other as horrified young women clung desperately to each other and wiped errant sloshes of domestic Pilsner off each other’s going-out clothes. A friend of mine stepped off the patio to have a cigarette. He returned with a stunned expression on his face. “An Eagles fan just peed on my foot,” he said with a mixture of anger and respect.

    Tampa got the last laugh the next day when Matt Bryant kicked a walk-off field goal from 62 yards out. But I always think of that weekend when people ask me if Philly sports fans are as crazy as their reputation.

    An Eagles fan sits on top of the traffic light post at the intersection of Broad and Pine Streets after the team won Super Bowl LIX in February.

    There are a lot of different prerequisites that a city needs in order to consider itself a great sports town. For instance, it must be an actual city, one with history and character that stands on its own even without sports. Furthermore, a great sports town requires a certain level of market penetration. Sports must sit atop the pedestal in a way that it doesn’t in places like New York and L.A. There must be a critical mass of folks who are born and raised, which eliminates pretty much any city south of the Mason-Dixon and west of the Mississippi. The list is a short one. Boston, Chicago, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Detroit, maybe Milwaukee.

    From there, the thing that sets Philly apart is the people. They are a strange lot, prone to overexcitement and, every now and then, over-indulgence. But, man, do they care. You see it any time one of their teams hits the road. You hear it, too. There is an energy that is difficult to define but impossible not to feel. It’s the secret sauce of this place. And, yeah, it’s the best.

    Flyers fans once joined a club by getting hit by a puck. It made them ‘feel special’ — and protected the team.

    We own our losses

    Matt Breen, sports features writer

    A veteran Eagles reporter wrote recently that last Sunday’s Eagles-Cowboys game was the Birds’ worst ever loss to their rival. They blew a 21-point lead, exposed some glaring flaws, and lost on a walk-off field goal. Fair point. But it was pushed back immediately on social media. You think this loss was bad? That’s what makes Philadelphia a great — maybe the greatest — sports city. We celebrate our wins like no other but we also wear our losses forever. This was a brutal loss but we still remember that botched chip shot on Monday Night Football in 1997. And that blowout loss in the playoffs while we were stuck inside during the Blizzard of ‘96. Oh yeah, remember what happened in 2010?

    I don’t know if any city in the U.S. holds onto losses more than Philly. We do that because we care. We lose sleep when the Phillies blow a save, have a bad week if the Eagles lose, still can’t believe they didn’t call the Islanders offside, and are still waiting for Ben Simmons to dunk it. So yeah, that’s why it means more here when the teams do win. Because we care so much when they lose. You can have L.A., Seattle, and Kansas City. I’ll stay in Philly.

    The 10 most haunting Philly sports moments since 2000, from Ronde Barber’s pick-six to Ben Simmons’ pass
    A Phillies fan holds up a sign paying tribute to another viral Phillies fan before the team’s 2025 home opener.

    We feed off being underdogs

    Julia Terruso, politics reporter

    Look, I’m not pretending to be neutral here. I went to spring training in Clearwater in pigtails as a child. I fell in love at an Eagles tailgate and flew to London to watch the Phillies play the Mets on my honeymoon. But even non-Philadelphians would be out of their minds not to put us in the top three — let alone the top nine.

    Rooting for the Phillies, Sixers, Eagles, and Flyers is a cross-class, cross-generation rite. We’re one of only eight U.S. cities with all four major teams, and our stadiums are actually accessible — yes, Los Angeles, I’m looking at you. Tickets are (mostly) affordable, the crowds are electric, and the fervor is real. We boo because we care. And unlike other cities, we don’t sneer at bandwagoners. The citywide greeting is “Go Birds,” and the uniform is fair game for the lifer who knows about pickle juice and The Process, along with the new Fishtown transplant who couldn’t diagram a wheel play but looks fantastic in kelly green — because everyone looks fantastic in Kelly green.

    But the thing that really makes Philly a great sports town is our shared history of heartbreak and near-misses that drives us forward. We’re used to being underestimated. So go ahead, leave us off your list, WaPo. Underdogs run on disrespect, and we’ve got miles to go.

    I wore a Pirates hat around Philadelphia. And all I got was love. | Opinion

    We wear our fandom on our sleeves — and heads

    Abraham Gutman, civil courts reporter

    Stand on the South Street bridge at 7 a.m. and you’ll know the time of year, and that says it all. The rivers of medical professionals walking and biking back from their night shifts, and those heading to their morning duties, give it away in unison. Red caps? It must be October. Kelly and midnight green beanies? The NFL playoffs are coming. Blue or black starred jackets? The NBA playoffs are underway and our hearts will soon be broken, again.

    I am a Philly transplant who comes from the tradition of European soccer, where rivalry between teams from the same city is the driver of passion. I always thought that there is nothing more electric than winning a derby game, and having your team crowned as the city’s best. But Philadelphia taught me that I was wrong. There is something more electric: a city united, together, declaring love to its teams in every nook and corner.

    Jubilant Eagles fans dance around a fire on Broad Street after the Birds beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.

    Philadelphia isn’t just the best sports city in America (“next year on Broad?”), it’s an organism that breathes sports fandom unlike any other place.

    The days of throwing snowballs at Santa or batteries on a hated player are far gone. This is the city that gave a struggling shortstop who just arrived in town a standing ovation, that travels in droves so E-A-G-L-E-S chants come through the broadcast of every away game, and has a community of sickos who rode with its Sixers through one of the weirdest experiments in NBA history.

    The electric energy isn’t confined to the city lines. It’s a moment that every Philadelphian cherishes. Don an Eagles hat in any other city in America, or even abroad, and you are more likely than not to lock eyes with a stranger passing by.

    “Go Birds,” they inevitably say.

    “Go Birds!” you respond.

    Nothing beats that. And if you don’t like it. All good. We don’t care.

    A basement shrine to Philly sports fandom, featuring pieces of the Vet and Spectrum

    We have our own language

    Jeff Neiburg, Eagles reporter

    The Washington Post’s opinion section has been having a rough go of it. Which makes me wonder if this list, too, had to be cleared by the Amazon overlord, and maybe Jeff Bezos just hates Philadelphia?

    I mean … Cleveland?

    The size and scale of the two recent Eagles parades speak for themselves. The fact that there used to be a jail in the bowels of Veterans Stadium speaks for itself. Attending one Phillies playoff game at Citizens Bank Park would speak for itself. “Go Birds,” is a passing “hello” to a fellow Philadelphian in another town, a phrase of familial camaraderie. Due respect to Los Angeles, a city I love to be and eat in. But the sheer number of sports that happen in a place doesn’t make it a good sports city. That’s not human. People and passion make a place.

    The Penn Relays at Franklin Field are one of just a few annual sports traditions in Philadelphia.

    We have much more than pro sports

    Tommy Rowan, cheesesteak/Philly history expert

    A criteria would have helped, but really, any discernible or coherent formula would have really pulled that Washington Post list together. Here, instead, are three reasons why Philadelphia is one of the cornerstone cities in American sports …

    History: The fabric of American sport was woven here. The Heisman Trophy is named after John Heisman, who played at Penn. The Phillies are one of the key reasons fans are allowed to keep foul balls that land in the stands. All because an 11-year-old Phillies fan didn’t blink when the team had him thrown in jail for larceny.

    Tradition: We’re more than pro sports. We’ve hosted the annual Army-Navy game, and the Dad Vail Regatta, and the Penn Relays. Tennis found an American foothold at the Philadelphia Cricket Club.

    Passion: Support is an undergarment. This city has passion. Fandom here is passed down from generation to generation, just like their houses. And sure they’re loud, and they generally take it the worst of any fanbafan base. But they’re vocal, they’re informed, and they care. These teams mean something to these people.

    Sports fans start young in Philly, as fandom gets passed down from generation to generation.

    We know our stuff

    Ariel Simpson, sports trending writer

    Oct. 9 was a tragic day for Philly sports fans. The Phillies season ended with a heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Eagles suffered a devastating 34-17 loss to the New York Giants, and the Flyers dropped their season opener to the Florida Panthers.

    That very next day, I wandered the streets of Philadelphia in what felt like a walk of shame. The heartbreak could be seen on each fan’s face as they still sported their favorite team’s colors. And when asked about the losses, each fan gave me a full breakdown of what needs to be done in order for the teams to be more successful.

    That’s what makes Philly such a great sports city. Not only are the fans passionate, but they are knowledgeable when it comes to their sports teams. Sure, sometimes they may rush to call for a head coach to be fired or boo their own teams, but that’s only because they care so much.

    They wear their heart on their sleeves and they expect more from each team. And when they do succeed, they show up and celebrate like no other. If you need an example, look no further than the city greasing its light poles in an attempt to stop fans from climbing them in celebration.

  • Sixers mailbag: Does it make sense to try to trade Paul George before the trade deadline?

    Sixers mailbag: Does it make sense to try to trade Paul George before the trade deadline?

    The 76ers will look to beat the Washington Wizards for the second time in as many meetings when the squads play Tuesday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The Sixers took a 139-134 overtime victory over the Wizards on Oct. 28 at Capital One Arena.

    Washington takes a 2-16 record into Monday’s home game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Wizards were riding a 14-game losing streak before defeating the Atlanta Hawks, 132-113, on Tuesday. They followed that rare win with a 119-86 road loss to the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    The Sixers dropped to 10-9 after Sunday’s 142-134 double-overtime loss to the Hawks. Since defeating the Wizards, the Sixers have lost nine of their last 15 games.

    So the Wizards are a good opponent to help break out of their funk. Well, find out more on Tuesday.

    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.

    Sixers VJ Edgecombe greets Jared McCain during a break in the Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers NBA game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025.

    Q: Jared McCain is looking so much better in the last few games! Is he still wearing the heavy knee brace under the white sleeve, or has he graduated to a smaller brace or no brace? — @Bob_Zampini

    A: Thanks for starting the mailbag! McCain has looked good in the last few games. The second-year guard averaged 16.7 points while shooting 47.4% on three-pointers in the three games before Sunday’s contest against the Hawks.

    McCain stopped wearing the heavy knee brace he had worn upon his return last month, after tearing the lateral meniscus in his left knee on Dec. 13. But he started wearing what he called “just a smaller little thing on my [left] leg” during his two-game assignment with Delaware Blue Coats on Nov. 13 and 15.

    Q: Would it make sense for the Sixers to try to trade Paul George before the trade deadline? It may impact the Sixers’ playoff chances this year, but it would free up valuable salary cap space and possibly get a first-round pick in return. Is that a realistic option? — @Topsheff88

    A: It depends on his level of play and how competitive the Sixers are heading into the trade deadline. At this time, the Sixers’ brass and coaching staff should be all in on making a deep postseason run, knowing that anything else could cost them their jobs. And in George’s first three games back, he’s been a solid complementary player to Tyrese Maxey.

    The nine-time All-Star opened his first four games as an aggressive scoring option. Afterward, George did a good job running the Sixers’ offense in the half-court and provided solid defense.

    Sixers forward Paul George shoots the basketball against the Miami Heat on Sunday, November 23, 2025 in Philadelphia.

    But I get it. He underachieved last season and has been hampered by injuries after signing his four-year, $212 million contract on July 6, 2024. And the 35-year-old isn’t getting any younger. Trading him would allow them to shed the final two seasons of his deal.

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    George would have to play at a high level for a team looking to add a key piece for a playoff run to shed a first-rounder, among other things, in return. And if he’s playing at a high level and meshing well with Maxey, the Sixers must ask themselves, are they still willing to trade him?

    Q: What do you think the starting five will be (and should be) when Kelly Oubre Jr. and VJ Edgecombe are back? Obviously, the center position will depend on Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond’s health — @GermanChoco1ate

    A: I keep going back and forth with Oubre and Dominick Barlow being the fifth starter. Both have played great, and deserve to be in the lineup. However, I’m going with Oubre, George, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Maxey. Barlow would be the seventh man behind Quentin Grimes.

    Oubre has been the Sixers’ X Factor this season.

    Before he suffered an LCL sprain in his left knee, Oubre’s averages of 16.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals took a back seat to the play of the Sixers’ stellar backcourt pairing of Maxey and Edgecombe in the first 12 games.

    But Oubre excels when the ball is moving, and he did a solid job of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.

    Sixers Kelly Oubre Jr dunks the ball to give the Sixers a 123-116 lead in the fourth quarter of the Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers NBA game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025.

    The Sixers have definitely missed his impact in the last seven games. For them to be competitive, Oubre must get healthy and resume playing at a high level. His importance to the team, especially as a perimeter defender, is the reason why he needs to start.

    Q: Is there any way to trade Embiid once he is reasonably healthy? — @dumasroxx

    A: There’s always one of two teams willing to take a gamble. But the 31-year-old is making $55.2 million this season, and his three-year, $193 million extension begins next season.

    That’s a tremendous amount of money for a team to take on for a player with an extensive injury history. I noted before that a team president of basketball operations would have to be really secure in their job to make that trade. And that hasn’t changed.

    Now, if Embiid can play at 80% of his former self, his addition to most teams makes them instant championship contenders. But if he gets injured and is unable to play, that could go down as one of the worst trades in NBA history.

  • Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid’s motivated play, Tyrese Maxey’s missed free throws and more in loss to Hawks

    Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid’s motivated play, Tyrese Maxey’s missed free throws and more in loss to Hawks

    Joel Embiid was motivated in his first game in 22 days.

    Just when you thought the 76ers needed more from Tyrese Maxey, the point guard showed why he’s been one of the NBA’s best players in the early season. But his missed free throws in overtime and his team’s lack of rebounding in double overtime were costly.

    Ten days of rest were good for VJ Edgecombe’s body.

    And Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder is a big fan of Dominick Barlow.

    Those things stood out Sunday night in the Sixers’ 142-134 double-overtime loss to the Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Embiid motivated

    Embiid usually looks rusty in his first game back from injury.

    That was far from the case after he missed the past nine games. This time, he looked good physically and was aggressive.

    The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder put his imprint on the game from the start, scoring the first basket 35 seconds into the contest. He later assisted on a Barlow layup that gave the Sixers a 7-4 advantage. Then Embiid added two points on a pair of foul shots to extend the Sixers’ early lead to five points.

    Embiid scored those points and had that assist along with a rebound while logging 6 minutes, 1 second in the first quarter. He finished with 18 points on 6-for-14 shooting along with four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a block in a season-high 30 minutes.

    “So tonight, obviously, I thought the first half was pretty good,” he said. “Moved really well. And we missed almost a month, and you only had two court sessions, going up and down, it’s going to be tough.”

    Embiid added that Sunday’s game felt like facing the Boston Celtics in the season opener at TD Garden on Oct. 22. He was rusty that night.

    But the 2023 MVP gradually improved. He had 20 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 20 minutes when the Sixers (now 10-9) faced the Celtics a second time on Oct. 31. And Embiid had his best game of the season while finishing with 29 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 130-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8. That marked the last game he played in before Sunday.

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    “You build on it, and I’m not even mad about tonight,” Embiid said. “I’m just happy that I got a chance to play the game of basketball, build on it, and go from there. Next game, whether shots fall or not, I don’t really judge myself based on if shots fall or not. It’s all about how I move laterally, jumping, and all that stuff. Tonight was a good start towards that.

    “I felt good in the first half. Obviously, the second half was a little rough. I should build on what the first half looked like and go from there.”

    After intermission, Embiid had seven points on 2-for-8 shooting. He failed to score in the first overtime and didn’t play in the second.

    Embiid could have been more involved as a rebounder. He’s still rarely jumping on defense, and his lateral movement isn’t what it used to be. But effort-wise, this was one of his best first games back after an extended break.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid gets fouled by Atlanta’s Luke Kennard.

    He sat out the Sixers’ previous eight games because of right knee injury management or soreness. Before that, Embiid 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. The former league MVP has already missed 12 of the Sixers’ 18 games because of his knee ailments.

    More needed from Maxey until …

    Quentin Grimes showed why he’s a legitimate candidate to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. He finished with 28 points on 8-for-15 shooting, including making 4 of 8 three-pointers, to go with 10 rebounds and four assists. Grimes also made all eight of his free throws.

    But for a while, his performance couldn’t make up for what was trending to be the worst night of the season for Maxey.

    The Hawks’ primary defenders did a solid job of defending the standout point guard.

    He still managed to finish with a game-high 44 points on 14-of-31 shooting, though. That included missing 11 of his 13 three-point attempts. Maxey did make 14 of 17 foul shots to go with seven rebounds and nine assists.

    But Maxey had just 20 points on 4-for-12 shooting — including making just 1 of 7 threes through three quarters.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey reacts late in the second overtime against the Atlanta Hawks.

    Give Maxey credit. He kept battling and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter on 4-for-9 shooting. His three-point play pulled the Sixers within three points (108-105) with 3:11 left.

    Then Maxey drained a three-pointer with 8.8 seconds left to knot the score at 115, forcing overtime.

    Maxey went on to score four points in the extra session. However, he missed a pair of foul shots that would have given the Sixers a four-point cushion with 4.6 remaining.

    “I thought I was going to make them, and we’ll figure it out after that,” he said of what was going through his mind at the foul line. “But it’s like what I get for messing with VJ.”

    Maxey was referring to playfully ribbing Edgecombe for missing a pair of foul shots with the Sixers up 117-116 with 8.5 seconds left in the season-opening victory. Luckily for them, that night neither team scored another point.

    After the Hawks (13-8) forced another overtime on Sunday, Maxey scored all eight of his team’s points. However, with Embiid and reserve center Andre Drummond (who played just six minutes) out of the game, the Sixers’ small-ball lineup struggled on the boards.

    The Hawks won the rebounding game 7-2 in overtime, which enabled them to score seven second-chance points.

    But those missed foul shots are something Maxey won’t soon forget. At the same time, he had to be exhausted, logging 52:16.

    Maxey is averaging a league-leading 40.7 minutes while ranking third in scoring at 32.3 points. He’s been forced to carry the Sixers with Embiid and Paul George (16 points, seven rebounds, game-high five steals) both missing a lot of games with injuries.

    Embiid was asked if Maxey’s standout play has added any extra urgency.

    “I do feel bad,” Embiid said. “Obviously, the minutes that he has to play, the load that he has to handle. I’ve been there. I know how it feels. You’ve just got to trust in what you’re doing, and in God, and be OK with the fact that whatever happens, happens.”

    Well-rested rookie

    Edgecombe was back in the starting lineup after missing the past three games with a left calf strain. The rookie shooting guard finished with seven points on 3-for-6 shooting, along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 21:25.

    But the biggest takeaway was that he played with his trademark bounce and explosion that had been missing in a few games leading up to his injury. Back then, the 20-year-old looked fatigued from what had been an overwhelming amount of games to start the season.

    Barlow’s admiration

    On July 30, 2024, Barlow signed a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks. While he was only with the Hawks for one season, it’s evident that the power forward left a lasting impression on Snyder.

    “He really knows how to play,” Sndyer said. “And he gave us, in a stretch where we really needed someone to come in and not only give us good minutes, but kind of connect as a team. And I think it’s unusual for a player in [a two-way] position to have that kind of impact on the group.

    “So I’m really happy to see him doing well. And I’m not surprised. … He’s got a great feel for the game, can pass, handle, just a smart player. Very committed to helping the team in any way he can.”

    Sixers forward Dominick Barlow dribbles as he is guarded by Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels.

    Barlow averaged 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 35 games with four starts last season for the Hawks. He had his two-way contract converted to a standard deal on March 4.

    However, Barlow left the Hawks in the offseason after they fired former general manager Landry Fields. Betting on himself, he signed a two-way deal with the Sixers on July 9. And he’s been one of their most impactful players.

    The 6-9, 215-pounder made his seventh start of the season on Sunday. He finished with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks. The 22-year-old came into the game averaging career highs of 7.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals through nine games.

  • Joel Embiid returns to Sixers’ lineup vs. Hawks after missing nine games

    Joel Embiid returns to Sixers’ lineup vs. Hawks after missing nine games

    Joel Embiid is back.

    The 76ers center will return to action Sunday night against the Atlanta Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. This comes after the 7-foot-2, 280-pounder missed nine consecutive games because of knee injuries.

    He sat out the Sixers’ previous eight games because of right knee injury management or soreness. Embiid’s availability comes after initially being listed as out on Saturday’s 5:30 p.m. injury report.

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    The 2023 MVP was upgraded to questionable on Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. report before being cleared to play before the game.

    Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain) will also return to action against the Hawks after missing the last three games. And center Andre Drummond (sprained right knee) was available after being injured in Friday’s 115-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) will remain sidelined.

    Sixers Joel Embiid hits a shot in the first half of the Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers NBA game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.

    Before missing the last eight games due to right knee injury, 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 has already missed 12 of the Sixers’ 18 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.

    Sixers mailbag: Paul George and Joel Embiid’s trade value, need for backup point guard, and more

    The seven-time All-Star had his best game of the season in his last matchup, a 130-120 home victory against the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8. Embiid finished with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting, along with making 8 of 9 free throws. He also had six rebounds, four assists, and one block while logging a season-high 25 minutes, 57 seconds.

  • The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    After the 76ers battled back from a 19-point second-half deficit to beat the Washington Wizards in the fourth game of the season, Tyrese Maxey was asked what the overtime win says about him and his teammates.

    “It says that we are tough,” Maxey said. “But we don’t want it to become a habit. But it does say that we are tough. We’re resilient, and it says we are in shape, honestly, because to be able to play like that, come back, and do it multiple times, like go into overtime off a back-to-back and still pull out a win.”

    At the time, the Sixers’ 139-134 overtime road victory on Oct. 28 came one day after they defeated the Orlando Magic, 136-124, at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Their other two games resulted in comeback victories over the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers were 4-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

    Sixers takeaways: A much-needed easy opponent, another untimely injury, and more from victory over Nets

    With grit, athleticism, and a refuse-to-lose mentality, the Sixers showed no resemblance to last season’s 2024-25 squad. Joel Embiid’s knee issues were believed to be manageable, and Paul George’s season debut was imminent.

    So we thought.

    Now, we must ask ourselves: Was the Sixers’ impressive start just a mirage?

    Since winning its first four games, the squad has lost eight of 14 contests. The Sixers (10-8) are eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.

    They avoided losing a third consecutive game by defeating the struggling Brooklyn Nets, 115-103, at the Barclays Center on Friday. Now, they’ll look to win consecutive games for the first time since the season-opening winning streak when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

    Like last season, injuries, primarily to Embiid and George, have been the biggest thing holding them back. Having the two maximum-salary players sidelined forces role players to perform well above their pay grade.

    “Well, listen, I think that, a little bit like I said a year ago, I think that we need them to be the best version of ourselves,” coach Nick Nurse said before the Sixers snapped their two-game skid on Friday. “That’s for sure. The concern levels hit me, obviously, when they’re not playing. But now, when we’re missing three or four other guys out of the rotation, [it gets harder]. I think we’re probably thinking about a nine-man rotation, and that’s when it’s getting a little tough.”

    Nurse has a point. Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), and reserve forward Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) have been sidelined. Center Andre Drummond, who started the past nine games in place of Embiid, suffered a game-ending sprained right knee on Friday. Edgecombe and Drummond are questionable to return against the Hawks (12-8).

    Sixers forward Paul George dribbles the basketball past Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo on last Sunday.

    But the Sixers have more than $300 million owed to Embiid and George over the next three seasons, beginning next season. That’s a massive investment in two players, who, like last season, have been unable to stay on the court.

    George played in just his fourth game on Friday, finishing with 14 points and two steals in 21 minutes, 21 seconds after missing Tuesday’s 144-103 setback to the Magic with a sprained right ankle.

    The nine-time All-Star missed the first 12 games while recovering from left knee surgery. Then he sat out Nov. 19’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors because he isn’t cleared to compete on both nights of a back-to-back.

    Meanwhile, Embiid will miss his 10th consecutive game on Sunday because of knee injuries. He’ll miss his ninth straight because of right knee injury management or soreness. Embiid 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.

    Tyrese Maxey more concerned about his friend’s health than having Joel Embiid back on the court

    At this point, Embiid has been available for six of the Sixers’ first 18 games.

    A season ago, Embiid played in only four of the first 18 contests en route to making just 19 total appearances. Meanwhile, George was further along, playing in nine contests. He ended up playing in 41.

    When he does play, George has shown signs of being a solid piece for the Sixers.

    He scored his team’s first 11 points before becoming more of a facilitator and defensive standout, as Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points in a 123-114 overtime road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 20.

    Right now, however, he’s playing short stints while on a minutes restriction.

    “It’s difficult,” George said. “I mean, it’s difficult knowing, to start the game off, how long you’ll be out there. But then, as the game goes on, you’re like, subconsciously counting how much time you’ve got left. So it’s tough. It’s a challenge, especially trying to find rhythm, try to stay in rhythm, and try to just be consistent with the time that you’re out for it.”

    Paul George and Joel Embiid look on during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center.

    But for now, Maxey is carrying the bulk of the load while Embiid and George are dealing with injuries. That’s no different from last season until he, too, succumbed to injuries.

    Maxey is averaging a league-leading 40 minutes per game. One has to wonder if the Sixers are relying too much on him because of his fellow maximum-salary teammates’ lack of availability.

    Sixers mailbag: Will Joel Embiid ever be able to play without a minutes restriction?

    One also has to wonder how much, under the circumstances, relying heavily on Edgecombe and Oubre may have contributed to their injuries.

    Despite being a rookie, Edgecombe was third in the league in minutes played at 37.3. Meanwhile, Oubre averaged 36.7 minutes through his first 11 games. He played just 14:56 before exiting at halftime in his 12th and latest appearance.

    Yes, the Sixers showed resilience at the beginning of the season that captivated the city.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey meets with teammate center Joel Embiid after the Sixers beat the Orlando Magic, 136-124, on Oct. 27.

    But, so far, after the hot start, Embiid and George’s lack of availability has made things reminiscent of last season’s teams. Back then, the Sixers spent most of the season battling for an NBA Play-In tourney spot before opting to tank.

    Things could change for the Sixers, especially if the duo spends a substantial amount of time on the court moving forward.

    But at this moment, this season has 2024-25 vibes.

  • Paul George and Adem Bona return, but Andre Drummond goes down as Sixers’ injuries continue

    Paul George and Adem Bona return, but Andre Drummond goes down as Sixers’ injuries continue

    NEW YORK — Whenever Adem Bona works through his pregame shooting routine, he eventually moves to the corner and fires three-pointer after three-pointer. The 76ers’ second-year big man even takes a step back to plant his feet out of bounds, a tactic designed to make any “real” long-range attempt feel less daunting.

    So when Bona got a pass with about one minute remaining in Friday’s matchup at the Brooklyn Nets, he recalled the advice of player development coach Fabulous Flournoy and launched without hesitation.

    “Don’t give yourself time to think much about it or what the situation was,” Bona recalled. “ … It was just catch, and let it fly.”

    Bona’s first career NBA three-point make — which arrived after he missed the previous five games with a sprained ankle — could be viewed these days as a nod to Andre Drummond, the Sixers’ other previously non-shooting center who has suddenly become a legitimate threat from the corner. The Sixers now might need more of that from Bona — who also finished the Sixers’ 115-103 victory in Brooklyn with 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, six rebounds, and four blocks — after Drummond left the game in the second quarter with a right knee sprain.

    It was the latest example of what Sixers coach Nick Nurse called “two steps forward, one back” in the injury department, which in the short term could lead to some patchwork frontcourt lineups.

    Sixers takeaways: A much-needed easy opponent, another untimely injury, and more from victory over Nets

    “We were just piecing it together,” Nurse said after the game.

    The other step forward? Paul George returned from a one-game absence due to a sprained ankle to total an efficient 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting in his fourth game this season. He also continues to re-acclimate on a minutes restriction following offseason knee surgery, saying he recently landed on an approach to “activate” the knee before games.

    Still, the Sixers (10-8) struggled to put away the already-tanking Nets (3-15), who played Friday without top scorers Michael Porter Jr. and Cam Thomas. Yet even with Bona’s and George’s return — and before Drummond’s departure — the Sixers took the floor without injured starters Joel Embiid (knee), VJ Edgecombe (calf), and Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) along with key reserve Trendon Watford (adductor). Through 18 games, max-contract players Embiid, George, and star guard Tyrese Maxey have yet to share the floor.

    Andre Drummond (1) leaves court after getting injured during the first half against Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

    In comments with an unintentionally short shelf life, Nurse spoke before Friday’s game about the benefits of reintroducing Bona’s size and “bounce” to the Sixers’ rotation. Those qualities could spell Drummond, who had been enjoying a resurgent season by averaging 8.3 points and 10.7 rebounds in 16 games entering Friday. The Sixers are otherwise undersized without Embiid, who on Friday missed his ninth consecutive game with an issue with his right knee.

    And this week’s public messaging about the state of Embiid’s knee could be perplexing to an outsider. Embiid was initially listed as questionable to play Tuesday against the Magic on the NBA’s official injury report, before being ruled out the afternoon of that game. On Thursday’s report, Embiid was immediately ruled out for the game in Brooklyn the following night.

    “We’ve been thinking he’s been trending towards getting there, and he just hasn’t yet,” Nurse said before Friday’s game. “They just haven’t cleared him to go. That’s all it is. Pretty much the same thing I keep telling you. He’s just not there yet.”

    Sixers’ Andre Drummond leaves Nets game with a knee sprain and will not return

    Embiid’s absence has yielded an opportunity to start for Drummond, who during Friday’s game had totaled seven points and four rebounds in 11 minutes before hitting the floor and grabbing his knee. Though the 6-foot-11, 280-pounder needed to be helped off the court, he was standing under his own power with his knee wrapped following the game. George empathized with Drummond in the postgame locker room, because George was hampered by a knee hyperextension last season.

    “I know that injury very well,” he said. “ … It’s a tough rehab. I mean, I don’t know the severity of it [for Drummond]. But hopefully, it wasn’t the case that mine was, because it’s a challenge.”

    Drummond’s injury, plus foul trouble with multiple players, forced the Sixers into some unconventional frontcourt looks against the Nets. Rookie Johni Broome played the first legitimate rotation minutes of his NBA career, sometimes alongside Justin Edwards as the power forward. There were stretches with two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker on the floor together as a small-ball look.

    Dominick Barlow (25) drives past Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton during the second half on Friday.

    Nurse said after the game that he was pleased with the playmaking from those big men whenever the Nets forced the ball out of Maxey’s hands.

    “There was a lot of dunks and there was a lot of driving layups,” Nurse said. “There was a couple kick-outs. So, for the most part, those guys handled things really well.

    “Those guys are fairly new to the league, and [opponents are] going to put the ball in their hands and see what they can do with it time and time again.”

    Part of Drummond’s value to these Sixers has been his mentorship of younger players, including Bona. The veteran noticed Bona getting “a little overwhelmed” as his role increased, prompting Drummond to sit next to Bona on the bench.

    The Sixers experienced a flashback to last season’s injury misery. They hope reinforcements are on the way.

    “Listen,” Drummond told Bona, “this is a huge, huge opportunity for you to showcase yourself and be present in the moment and have fun with this. Because, right now, you’re young, so messing up is OK. So I would try and do as many things as you can, just to showcase yourself and just stay with it.”

    Bona initially beat out Drummond for the backup center job during the preseason, before Drummond recently regained that spot. Bona understands that consistency — rather than shorter bursts of impactful play as a rim protector and athletic finisher — is the next step in his development.

    “It was maybe not 20 minutes of amazing play,” Nurse said of Bona’s production before his injury. “But there was always that spurt of three or four minutes that gets you to that next part of the game — or sparks you on a momentum run.”

    Bona’s first career three-pointer certainly qualified as that type of moment. And it was a fitting homage to Drummond, whose role Bona might need to replace for the time being.

    “He shot that confidently,” Nurse said, “and looked good.”

  • Sixers takeaways: A much-needed easy opponent, another untimely injury, and more from victory over Nets

    Sixers takeaways: A much-needed easy opponent, another untimely injury, and more from victory over Nets

    The struggling Brooklyn Nets served as the 76ers’ “get right” team.

    The Sixers showed why they are the top shot-blocking team in the NBA.

    Yet, they can’t seem to get it right regarding injuries, as Andre Drummond suffered a game-ending right knee sprain.

    Those things stood out in their 115-103 NBA Cup victory over the Nets on Friday at the Barclays Center.

    Tyrese Maxey more concerned about his friend’s health than having Joel Embiid back on the court

    The Brooklyn Effect

    It appears the Nets (3-15, 1-3 East Group B) bring out the best in the Sixers (10-8, 1-3), who needed a pick-me-up following Tuesday’s 144-103 home loss to the Orlando Magic.

    The victory also helped them avoid a season-long three-game losing streak.

    This isn’t the first time the Sixers have recorded a blowout victory over Brooklyn after a loss. They defeated the Nets 129-105 in Brooklyn on Nov. 2, after losing 109-108 at home to the Boston Celtics on Oct. 31.

    How good is Tyrese Maxey? He’s now in a class with Sixers great Allen Iverson and other NBA elites.

    The Nets ranked last in the league in scoring (109.2 points per game), rebounding (39.4), and defensive rating (122.7), 29th in defensive three-point percentage (.389), and 28th in field-goal percentage (.440), and defensive field-goal percentage (.502) entering Friday’s game.

    In addition, the Nets are winless at home and faced the Sixers without leading scorers Michael Porter Jr. (24.2 points) and Cam Thomas (21.4).

    The Sixers took advantage and had one of their most balanced attacks of the season.

    Sixers guard Quentin Grimes (right) had 19 points against the Nets on Friday.

    Tyrese Maxey flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Jared McCain had his best game of the season, posting 20 points and a career-high five steals. Quentin Grimes added 19 points and nine assists. Paul George finished with 14 points and two steals in 21 minutes, 21 seconds after missing Tuesday’s game with a sprained right ankle.

    Adem Bona had 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting, which was highlighted by his first career three-pointer, after missing the previous five games with a sprained right ankle. The reserve center also had six rebounds and a game-high three blocks. And Dominick Barlow (10 points, 10 rebounds) was the other double-digit scorer.

    Kyle Lowry, in his 20th season, even made his second appearance of the season. Both ironically came against the Nets. This time, the reserve point guard entered the game at the start of the second quarter and played 11:10.

    The Nets have the league’s fourth-worst record. It’s hard to put a lot of stock into this victory, other than it serving as a confidence boost for individual players like McCain (right thumb surgery/left knee surgery) and Bona returning from injuries.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey defends Brooklyn’s Egor Demin during the third quarter of Friday’s game.

    Another injury

    Yet, all wasn’t good for the Sixers, who earlier in the day felt good about Bona and George returning from injuries.

    Bona’s return was supposed help take pressure off Drummond. The 32-year-old had been the lone legitimate center in the past five games with Joel Embiid (right knee soreness) and Bona both sidelined.

    Sixers’ Andre Drummond leaves Nets game with a knee sprain and will not return

    However, Drummond sprained his knee while landing underneath the Nets’ basket with 6:52 left in the half. HoopsHype is reporting that Drummond hyperextended his knee on the play.

    Drummond ended up sitting on the court in pain. He had to be helped off the floor and needed a wheelchair to get into the locker room.

    His injury forced the Sixers to insert seldom-used rookie Johni Broome in the second quarter after Bona picked up his third foul. Drummond’s injury is a tough break for him and the Sixers.

    76ers center Andre Drummond (1) leaves court after getting injured during the first half of Friday’s game.

    He left the game with seven points, four rebounds, and one assist to go with one block in 10:31. Drummond is also averaging 8.2 points and 10.3 rebounds in his 14th NBA season. He is averaging the most rebounds in a season since his 24-game stint with the Nets (10.3 rebounds) in 2022 after the Sixers traded him in Feb. 2022.

    Meanwhile, Embiid missed his ninth consecutive game on Friday because of knee injuries. He missed the last eight as the team manages the soreness in his right knee. 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.

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    Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), and reserve forward Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) are also sidelined.

    Friday was the sixth straight game that Oubre has missed, and the third for Edgecombe. Watford suffered his injury in Tuesday’s loss to the Magic.

    Brooklyn Nets’ Drake Powell (center) is defended by Sixers center Adem Bona, left, and Jared McCain during Friday night’s game.

    Elite shot blocking

    The Sixers blocked seven shots after coming into Friday’s game with the league-leading 6.4 blocks per game. They are third in total blocks (116) behind Detroit Pistons (117) and the Dallas Mavericks (120). And it didn’t take long for them to showcase their rim protection against the Nets.

    Drummond blocked Egor Dёmin’s seven-foot jumper 52 seconds into the game. He also altered several shots before being subbed out by Bona with 2:37 left in the quarter.

    Not to be outdone, Bona blocked two shots in the second quarter. He recorded his third block early in the third quarter. Jabari Walker, Barlow, and Maxey had the other blocks.