Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford were upgraded to questionable for the 76ers’ contest against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Joel Embiid also is listed as questionable with left knee injury management and right ankle soreness.
Oubre has been sidelined since spraining a left knee ligament against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 14. Meanwhile, Watford has been out since suffering a strained left thigh muscle vs. the Orlando Magic on Nov. 25.
Watford was one of the Sixers’ top free-agent additions. The 6-foot-9 point forward provides frontcourt depth while assuming some ballhandling duties.
The Alabama native is averaging 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 14 games with four starts. He tallied his first career triple-double by finishing with 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists on Nov. 8 against the Toronto Raptors.
The Sixers (19-15) expect Oubre to provide a lift when he returns.
Before his injury, the 6-8 small forward averaged 16.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 12 games. In addition to excelling when the ball was moving, Oubre did a solid job of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.
Embiid is averaging 23.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 17 games this season.
The Wizards (9-25) will be without Kyshawn George (left hip flexor strain), Corey Kispert (left hamstring injury management), and former Villanova standout Cam Whitmore (deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder).
Washington won four of its last five games before losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, while the Sixers had a three-game winning streak snapped on Monday. The Wizards host the Magic on Tuesday night.
Sixers forward Trendon Watford is averaging 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 14 games with four starts.
Tyrese Maxey dropped one spot in the second round of NBA All-Star fan voting returns released Tuesday. The 76ers point guard now ranks third among Eastern Conference players and fifth overall.
Meanwhile, Joel Embiid remains 17th among players in the East.
Maxey had been fourth overall and second in the conference when the first returns dropped on Dec. 29. However, he was supplanted by New York Knicks point guard and former Villanova standout Jalen Brunson.
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Dončić is the league’s top vote-getter with 2,229,811 votes, and Milwaukee Bucks forward and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is second overall. He leads the East with 2,092,284 votes. Brunson has 1,916,497 votes, followed by Maxey at 1,908,978.
Fans account for 50% of the vote to determine the 10 starters for the All-Star Game, which will be played Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. A media panel and NBA players each account for 25% of the vote. This season, All-Stars are being selected regardless of position.
Voting will conclude at 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 14. NBC and Peacock will reveal the All-Star starters on Jan. 19. Coaches will select All-Star reserves at a later date.
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.
Tyrese Maxey has the third-most Eastern Conference NBA All-Star votes in the second fan returns released today. The 76ers point guard was second in the first returns. pic.twitter.com/3TUUWxyz40
It’s not surprising that Maxey has a solid chance to be voted an All-Star starter.
An All-Star reserve in 2023, he entered Tuesday third in the league in scoring (31.0 points per game), fourth in steals (1.8), and 12th in assists (7.0). He’s also fourth in made three-pointers (120). And the sixth-year veteran has scored at least 30 points in 17 of his 32 games.
Maxey’s season highlight was a career-high 54 points, to go with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in a 123-114 overtime victory over the Bucks. He joined Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only two players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a game.
Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham (1,752,801) and Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell (1,530,237) round out the East’s top five vote-getters.
The West’s top five vote-getters are Dončić, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (1,998,560), Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (1,844,903), Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (1,554,468), and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1,321,985).
An onlooker could have determined that Tyrese Maxey simply lost his dribble at the end of regulation Monday in a loss to the Denver Nuggets, forcing him into a rushed, fading three-point attempt.
But the 76ers’ star point guard already recognized that he wished he had gotten an earlier screen from teammate VJ Edgecombe. That would have given him more time to determine whether he should pass the ball if he drew multiple defenders or attack the basket with his explosiveness.
“Once I came off the screen, there was like four or five seconds left,” Maxey said postgame. “They were kind of faking the double[-team] at me, and that was a little difficult for me.”
The Sixers never should have been in a last-possession situation against the depleted Nuggets, who played their 125-124 overtime victory at Xfinity Mobile Arena without their top seven players, including MVP front-runner Nikola Jokić. But Maxey had the ball in his hands at the end of regulation and the extra frame and missed two potential game-winning shots.
That developing responsibility comes with the 25-year-old’s continued ascent that includes being named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, being ranked second in the East in fan voting in the first All-Star returns, and earning legitimate MVP buzz for the surprising 19-15 Sixers.
“I’m just learning what [actions] I want to get into, how I want to play, where I want guys,” said Maxey, who totaled 28 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals against Denver. “… I could have done a better job of explaining what I wanted and what I wanted to happen.”
Tyrese Maxey had 28 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals against Denver on Monday.
Maxey also misfired at the end of overtime on an attempt he described as a “good look” but that coach Nick Nurse called “OK.” Maxey took the inbounds pass with less than five seconds remaining and turned the right corner around the defender, but tripped over his foot and, while falling, lofted a floater that bounced off the rim.
“Got a little off-balance,” Nurse said, “and probably wasn’t as clean a look as he wanted to get.”
Maxey and the Sixers are no strangers to matchups going down to the wire this season. They entered Tuesday tied for second in the NBA with 23 “clutch” games played, when the scoring margin is five points or fewer with five minutes remaining in regulation. They are 13-10 in such situations and are tied for ninth in the league in winning percentage (.565) and are sixth in net rating (plus-1.4).
Maxey has played in 21 of those games, and ranks 10th in the league in scoring average in those minutes (four points) among players with at least 10 clutch appearances. Maxey is shooting 39.7% from the floor, including 22.7% from three-point range in those minutes, significant dips from his overall shooting numbers (47.5% from the field, 40.5% from long range) while sitting third in the NBA in scoring at 31 points per game.
The defense — and pressure — increases down the stretch of tight games, of course. But this season, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder is shooting 49.2% from the floor in clutch situations, while averaging 7.4 points. Last season, NBA Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson connected on 51.1% of his attempts and averaged 5.6 points in those minutes for a New York Knicks team that advanced to the Eastern Conference finals. Entering Tuesday, Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, and Devin Booker are shooting 50% or better in at least 12 clutch games played this season.
Tyrese Maxey has become a focal point in big moments as Sixers stars including Joel Embiid have become less available.
They headline the elite guard group that Maxey, in many ways, has already cracked. Yet he spoke last season about experiencing a variety of new defensive coverages while becoming the Sixers’ clear top offensive option, while former MVP Joel Embiid and perennial All-Star Paul George mostly were sidelined with injuries. Consider these clutch demands — which were a rarity during a woeful 24-58 season in 2024-25 — the next layer.
Long before Monday’s waning seconds of regulation and overtime, Nurse said the Sixers lost “strictly a shooting percentage game” by allowing the shorthanded Nuggets to get comfortable from the floor (53.1%) and beyond the arc (18-for-37). Embiid, meanwhile, called the Sixers’ offensive spacing “kind of terrible,” and said the basketball IQ required to counter the smaller Nuggets’ double teams of him was “high school stuff.” Denver gained its final lead in overtime via a goaltending call on Embiid, who acknowledged that he mistimed his jump to challenge a Bruce Brown transition layup.
In November, Maxey fervently clapped when asked about the crunch-time games the Sixers had already compiled. He said then that he was proud of his team’s resilience, and that the experience should hold long-term benefits. On his own, Maxey had already rewatched the Sixers’ first two matchups against the Boston Celtics (a one-point win and one-point defeat, respectively), along with their 136-124 victory against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 27 and their dreadful 113-111 loss at the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 4.
“There were a couple times I just got in the paint, kicked it out, got some open threes,” Maxey said then. “I think that’s the biggest thing. And then, sometimes, I’m going to have to shoot some tough shots — and make some tough shots. I can live on that hill.”
Sixers coach Nick Nurse described Tyrese Maxey’s final look against the Nuggets as “OK.”
Since then, Maxey has connected on timely fourth-quarter shots at Madison Square Garden to keep the Sixers out of clutch territory in Saturday’s victory over the Knicks. And he covered the ground for an highlight-worthy chase-down block on former teammate De’Anthony Melton to preserve a Dec. 4 home victory against the Golden State Warriors. And he dished to Edgecombe for an overtime game-winner at the Memphis Grizzlies last week.
That play featured the screen timing from Edgecombe that Maxey desired Monday, when he got going too late before bobbling the ball. By the time Maxey hit the podium for his postgame news conference, he had vocalized that to his rookie teammate.
That is part of Maxey’s development — and responsibility — as a clutch player. And Embiid, who has plenty of experience in those final-possession scenarios, believes in his star point guard.
“You have the ball, the whole defense is looking at you,” Embiid said. “… You don’t necessarily have to take that last shot. The double comes, you invite it, and then you make the right plays.
“I think [Maxey] has the right mindset to make those plays, and we’re still going to trust him to make those plays.”
Those are the items that stood out in Monday’s 125-124 overtime loss to the depleted Nuggets at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
‘Didn’t have the right mindset’
The Sixers (19-15) had no business losing this game.
I’m stating this fully aware that this was this was their first home game following a five-game road trip capped by three impressive victories against the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks.
And I realize teams are usually sluggish during their first night back at home.
But this game should not have been close, based on the substandard roster the Nuggets (24-12) put on the floor.
Denver was without three-time MVP and seven-time All-NBA selection Nikola Jokić (hyperextended left knee) and standouts Jamal Murray (sprained left ankle) and Aaron Gordon (strained right hamstring) due to injuries. Meanwhile, Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain), who is Jokić’s backup, was also sidelined. And that’s not all. Tamar Bates (left foot surgery), Christian Braun (sprained left ankle), Tim Hardaway Jr. (illness management), and Cameron Johnson (right knee bone bruise) also missed the game.
The Sixers suffered their worst loss of the season after Tyrese Maxey missed a floater with 0.2 seconds left in overtime.
“It was OK,” Nurse said. “It kind of turned the corner, and kind of wove up off balanced and probably wasn’t as clean a look as he wanted to get. But it was just OK.”
When asked about the shot, Maxey said, “I tripped over my foot, and I tried to shoot it, and I was falling.”
The All-NBA caliber point guard also lost the ball before missing a three-pointer on the final possession in regulation.
An inability to contain former Penn State standout Jalen Pickett (29 points on 7-for-11 three-point shooting), Peyton Watson (24 points on 7-for-13 shooting), Bruce Brown (19 points on 7-for-13 shooting), and Zeke Nnaji (21 points on 7-for-11 shooting — including 4 of 5 three-pointers) contributed to the loss.
With those four players leading the way, the Nuggets shot 53.1% from the field and 48.6% on three-pointers.
“We allowed them to really feel good early, and it just continued the entire game,” Nurse said. “You just look at the numbers, 48.6% from three. We [turned them over more] a little bit [forcing 19 turnovers to 14] and out-rebounded them a little bit [14 to 7]. Got more shots [98 to 81] than they did.
“So just the shooting percentage numbers are just the story of the game. And we didn’t guard them and keep the ball in front of us long enough.”
But it shouldn’t have come to this. This was supposed to be a game that kept the Sixers within a game of the fourth-place Toronto Raptors, who are now 1½ games ahead of them.
Quentin Grimes says the Sixers took the Nuggets lightly.
“We didn’t have the right mindset,” he said. “This is the NBA. Everybody can play at a high level. We didn’t really match their intensity. ”
Joel Embiid talks with injured Nuggets center Nikola Jokić after the Sixers lost to the Nuggets in overtime on Monday.
Ball movement
Nurse wanted to build upon the solid ball movement the Sixers displayed during the final three games of their road trip.
“All you are trying to do is continue to do that, extend those periods even longer,” he said before the game. “Just continue to get the rhythm and the passing and the spacing and reading what’s out there as best you can.”
And the Sixers did.
One stood out occurred in the first quarter. After driving the lane, Grimes passed the ball back to Jared McCain behind the three-point line. McCain then passed it to Maxey, who buried a wide-open three-pointer to give the Sixers a 26-24 advantage.
The Sixers had 13 assists on their first 19 made baskets. They finished with 28 assists.
Edgecombe had nine assists to go with 17 points (all in the second half), eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Meanwhile, Maxey had six assists along with 28 points, six rebounds, four steals, and two blocks.
McCain (four), Paul George (three), Adem Bona (two), Grimes (two), and Joel Embiid (two) also recorded assists. In addition, Embiid finished with game-highs of 32 points and 10 rebounds.
Late-game woes
As exciting as the Sixers have been, they still have a tough time closing out games.
They had a nine-point lead with 10 minutes, 48 seconds remaining in regulation.
But the Nuggets responded with a 15-2 run to take a four-point advantage. Then in overtime, the Sixers shot just 2-for-10 and had two costly turnovers.
This happens too often. The Sixers have just been good enough to overcome those miscues. But it doomed them Monday night.
Edgecombe was one of the few guys that Adelman got to watch casually last season while the Sixer was playing at Baylor.
“I got him a few times, and he immediately stood out,” Adelman said. “Just the athleticism, the speed, the competitiveness. And it’s all translated. I watched him against Memphis the other night. Again, it’s more fun to watch this stuff when it’s not film, when you’re not studying them, you’re just watching the game. Just so impressive.”
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (right) had 17 points and nine assists against the Nuggets on Monday.
On Monday, Edgecombe didn’t have the best shooting night, making 6 of 17 shots overall. However, he made 5 of 11 three-pointers and was clutch down the stretch.
“Like I said, I think the athleticism, the skill set, all that stuff’s impressive,” Adelman said. “But it’s just more the competitive spirit of that kid. He just plays so hard. And you are looking for that in people nowadays. There’s a lot of people that are talented and get paid to play basketball. There’s guys you can tell love to play. He does.
“So he’s a problem. It was a great draft pick by Daryl [Morey] on this draft.”
Bruce Brown scored 19 points and got the winning bucket in overtime off a goaltending call on Joel Embiid, and Jalen Pickett had 29 points to lead the short-handed Denver Nuggets to a 125-124 win over the 76ers on Monday night.
Embiid was whistled for the decisive goaltend when he tried to block Brown’s running layup with 5.3 seconds left. Tyrese Maxey missed a winning floater for the Sixers at the horn.
Embiid scored 32 points — the fourth time in his last eight games he has scored 30 — and Maxey had 28.
The Nuggets played without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic — out at least until the end of the month with a with a hyperextended left knee — Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Christian Braun and others a night after a loss at Brooklyn.
The entire regular starting lineup sat out, and the Nuggets had only nine available players.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji (right) during the second quarter on Monday.
Peyton Watson added 24 points for Denver.
The Nuggets refused to use their lighter roster as an excuse to pack it in against the Sixers.
Hunter Tyson converted a four-point play that gave Denver a 102-100 lead in the fourth and Pickett followed with a two-footer that forced the Sixers into a timeout and served as the highlights of a 14-0 run.
Brown snapped a tie game with a three-pointer and made 2 of 3 free throws for a 120-115 lead when he was fouled on a three-pointer on the next possession. That miss in the middle doomed Denver in regulation.
VJ Edgecombe hit a three that made it 120-118 and Maxey tied the game on a driving layup with 49 seconds left that sent the game into overtime tied at 120. Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick of the draft who’s having a sensational rookie season, also gave the Sixers their last lead in overtime on a dunk just before Brown’s goaltended winner.
The Sixers returned from a 3-2 road trip — that included all three wins on the back end.
The Sixers host the Washington Wizards next on Wednesday (7 p.m., NBCSP).
Tyrese Maxey was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference player of the week on Monday.
The 76ers point guard averaged 34.7 points on 61.2% shooting along with 8.7 assists, 6.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks in three games last week — all road victories — against the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks.
“He’s having an amazing year, and he just kind of keeps coming up with some really big moments or really big games,” coach Nick Nurse said. “And the biggest thing for me is, as I continue to watch here, he’s getting better and better defensively. And that’s really great. That’s really great to see. It really is.”
Maxey started the week Tuesday with 34 points and a game-high 12 assists in a 139-136 overtime victory over the Grizzlies at FedExForum. The Garland, Texas, native followed that with game highs of 34 points and 10 assists in a 123-108 triumph over the Mavs at American Airlines Center on New Year’s Day. That marked the first time in his career he had recorded at least 30 points and 10 assists in consecutive games.
The sixth-year veteran concluded the week with 36 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks Saturday in a 130-119 victory over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
He made 14 of 26 three-pointers throughout the week, making at least four in each contest.
This is the second time in Maxey’s career that he has been named player of the week. The first time was on Oct. 30 after the first week of the season.
Starting with Monday’s contest against the Denver Nuggets, the Sixers will play 11 of 14 games at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“That’s awesome,” Adem Bona said Monday after shootaround. “Ending the road trip with three [wins] in a row, that’s good for the team, good for the spirit. And to come back with a three-game winning streak is good for the fans.
“We’re really excited to be back home, also be back in our comfort space to put the motor a little bit more.”
On paper, the Sixers (19-14) have a great chance to match their season-best, four-game winning streak.
The Nuggets (23-12) have lost two straight and four of their last five games heading into Monday night’s matchup.
Three-time MVP and seven-time All-NBA selection Nikola Jokić is expected to miss four to six weeks after hyperextending his left knee against the Miami Heat on Dec. 29. The Nuggets center is averaging a triple-double: 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 11.0 assists.
Standout guard Jamal Murray (sprained left ankle), power forward Aaron Gordon (strained right hamstring), and backup center Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain) are among Denver’s seven other sidelined players. The others are: Tamar Bates (left foot surgery), Christian Braun (sprained left ankle), Tim Hardaway Jr. (illness management), and Cameron Johnson (right knee bone bruise).
After facing the banged-up Nuggets, the Sixers will entertain the Washington Wizards on Wednesday before a three-game road trip against the Orlando Magic (Friday) and Toronto Raptors (Sunday and Jan. 12). Then they’ll play six games at home. After a road game against the Charlotte Hornets, they’ll close out the month with a three-game homestand.
On Saturday, Joel Embiid had 26 points on 9-for-15 shooting along with 10 rebounds and five assists against the Knicks in his first game at Madison Square Garden since Game 5 of the 2024 first-round playoff series.
The center recorded his first dunk of the season late in the game, which garnered a lot of attention. And Bona was still raving over it on Monday.
“That was hyped,” he said. “I know you saw the whole bench. We were all hyped. It was just a wide-open dunk, but we took it as it was a dunk. First dunk of the season. We were hyped.”
Joel Embiid is averaging 28.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over his last seven games.
But the Sixers have more than a dunk to be excited about when it comes to Embiid. The 2023 MVP has found his offensive rhythm, averaging 28.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists over his last seven games.
Embiid has missed 17 games this season because of right and left knee injuries and a sprained ankle. However, he’s set to play in his fourth consecutive game on Monday, which will provide another opportunity to add to his recent stellar play.
“It’s great for the team,” Bona said of Embiid finding success. “It’s great for the environment, you know. Getting back to the Joel we know, it’s really awesome. His health is getting better, and his morale is high. We’re playing good together. It’s just good all around.”
NEW YORK — Nick Nurse asked the assembled media to check their notes. But the 76ers coach could not recall the last time his team rolled out the same starting lineup for three consecutive games.
“That might be a record for us in the last 18 months,” he said. “… I really don’t remember that happening for a long time.”
This newfound continuity occurred within a tiny sample size of the 82-game regular-season grind. But the Sixers are beginning to see results, including a 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
The win capped a holiday-season road trip that began 0-2 before reversing into three consecutive victories. It was the second time in 16 games that the Sixers topped the Knicks — a legitimate NBA Finals contender — on their home court. And it put the 19-14 Sixers five games over .500 for the first time this season, perhaps providing a glimpse of what this team can become in a fascinating Eastern Conference pecking order.
“The biggest difference is we just feel better as a unit,” said veteran forward Paul George, who finished Saturday with a balanced 15 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. “We trust in the process of this team. … It’s safe to say everybody in this locker room is starting to enjoy the game. We’re starting to enjoy being out on that floor, playing on both ends. And I think we’re just jelling.
“It’s translating. Everything that we’ve been trying to connect with is translating on the court.”
Injuries, scheduled rest days, and illness had limited the Sixers’ trio of max-contract players (George, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid) to 125 minutes over six games before Saturday, with a net rating of plus-7.2. That group combined with standout rookie VJ Edgecombe had gotten even less time together: 74 minutes over five games, with a net rating of minus-1.1.
Yet against the Knicks, Nurse estimated his team logged about 40 minutes of “making the absolute right decision on offense.”
Joel Embiid has been mostly available and productive during the Sixers’ recent stretch.
Embiid recorded an efficient 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in his first game in this building since the 2024 first-round playoff series. He reiterated that New York City is his “favorite place in the entire world,” yet needled Knicks supporters for being “quiet, but I guess that’s what happens when you’re losing the whole game.”
A noteworthy sign of the former MVP’s physical progress, following multiple surgeries on his left knee and an issue with his right one: He dunked for the first time this season.
“I wish it had been one off the backboard,” said Embiid, another playful jab after he executed such a move inside the Garden during the 2024 playoffs. “That’s the next step.”
George, who battled numerous health issues in a disappointing first season as a Sixer, also spoke about feeling satisfaction while continuing to hit his own mental checkpoints that are morphing into production. He knocked down two key corner three-pointers in the second half, then collected a timely offensive rebound and dish to Quentin Grimes for an underneath finish to help quash New York’s final rally attempt.
Maxey, meanwhile, amassed 36 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He shot 14-of-22 from the floor and 6-of-9 from three-point range, looking precisely like the dude who unleashed a masterful playoff performance here in 2024 and not the one who went 0-for-10 from beyond the arc while trying to play through an injured finger last season.
And then there’s Edgecombe, who had already been referenced to by Nurse as part of the Sixers’ “Big Four” before the rookie’s second consecutive dazzler inside basketball’s Mecca.
He finished with 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor, fearlessly launching open three-pointers and finding space to drive while Embiid and Maxey’s lethal two-man game attracted defensive attention. He wowed onlookers with an athletic sequence when he blocked Knicks wing Mikal Bridges in one corner, then beat everybody down the floor for a transition dunk. And he flashed his beyond-his-years basketball IQ by stealing a late inbounds pass, calling timeout while falling to the floor, and, after the break, faking a pass before getting to the rim for another slam.
“He plays like a 10-year vet with his composure,” Nurse said. “Just kind of keeps making plays and does a little bit of everything.”
Added Edgecombe: “At the end of the day, I’m just hooping, man. … I’m just happy to see Joel and Tyrese and PG on the floor. I’m super happy, man. It’s like a little kid in me, playing alongside the superstars that I was watching.”
The Sixers had already handled injury absences significantly better than last season, when championship aspirations instantly crashed into a 24-58 disaster. Maxey vowed at media day that they would play with the same intensity and style no matter who was on the floor for that particular game. They leaned into their guard-heavy roster by pushing the pace.
Nick Nurse has applauded the work of his “Big Four” while expressing caution over the meaning of the 76ers’ winning stretch.
But although the Sixers have been “making it work” with such lineup inconsistency, Maxey said, “it’s difficult with guys in, guys out” while Embiid and George slowly reacclimated.
After the Sixers surrendered a late lead in Chicago to open this trip, then got blasted by the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Maxey said there was no massive off-court reset. They hung out in the team’s Memphis hotel, the “same stuff we always do.” They finally won a game when Maxey, Embiid, and George all played, topping the Grizzlies on Edgecombe’s overtime winner. Two days later, they won again in Dallas.
Before Saturday’s matchup, Nurse touched on how he could continue experimenting with personnel combinations and the actions that originate from them. George now feels the growing rhythm in defensive positioning, offensive spacing, and in how teammates communicate within the game. Nurse added there even is “a little bit more to explore” between Embiid and Maxey’s already-proven two-man connection, and in how teammates complement it.
“The first couple games, we didn’t know what to run,” Maxey added. “We didn’t know, ‘Hey, how we going to get this person the ball?’ [or] ‘How we going to do that?’ … That’s the biggest thing: knowing what to run, when to run it.”
Added Embiid: “Everybody understands that, at some point, it will be your time. But until then, just do your job. It’s not necessarily that everybody knows their role. We’re just playing basketball, and we like each other. No one cares about taking a step back for the other.”
Kelly Oubre Jr. could be returning soon to provide the Sixers another valuable piece.
And the Sixers still do not have their full rotation available. Nurse said Saturday that starting wing Kelly Oubre Jr., who arguably was playing the best basketball of his career before missing more than a month with a knee injury, and versatile forward Trendon Watford, who has missed 16 games with a strained adductor muscle in his thigh, are ready for five-on-five action at the Sixers’ next practice.
Until then, the Sixers will next host the depleted Denver Nuggets and woeful Washington Wizards before another challenging road trip to Orlando and back-to-back games in Toronto. After that, the Sixers play nine of 10 games to finish January at home.
When asked about this finally-getting-healthier team’s ceiling, Nurse pumped the brakes. The Sixers are still digging out of last season’s disappointment as 2025-26 gets closer to its midpoint. But more roster continuity means more wrinkles in offensive sets. And more counters to opponents’ game plans. And more defensive schemes.
A fourth consecutive game with this group — already unofficially dubbed a Big Four — would be another long-awaited step toward all that.
“We see how good we can be when we’re jelling and everyone’s touching the rock,” said Edgecombe, echoing George. “Everyone’s playing hard. Everyone’s bought into their role and what they have to do.”
But the Sixers’ best chance to win comes from the effort and aggressiveness of their less-heralded players. If they move the quickest to a loose ball, if they fight the hardest for rebounds, if they work the hardest on defense, maybe it’ll be enough.
And it’s up to Maxey and Embiid to keep others involved on offense by willingly making necessary passes.
That’s what is happening during the Sixers’ three-game winning streak.
They had five double-figure scorers in Saturday’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
But the Sixers started the winning streak off with six double-digit scorers in Tuesday’s 139-136 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. And the Sixers followed that with five double-figure scorers in their New Year’s Day 123-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
Embiid had 34 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks against the Grizzlies, while Maxey had 34 points and 12 assists. The standout point guard came back with 34 points, 10 assists, two steals, and two blocks against the Mavs, while Embiid added 22 points and six assists.
And on Saturday, Maxey had 36 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal, while Embiid finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists to knock off the Knicks (23-12) for the second time this season.
Sixers center Joel Embiid has to keep VJ Edgecombe involved moving forward.
Following Thursday’s game, Embiid noted that he was getting back to the dominant player he had been before being derailed by left knee injuries over the past two seasons. Before the injuries, the 2023 league MVP and seven-time All-Star felt like he could score 40 or 50 points every night.
“I can be more aggressive, but I feel like I’m also smarter,” Embiid said.
The 7-foot-2 center is starting to do what the team needs instead of looking for his own shot. Concentrating on scoring in previous games this season led to the ball becoming stagnant. As a result, his teammates, primarily VJ Edgecombe, became less impactful.
Sometimes, the rookie guard rarely touched the ball while Embiid hoisted up shots. But against Memphis, Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in this summer’s draft, scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and sank the game-winning three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime.
He followed that with 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting to go with a game-high four steals against the Mavs. And on Saturday, Edgecombe jump-started the Sixers’ rout by scoring 18 of his 26 points in the first half.
The shooting guard has shown off his shooting progress over the past three games, in which he’s made 14 of 25 three-pointers. Previously, Edgecombe was vastly underutilized offensively when Embiid.
The Sixers also have benefited from staggering Maxey and Embiid, allowing both to be aggressive. The tactic also allows for the offense to run through each player during specific stretches. They’ve also been successful utilizing a twin towers lineup featuring Embiid and Adem Bona at times. In that lineup, Embiid slides to power forward.
In this pairing, the Sixers incorporate drives to the basket that end with dump-offs to Bona. They also have high-percentage scoring plays, in which Embiid receives the ball at the elbow and dishes it to Bona underneath the basket. Another option is for Embiid to drive the lane and fire to wide-open three-point shooters in the corner.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) is defended by Sixers post players Joel Embiid (21) and forward Adem Bona (30) on Tuesday.
Bona’s presence helps provide rebounding and rim protection. Meanwhile, Embiid gets to display his shooting and passing skills.
And for them to continue to win, his passing skills must be on full display. Maxey, who’s the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.0 points per game, can shoulder the load.
Edgecombe, Paul George, and Quentin Grimes can also help in that category. While he’s going to get his points, Embiid’s focus should be on assisting teammates to get easier shots and making sure there’s constant ball movement.
The 76ers are bona fide NBA Eastern Conference contenders.
VJ Edgecombe has Daryl Morey looking like a genius for drafting him over Ace Bailey. And Tyrese Maxey’s impact on the defensive end doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
Those things stood out in Saturday’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Legitimate contenders
For most of the season, the Sixers (19-14) have been an enigma.
Bombarded with injuries and illness, they have yet to play with a full roster. And their Big Three of Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George were winless in their first four games together. But the belief was that once they got into rhythm, they would become a legitimate contender.
The Sixers are riding a three-game winning streak with Maxey, Embiid, and George playing in all those games. Saturday’s victory also marked the second time in as many meetings that they’ve defeated the second-place Knicks (23-12) this season.
Their first victory was a 116-107 decision at MSG on Dec. 19. The Sixers have won two of their meetings against the third-place Boston Celtics. And the team is only expected to get better once small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee ligament) and reserve power forward Trendon Watford (strained adductor muscle in his left thigh) return.
While they remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Sixers are three games behind the Knicks with 49 games remaining.
Maxey finished with a game-high 36 points to go with eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal. The All-NBA caliber point guard scored 20 of his points after halftime.
And the Sixers had a balanced attack for the third consecutive game. Embiid (26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists), Edgecombe (26 points, four assists, two blocks, two steals), George (15 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks), and Quentin Grimes (10 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks) were the other double-digit scorers.
The Sixers blocked 10 shots, and out-rebounded the Knicks, 47-44, with 17 of 36 three-pointers made. If Embiid and George can remain healthy, the Sixers will be a problem for the East’s contending teams.
“I think that only thing that’s missing in these first stretch of games is just some consistency and having the same guys out on the floor,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think you can see some things growing. There was probably about 40 plus minutes making the absolute right decision on offense. …
“Having the same guys out there has been an issue this year, as well. Hopefully, we can smooth that out a little bit and build and get a few wrinkles in, counters, and you get to add defensive schemes all that kind of stuff if you keep the same guys out there.”
Sixers forward Paul George looks to get past Knicks center Mitchell Robinson in the team’s win against New York on Saturday.
The perfect selection
After the Sixers were awarded the third pick in June’s NBA draft, Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations, was determined to add a young standout who could add roster flexibility and co-star with Maxey to take pressure off Embiid and George, who are overcoming injuries.
Edgecombe and Bailey were the main options.
Once the Sixers were awarded the third pick in June’s NBA draft, there was a significant debate regarding whom the team should draft.
Some believed the Sixers had to select Bailey out of Rutgers. The small forward eventually could replace George, who was coming off one of his worst NBA seasons. Additionally, the thought was that Bailey, who had the most significant upside, could be a star down the road.
Meanwhile, Edgecombe was a highlight waiting to happen at Baylor.
The 6-foot-5, 193-pounder was known for his scoring ability — especially in transition and at the rim. The Bahamian also possessed solid playmaking skills and defensive instincts. But the belief was that an inability to dribble or make three-pointers would make selecting him a gamble.
But Morey, the Sixers president of basketball operations, still selected him despite the concerns. Outside of drafting Maxey, that might have been the best decision during his Sixers tenure.
Edgecombe torched the Knicks, scoring his 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting – including making 4 of 9 three-pointers. The 20-year-old scored 18 of his points in the first half while making 7 of 10 shots, highlighted by going 4-for-6 on three-pointers.
This performance comes after Edgecombe made a combined 8-for-16 three-pointers in the last two games. In one of those contests, the 20-year-old scored 13 of his 25 points in the third quarter and scored the game-winning three-pointer to give the Sixers a 139-136 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
And who can forget the 34 points he scored against the Boston Celtics in the season-opening victory?
It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.
All these accomplishments are reasons that Edgecombe’s selection has Morey and the Sixers looking like geniuses.
“He’s been awesome,” Nurse said of Edgecombe. “I think just, again, the composure. I think that he has it just so steady out there. He plays like a 10-year vet with his composure. He just kind of keeps making plays. He does a little bit of everything, which is great.”
Maxey scored at least 30 points for the 17th time this season. The sixth-year veteran is third in the league in scoring at 31.1 points per game. He’s also 11th in assists at 7.1 per game. But the league MVP candidate is also excelling on defense.
Maxey is fourth in the league in steals at 1.8 per game. He also blocked 28 shots this season, which is five off his high for a season.
His ability to track down players, get swats, and knack for getting in passing lanes have been a significant bonus for the Sixers this season.
One can argue that he’s been one of the league’s most well-rounded players this season. For that, he’s deserving of being voted an All-Star starter and garnering All-NBA honors.
“He’s been much better this year,” Nurse said of Maxey’s defense. “I think the whole way. I think you’d agree that he’s into the ball, he’s over screens, getting his share of pick-sixes, getting his share of turnovers. So he’s been really alerted on that end of the floor, I think all season. He just keeps getting better.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored 36 points, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe each had 26 and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the New York Knicks 130-119 on Saturday night for their third straight victory.
Paul George added 15 points and Quentin Grimes had 10 for the Sixers, who won at Madison Square Garden for the second time this season. Embiid also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Philadelphia extended its streak to 9-0 when Edgecombe started the second quarter with a 3-pointer. Consecutive three-pointers from Anunoby and Jordan Clarkson put the Knicks back in the lead.
Jalen Brunson scored 31 points for the Knicks, who have lost three straight for the second time this season. Karl-Anthony Towns, who returned after missing one game due to illness, added 23 points and 14 rebounds.
Deuce McBride scored 20 points, OG Anunoby had 19 and Mikal Bridges added 12 for New York.
The Knicks were ahead 30-25 when the Sixers scored the final six points of the first quarter and led 31-30.
Trailing 38-37, the 76ers produced a 9-0 run and grabbed the lead for good. They went ahead by 13 before the Knicks scored the last five points of the second quarter and cut their deficit to 66-58 at halftime.
Embiid’s two free throws gave Philadelphia its largest lead at 96-77 with 3 minutes, 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The Knicks’ 10-3 run pulled them within 99-87 heading into the fourth.
Towns’ bucket opened the final quarter and his three-point play with 9:59 left brought the Knicks within 103-94.
The 76ers regained a 15-point lead, but Anunoby’s free throws with 2:08 left got the Knicks within 121-114. However, a Maxey free throw, a layup from Grimes and a a decisive jam from Edgecombe would follow and the Knicks never got any closer.
Next up for the Sixers is a return to Xfinity Mobile Arena to take on the Denver Nuggets on Monday (8:30 p.m., Peacock).
