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  • Sixers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey carries the team, Paul George is rusty, and more from win vs. Clippers

    Sixers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey carries the team, Paul George is rusty, and more from win vs. Clippers

    Paul George’s debut was OK, yet better than expected.

    The 76ers are going to have to live with the Andre Drummond factor for the time being. The center is a rebounding machine but struggles on defense.

    Tyrese Maxey must continue to log 40-plus minutes and carry the Sixers.

    And the team will cherish all victories, even the controversial ones.

    Those four things stood out in their 110-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Maxey carrying the load

    Sixers coach Nick Nurse acknowledged before Monday’s game that the minutes for Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are piling up, and they are expected to carry the scoring load.

    Nurse thinks things may settle down for the duo when George gets up to speed, as they do when Joel Embiid is playing.

    The coach actually spoke to both of them on Sunday. He asked them four questions: Are you OK? Are you playing too many minutes? You sure? Are you looking for some help?

    Maxey and Edgecombe responded “yes” to the first question and “no” to the other three.

    “I said, ‘Because we don’t know when it’s going to come,” Nurse said. “’Get ready to go out there and do whatever is necessary.’

    “And they’re both on board. I said, ‘Whenever these guys come back to help, we’re going to welcome them with open arms. But until that point, let’s stay focused on doing what needs to be done.”

    On Monday, the Sixers (8-5) needed Maxey to take over while playing the entire second half.

    That’s when he scored 27 of his game-high 39 points. It was the fifth time this season that the sixth-year guard scored at least 35 points. He also finished with three rebounds, six assists, one steal, and four turnovers while logging a game-high 40 minutes, 57 seconds.

    Maxey scored 13 points in the third quarter before tallying 14 in the final quarter. But he must do a better job handling the ball in clutch situations. All four of his turnovers came after the intermission.

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

    There’s no denying that he’s having a special season, though.

    Maxey’s 39 points were the most by an NBA player on Monday night.

    He ranks second in the league in scoring at 32.5 points per game, fourth in made three-pointers (50), and first in minutes (40.4).

    What is Nurse looking at in the big picture with the kind of season Maxey is putting together?

    “I don’t know if I think about that at this particular time,” Nurse said. “I think that you know what I talked about before … that was pretty evident tonight. You’ve got to go, and the minutes are going to be 40. And you are going to have to carry a bunch of the load. And you are going to have to figure it out.”

    Sixers forward Paul George (center) scored nine points in his season debut.

    PG’s debut

    George hadn’t played in a game since March 4. Yet he’s been a full participant at practice since Oct. 19. As a result, it was hard to predict how the 35-year-old would perform against the Clippers (4-10).

    He moved well. He got his shots. He bulked up. And, as expected, he was rusty.

    George finished with nine points on 2-for-9 shooting along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 21:06 of playing time. He also made 4 of 7 free throws.

    “It felt great to finally play basketball again,” he said. “It’s been like eight months since I played. So it was a long journey, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of hiccups. But it felt good to finally get out there. I felt good. Just rusty, but I felt good.”

    Sixers need to be ‘mentally tougher’ against physical play while improving third quarters

    He played in only 41 games last season — his first as a Sixer — while hampered by various injuries. George was 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.

    He was expected to return in time for training camp. However, the nine-time All-Star had arthroscopic left knee surgery in July, which caused him to miss additional time.

    On Monday, George scored a three-pointer on his first shot attempt 34 seconds into the game. On the next possession, the 6-foot-8, 220-pounder was fouled while attempting a three. He made two of three foul shots to give the Sixers a 5-0 advantage.

    Paul George played 21 minutes in his season debut for the Sixers.

    George missed his subsequent five attempts before turning the ball over and later scoring on a three-foot driving floater.

    He missed three shot attempts after intermission. But George stepped up his game in other areas in the second half with three rebounds and a block.

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

    Defensively, he looked comfortable and appeared to have lateral quickness.

    “Yeah, it was definitely a trusting — it was definitely a trust factor,“ George said. ”When I first went out there to see what all I could do, and right away, ‘I’m ready for this.’ You know, ‘I can move, I can react, I can play physical, I can beat the guy to a spot. I can rebound.’ So that was, I think, a huge checklist for me personally, that I was able to slide my feet, stay in front of guys, and just fly around. Be reactive.”

    It’s too early to know if he can be the dominant wing of the past. However, his basketball IQ, defense, rebounding, and leadership could help the Sixers once he gets in basketball shape.

    Drummond’s play

    Drummond is the Sixers’ lone healthy center.

    Embiid missed his fourth consecutive game on Monday. It will be the third game he has missed due to right knee injury management. The 2023 MVP also sat out the Nov. 8 home loss to the Detroit Pistons to rest his surgically repaired left knee.

    Sixers center Andre Drummond had 14 points and 18 rebounds against the Clippers.

    And reserve center Adem Bona missed the first of at least three games with a sprained right ankle.

    The 6-11, 279-pound Drummond held his own against Clippers center Ivica Zubac with 14 points and a game-high 18 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double and fifth of the season.

    Zubac, who had 14 points and 13 rebounds, was outplayed by Drummond in the fourth quarter. That’s when the Sixer tallied seven points and five rebounds.

    Drummond even made a pair of clutch foul shots to give the Sixers a 110-106 cushion with 1:08 remaining. Then he grabbed his 18th rebound on the ensuing possession.

    Controversial ending

    The Sixers will tell you a win is a win. And they probably couldn’t care less if people speak negatively about the controversial ones.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and Trendon Watford celebrate their 110-108 victory over the Clippers on Monday.

    And that’s what they escaped with against the Clippers.

    With the Clippers down two points, video footage showed James Harden being fouled on a three-point attempt by Quentin Grimes with 6.3 seconds remaining. Crew chief Curtis Blair was asked after the game why the foul wasn’t called on the play.

    “During live play, it was deemed that Grimes legally contested Harden’s three-point shot,” Blair said.

    Based on the wording “during live play,” one has to believe there’s a great chance we’ll see a different answer Tuesday on the L2M report.

    But the Sixers still celebrated this victory. Maxey and Trendon Watford even sprinted down the court after time expired on the final possession.

  • Jared McCain puts on a shooting display, Joel Embiid sits out against the Magic, and more

    Jared McCain puts on a shooting display, Joel Embiid sits out against the Magic, and more

    Jared McCain, who is recovering from right thumb surgery, has been out of his split for two days. But the 76ers guard put on a solid shoot display following Monday’s shootaround, and looked like someone who could make a solid impact upon his return.

    “That’s the progress,” coach Nick Nurse said before Monday night’s game against the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena. “He’s going to have to go through a series of days of contact and all that stuff, too.”

    The second-year player was cleared to switch from his initial split to a smaller one and partake in drills after being reevaluated a couple of days ago. As was the case prior to injury, he shot the ball at a high percentage during the workout.

    Joel Embiid likes what he sees in Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe

    He began his session by shooting three-pointers with VJ Edgecombe and Eric Gordon. After Edgecombe and Gordon cleared the court, McCain participated in solo drills, attempting more threes and concluding with foul shots.

    “Inserting him in with the VJ, Tyrese [Maxey] and [Quentin Grimes guard] group is the plan,” Nurse said of how he wants to use McCain. “That was sort of the plan going into the season. Again, I think they all can do a variety of things, and give us a chance to have some more depth. Gives us a chance to, again, play some shorter stints so the energy can stay high and all those things.

    “We need him back. We look forward to having him back.”

    McCain suffered the injury while working out on Sept. 25, the day before the unofficial start of his second season. He underwent surgery on Sept. 30 at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

    McCain had previously been cleared as a full training-camp participant after missing the final 4½ months of last season with a torn meniscus in his left knee. He suffered that injury on Dec. 13 during a home loss to the Indiana Pacers.

    McCain, now 21, was a revelation for the Sixers last season and would have been a major contributor for a struggling team if he had remained healthy.

    Despite playing in just 23 games, he finished tied for seventh in the NBA’s rookie of the year voting. McCain was awarded a third-place vote from the media panel of 100 voters. Before the injury, he was the favorite to win the award.

    McCain averaged 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. He also shot 46% from the field — including 38.3% from three. The California native joined Hall of Famer Allen Iverson as the only Sixers rookies to average at least 15 points and two made three-pointers.

    He made three or more three-pointers in eight consecutive games from Nov. 8-22 to set an NBA rookie record.

    McCain was named the Eastern Conference rookie of the month for games played in October and November last season.

    Joel Embiid sidelined

    It wasn’t surprising that Joel Embiid missed Monday’s game.

    The 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star won’t play on both nights of back-to-backs, and the Sixers will face the Washington Wizards at the Capital One Arena on Tuesday.

    Embiid played in just 19 games last season before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on April 11. It was his second left knee surgery in 14 months and third in nine years.

    As Joel Embiid adapts to his new reality, can he help the Sixers be competitive?

    Embiid playing “is always going to be our best version of our basketball team,” Nurse said. “He’s still obviously working his way back into being the guy that can play. I don’t know if we’re ever going to get to 48 minutes, but working his way up the ladder a little bit.

    “I think we know the situation like we’re in with back-to-backs that he’d be missing one of the two games, and we got to go play, knowing that is probably better than finding out another way.”

    Barlow’s procedure

    Nurse said Dominick Barlow was undergoing a procedure on Monday to address a right elbow laceration while his teammates were facing the Magic. The power forward will also sit out Tuesday’s contest.

    Barlow averaged 7.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as the starting power forward in the first two games.

    “It was kind of a nice fit,” Nurse said of Barlow being in the starting lineup. “He was guarding tough. He was rebounding tough. He was offensive rebounding really well. We just got to move on. And again, it affects your depth.”

  • Joel Embiid ruled out of Sixers’ game against Orlando Magic

    Joel Embiid ruled out of Sixers’ game against Orlando Magic

    Joel Embiid will miss the 76ers’ Monday night game against the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena due to left knee injury management.

    Meanwhile, Sixers forward Dominick Barlow will also miss the Magic game and Tuesday’s contest at the Washington Wizards while undergoing a procedure on Monday to address a right elbow laceration. He will be re-evaluated later on this week.

    Embiid played in the first two games of the season and the exhibition finale. Those matchups were Embiid’s first games since facing the Brooklyn Nets in a 105-103 regular-season home loss on Feb. 22.

    As Joel Embiid adapts to his new reality, can he help the Sixers be competitive?

    Embiid’s absence against the Magic (1-2) isn’t surprising, considering the Sixers (2-0) are facing the Wizards (1-2) the following night.

    The 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star won’t play on both nights of the back-to-back. And the Sixers said they would take a cautious approach with him.

    Embiid played in just 19 games last season before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on April 11. It was his second left knee surgery in 14 months and third in nine years.

    Meanwhile, Barlow suffered the laceration in the first half of Saturday’s 125-121 home-opening victory over the Charlotte Hornets and didn’t return after intermission.

    Sixers forward Dominick Barlow will miss the next two games while undergoing to procedure after suffering a right elbow laceration.

    Paul George (left knee surgery recovery), Trendon Watford (left hamstring tightness), and Jared McCain (right thumb surgery) will remain sidelined.

    Embiid’s game of rest comes after he finished with 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including making 3 of 6 three-pointers, to go with two rebounds, four assists, and two steals against the Hornets. He logged just 20 minutes, 7 seconds while on a minute restriction.

    Sixers takeaways: A will to win, Joel Embiid’s bounce-back game, poor defense, and more

    Embiid scored four points on 1-for-9 shooting in Wednesday’s season-opening 117-116 victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

    Barlow averaged 7.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists as the starting power forward in the first two games.

  • As Joel Embiid adapts to his new reality, can he help the Sixers be competitive?

    As Joel Embiid adapts to his new reality, can he help the Sixers be competitive?

    The most significant uncertainty surrounding the 76ers is how Joel Embiid continues to adapt.

    He could be a major X factor in the Sixers’ hopes for a successful season. Embiid was far from his usual dominant self in Wednesday’s season opener against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. But he bounced back in a big way in Saturday’s 125-121 home-opening victory over the Charlotte Hornets at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Sixers takeaways: A will to win, Joel Embiid’s bounce-back game, poor defense, and more

    Two distinctly different regular-season results aren’t a large enough sample size to determine how good Embiid will be this season.

    In the 117-116 victory over the Celtics, he had the look of someone who had lost his quickness and explosion. But on Saturday, he frustrated Ryan Kalkbrenner and just about everyone else who guarded him.

    He finished with 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including making 3 of 6 three-pointers, to go with two rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 20 minutes, 7 seconds. He scored five of the Sixers’ first seven points and nine of their first 18.

    Embiid played only five minutes after intermission because he had reached his minutes limit.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid returned to the team bench late in the fourth quarter against Charlotte after an evaluation following his minutes restriction.

    He said he was trying to work his way back in his first regular-season game since February on Wednesday and figure out how to maneuver the minute restriction.

    “The first game, it was more like getting in the game slowly,” he said.

    But he was more aggressive while being on the court for longer stretches against the Hornets (1-1).

    “Longer stints, you’ll actually be able to let the game come to you,” he said. “But then again, longer stints also mean you might be done by halftime.

    “But I can’t sit for too long… being in shape is one thing, but being in basketball shape is another thing. You need to play, and you need to play a lot.”

    The question is, can Embiid repeat Sunday’s performance against elite competition? If not, can the 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star adapt his game like many great players have late in their careers?

    VJ Edgecombe enjoyed every bit of his historic NBA debut. But he hopes it becomes a footnote to a long career.

    Adapt to survive

    Hall of Famers like Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, and David Robinson adapted the way they played their game after losing athleticism and/or a skill set.

    On the other hand, Sixers Hall of Famer Allen Iverson never really adapted after losing his quickness, which contributed to his decline.

    Embiid was a shell of his former self in Wednesday’s 117-116 victory over the Celtics. He finished with four points and six rebounds in a little over 20 minutes. Embiid missed his first four shots en route to shooting just 1-for-9.

    The 31-year-old also didn’t show a lot of lateral movement on defense and rarely jumped to contest shots or go after rebounds.

    Despite that, Embiid’s teammates praised him for just being on the court with them. He had arthroscopic surgery in his left knee on April 11, marking his second left knee surgery in 14 months and third in nine seasons. He played in only 58 games over the last two seasons.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid struggled through 1-for-9 shooting against the Boston Celtics.

    “Having Joel on the court is extremely important for us,” said guard Tyrese Maxey. “We appreciate him. He has done a lot for this organization … his family, and everything. So shoutout for him, man. He played good tonight, and he’ll always play better. We know that.”

    But not everyone gave Embiid credit for just being out there.

    The Sixers center spent most of his time on the perimeter instead of down low, where his size advantage would have been a matchup problem.

    Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett wasn’t impressed with that tactic and felt Embiid should have been able to do more.

    “We just had a summer,“ Garnett said on the Ticket and the Truth podcast with Paul Pierce. “What’d you do in the summer, bro? What’d you do in the summer? Bro had enough time to recover and just develop. Come on, bro.

    “Real talk. If you get [from] April to September, that should be enough time. … He’s supposed to be ready for [the] season.”

    We’ll find out in time whether Embiid’s lackluster season-opening performance is the result of a perceived lack of offseason preparation, of being cautious with banging down, or of him not being able to do it with the same impact as past seasons.

    But his playing mostly from the elbow isn’t surprising. Embiid did that in the team’s intrasquad scrimmage and in the exhibition game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

    And to his credit, Embiid, a two-time league scoring champion, has embraced his new reality and a potentially new role for the Sixers. He sounds content to serve as a supporting actor who uplifts his teammates.

    But he was the first one off the bench to celebrate his teammate’s accomplishment. And with him on the bench, Embiid watched the Sixers battle back from a double-digit, fourth-quarter deficit to win both of this season’s games.

    Winning a game without Embiid on the floor was a major problem last season.

    Joel Embiid is embracing his new reality and a potentially new role for the Sixers

    “It’s been 12 years,” Embiid said, correcting a reporter. “I’d take it. Keep it going. Obviously, the most important games are the best teams and the playoffs. That’s the effort we are going to have when I’m not on the floor, Amen. It’s been a long time.”

    In addition to being a great teammate, Embiid is focused on being a versatile player until he returns to form.

    “There’s still so much more I can contribute to other than scoring,” Embiid said. “So just using myself as a decoy to allow all these guys to do whatever they have to do to win.”

    But what if Embiid doesn’t return to his old form? How could he make an impact while Maxey and VJ Edgecombe provide the scoring?

    Embiid can do that by being a defensive anchor, playing a more power-oriented game, and becoming a great three-point shooter. That shouldn’t be a problem for Embiid, who has always had a good touch with the elbow jumper and shot a career-best 38.8% on three-pointers two seasons ago.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid had four points and was a minus-16 in Wednesday’s season-opener against the Boston Celtics.

    He may not be able to beat guys off the dribble with his quickness like he used to. But with his knowledge of the game, he may be able to help the team.

    It’s a two-way street. It’s not only how he adapts his game, but also how his teammates and coaches adapt to him. It’s still too soon to gauge his level of play. Even though he made more shots on Saturday, he still settled for a lot of jumpers.

    We’ll have to wait a couple of games to see how he does. And if nothing gets better, pay close attention to his ability to alter his game.

  • Sixers takeaways: A will to win, Joel Embiid’s bounce-back game, poor defense, and more

    Sixers takeaways: A will to win, Joel Embiid’s bounce-back game, poor defense, and more

    The 76ers might have a better will to win than we thought.

    Joel Embiid showed he can still dominate when he plays aggressively. The Sixers still need to do a better job of keeping teams out of the paint.

    And former Villanova coach Kyle Neptune has found a great landing spot with the Charlotte Hornets, where he’s a welcome addition.

    Those four things stood out Saturday night in the Sixers’ 125-121 home-opening victory over the Hornets at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Will to win

    Embiid didn’t play the final 19 minutes, 2 seconds of the game because he is on a minutes restriction. Dominick Barlow missed the second half with a right elbow laceration. And the Sixers had their share of defensive woes.

    But like in Wednesday’s season opener, they battled back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to win the game.

    This time they trailed by 112-102 with 5:42 remaining.

    The Sixers (2-0) took the lead for good when Quentin Grimes’ three-pointer gave them a 122-119 lead with 15 seconds remaining.

    As Joel Embiid adapts to his new reality, can he help the Sixers be competitive?

    “I was kind of reminding them, it was 10 or 11 [down], I was kind of reminding them, this is right where we were the other night. We got it,” coach Nick Nurse said of battling back from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit Wednesday to beat the Boston Celtics, 117-116. “We are going to have to make a few stops, and some of you guys are going to have to get up the floor and start pulling the trigger on some plays on offense.”

    Sixers guard Quentin Grimes reacts with VJ Edgecombe on Saturday after making a three-point basket with 15 seconds left in the game.

    And that’s what happened.

    These two victories are great confidence builders for a team with a young corps. The Sixers know they’re capable of pulling out victories regardless of the circumstances.

    “I think everybody is playing hard,” Embiid said of the Sixers’ resilience. “This year, we wanted to make sure that when everybody shows up, we’ve got a job to do. We play hard, win or lose.

    “Even tonight, if we would have lost, I still would have been proud of the guys.”

    Embiid’s aggressiveness

    It didn’t take long for the 2023 NBA MVP and seven-time All-Star to erase memories of Wednesday’s season-opening performance against the Celtics. On that night, Embiid scored four points on 1-for-9 shooting. Against the Hornets, Embiid finished with 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, along with two rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He played just 20:07.

    The elevated play had a lot to do with Embiid being more aggressive than in the season opener.

    The Sixers made a conscious effort to get him involved early on. After VJ Edgecombe missed a jumper, Dominick Barlow grabbed the offensive rebound and passed the ball to Tyrese Maxey. Maxey, in turn, dished the ball to Embiid, who buried a three-pointer 45 seconds into the game.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid gets fouled by Charlotte guard Collin Sexton (right) with forward Moussa Diabate looking on during the third quarter.

    “I came in the first game, obviously, the first game in a couple of months,” Embiid said of Wednesday. “I know I played in the preseason, but it’s not the same. It’s not even close. [In the first game], I tried to work my way back and try to figure it out. First game in months, obviously. It’s easier when you make shots like I did tonight. It looks better, but I think it was just the same.

    “And the first game, it was slowly trying to figure it out. Tonight, it was more like, ‘Well, I only got 20 minutes.’”

    With that, he decided to make the most of those minutes.

    VJ Edgecombe enjoyed every bit of his historic NBA debut. But he hopes it becomes a footnote to a long career.

    The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder had nine points as the Sixers took an 18-9 lead with 7:52 left in the first quarter. Ryan Kalkbrenner, a rookie center out of Creighton, picked up two quick fouls and had to head to the bench while guarding Embiid.

    Embiid did a better job of balancing looking for his shot and finding teammates.

    If he can continue to play this way, and the Sixers can create more scoring opportunities for Maxey and Edgecombe, then this team has a potent offense early on.

    Sixers must stop the ball

    The Sixers struggled to stop the Hornets’ dribble penetration. Charlotte routinely drove the lane with ease.

    Realizing the Sixers couldn’t stop it, the Hornets prioritized the dribble drive on almost every possession for long stretches.

    Charlotte led, 48-40, in points in the paint and had a 16-15 advantage in second-chance points. However, the Hornets’ margin appeared wider because it was so easy for them to get into the paint, as Sixers guards struggled with on-ball defense.

    They’re going to have to correct this if they expect to be competitive. This is a copycat league, and teams watching this game film will attack the rim until the Sixers stop them.

    “It really has become a lot of point-of-attack offense,” Nurse said. “It’s almost the same as the other night. It’s almost like they bring it across, and the guy who’s bringing it across is putting their head down and trying to just get by or force a foul or force a rotation.

    “So a couple of things, we’ve got to close. We got to square up and play physical. We also have to be in our gaps a little better, so the driving lanes don’t look so inviting.”

    They played a little better in the fourth quarter.

    Kyle Neptune, the former Villanova men’s head basketball coach and now Charlotte Hornets assistant, looks on during a break on Saturday.

    Great landing spot

    Some might say that Kyle Neptune had the misfortune of replacing Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright at Villanova. He coached the Wildcats to a 54-47 record over three seasons, with zero NCAA Tournament appearances, before being fired on March 15.

    But Neptune has been a welcome addition to the Hornets after being hired on Aug. 29.

    “I’ve actually admired Kyle’s coaching career ever since he was at ’Nova,” said Hornets coach Charles Lee, who played at Bucknell. “I knew him back in the day when he played at Lehigh. So there was a ton of Bucknell-Lehigh rivalry matchups and stuff like that. And so it started there, but then I’ve always kind of followed his career.”

    Quentin Grimes’ clutch three lifts 76ers to victory over Charlotte in home opener

    Even though Neptune didn’t get the results Villanova wanted, Lee loved everything Neptune did during his time with the Wildcats. He said his new assistant recruited “really good players,” some of whom Lee got the opportunity to coach in the NBA.

    “The first person that they would usually bring up is Kyle Neptune,” he said.

    Lee also likes how Neptune went 16-16 in his lone season as Fordham’s coach. That came one season after the Rams went 2-12.

    “He’s been a great value add to our group,” Lee said. “He fits the type of person we want in our organization. He’s a culture enhancer. Then, on top of it, he knows how to teach the game. He’s a great motivator, and works really well and builds really good relationships with players.”

  • Brandon Graham’s return to the Eagles, a can’t-miss podcast about a Philly sports villain, and other thoughts

    Brandon Graham’s return to the Eagles, a can’t-miss podcast about a Philly sports villain, and other thoughts

    First and final thoughts, rapid-fire style …

    The Philadelphia region, at least the healthy portion of the population that cares deeply about the Eagles, went gaga this week over the news that Brandon Graham was coming out of retirement and re-signing with the team. That reaction was, of course, expected and understandable.

    Graham was a terrific player, a favorite of the fans who rooted for him and the media who covered him. He made the most significant defensive play in franchise history. And he was now authoring a new chapter to his story — that of the old, beloved hero, riding back into town to save the day.

    Brandon Graham says he didn’t want to retire — and this isn’t the first time the Eagles tried to bring him back

    But those syrupy-sweet sentiments didn’t change the reality that the Eagles’ defense needed some saving. Ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Giants, the Eagles rank 25th in the NFL in sacks, 22nd in pressure percentage, and 24th in rushing yards allowed per attempt. Yes, they’ve been missing Nolan Smith, and his eventual return should help, but even with him active, their defense would be thin up front.

    Look at it this way, from a colder, more clinical perspective: This week, the Eagles acquired a 37-year-old defensive end who retired after last season — a season in which he tore his triceps, sat out nine weeks, returned to play in the Super Bowl, then re-tore his triceps despite lining up for just 13 snaps in that game.

    If this player’s name weren’t Brandon Graham, we’d be focused a lot more on how desperate this team was to improve its lousy pass rush and find a defensive end who can set the edge.

    Sixers start with a win

    The 76ers’ season-opening victory over the Celtics on Wednesday in Boston was significant not just because VJ Edgecombe announced his presence with 34 points or because Tyrese Maxey dropped 40, but also because it felt like a transitional moment for the franchise and its future.

    Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe had a sensational debut in Boston with 34 points.

    Joel Embiid did not play at all over the game’s final 9 minutes, 18 seconds, and when he did play, he spent most of his time on the perimeter, running two-man action with Maxey and heaving long three-pointers. Perhaps he simply needs more time and more games to get back into playing shape, but for at least that night, the Sixers were better — freer, younger, more athletic — when he wasn’t on the floor.

    Recommended listening

    The latest episode of the podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out, in which the host and one of his correspondents, author and reporter Dave Fleming, dive into the (often-exaggerated and self-aggrandized) background and football expertise of Mike Lombardi.

    A former NFL executive and longtime acolyte of Bill Belichick, Lombardi is now the general manager of the University of North Carolina’s football program and is one of the sources of the controversy and ridicule that now surround the Tar Heels.

    Jalen Hurts has never been better in saving the Eagles against the Vikings

    Around here, though, Lombardi probably is best known for his regular appearances on WIP during Doug Pederson’s tenure as the Eagles’ coach — and for saying, less than a year before Super Bowl LII, that Pederson was “was less qualified to coach a team than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

    The episode is devastating for the way Fleming and Torre marshal facts and insights to demonstrate what some of us who have followed the Eagles for a long time have known for a long time: that Mike Lombardi is pretty much full of it.

    Bits and pieces

    A.J. Brown will not play Sunday. Which means somebody had better keep an eye on Jahan Dotson’s Instagram page. … Maybe, for all those years, Ben Simmons just had the under on himself. …

    Over his first seven games this season, Sean Couturier led the Flyers in points (eight) and, among their forwards, ice time (19:42 per game). It sure seems that he still has whatever John Tortorella thought he didn’t. … The only way the last four weeks could have gone worse for James Franklin is if a ground ball back to the mound had caromed off his ankle.

    The Eagles will be without A.J. Brown this week because of his hamstring injury.

    I don’t want to talk about it

    The Toronto Blue Jays are in the World Series for the first time in 32 years. The last time they were there, on Oct. 23, 1993, a group of friends and I were attending a Flyers game when we abruptly left in the middle of the third period, sprinted to my tuna-can ’85 Chevy Cavalier parked outside the Spectrum, piled in, and raced back to St. Katharine’s Hall at La Salle University … all to catch the final three innings of Game 6.

    The rest of my memories of that night are hazy and not worth mentioning.

    Bernie Parent was the best of the Flyers and the best of Philadelphia. RIP.
  • VJ Edgecombe enjoyed every bit of his historic NBA debut. But he hopes it becomes a footnote to a long career.

    VJ Edgecombe enjoyed every bit of his historic NBA debut. But he hopes it becomes a footnote to a long career.

    BOSTON — VJ Edgecombe was unflappable 10 hours before making his NBA debut.

    There were no jitters, butterflies, or even a restless night before he faced the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night at TD Garden.

    “I slept great,” Edgecombe said Wednesday morning. “I ain’t going to lie. Yeah, I got more than eight hours of sleep. I ain’t antsy or nothing. I’m just looking at it as a regular game.

    “Obviously, the environment won’t be the same. But it’s still basketball, at the end of the day.”

    It turns out that the 76ers rookie’s quiet confidence was warranted.

    Sixers takeaways: VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey dominate, Joel Embiid struggles and more

    The 6-foot-4 combo guard poured in 34 points to help lead the Sixers (1-0) to a 117-116 season-opening victory over their archrivals. The performance placed him in the same rarified air as Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain and future Hall of Famer LeBron James.

    It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954. Edgecombe’s 14 first-quarter points set a record for the most in the opening period of an NBA debut, surpassing James’ 12 points on Oct. 29, 2003.

    “From a team standpoint, we got the win, which matters the most,” a smiling Edgecombe said of his performance. “Like I said, it’s going to come. It’s basketball at the end of the day, like I’ve been saying. Just trying not to overthink it.

    “I’ve been putting in the reps, been putting in the work. My teammates trust me. I trust my teammates. I was blessed to be in this position on this big stage. Blessed to perform.”

    Yeah, it’s great to have a high-scoring night that enabled the Sixers to start a season 1-0 for the first time since the 2021-22 campaign. But how does he process being mentioned in the same breath as Chamberlain and James, two of the greatest to play the game?

    “It’s amazing,” Edgecombe said, smiling again. “I must say, it’s amazing. But, I mean, hopefully I have a long career ahead of me. That’s what matters most. Longevity. Knowing ’Bron, who’s been here 20-plus years, I’m hoping I can do that one day. But just putting in work … it’s great having my name mentioned with LeBron’s name, but credit to ’Bron and credit to my teammates for passing me the ball.”

    VJ Edgecombe outpacing Sixers expectations — and bringing his lofty goals into view

    The 20-year-old began to put his imprint on the game midway through the first quarter, scoring 10 consecutive points.

    His first basket from the floor came on a cutting dunk with 6 minutes, 22 seconds left in the quarter. Then he drained a 25-foot three-pointer before scoring on a driving layup. He capped the run with another 25-foot three-pointer to knot the score at 20 with 4:09 remaining in the quarter.

    Then, after Jabari Walker’s putback layup, Edgecombe drained his third three-pointer to knot the score, 25-25, at the 1:14 mark. He scored 13 of the Sixers’ final 16 points in the opening quarter.

    “I was just having fun, to be honest,” Edgecombe said of the first-quarter stretch. “The ball was moving. I was getting good looks, capitalizing on them. That was the main thing, just capitalizing on the looks we had. And I was able to knock down some shots, get to the rim, finish, and my teammates were creating for me.

    “That’s why I got those wide-open catch-and-shoot [three-point] shots because my teammates were creating for me.”

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (77) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons (4).

    After Edgecombe’s stellar debut, several of his teammates recalled their first NBA games.

    “My debut, I played 10 minutes,” said Dominick Barlow of his debut, a 119-97 loss by his San Antonio Spurs to the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 19, 2022. “I was tired as hell. I was like 1-for-3 [shooting]. I didn’t do nothing. He is just so composed, so calm. You don’t see that. That was special. I’ve been around two No. 1 picks [Victor Wembanyama in 2023 with the Spurs and Zaccharie Risacher in 2024 with the Atlanta Hawks], and to see how he carries himself and how good he was in clutch situations and how aggressive he was with All-Star-level guards playing against him [in Jaylen Brown], it’s special.”

    Notable numbers and reactions to VJ Edgecombe’s stellar NBA debut

    Tyrese Maxey, who scored a game-high 40 points on Wednesday, also rolled down memory lane.

    The All-Star in 2023-24 finished with six points in 10:51 off the bench in a 113-107 win over the Washington Wizards on Dec. 23, 2020.

    “I remember from my debut. I was confident,” Maxey said. “I remember the first thing I did was step out of bounds, and [coach] Doc [Rivers] said, ‘If you do that again, you are coming out.’

    “But this guy, I’m proud of him. He played well.”

    Maxey raved about Edgecombe’s composure and the shots he took without batting an eye. Not known as a three-point shooter, Edgecombe was left open on catch-and-shoot attempts by the Celtics (0-1). He responded by burying 5 of 13 three-pointers.

    “Seventy-seven definitely got scared at the free-throw line, though,” Maxey said jokingly of Edgecombe missing a pair of foul shots with 8.5 seconds remaining.

    The Sixers’ Vj Edgecombe helped the Sixers secure a 117-116 win to kick off their season.

    But Maxey’s good-natured ribbing ended there, as he switched back to explaining how proud he was of his backcourt mate.

    “He was comfortable,” Maxey said of Edgecombe hoisting up the double-digit three-point attempts. “… They tried to close out to him a couple of times, and he shot it. We know what he does when he gets downhill and what he does on defense. But that’s what I was most proud of, man. He shot those threes and shot them with confidence and made them, too.”

    Kelly Oubre Jr. wasn’t shocked by Edgecombe’s historic night. When he asked the rookie how he felt before the game, “He was like, ‘Chillin’ bro,’” Oubre said.

    “Right then, I’m like, ‘All right, you’re not nervous,’” Oubre said. “No jitters for a very even-keeled individual. And he puts the work in. So that was just a testament to the work he puts in.”

  • Charles Barkley and Shaq mock Joel Embiid, praise VJ Edgecombe in ESPN debut

    Charles Barkley and Shaq mock Joel Embiid, praise VJ Edgecombe in ESPN debut

    In their ESPN debut, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal didn’t waste any time mocking Sixers star Joel Embiid.

    “What’d your boy do tonight, Chuck?” Shaq asked.

    “Not a lot,” Barkley dryly responded.

    While the Sixers topped the Boston Celtics Wednesday night, Embiid struggled during his 20 minutes on the court, finishing with just four points and six rebounds.

    The stars of the night were Tyrese Maxey and first-round pick VJ Edgecombe, who scored 34 points, the third-best debut for a rookie in NBA history.

    Barkley used Edgecombe’s eye-opening debut to jokingly take a shot at his college coach, Baylor’s Scott Drew. In reality, the two are close, and Barkley played with Drew’s brother, Bryce Drew, with the Houston Rockets.

    “Scott Drew can’t coach. He’s been holding this kid back,” Barkley joked.

    Barkley and Shaq have been hard on Embiid over the years, including blasting him at the start of last season for not playing in back-to-back games. But Barkley’s expectations have shifted due to Embiid’s injury struggles, including two knee surgeries over the past 14 months.

    “I was asked a thousand times this summer about the Sixers. I said I can’t give a fair prediction,” Barkley said. “As much as I love Edgecombe and Maxey, if Embiid and Paul George can’t play, [the Sixers] are not a contender.”

    “He only gave your four points,” Shaq added.

    So yeah, while Barkley, Shaq, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith have jumped from TNT to ESPN, nothing changed about the chemistry of Inside the NBA, one of the most beloved sports shows in TV history.

    Who else would ESPN let compare new Wizards guard CJ McCollum to convicted felon and former New York U.S. Rep. George Santos, who was released from prison by President Donald Trump?

    “Man, I don’t know what CJ McCollum did to someone” to end up on the Wizards, Barkley said. “We freed George Santos, let’s free CJ McCollum.”

    The foursome, now in their 15th season working together, mocked their new home relentlessly, joking that Barkley will appear on every ESPN show, from Get Up to First Take to NFL Live.

    “One thing I’m not going to be is Stephen A. Smith — everywhere,” Barkley said.

    Much later in the evening — ESPN let Inside the NBA roll past 1 a.m. Philly time — Johnson quizzed Barkley on which networks a handful of NBA personalities worked for. Barkley got two right, but missed on TNT colleague Allie LaForce.

    And for those keeping score, Barkley picked the New York Knicks to win the Eastern Conference, a prediction that will likely change at least seven times before the end of the season.

    TNT had broadcast NBA games since 1989, but the NBA rejected the network’s offer in favor of new 11-year deals NBC and Amazon. Despite that, the show is still produced by TNT out of their Atlanta studio. It’s just the name on front of the desk that’s ultimately different.

    Barkley and company will be back on the network tonight for another doubleheader: Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers at 7:30 p.m. Philly time, followed by Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors at 10 p.m.

    “Ernie, that’s today!” Barkley said shortly after midnight.

    Once the NFL season is over, Amazon will stream NBA games on Prime Video Thursday nights. Until then, the evening is wide-open, allowing ESPN to swoop in to broadcast two national games tonight.

    After that, Inside the NBA will have a light schedule on ESPN until the end of the year, though they’ll appear more frequently during the second half of the season.

    Here’s when Inside the NBA will appear on ESPN though the end of December:

    • Thursday, Oct. 23: ESPN
    • Wednesday, Oct. 29: ESPN
    • Wednesday, Nov. 12: ESPN
    • Thursday Dec. 25: ESPN and ABC

    Mark Sanchez still recovering from stabbing as trial date set

    Mark Sanchez has called NFL games for Fox since 2021.

    Mark Sanchez won’t be returning to a broadcast booth anytime soon.

    The Fox Sports announcer and former Eagles quarterback is scheduled to go on trial next month to face accusations he attacked and injured a delivery driver in Indianapolis Oct. 4 ahead of calling an NFL game.

    Sanchez, 38, was also seriously injured in the assault, and his recovery could force a delay in the trial, which is scheduled to begin Dec. 11.

    Sanchez is accused of drunkenly assaulting a delivery driver in a fight stemming from an argument over a parking space. Police said the driver, Perry Tole, 69, pepper sprayed Sanchez, then pulled out a knife and stabbed him multiple times in self-defense.

    “We are literally talking about people fighting over a parking space and-or a dispute about where people are parking, and it resulted in someone receiving just incredibly significant injures,” Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears told reporters a few days after the incident.

    In a lawsuit filed against both Sanchez and Fox Sports, Tole claimed the fight left him with “severe permanent disfigurement, loss of function” and other injuries.

    Fox Sports has declined any further comment on the incident beyond a brief statement issued in the immediate aftermath of the fight: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark, and we ask that everyone please respect his and his family’s privacy during this time.”

    Quick hits

    Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe impressed the Celtics’ announcers.
    • Barkley and Shaq weren’t the only ones impressed by Edgecombe’s debut — announcers on NBC Sports Boston were amazed by his first-quarter jam:
    • Amazon announced the Eagles’ Black Friday matchup against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 28 will stream for free on its Prime Video platform, welcome news for Birds fans that live around the world (unless you live in Canada, where it will remain behind the paywall). The game will air for free in the Philadelphia TV market on Fox 29.
    • Tom Brady is back to broadcast his third Eagles game of the season Sunday, when the Birds take on the New York Giants at 1 p.m. on Fox. It won’t be his last — Brady is slated to call the Eagles Week 12 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and the Birds Week 17 trip to Buffalo to play the Bills.
    • Say goodbye to ESPN’s Monday Night Football doubleheaders. NFL owners approved the league’s deal to sell the NFL Network to Disney Wednesday. As a result, the four extra games slotted to ESPN will return to the NFL, according to Sports Business Journal’s Ben Fischer.
  • Joel Embiid talks about his first love — soccer — and more with Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett

    Joel Embiid talks about his first love — soccer — and more with Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett

    Joel Embiid says he did not start playing basketball until age 16. A young Embiid had dreams of being a footballer until the 7-footer grew too tall for that to be in the cards.

    Even though he can’t play anymore, he’s still a passionate fan of Real Madrid and, of course, the Cameroonian national team. With the World Cup set to come to Philadelphia in 2026, there might not be anyone more excited than Embiid.

    Soccer “is already huge, but having a World Cup here, it’s going to be even bigger,” Embiid said on the Switch the Play podcast with Roger Bennett of Men in Blazers. “I’m excited. I’m going to be all over the place. I’ve never been to a World Cup game before, so I’m going to go to a lot of them, especially to follow some of the best teams. Hopefully Cameroon makes it. Right now it doesn’t look likely.”

    Joel Embiid is embracing his new reality and a potentially new role for the Sixers

    Cameroon is in second place in its qualifying group and is tied for fourth in points for a group runner-up spot. The top four runners-up advance to a playoff that gives them a second chance to qualify for the World Cup. If Cameroon can’t make it, Embiid is also intrigued to follow England, but he expects that team to “choke again.”

    Embiid said he thinks his experience playing soccer growing up helped improve his footwork for basketball.

    “Hakeem [Olajuwon] was another one that started so late and made it into basketball, and he credits his football skills to be able to get better so fast. I think there’s a lot of similarities where — I’ve always been a type of guy to observe, and then you show me one thing, and I’m able to do it after one or two tries, and just pick stuff up so fast. If you’re not coordinated enough, or if you don’t have good footwork, that’s not going to be possible, and that goes back to football, using your feet and having soft feet.”

    His experiences growing up playing other sports before getting into basketball have him encouraging his young son to do the same. So Embiid won’t push him to specialize in any one sport — except for soccer, which he plays every Sunday. But Arthur is already enjoying following in his father’s footsteps.

    “He seems to be in love with basketball, but that’s where I struggle,” Embiid said. “I started at 16, and maybe I was lucky. It takes a lot of work to be able to make it to the NBA within three years of starting playing basketball, maybe a little bit of luck, but it took a lot of work. That’s where you’re like, if I started at 16, why should any kid start playing basketball at 6 years old? That’s where you’ve got to find that balance.”

  • Sixers takeaways: VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey dominate, Joel Embiid struggles and more

    Sixers takeaways: VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey dominate, Joel Embiid struggles and more

    BOSTON — The 76ers’ backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe has the potential to be a special tandem for seasons to come.

    Joel Embiid still has a ways to go to get back to his dominant self.

    And, for the time being, the Sixers will rely heavily on two-way power forwards Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker.

    Full speed ahead? Young and fast guards give Sixers a chance to leave last season in the dust.

    Those three things stood out in the Sixers’ 117-116 season-opening victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday at TD Garden.

    Dominant duo

    Maxey and Edgecombe were fun to watch.

    Maxey had 40 points on 13-for-25 shooting from the field and 7-for-9 from the three-point line to go with six assists. Edgecombe, the third pick in June’s draft, added 34 points on 13-for-26 shooting to go with six rebounds. He is the first Sixers rookie to have at least 30 points in his debut since Hall of Famer Allen Iverson did so on Nov. 1, 1996.

    It was also the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 points on Nov. 30, 1954.

    Sixers fans have to love the duo’s pace. The two guards put a lot of pressure on the Celtics. They also took over the game during stretches.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (left) scored 40 points against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.

    Edgecombe scored 10 straight and 13 of the Sixers’ final 16 points in the first quarter. Meanwhile, Maxey took over where Edgecombe left off, scoring 19 second-quarter points on 7-for-10 shooting.

    The Sixers will have one of the league’s most explosive backcourts if the duo can keep this up. Their athleticism, speed, and ability to take over are unmatched on many teams.

    “I feel like we both [play] really well in the open court,” Edgecombe said. “Playing fast is something that we want to do. Ain’t [many who] can keep up. Joel was out there here and there. But when Joel is fully back, it’s going to be a different game. It’s going to be better if you ask me, because he requires so much attention.

    “You go one-on-one all night, that’s not night and day for whoever’s guarding him. And one on one for Tyrese, it’s night and day for whoever’s guarding him too.”

    VJ Edgecombe outpacing Sixers expectations — and bringing his lofty goals into view

    Rough start for Embiid

    In Friday’s preseason finale, Embiid flirted with a triple-double in a little over 18 minutes of action. However, that performance came against a Minnesota Timberwolves team composed mainly of NBA G-League talent.

    So his first actual test came in Wednesday’s contest against the Celtics.

    Embiid failed to have the same impact against Boston centers Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman. He finished with four points and six rebounds in 20 minutes. The performance paled in comparison to his night against Minnesota, when he scored 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out eight assists, and blocked three shots.

    Embiid missed his first four shots en route to shooting 1-for-9 on Wednesday.

    “I’m super happy that he was out there,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think that he played good. I know that’s going to sound silly, 1-for-9. He just didn’t shoot it very good.

    “I thought he transferred the ball good. I thought he made some good decisions. I thought he took good shots. I thought he protected the rim. So, again, he hasn’t done much. He’s kind of played in a scrimmage and a preseason game. I think there’s some rust there, but I thought he moving good and made good decisions.”

    Sixers center Joel Embiid (center) is still working his way back into form after a long layoff because of knee injuries.

    While Nurse raved about Embiid, the 7-foot-2, 280-pounder didn’t show a lot of lateral movement on defense. He also rarely jumped to contest shots or go after rebounds.

    Embiid is resorting to using his massive frame to overpower opponents in the post. The 2023 MVP is also clogging everything up on offense. He has to either roll hard or launch three pointers from the top of the key. When he doesn’t, the offense stalls and the Sixers came away with bad possessions.

    They actually played better without Embiid in the fourth quarter. He sat out the final 9 minutes, 17 seconds due to a minute restriction.

    We’ll find out shortly whether this is the player he’s become or if he’s getting back into the groove after being sidelined since February.

    “I’m good,” Embiid said. “You know, it’s going to take a while, you know, obviously, being on a minutes restriction, playing shorter stints, it’s harder to kind of get into a rhythm. But I got to figure it out. That’s the way they got it set up.

    “It’s annoying, but if I want to play, I don’t really have a choice. But I want to be out there as much as possible.”

    Joel Embiid is embracing his new reality and a potentially new role for the Sixers

    Embiid said there’s a lot he can do until returning to his old form. He wants to use his “gravity” to get teammates open.

    “There’s still so much more I can contribute to other than scoring,” Embiid said. “So just using myself as a decoy to allow all these guys to do whatever they have to do to win.”

    The two-way impact

    With multiple seasons of NBA experience, Barlow and Walker weren’t your typical two-way players when they signed deals in July. At the time, the thought was that one of them — if not both — would garner a standard contract several months into the season.

    What we didn’t know was that the Sixers would have to rely heavily on the duo, with Paul George (left knee) and Trendon Watford (left hamstring) both sidelined.

    Sixers forward Dominick Barlow (left) had 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds on Wednesday.

    The big question was whether Barlow could duplicate the energy he displayed in the preseason. Based on Wednesday’s game, the answer appears to be yes.

    Barlow attacked the glass, ran the floor, and was a solid role player. He had three points, three rebounds, and an assist before being subbed out for Walker with 3:14 left in the first quarter. Walker also provided solid energy while setting picks and hustling for loose balls and rebounds.

    The Sixers are searching for a new identity, one without Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey dominating the ball

    Barlow finished with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds while Walker had six points and four boards.

    They are both making the most of their opportunities and will make the Sixers a deeper team once George and Watford return.

    “This is my fourth year in the NBA,” Barlow said. “You can say I’m a two-way or whatever the case may be. But I know how to play basketball. I know what this team needs me to do. It’s just my job to play with energy and pick us up when we are down, or we are on those runs, get into actions and crash [the boards] and guard.”