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  • Jared McCain opens up about protecting his mental health with students at Level Up Philly: ‘It humbles you’

    Jared McCain opens up about protecting his mental health with students at Level Up Philly: ‘It humbles you’

    Since high school, Jared McCain has shared his life on TikTok for his fans. He didn’t expect just how many haters also would come his way.

    On Wednesday, McCain, in partnership with Penn Medicine and the Sixers’ Assists for Safe Communities initiative, spoke with students at Level Up Philly about protecting his own mental health.

    “Putting myself in different positions helps me with my mental health, and helps me understand what people can go through,” McCain told The Inquirer. “Now, when I go through it, I understand what to do or what not to do. Being in the league is amazing, and now that I’m in, I guess, my real profession, it’s cool that I get to help out around the city, people around me, and people in my DMs, whoever it is, that I can just help out and try and direct them in the best way possible.”

    Since entering the NBA in 2024, McCain has experienced the highs of a successful debut and the lows of his season-ending meniscus tear and his season-opening finger injury this year.

    VJ Edgecombe and Snipes gift local kids with $500 shopping sprees: ‘Philly is home now and I always try to give back’

    As he worked his way back into the lineup, McCain said there’s a huge mental aspect to his recovery that fans may not see. He relies on his friends and family and also works with a psychologist to process those struggles.

    “The expectation is, you come back right away, first game, and play exactly how you are. But for me, I was just trying to get out there and feel comfortable enough to jump again and jump off my left leg again,” McCain said. “You’ve done it a million times in training and to be prepared for a game, but it’s never going to replicate actually going and subbing into a game and going full speed.”

    “That’s where I’ve got to get off social media sometimes, in the first few games. Even when I’m not playing the best right now, I know it’s going to come back to me, but I always just stay true to myself. I know it’s going to click and I know it’s going to come back as long as I continue to work hard.”

    McCain doesn’t run his own Instagram anymore, and he’s never on X, which he believes is “the worst” platform. But he still loves TikTok and tries to keep basketball off his For You page.

    But he told the students at Level Up Philly that despite the hate he can get for his TikTok videos, he wants to keep it going to make a positive impact. Negative comments often can overshadow the positive ones, so McCain learned to refocus on the good he was doing instead of falling into the negative.

    Students at Level Up Philly listened to Sixers guard Jared McCain talk about his about mental health during an event partnership between Penn Medicine and the Sixers’ Assists for Safe Communities initiative.

    Level Up Philly is a youth community center in West Philadelphia that serves as a home base for hundreds of students across the city to work on homework, learn new skills, or hang out with friends.

    Pastor Aaron Campbell, affectionately called “Unc” and even “Dad” by the students, is the executive director of the center. Level Up Philly supports students from 10 to 25 years old.

    More than 40 students came to hear McCain, Campbell, and Penn Medicine emergency doctor Malik Sams talk about mental health. A number of students at Level Up Philly have witnessed gun violence, and Campbell said 15 students at Level Up have been killed in the last three years.

    “There is arguably a human rights crisis in Philadelphia,” Campbell said. “We have seen a significant drop in homicides. We’ve seen solutions for the violence, but now there’s another element. The elephant in the room is the PTSD, the psychological impact, and that is also part of what I will call a human rights crisis in Philadelphia, so we have to talk about mental health.”

    Jared McCain is staying grounded while shouldering injury ‘haymakers’ for Sixers

    Students eagerly shared their stories and asked McCain questions, and Campbell loved that the collaboration between the Sixers and Level Up could help the students feel more empowered to speak up about their mental health.

    McCain said one of the biggest lessons he’s learned is not to judge, because everyone is going through something that he might not see. Getting to meet the students at Level Up was another way for McCain to gain perspective that he can take with him.

    “I was privileged, and I was able to grow up in an environment where a lot of this stuff didn’t happen that these kids go through,” McCain said. “To be able to hear stories of people, of what they’re going through, and people passing in their family, it definitely it humbles you, and you can understand more of what people go through on a day to day, and what they can be projecting at you when something happened at home. Just hearing it has helped me, and it can literally help me in my mental health struggles.”

  • How the Sixers’ ‘kids’ bonded, then injected energy into the locker room

    How the Sixers’ ‘kids’ bonded, then injected energy into the locker room

    Adem Bona got Johni Broome’s attention from across the 76ers’ locker room, subtly interrupting a conversation ahead of their Nov. 30 game against the Atlanta Hawks.

    “I’m coming, Bona!” Broome hollered in response.

    It was time for the young Sixers to head to chapel, which has become a pregame ritual. Jared McCain, VJ Edgecombe, Justin Edwards, and Hunter Sallis joined them, too.

    Those teammates have swiftly forged a bond through serious activities, such as tapping into their faith, and sillier ones, such as intense NBA 2K video game matchups. And everyday ones, such as bus rides and shared meals.

    Outside belief that the Sixers are old and washed up is primarily used as a dig at the oft-injured (and max-salaried) Joel Embiid and Paul George. But these youngsters are debunking that notion and injecting energy — and promise — into their team’s 14-11 start.

    “We’re all just kids,” Edgecombe recently told The Inquirer. “Just enjoying the moment. Knowing that we’re in the NBA, what we worked for our whole life. …

    “It’s just a natural bond, for real. It’s no forced relationship.”

    ‘That’s the PG we all know and love’: Paul George is finding a rhythm and changing the narrative of his Sixers tenure

    This contingent of the roster is made up of rookies Edgecombe, Broome, and Sallis; second-year players Bona, McCain, and Edwards; and two-way newcomers Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow. There is also a trio of 25-year-old “tweeners” in star point guard Tyrese Maxey — who noted before the season that he has tried to pick up video games in an effort to connect with his younger teammates — along with Trendon Watford and Quentin Grimes.

    The Sixers’ front office more deliberately course-corrected to this roster-building direction in the middle of last season’s 24-58 flop, citing a need for more players who were athletic and consistently available. Bona, McCain, and Edwards received legitimate minutes as first-year players. Edgecombe, the third overall pick in last summer’s draft, is averaging 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4 assists as an instant-impact rookie. Barlow is a starter and arguably the Sixers’ biggest surprise so far this season, and Walker is part of the rotation.

    The bulk of this 2025-26 group initially linked at the Sixers’ facility for summer league practices. Conversations while sticking around for cold-tub and treatment sessions spilled over to their newly created group chat, a player’s home, or a local restaurant. They went through the two-week summer league odyssey from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas. Then to workouts in Los Angeles, which included a Disneyland trip organized by Maxey. Then back to Philly for informal pickup games.

    Sixers guards VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey talk strategy during an NBA game.

    By the time training camp began in late September, those Sixers had already spent nearly three months together. And while the rookies had nothing to compare this early NBA chemistry-building to, Walker, now in his fourth season, called it “a different type of bonding” while likening it to a college-team environment.

    “Sometimes, in other situations, you want to hurry up and get off the court and just go home,” Walker said. “I’ve been wanting to lag behind, because there’s so many different personalities. … For things to happen like that so quick, you don’t feel like you’re just coming to a job every day.

    “I actually wake up like, ‘Dang, I’ve got to tell Johni this when I get there’ [or] ‘I’ve got to tell Justin this.’”

    Coach Nick Nurse grinned when this topic was broached following an early-season practice. He said he first noticed the “entertaining” connection among those players while on the bus heading to gyms in the summer. He added that they embody this staff’s 12-months-a-year philosophy, and helped set the tone for the Sixers’ commitment to “dig ourselves out of a hole” following that disastrous 2024-25 season.

    These days, Nurse said, there is a row of chairs along the practice court where those players frequently sit after their work is done.

    “I go up there once in a while,” Nurse said, “and I say, ‘What are you guys doing over here?’ And they’re like, ‘We’re just hanging out, Coach.’ And I’m like, ‘All right, keep hanging out.’”

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and forward Trendon Watford have a close friendship on and off the court.

    Once those players finally leave the Sixers’ facility for the day, they regularly hop on their video-game headset.

    Unsurprisingly, NBA 2K is their top choice. In “My Player” mode, Broome has an “elite” 7-foot-4 big man who can shoot. Sallis plays with a point guard “trying to run the show.” Edgecombe has a variety of players, allowing for maximum versatility.

    “[We’ll] be on the game 24/7,” Edwards said. “We’ll be on FaceTime, in the group chat, trying to see who wants to play. That’s a big thing that I feel like we didn’t have last year.”

    When asked who is the best gamer of the bunch, most provided the politically correct answer. Yet when told that Edwards brushed it off, Walker quipped that “Justin should ‘no comment’ that question.” And while bringing his voice down to a whisper inside a mostly empty postgame locker room, Edgecombe eventually revealed, “I think I’m the best, though, to be honest with you. You can say [it].”

    TGI Fridays on City Avenue was a longtime Sixers hangout. Then Allen Iverson made it one of Philly’s hottest ‘clubs.’

    Gaming is how those youngsters also roped Sixers veterans — aka “Uncs” — George and Andre Drummond into their group. The 32-year-old Drummond said being around those players’ lingo — Edwards recently started calling him “Muddy,” an apparent reference from his New York City relatives — music tastes, and overall energy is “why I call myself a young man.” George, 35, added that being immersed in a virtual environment away from the facility or Xfinity Mobile Arena has encouraged them all to open up and bridge age gaps.

    “That’s where kind of the trust and the relationship has grown,” George said. “ … We shoot the [expletive] on the game, but then it carries over the next day and we’re looking forward to seeing each other. We laugh about what happened the night prior, and who [stunk], and who was trash.

    “It’s a fun way and I think, for us, [it’s] just kind of expressing ourselves outside of the grind of the season.”

    Now, such connections fuel aspects of those players’ game-day routines.

    Bona is the unofficial leader of the chapel “safe space,” which last season quickly added McCain. The invites then extended to Broome, Edwards, Edgecombe, and Sallis, who now file out of the locker room about an hour before any game’s tipoff.

    “Everyone checks on each of us,” Bona said, “Like, ‘Yo, we’ve got five minutes!’ It’s amazing. It’s a really good bonding activity together.”

    Added Broome: “Obviously, I’m a rookie, so things kind of get a little tough and frustrating sometimes. So it just kind of keeps me grounded, keeps me on the right path, in the right direction. Keeps me encouraged.”

    Those relationships also are noticeable inside the postgame locker room. Following a Nov. 25 blowout loss to the Orlando Magic, for instance, Barlow, Walker, and Broome sat huddled in a corner, immediately dissecting how the game got so out of hand. And after Embiid’s 39-point outburst against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, he was enthusiastically chatting with McCain and Edgecombe before heading to treatment.

    “I’m happier coming in here,” Embiid said later that night. “… You look at the guy next to you, you want to always joke around, talk to them, and hang out. Being on the road and just chill, that goes a long way.

    “I love all these guys in this locker room.”

    A fair amount of credit for such vibes can go to the “kids,” who quickly bonded with one another and then injected energy into the start of the Sixers’ season.

    “I can go [down] the list of young guys,” Drummond said. “It really just keeps our whole team spirit high.”

  • VJ Edgecombe and Snipes gift local kids with $500 shopping sprees: ‘Philly is home now and I always try to give back’

    VJ Edgecombe and Snipes gift local kids with $500 shopping sprees: ‘Philly is home now and I always try to give back’

    Children searched the aisles of SNIPES for clothing and picked out their favorite sneakers as 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe provided tips, bagged items behind the cash register, and helped in any way he could.

    “If I’m being honest, I told them to grab whatever,” Edgecombe said. “If you have siblings at home who didn’t have the opportunity to do this then think of your siblings. That’s what I told them, just grab whatever.”

    On Wednesday evening, the Sixers partnered with SNIPES to provide 10 local kids from the Youth Mentoring Partnership with $500 holiday shopping sprees. Before the festivities started, they were surprised with a special appearance from Edgecombe.

    ‘That’s the PG we all know and love’: Paul George is finding a rhythm and changing the narrative of his Sixers tenure

    When he walked into the store, he was welcomed with cheers as kids waited to greet him.

    “I’m seeing the kids happy and smiling and it means the world to me regardless if they’re my little siblings or not,” Edgecombe said. “Philly is home now and I always try to give back. Give back to the community. Give back to kids, especially, in any way I can. So, it means a lot to me.”

    Although Edgecombe struggled to find kids through racks of clothing, the 20-year-old guard eventually spotted them and helped each child fill up their shopping bags with the latest gear and sneakers — from full Von Dutch outfits and fitted hats to new pairs of New Balances.

    Growing up in poverty in the Bahamas and relying on a generator for electricity fueled Edgecombe to make a name for himself and provide for his family. Although the Sixers picked him third overall in the 2025 NBA draft, the rookie will never forget his Bahamian roots.

    “Me as a kid, I would have been in here grabbing as much things as I can to be honest,” Edgecombe said. “I wouldn’t have cared if it could fit me or not. I guess I’m really blessed just to be in this position just to give back. It means the world to me seeing kids happy.”

    VJ Edgecombe with members of the Youth Mentoring Partnership at SNIPES.

    Wednesday’s event is just one way Edgecombe is using his platform to provide for others. Being surrounded by teammates who want to continue to help the Philadelphia community — including Tyrese Maxey, who hosted his annual turkey drive in November — has been a big inspiration to the young guard.

    “We’re really fortunate to be in certain situations, financially,” Edgecombe said. “It’s important to give back to the community just because you never know what people are going through, daily struggles, you know. Our struggles are different from theirs. And sometimes people wonder about where their next meal is going to come from.”

  • Tyrese Maxey is back from illness, and pleased with how the Sixers played without him

    Tyrese Maxey is back from illness, and pleased with how the Sixers played without him

    Tyrese Maxey typically is “super animated” whenever a health issue has forced him to watch his team play on television.

    But when the 76ers’ star guard tried to express such outward enthusiasm while ill at home for Friday’s victory over the Indiana Pacers and Sunday’s three-point loss to Atlanta Hawks, he rapidly fatigued.

    “The more I yelled and screamed, the more I got tired,” Maxey said following Wednesday’s practice. “And it was, like, I can’t do that. I couldn’t stand up, really. So I’m basically just sitting there, watching the game, like, throwing my arms like this.”

    The good news for the 14-11 Sixers: Maxey was back on the court with his teammates Wednesday, following an individual session the previous day. Perhaps even more encouraging to him and coach Nick Nurse was how the Sixers played without Maxey, who entered Wednesday ranked third in the NBA in scoring (31.5 points per game) and leading the league in minutes (39.9 per game).

    ‘That’s the PG we all know and love’: Paul George is finding a rhythm and changing the narrative of his Sixers tenure

    “When I said [before the season that] I wanted stuff to look the same,” Maxey said, “I just wanted us to go out there and compete every single night. I don’t want it to look like, ‘Oh, this guy’s out. That guy’s out. So we’re just going to lay down, and the other team’s going to beat us.’

    “I think we’ve kind of created that standard and done a good job of it. It’s kind of coming to light, and now we’ve got to keep doing it.”

    Nurse acknowledged Wednesday that his “fears were really high” entering last weekend’s games without Maxey. But the coach was particularly pleased with how rookie VJ Edgecombe handled lead guard duties, with seven assists against two turnovers across those two games while surpassing 20 points in each contest. The coach also liked how his team broke defensive pressure, and that he was able to get a look at a variety of lineup combinations.

    Maxey, meanwhile, was thrilled that former MVP Joel Embiid “put on a clinic” in his 39-point outburst against the Pacers.

    Tyrese Maxey says teammate Joel Embiid “put on a clinic” during the star center’s 39-point outburst against Indiana last week.

    “When he was about to do the … you know,” said Maxey, referring to Embiid’s DX chop celebration. “I was about to say, ‘If I tweet that, will I get fined? If I tweeted a GIF?’ But I just stayed away from all that.”

    Though Maxey said he felt “way better” while back in the facility Wednesday, Nurse believed the star guard “looked like he’s been off for a little bit.” And some reacclimation was necessary after the Sixers added to their schematic package during last week’s four-day layoff between games while Maxey was away. The point guard said he noticed those changes while reviewing practice film and while watching the games live.

    “The biggest thing that I took from [those games] is that we can be really good,” he said. “I mean, we can. It’s possible. We have those opportunities. We have those chances.

    “We’ve just got to keep coming together, keep doing a good job of building every single day, and staying healthy.”

    Sixers mailbag: Does Tyrese Maxey have a legitimate case to be a top-10 NBA player?

    Another positive injury development: Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee) and Trendon Watford (left thigh) have progressed to individual on-court work, the team said Wednesday. There is no timetable for either player to return for game action, though Watford said Wednesday he is “close” to that.

    “I feel like I had a pretty good groove going while I was playing,” said Watford, who averaged 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 14 games after missing the start of the season with a hamstring issue. “[I was] starting to string it together a little bit. It’s unfortunate what happened, but it could always be worse.

    “Just sitting back and keeping that perspective, and just trying to attack the rehab the same every day.”

    To the G League

    A potential byproduct of the Sixers getting healthier is diminishing minutes for players further down the rotation. That includes Justin Edwards and Adem Bona, who, after playing more sporadically in recent games, were assigned to the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats for Tuesday’s win at the Capital City Go-Go.

    Edwards scored 37 points on 13-of-21 shooting and added four rebounds and six steals in 40 minutes. Bona totaled 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, four rebounds, three assists, and three blocks in 32 minutes.

    Justin Edwards was assigned to the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats and scored 37 points in their win on Tuesday.

    “That was a great opportunity for both of them,” Nurse said. “Went down there and embraced it and played great. My thing was I told them both, ‘Do your thing. Play hard. Do the things that you can do. Play to your strengths.’”

    Edwards is 0-for-10 from the floor in his last three NBA games, and only logged 8 minutes, 51 seconds on Sunday in Atlanta. Bona, meanwhile, has not played in the Sixers’ past three games, with Embiid becoming more consistently available and Andre Drummond taking hold of the backup center spot. The Sixers also recently used a similar get-right strategy with second-year guard Jared McCain, who went 0-for-9 from the floor in his first four games upon returning from missing nearly a calendar year following knee and thumb surgeries.

    Nurse said Edwards and Bona likely will see the floor in the Sixers’ upcoming back-to-back on Friday at the New York Knicks and on Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks. But, as the season rolls on, the coach acknowledged that both second-year players will probably have “long moments where they don’t hit the floor much.”

    How is Tyrese Maxey handling his heavy minutes? The Sixers star is ‘lost in the competitiveness’

    “So balancing growing … at a young age, with learning how to play,” Nurse said. “Playing the right way, keeping your confidence up, keeping your conditioning up.”

    In the clutch

    End-of-game scenarios have been a focus during the Sixers’ two lighter weeks, per Nurse.

    That is understandable, given they entered Wednesday tied for second in the NBA with 18 “clutch” games played, which occurs when the score is five points or fewer with five minutes remaining in regulation. The Sixers were 1-1 in such situations last weekend, pulling away from the Pacers in the final minutes and then losing to the Hawks in a game that came down to the last possession.

    After reevaluating the end of that Atlanta game — which included a chaotic final-minute sequence with two missed three-pointers, an offensive rebound, taking too long to foul, and a controversial no-call by the officials — Nurse described Quentin Grimes’ missed three-point leaner at the buzzer as “really good.” A detail worth mentioning: veteran Kyle Lowry entered the game to inbound the ball with 1.5 seconds remaining, a role once held by Nico Batum during the 2023-24 season.

    Sixers head coach Nick Nurse talks to guard VJ Edgecombe during a game against the the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 12.

    Overall, Nurse has called his team’s crunch-time play so far this season “maybe better than I expected, and certainly better than in the past.” The Sixers were 18-18 in clutch games in 2023-24, which ranked 14th in the league in winning percentage, and 15-21 during the dreadful 2024-25 season.

    “We’ve made some clutch stops to get us in these positions,” Nurse said. “We’re doing OK. I want to keep building on that stuff. … Always want to get better. Always get greedy on that kind of stuff.”

  • NBA officials ripped NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby over Sixers broadcast

    NBA officials ripped NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby over Sixers broadcast

    Controversy from the Sixers’ loss Sunday night lingered into Tuesday thanks to a salty message from NBA officials calling out NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby.

    With less than two seconds left and the Atlanta Hawks clinging to a one-point lead, Nickeil Alexander-Walker inbounded a pass in the frontcourt and dribbled it into the backcourt before being fouled by 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe.

    Clearly a backcourt violation and Sixers ball with a chance to win the game, right? Abdelnaby certainly thought so.

    “His foot’s in the frontcourt! The ball’s in the frontcourt!” Abdelnaby said during NBC Sports Philadelphia’s telecast.

    The officials didn’t see it that way, despite protests from Joel Embiid and Sixers coach Nick Nurse. Their explanation for the no-call after the game was that Alexander-Walker’s “momentum” carried him into the backcourt, which “is legal in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and overtime.”

    Former NBA referee turned ESPN analyst Steve Javie, a Philly native and Temple grad, heard complaints about the no-call from a Sixers fan during a Christmas party Monday night. But after watching the video, Javie thinks the refs made the correct call that Alexander-Walker didn’t establish himself in the frontcourt.

    “That’s an easy one. I don’t even think it’s that controversial,” Javie told The Inquirer. “That’s not the one you want to go up the mountain on.”

    So instead of it being Sixers ball trailing by just one point, Alexander-Walker made both of his foul shots and increased the Hawks’ lead to three. Quentin Grimes got up a decent shot that would have tied the score as time expired, but it bounced in and out, and the Hawks walked away with the win.

    That’s when things got interesting.

    On Monday, the National Basketball Referees Association criticized Abdelnaby on social media and defended the officials’ no-call during Sunday’s game.

    “For those calling the game, there is a responsibility to know the NBA rules and explain them correctly in order to properly educate the fans,” the association wrote, tagging Abdelnaby’s X account.

    The referees’ official X account, with more than 136,000 followers, hasn’t been historically combative and had not called out a single announcer by name this season before going after Abdelnaby.

    Why now? That remains unclear. The National Basketball Referees Association did not respond to a request for comment.

    “As a ref, you hear so much stuff [from announcers] year after year, game after game, you get kind of frustrated. Like, ‘Dude, this is not the right rule you’re talking about,’” Javie said, especially from hometown announcers openly rooting for their teams. “This is why they’re frustrated and gave him a shot, probably.”

    Abdelnaby, a former Duke standout and NBA player in his 10th season calling Sixers games, isn’t afraid to offer strong opinions about the officials during broadcasts. He did so multiple times Sunday night, including after the game from the concourse of State Farm Arena in Atlanta, where he and play-by-play announcer Kate Scott called the game.

    “Sometimes you’re told as a player on the road, you have to beat eight instead of just five,” Abdelnaby said, referring to the three officials on the court. “I thought the Sixers got a little shortchanged tonight.”

    Abdelnaby declined to comment about the NBA referees’ social media post, but he wasn’t alone in thinking the officials missed a backcourt violation.

    “It was a complete blunder by the referees tonight,” NBA Sports Philadelphia studio analyst and former NBA player Marc Jackson said following the game.

    What do the NBA rules say?

    When in doubt, go to the rule book, where there appear to be two sections invoked Sunday night.

    First, the NBA rule book clearly states that the ball “shall be awarded to the opposing team” if a ball in the frontcourt or at the midcourt line passes into the backcourt.

    But there is one exception:

    And here’s what the rule book says about determining the frontcourt or backcourt status of a player on a throw-in:

    The rule basically says a player’s position isn’t determined until he has established a “positive position” on an inbounds pass, as long as it’s under two minutes in the fourth period or in overtime.

    So what does “positive position” mean? According to Javie, it basically equates to possession and stopping with the basketball.

    “If [Alexander-Walker’s] momentum had stopped from going to the backcourt, and then he took a step into the backcourt, that would then be deemed a backcourt violation,” Javie said. “He didn’t establish position anywhere, really.”

    “I thought it was going to be less obvious than that,” Javie added, based on the complaints over the no call.

    Fans will certainly have a lot of time to debate the rules, since the Sixers won’t take the court again until Friday night against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Amazon’s Prime Video.

  • ‘That’s the PG we all know and love’: Paul George is finding a rhythm and changing the narrative of his Sixers tenure

    ‘That’s the PG we all know and love’: Paul George is finding a rhythm and changing the narrative of his Sixers tenure

    ATLANTA — He was the worst free-agent acquisition in franchise history. He was going to set the team back for several seasons. He was washed up and untradable.

    That was the belief. Nine months later, perhaps it’s a good time to reexamine Paul George’s 76ers reality.

    Hmmm.

    Even as a 35-year-old forward, he’s the best ballhandler on the team.

    He’s been a great complement to Tyrese Maxey, who has replaced Joel Embiid this season as the face of the franchise.

    He can adequately guard the point guard, shooting guard, small forward, and power forward positions.

    He had 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists Friday in a 115-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. And he finished with 35 points while making seven three-pointers Sunday in a 120-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.

    Washed up? No.

    George is getting healthier, which is helping him regain the All-Star form he exhibited before signing a four-year, $211.5 million contract on July 6, 2024.

    Sixers takeaways: Paul George’s best game, Joel Embiid’s availability, and more from loss to the Hawks

    “I mean, prior to coming here, I was coming off one of my most efficient seasons,” George said of 2023-24, his final season with the Los Angeles Clippers. “All-Star that year. I didn’t see myself being washed up that fast, but I knew that this league is about what you can do now, and they tend to forget everything that I have done.

    “So, it was a bit of motivation going into the summer to just get healthy and kind of let everything else take care of itself.”

    Initially, there was a lot of hype surrounding George’s signing.

    As the NBA’s top free-agent target that summer, his presence was encouraging for a Sixers franchise with championship aspirations.

    The six-time All-NBA selection and four-time All-Defensive pick averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals in 2023-24. He shot a career-best 41.3% on three-pointers.

    Yet, George played in only 41 games last season as a Sixer, hampered by various injuries. His final contest of the season was on March 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was officially ruled out for the remainder of that season on March 17, the day he received injections in the left adductor muscle in his groin and left knee.

    Paul George played in just 41 games last season for the Sixers.

    George was expected to return in time for training camp. However, the nine-time All-Star had arthroscopic left knee surgery on July 11. As a result, he missed all four exhibition games and the first 12 regular-season games.

    George struggled to create separation and averaged just 16.2 points, the fourth-lowest average of his 16-year NBA career, in 2024-25. George also finished with a three-point percentage of 35.8%, the third-lowest of his career.

    “Oh, my God. I mean, it was rough, man,” he said of last season. “It was brutal. And when you play for Philly, it’s brutal, man. I had an expectation coming into the year, and for me, me alone, like not even the noise outside and whatever people said, you know? It was just me, the expectation I had, and my first year playing with these guys, and the expectation they had of me.

    “And it was just a lot that physically, I just couldn’t do, so, yeah, mentally, man, it broke me down. It was rough and hard times just because it was like, ‘Man, I know what I’m capable of, but my body’s just not allowing it.’ So it was a rough one last year.”

    But George is finding his rhythm, and he’s improved in each game he’s played this season.

    Sixers mailbag: Does Tyrese Maxey have a legitimate case to be a top-10 NBA player?

    With Maxey sidelined with an illness, George excelled in a point-forward role in the Sixers’ last two games.

    “Obviously, the 35 [points] is great,” coach Nick Nurse said of Sunday’s game. “The seven threes are amazing, all that stuff. But to me, I like the way he’s getting by people. He’s getting by people down in the paint. He’s holding off post-ups. He’s getting to spots. He’s getting clearance on a lot of things. That’s probably the most encouraging.

    “Obviously, that’s awesome that he made a bunch of shots tonight. But he looks like he’s creating a lot of opportunities. And he’s also a pretty good passer when he gets down the lane, too.”

    Sixers guard Quentin Grimes, who is having his own stellar season, echoed Nurse’s praise for George.

    “That’s the PG we all know and love out there,” Grimes said after Sunday’s game. “Go out there and just play the game. He’s one of the best players in the league for a reason. So just go out there, seeing him getting back to full rhythm is great to see for us, for sure.”

    George has also been impressive defensively in nine of the 10 games he has played. He’s been highly active while moving well laterally and displaying a physical presence. A lot of the physicality can be attributed to his 235-pound weight after adding 15 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-8 frame.

    Sixers forward Paul George blocks the Clippers’ John Collins on Nov. 17.

    George has been working on his body since his season concluded in March.

    “I probably took off three weeks here and there,” he said. “So that was a lot of time for me to just work on my body. It was around the clock every day. Even on vacation, I’m lifting, I’m working out. Wherever I was at, I was working out. …

    “I feel like it’s paying off. I feel stronger. My body has morphed, and it’s the reason why I think — although things are still coming back — I think it’s why I’m off to kind of a good start.”

    He’s determined to spend more time contributing to the team’s success and making people forget about last season’s struggles and injuries.

    “Last year,” George said, “was a lot going on.”

    And George feels like he can be himself more now that he’s healthier. He’s not 100%, but he has looked more like himself than last season.

    TGI Fridays on City Avenue was a longtime Sixers hangout. Then Allen Iverson made it one of Philly’s hottest ‘clubs.’

    If he continues to excel, he’ll be remembered as Paul George, the elite basketball player. Not Paul George, the washed up player who made a cameo last season.

    “So that’s the positive that I can take,” George said, “and everything else is with time. I’m just going to continue to get better.”

  • Sixers takeaways: Paul George’s best game, Joel Embiid’s availability, and more from loss to the Hawks

    Sixers takeaways: Paul George’s best game, Joel Embiid’s availability, and more from loss to the Hawks

    ATLANTA — Paul George is moving well.

    Joel Embiid is making progress in his recovery.

    VJ Edgecombe showed why he needs to be more involved.

    The 76ers also had a tough time making key defensive stops. And when they finally did, they struggled to score late.

    These things stood out in their 120-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday at State Farm Arena.

    George’s star shining bright

    This matchup might have been George’s best performance of the season, even after the versatility he displayed in Friday’s victory over the Indiana Pacers.

    Paul George shows signs of being the versatile difference-maker the Sixers expected last season

    Against the Hawks, George took his ballhandling, scoring, and defense to another level. He didn’t look like someone dealing with left knee injury management and appeared closer to the player the Sixers (14-11) gave a four-year, $211.5 million deal on July 6, 2024, to form a Big Three with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

    George finished with 35 points while making 7 of 10 three-pointers. The 6-foot-8 forward also had four rebounds, three assists, and one block. He scored nine of his points on 3-for-6 shooting, including both of his three-pointers, in the second quarter.

    “I’m getting more and more comfortable within the system, within the offense,” George said. “At that point, now, I can kind of just be myself. Just allow the game to come to me, find my moment. And be aggressive in those.”

    George scored 14 of his points in the fourth quarter. Now healthier, the 35-year-old, who missed 56 games since the start of last season, is once again able to get by defenders.

    “Last year was a lot going on,” he said. “I was just trying to patch up stuff. This year, I’m a lot healthier. I’m able. I feel like I can play my game. I feel like I can be myself.

    “There’s still some things that got to come back. I’m not all the way [100%]. But I’m more myself than I was last year. So that’s the positive that I can take. And everything else is, with time, I’m just going to continue to get better.”

    Joel Embiid (left) had his first double-double of the season for the Sixers.

    Embiid ramping up

    At the start of the season, Embiid needed at least two full days in between games to play. For instance, if the Sixers center played on a Monday, he wouldn’t play again until Thursday of that week.

    But that changed on Sunday.

    Embiid was back on the court after scoring a season-high 39 points on Friday. After that game, the 2023 MVP, who is dealing with knee issues, said he would petition to play against the Hawks. And his presence was needed with Maxey, the team’s leading scorer, missing his second straight game with an illness.

    “The main thing is he was feeling pretty good after the last game,” coach Nick Nurse said of playing Embiid. “Probably the schedule has helped a little bit, too, both pre and post these two games.

    “Listen, I thought he had some pretty good opportunities tonight. I thought he had a lot of unfortunate ones, especially some in close to the basket that rolled off here and there. And I kind of wish he would have gotten to the free throw line more tonight.”

    Embiid was rerouted on several drives to the basket, where the officials didn’t call a foul. When he did attempt free throws, he made 5 of 6.

    Embiid didn’t shoot the ball well from the field, making just 8 of 20 shots. However, he finished with 22 points, a season-high 14 rebounds, and two blocks for his first double-double of the season.

    TGI Fridays on City Avenue was a longtime Sixers hangout. Then Allen Iverson made it one of Philly’s hottest ‘clubs.’

    “I feel OK,” he said of playing on one day’s rest. “I was a little tired out there. But I feel good. I’ll take it. I came out pretty good either way. So I’ll take it. Obviously, I would have felt better if we got the win. But that didn’t happen. … We’ll see how it feels tomorrow. But it was good things.”

    Edgecombe’s dominant quarter

    The night started poorly for Edgecombe, who was summoned to the bench early in the first quarter after picking up two fouls. But he settled down upon his return and was in video game mode in the third quarter.

    That’s when the rookie shooting guard scored 17 of his 26 points. He did that while making 5 of 7 shots, including all three of his three-pointers. He was 4-for-4 from the foul line while playing the entire quarter.

    Edgecombe has been solid for most of the season. It’s just been a matter of keeping him involved. He gave the crowd in Atlanta a glimpse of what he can do when the offense runs through him.

    Sixers’ VJ Edgecombe (left) scored 17 of his 26 points in the third quarter.

    Defense improvement equals poor offensive possession

    The Sixers made clutch shots and kept mounting comeback attempts. They also had some solid defense, highlighted by Andre Drummond’s two blocked shots in the third quarter.

    But it just seemed like whenever the Hawks really needed to make a basket, they did. A prime example was Onyeka Okongwu’s three-pointer to give the Hawks a 114-109 lead with 3 minutes, 31 seconds remaining. That shot squashed a 13-5 run by the Sixers.

    Then, after Quentin Grimes’ three-pointer closed the gap to one point with 1:03 left, the Sixers made a defensive stop. However, they couldn’t score on their final two possessions.

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey sits out game in Atlanta with an illness

    Their ensuing possession, which concluded with George and Grimes missing three-pointers, appeared to be a few seconds of chaos.

    The Sixers got the ball after Embiid’s defensive rebound with 41.3 seconds left. They passed up several good looks in addition to their two misses before Nickeil Alexander-Walker grabbed a rebound for the Hawks (15-12) with 6.8 seconds remaining.

    Sixers guard Quentin Grimes (right) finished with 14 points against Atlanta.

    “Listen, it’s always one of those, I think, when we [get] a stop, we want to get up the floor and hit them before the defense is set, for sure,” Nurse said. “That settles down a little bit. There’s some chances to take a timeout. When you don’t and don’t score, you always want to go back and do it, maybe.

    “But I was pretty happy with — they were moving the ball. They had some looks. They had two cracks at it. Two guys who had just made shots, a bunch of shots down the stretch. I have to look at it again. I’m sitting here right now, [the possession] was probably OK.”

    Then, after Alexander-Walker made a pair of foul shots to give Atlanta a three-point cushion, Grimes missed a potential game-tying three at the buzzer.

  • Sixers mailbag: Does Tyrese Maxey have a legitimate case to be a top-10 NBA player?

    Sixers mailbag: Does Tyrese Maxey have a legitimate case to be a top-10 NBA player?

    ATLANTA — The 76ers headed into State Farm Arena on Sunday evening looking to continue their ascension in the Eastern Conference.

    Didn’t happen.

    They suffered a 120-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, dropping to 14-11 and seventh in the standings.

    However, the East remains tight and the Sixers were in fourth place before the game, a half-game behind the third-place Boston Celtics, who take a 15-10 record into Monday’s game against the first-place Detroit Pistons. A victory over the Hawks (15-12) would have also given the Sixers five wins in six games since suffering a 142-134 double-overtime loss to the Hawks on Nov. 30 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The Sixers now have a couple of days of practice before resuming play this weekend. At that point, we’ll see if they can get back to winning.

    But for the time being, here are some answers to a few of your mailbag questions.

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

    Q: Do you think Tyrese Maxey has a legitimate case for being considered a top 10 player in the NBA? — @Hector394888836

    A: Thanks for starting the mailbag, Hector! And yes, Maxey definitely has a legitimate case for being considered a top-10 player in the NBA.

    So far, the point guard is having one of the best seasons in franchise history. That’s a statement in itself, considering the Sixers’ storied history.

    Maxey is third in the league in scoring at 31.5 points per game behind Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Dončić (35.0) and Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32.4). Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points and nine assists in an overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 20. He and Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain are the only players in franchise history with at least 50 points and nine assists in a game.

    Tyrese Maxey driving past the Wizards’ Will Riley on Dec. 2.

    Maxey’s 54-point effort in a game ranked second this season heading into Sunday’s contests. James Harden (Nov. 22), Nikola Jokic (Nov. 12), and Gilgeous-Alexander (Oct. 23) have scored 55 points in a game.

    In addition to his scoring prowess, Maxey is fourth in the league in three-pointers made (84) and ninth in assist average (7.2).

    There are a lot of outstanding guards in this league, including Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, and Devon Booker. But one can argue that Maxey has been the league’s third-best guard behind Dončić and Gilgeous-Alexander so far this season. And that should speak volumes, considering that SGA is the reigning MVP and Dončić is this season’s MVP front-runner. That’s why he has a legitimate case.

    Q: What would you do with Joel Embiid and Paul George’s playing time to provide the best chance of having them ready for the playoffs? Or would you try to trade one of them, and if so, for whom? — @Eaglesdynasty25

    A: Embiid and George both had a great game during Friday’s 115-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Embiid’s 39 points marked his highest regular-season scoring output since scoring a franchise-best 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 22, 2024. Meanwhile, George finished with season highs of 23 points and five assists to go with six rebounds.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid scored 39 points against the Pacers on Friday.

    Then on Sunday, George finished with a season-high 35 points while making 7 of 10 three-pointers. Meanwhile, Embiid finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks to post his first double-double of the season.

    Embiid and George are getting more minutes as they ramp up getting in shape while managing left knee injuries. Some believe taking it easy is the best way to ensure that they’ll be healthy for the postseason. However, they need valuable playing time with their teammates to build chemistry. That will also allow the coaching staff to see what works.

    So I would play them alongside Maxey whenever possible, rather than looking to trade one of them. You have to see how they mesh with teammates and how successful they can be before entertaining that thought.

    Q: When is Kelly Oubre Jr. coming back? Who do they start between him and [Dominick] Barlow if the other four starters are VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Joel Embiid? — @n_nutzilla

    A: The Sixers have been playing it close to the vest regarding Oubre’s return from a left knee ligament sprain. The small forward has been sidelined for four weeks since suffering the injury in a 115-104 road loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 14. The recovery time for a mild Grade 1 lateral collateral ligament sprain takes one to four weeks. A Grade 2 sprain (moderate) typically takes four to 12 weeks to heal, while a Grade 3 sprain (severe/complete tear) may take three to six months to recover fully.

    Oubre was reevaluated last week. Asked Sunday whether there was an update on Oubre’s status, coach Nick Nurse said he didn’t have one.

    “Nothing new,” he said. “He’s out there walking around a bit. He’s on the court a bit. I’m hoping there’s some. … It looks like there’s some progress there. And just like you, I want him out there ASAP and then back.”

    Oubre participated in his first on-court individualized workout before Sunday’s game. The workout consisted of light shooting.

    Sixers forward Dominick Barlow during the victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

    If it’s a Grade 1 sprain and everything goes well, one would assume he could be back as early as one of the Sixers’ upcoming games. They’ll face the New York Knicks on Friday at Madison Square Garden before hosting the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

    But Oubre has yet to practice with the team. One would think he’d have to be cleared to practice this week to play against the Knicks or Mavs. If not, his return is expected to take longer.

    Regarding the starting lineup, I keep going back and forth between Oubre and Barlow as the fifth starter. Both have played great and deserve to be in the lineup. Last week, I said Oubre, George, Embiid, Edgecombe, and Maxey would make up my starters. Barlow would be the seventh man behind Quentin Grimes.

    I’m starting to change my mind. That’s because I feel Barlow’s rebounding is an asset to begin games alongside Embiid. I also think that George might have an easier time guarding small forwards on the perimeter than power forwards in the post.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. is recovering from a sprained knee ligament.

    But Oubre had been the Sixers’ X factor before his injury. He’s had success guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player and plays well off the other starters. That’s why he deserves to start. However, I’m beginning to think Barlow might be the right choice. In that scenario, Oubre would be the sixth man while playing starter’s minutes.

    Oubre has several steps to take before returning to action.

  • Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey sits out game in Atlanta with an illness

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey sits out game in Atlanta with an illness

    ATLANTA — Tyrese Maxey will miss his second consecutive game with an illness when the 76ers face the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night at State Farm Arena.

    The standout point guard had been listed as doubtful on Saturday’s injury report. Center Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) was cleared to play after being listed as questionable.

    “We’re super concerned,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of Maxey’s illness. “We’re concerned because he’s sick, and he wasn’t well enough to get on the floor here for a couple of games. After Friday’s game, we thought he’d be at the plane to come with us but didn’t make it. I talked to him last night, and he said he’d see me at practice Tuesday. I said, ‘I’m not sure we’re practicing Tuesday, but I’ll be there. Me and you, man. I’ll see you there.’

    “It’s been a bit, but yeah. It is concerning, but, again, he’s improving. Hopefully, it’ll get him to where he’s good enough to get back in action.”

    The Sixers (14-10) will be at a disadvantage against the Hawks (14-12). The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Maxey is the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.5 points per game. He’s also fourth in three-pointers made (84) and ninth in assists per game (7.2).

    Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points along with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in the Sixers’ 123-114 overtime road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 20.

    Those 54 points tied Hall of Famer Allen Iverson for ninth in a regular-season game in team history. Iverson did it twice, on Dec. 18, 2004, and Jan. 6, 2001.

    Maxey 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.

    The Sixers also will be without Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee ligament sprain) and Trendon Watford (left thigh strain). The Hawks are without Trae Young (right knee ligament sprain), Jacob Toppin (right shoulder surgery), Kristaps Porziņģis (illness), and N’Faly Dante (concussion protocol). Nickeil Alexander-Walker (right lateral ankle sprain) is questionable.

  • Paul George shows signs of being the versatile difference-maker the Sixers expected last season

    Paul George shows signs of being the versatile difference-maker the Sixers expected last season

    ATLANTA — Paul George has been a bigger asset for the 76ers than folks envisioned at the beginning of the season.

    His defense and ability to assert himself when needed have made up for subpar shooting. He’s also been a great leader. At the same time, the 6-foot-8 forward is fully aware that the Sixers are Tyrese Maxey’s team, and he’s OK with it.

    The 35-year-old, who’s in his 16th NBA season, is determined to do whatever he can to support Maxey, who’s 10 years his junior, along with all of his teammates.

    George’s No. 1 priority is helping his fourth-place squad ascend the Eastern Conference standings.

    He’s sure to play a significant role in Sunday’s 6 p.m. game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. A victory would give the Sixers (14-10) five wins in six games since suffering a 142-134 double-overtime loss to the Hawks (14-12) on Nov. 30 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Sixers takeaways: Paul George’s point-forward tilt, Joel Embiid’s big night, and more from win over Pacers

    Yet, George comes with a lofty price tag, making $51.6 million this season. He’s scheduled to make $54.1 million next season. And at the age of 37, he’ll have a player option for $56.5 million for the 2027-28 campaign.

    This type of contract is often reserved for foundational franchise players who are expected to dominate the league. It’s typically viewed as a bad investment for an aging and often-injured player who’s no longer the focal point.

    That’s why the Sixers may have a decision to make ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.

    Do they try to part ways with the nine-time All-Star as a way to free up cap space?

    Or do they keep the older star, hoping that his leadership and ability to adapt will help them contend for a title?

    Sixers forward Paul George dribbles the basketball against the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 12.

    Here’s the dilemma: Even though George’s contract is a cap-space killer, the Sixers need his adaptability, selflessness, and leadership more than people want to admit.

    “He’s showing he’s a guy who can score and create his own shot — both from two and three,” coach Nick Nurse said. “Again, if he’s going to sneak in a few drives, which he had late [vs. the Indiana Pacers on Friday], it’s just going to make it all the tougher, if he can score on all three levels.”

    With Maxey sidelined by illness, George assumed the role of point forward in the 115-105 home victory. He finished with season highs of 23 points and five assists, while logging a season-long 33 minutes, 7 seconds. This was just his ninth game after missing 14 with left knee injury management and another with a sprained right ankle.

    “I thought he did a good job of just, again, settling things down,” Nurse said. “You know, he’s an experienced player. He’s got the ball in his hands, and, again, it comes down to making the right read. If there’s nothing there, you’ve got to go to work and score a big bucket.

    “He looked pretty good.”

    Without Tyrese Maxey, vintage Joel Embiid appears in Sixers’ win over Pacers: ‘I will if I have to’

    George has looked pretty good more often than not when available this season.

    But critics will point out that his field-goal percentage (41.8%) and three-point percentage (34.9%) were the second lowest of his career before Friday’s game. They’ll also mention that George’s updated scoring average of 15.1 is the fourth-lowest of his career.

    But his performance against the Pacers (6-19) marked the third time he’s scored at least 20 points this season. He shot 8 of 17, including 4 of 7 three-pointers, which could be something to build on.

    And if we’re sincere, George doesn’t need to carry that scoring load with Maxey being third in the league in scoring at 31.5 points per game.

    George’s job is to make things easier for the explosive point guard, who’s an early-season MVP candidate. He knows that assignment changes game to game depending on what the team needs.

    But he’s been most impactful running the Sixers’ offense in the half-court and providing solid defense.

    Sixers forward Paul George drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers guard Ethan Thompson on Dec. 12.

    Yet, George has proved that, when needed, he’s capable of providing a scoring spark.

    He finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and two steals while playing 24:42 in the Sixers’ 123-114 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 20 at Fiserv Forum. His performance came one day after sitting out his team’s 121-112 home loss to the Toronto Raptors due to not playing on back-to-back nights.

    Against the Bucks, he scored the Sixers’ first 11 points while making his first four shots. George scored the game’s first basket by driving through the lane and muscling his way to score. Then he added three-pointers on the Sixers’ next three possessions.

    “That was kind of the mindset,” George said following that game. “I know these guys played last night. So I’m fresh. I tried to come in, get the boost, just morale on both ends. I tried to impose my will on the defense, and then come out with a burst offensively.”

    Jabari Walker is soaking up knowledge from his veteran Sixers teammates

    Maxey took over from there, finishing with a career-high 54 points and nine assists.

    But the point guard had a quiet game in the Sixers’ second meeting against Milwaukee.

    Maxey had a season-low 12 points on 5-for-14 shooting in his team’s 116-101 road victory over the Bucks on Dec. 5.

    Stepping up, George hit several clutch shots en route to finishing with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

    With Milwaukee mounting a comeback, he hit two straight jumpers to give the Sixers a 101-87 cushion with 5:51 remaining. Then he grabbed a huge defensive rebound to ward off another comeback attempt with 2:52 left.

    The California native took a lot of the pressure off Maxey by bringing the ball up the court and initiating the offense.

    Sixers forward Paul George passes the basketball against the Indiana Pacers on Friday, December 12, 2025 in Philadelphia.

    On Friday, George did one better while making sure things ran smoothly amid Maxey’s absence. That involved much more than his season-best individual performance. He was in constant communication with rookie guard VJ Edgecombe throughout the game.

    “P helps me a lot,” Edgecombe said on Thursday. “That’s someone I have a good relationship with. So, he helps me a lot. Just telling me the little things. Just telling me the things he experienced as a rookie, but overall, we have a personal relationship outside of basketball. So, yeah, it’s good.”

    The Sixers still see reason to be optimistic about their East chances.

    When it comes to basketball, George wants Edgecombe to be himself regardless of the situation.

    “That’s the main thing he’s been telling me,” Edgecombe said. “It doesn’t matter if he’s on the floor or [Joel Embiid’s] on the floor, Tyrese is on the floor, whoever’s on the floor, just be myself. He helps me with defensive tips. Just little things like that, anyway, I can get better.”

    Critics have viewed George’s acquisition negatively because he has missed 56 games since the start of last season due to injuries. But he’s starting to make positive contributions.

    And it is becoming evident that what he provides has been an asset to his mentees and to the team as a whole.

    Will the Sixers be eager to replace that at the trade deadline if they’re still competitive?