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  • Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid and Paul George’s impact, Jared McCain’s solid shooting, and more from win over Bucks

    Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid and Paul George’s impact, Jared McCain’s solid shooting, and more from win over Bucks

    Joel Embiid and Paul George, once again, showed why their presence is vital to the 76ers’ success.

    Jared McCain appears to have regained his shooting touch.

    And in his third season as the Milwaukee Bucks coach, Doc Rivers still thinks back fondly on his time leading the Sixers.

    These things stood out in Tuesday’s 139-122 victory over the Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The Embiid and George impact

    If we learned anything over the past two days, it’s that the Sixers (25-21) are a better team when Embiid and George are in the lineup.

    Without them Monday, the Sixers suffered an embarrassing 130-93 road loss to the Eastern Conference’s 11th-place Charlotte Hornets. It was a game where they trailed by as many as 50 points.

    With Embiid and George back Tuesday, the Sixers led wire-to-wire in a blowout victory over the 12th-place Bucks (18-27). The duo combined to score 61 points.

    George finished with a game-high 32 points while making nine three-pointers, tying Tyrese Maxey (Oct. 28, 2022), Danny Green (Jan. 9, 2021), and Dana Barros (Jan. 27, 1995) for the franchise record.

    “I got a little thirsty late in the game, trying to get to 10,” George said. “Kyle [Lowry] was in my ear the whole fourth quarter to get a couple more. But you know, those things happen when everything aligns. I thought we played great offensively as a unit. And, you know, the ball just found me in those moments and knocked shots down.”

    So did Embiid, who finished with 29 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Embiid dominated from the start, scoring 18 of his points while playing the entire first quarter.

    He did that in a variety of ways: jumpers, tip-ins, and even a reverse layup. But his highlight came on a second-quarter alley-oop dunk off a pass from Maxey.

    “I don’t know if that was a wise decision, but it felt good,” said Embiid, who has been dealing with knee injuries. “That was the first one in probably four, five years …”

    He said it wasn’t a wise decision because he doesn’t usually go for dunks and alley-oops.

    “But it’s fun,” Embiid said. “Everybody gets happy, so that makes me happy.”

    Tyrese Maxey (right) looks on after sending an alley-oop to Joel Embiid, who dunked in the second quarter of Tuesday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

    “I was telling a very, very, very Hall of Fame player that I coached, ‘Joel is the most talented player that I ever coached,’ “ Rivers said before the game. “He was like, ‘What?’ I was like, ‘He is.’ The things that you guys see and then the things you actually don’t see in practice, sometimes, that he can do, it’s incredible. It really is.

    “Unfortunately for me, I never had him healthy once in the playoffs. He wasn’t healthy last year. He wasn’t healthy the year before. That’s five years straight, I think. If he ever gets to the playoffs healthy, especially if they added some big pieces here, they are going to be a dangerous team. But it’s always going to come down to that.”

    After intermission, Embiid was content with setting teammates up for quality shots. He passed out of double-teams. And when Embiid didn’t have the ball, he instructed teammates where passes should go.

    George made 11 of 21 from the field, including 16 in the third quarter while making 4 of 6 threes.

    “I think coach [Nick Nurse] called my number early, and just go off from there,” George said of taking over the third quarter.

    Tyrese Maxey (left) and Joel Embiid share a laugh in Tuesday’s win over the Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    But what enabled him to have his best shooting performance of the season? Was this a matchup that he liked?

    “I just know Doc,” said George, who played for Rivers during the 2019-20 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. “I know his coverages. I know his play calling. I know what he’s looking at, what he’s looking for, how he’s going to guard me.

    “… These days just feel like some of my best days, as far as my body responds and, you know. But if anything, it’s how today felt.”

    The duo’s presence also opened up the floor for Maxey, who was voted an All-Star starter. The point guard finished with 22 points one night after finishing with a season-low six points on 3-for-12 shooting.

    The Sixers shot 52.5 %, including 22 of 42 three-pointers, after shooting just 38.9% while hitting 9 of 31 three-pointers against the Hornets (19-28).

    Milwaukee played without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. And this was just the Sixers’ fourth victory in 10 games. But the way George and Embiid are now playing after getting healthy, George thinks the Sixers can contend for the Eastern Conference title.

    “I think we’re right there with the New York Knicks, with the Clevelands,” he said. “I think we are right in the mix. When things are clicking, and we’re playing the right way, and we’re firing on all cylinders, we still have the one unguardable player [in Embiid], and that’s the trump card.

    “So yeah, absolutely, we got a chance.”

    Sixers guard Jared McCain finished with 17 points, shooting 5 of 6 from three in the win over the Bucks.

    Sharpshooting McCain

    Based on his last two performances, McCain’s slump is definitely over. And judging by the applause he received Tuesday night, Sixers fans appear to be back on board with the former Duke standout.

    McCain, who shot just 31.3% from the field in a recent 10-game stretch, had 17 points while shooting 6-for-8 — including making 5 of 6 three-pointers — to go with three assists. This came after he made 4 of 8 threes while scoring 16 points against the Hornets on Monday.

    What is the Sixers’ biggest need at the NBA trade deadline? Patience.

    Before that game, McCain racked up a did-not-play coach’s decision in four of the Sixers’ last five games. In the one game he played, he only played the last 47 seconds in a comfortable victory over the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 19.

    With Quentin Grimes sidelined with a sprained right ankle, McCain was the first player off the bench against the Bucks, and he took full advantage.

    Love for Philly

    The Sixers fired Rivers on May 16, 2023, two days after he received a lot of the blame for their 112-88 Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden. It marked the third consecutive season that Rivers’ squad has suffered a second-round postseason exit.

    The Sixers lost in seven games to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021 before losing in six games to the Miami Heat the following season.

    The 2022-23 team looked like it had a chance to compete for an NBA title. Yet the Sixers looked like a team that quit in the second half during their Game 7 loss to Boston.

    Tyrese Maxey leaps toward Joel Embiid after Maxey sent an alley-oop to Embiid, who dunked the ball in the second quarter.

    Those factors, along with an inability to get out of the second round, were the reasons the Sixers fired Brett Brown as coach in August 2020.

    Under Rivers, the Sixers clinched the 2021 Eastern Conference regular-season title. Their 54-28 record in 2022-23 was their best mark since going 56-26 in 2000-01. And Embiid’s game improved each year under Rivers, leading to his becoming the 2023 MVP.

    Sixers’ VJ Edgecombe selected to compete in Rising Stars Challenge

    But the Sixers hired Rivers to get them at least beyond the second round. And that never happened.

    “I love my time here,” he said before Tuesday’s game. “I say it all the time, I took a job where the year before they lost in the first round as the eighth seed. And the first year, we won the East in the regular season. We were one game away twice from getting in the Eastern finals, which was never my goal. My goal was to get to the finals. I get the history that the team hasn’t gone [since 2001], but your goal has to be higher than that.

    “I was only here for three years. But the three years, I think my winning record was as good as any coach that has been here. So I loved it.”

    Rivers compiled a 154-82 record over his three seasons in Philly. The 64-year-old talked about the “unbelievable relationships” he developed while coaching the Sixers. He said he probably gained 15 pounds while living in Philly because of the restaurants he frequented.

    “I don’t know if you guys know there’s a lot of restaurants here,” Rivers said. “And then Philly Cricket [Club], I’m still a member. I come back in the summer, and I play it. If I had not ever coached here, I would not still be doing those things.

    “So it’s nice when you get friendships and stuff like that.”

  • Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid, Paul George sorely missed, guards struggle, and more from embarrassing loss to Hornets

    Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid, Paul George sorely missed, guards struggle, and more from embarrassing loss to Hornets

    The 76ers find themselves in dire predicaments when Joel Embiid and Paul George are both sidelined. On Monday, the squad’s performance was downright embarrassing without the two maximum-salary players.

    Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe must play much better than they showed against the Charlotte Hornets.

    And the Sixers must improve their three-point shooting.

    Those things stood out in a 130-93 loss to the Hornets on Monday at the Spectrum Center.

    Struggling without Embiid and George

    Embiid and George missed this matchup because they are not yet cleared to play on back-to-back days as both deal with left knee injury management.

    They are expected to return for Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. But the Sixers (24-21) looked lost on both ends of the floor against Charlotte (19-28) without the standouts.

    The Hornets did a great job of attacking the rim. On defense, Charlotte challenged everything the Sixers attempted. For their part, the Sixers appeared flat and in need of better communication on both ends of the floor without their stars.

    What is the Sixers’ biggest need at the NBA trade deadline? Patience.

    The Sixers struggled through 33.3% shooting — missing 11 of 14 three-pointers — in the first half. During that time, the Hornets scored 38 points in the paint, a fact that was likely impacted by Embiid’s absence. As a result, the Hornets took a 69-44 advantage into intermission. The 25-point margin was the Sixers’ second-biggest halftime deficit of the season.

    Nick Nurse’s team also struggled at the start when Embiid and George both missed the game against the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 11. The Sixers shot 37.8% while making just 2 of 14 three-pointers and trailing by double digits in the first half of that game. They mounted a second-half comeback before losing in overtime against Toronto.

    But on Monday, the Hornets opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run and led by as many as 50 points late in the period.

    The Sixers made just 38.9% of their shots in the game while surrendering 56.6% to Charlotte. Hornets wing Brandon Miller led all scorers with 30 points. Meanwhile, Moussa Diabaté put together a personal slam-dunk contest and finished with 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting.

    Hornets forward Miles Bridges reacts during the first half. His team rode a 41-22 second-quarter performance to a big win over the Sixers.

    The Sixers must find a way to play when undermanned. They can’t use the absences of Embiid and George as an excuse for losing to one of the league’s worst teams in epic fashion.

    A couple of weeks ago, the Sixers lost to a Denver Nuggets squad playing without its entire starting lineup. Denver found a way to win, and the Sixers must do the same.

    But against Charlotte, they lacked energy and cohesion.

    More needed from guard tandem

    Maxey and Edgecombe had one of their worst games of the season as a pairing.

    Maxey, who was named an All-Star starter last week, finished with a season-low six points on 3-for-12 shooting, along with seven assists and three turnovers in 25 minutes, 18 seconds. Edgecombe, a standout rookie, had nine points while making 2 of 11 shots to go with six rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers in 25:44. They were tied at minus-36. With the game out of hand, Maxey and Edgecombe sat out the fourth quarter.

    This was a shockingly bad performance by Maxey, who entered Monday as the NBA’s third-leading scorer at 29.9 points. Meanwhile, Edgecombe is a rookie of the year candidate. They must play better for the Sixers to be victorious, especially in games when Embiid and George are sidelined.

    Three-point shooting blues

    The Sixers struggled, once again, from three-point distance.

    For the game, they made just 9 of 30 shots for 30% from deep.

    This comes after the Sixers shot a combined 32.0% in their previous 10 games. They were ranked 16th for the season at 35.4% heading into the game. But they’ve been in a funk in most of their recent games from behind the arc.

  • What is the Sixers’ biggest need at the NBA trade deadline? Patience.

    What is the Sixers’ biggest need at the NBA trade deadline? Patience.

    What do the 76ers really need?

    What type of player would help them with the NBA trade deadline 10 days away?

    At the guard spot, where the duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe is regarded as one of the NBA’s best young backcourts, they’re pretty good. And that doesn’t account for the depth that Quentin Grimes provides off the bench.

    With Andre Drummond and Adem Bona backing up Joel Embiid, who’s playing at a high level, the center position is pretty good, too.

    At forward, Dominick Barlow is playing well. And the Sixers get stellar play out of the duo of Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr.

    I’m not sure what they need.

    Some will argue that the Sixers (24-20) don’t have a true point guard. But they have a lot of guards who can handle the ball. And you can add Oubre and George, who were guards in the previous season, to that mix.

    If the Sixers remain healthy, they’re a deep team.

    But based on their recent history of trading to get under the luxury-tax threshold, there’s an expectation that they’ll make at least one trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.

    Guard Quentin Grimes Grimes has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any trade the Sixers attempt to make involving him.

    The Sixers are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.

    But this season is different from the recent ones heading into the trade deadline. Whether it’s fool’s gold or not, the Sixers see that they have a chance.

    Embiid, the 2023 MVP, is returning to his All-NBA level, averaging 33.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, while shooting 58.3% from three-point range in his last four games. George is regaining his rhythm while playing the role of a facilitator and defender who occasionally takes over scoring for stretches. Maxey is the league’s third-leading scorer (29.9 points per game) and an All-Star starter. And Edgecombe has been better than expected as a rookie.

    So this season is definitely different. In 2023-24, the Sixers’ hopes were dashed heading into the trade deadline because Embiid suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee. And last season, they were 20-30 and on their way to full-blown tanking.

    Sixers appeared to be on unlucky side of crunch-time officiating — again

    The Sixers probably think that when they’re at their best, they could beat anyone else in the East.

    However, sources around the league say the team is willing to part ways with Drummond.

    At first glance, it’s hard to imagine that the financial aspect will play a role at the trade deadline unless it’s someone like Eric Gordon. The reserve guard has played in only six games, with his last appearance coming Dec. 23 against the Brooklyn Nets.

    The 37-year-old, in his 18th season, signed a one-year, $3.63 million contract on July 1 after declining his $3.47 million player option. Gordon’s deal created a $2.3 million cap and a $2.3 million dead cap value, which is considered a good, low-risk expiring salary for potential trades.

    Maybe the Sixers could entice the Nets or the Utah Jazz, teams with a lot of cap space, with a second-round pick just to take on Gordon’s contract for the remainder of the season. However, he’s Edgecombe’s mentor, and there’s a sense the Sixers may keep him because of that.

    Meanwhile, Oubre ($8.3 million), Grimes ($8.7M), and Drummond ($5M) also have expiring contracts.

    The Sixers have gotten the most out of two-way players Jabari Walker (left) and Dominick Barlow.

    Grimes has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any trade the Sixers attempt to make involving him. Yet some around the league are wondering if the Sixers are willing to part ways with Oubre, whose name keeps coming up as a possible trade chip. But by getting rid of Drummond, the Sixers would be in the market for another backup center.

    Maybe, they’ll give former Sixer Charles Bassey a look after he signs his 10-day contract. However, it appears that his signing is more to help facilitate Barlow and Jabari Walker getting extended time on their two-way contracts. Bassey was scheduled to sign his deal Sunday night. He needed to do so ahead of Monday’s 3 p.m. game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center in order for Barlow and Walker to play.

    But Drummond and Bona have been equally great assets, playing behind and often in place of Embiid. Bona plays against the teams that have fast and athletic centers, while Drummond usually plays against towering centers with a post presence.

    The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder averages a team-leading 9 rebounds while playing just 20 minutes per game. Drummond is second in the NBA in rebounds per 36 minutes at 16.1, trailing the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson (16.9).

    Kelly Oubre Jr. of the Sixers guarding the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson on Saturday.

    He’s also averaging 7.1 points while playing in 35 games with 16 starts this season. With his contract, there’s a market for Drummond. Teams in need of a backup center would like to acquire him.

    But coach Nick Nurse didn’t play him in Saturday’s loss to the Knicks despite his squad being outrebounded by 53-38 and having a 26-4 disadvantage in second-chance points. This came after Drummond had 14 points and 13 rebounds in his lone game against the Knicks this season.

    Perhaps Nurse felt the Knicks, who favored a small-ball lineup, were a bad matchup for Drummond. But his not playing was a big omission and a conversation piece.

    It’s hard to imagine Sixers co-managing partner Josh Harris, who knows the window is closing, would forfeit the opportunity to finally win an NBA championship to get rid of key pieces just to save money. I wouldn’t blame Harris if he could stay under the first apron and get below the luxury-tax threshold if it was manipulated by a fringe player or someone out of the rotation.

    Sixers need to hang on to Kelly Oubre Jr. — at least through the end of the season

    But if it were Oubre, Grimes, or Drummond, players vital to their success, it would be a bad look.

    Nor should they trade Jared McCain, who recently dropped out of the rotation. Even though the second-year guard is struggling, he’s insurance for Grimes, whom the Sixers could lose this summer in free agency. And the Sixers should only trade Grimes if they were getting back an upgrade in talent. It doesn’t make any sense to part ways with him in return for a same-level player.

    But the Sixers do have three players on two-way contracts in Barlow, Walker, and MarJon Beauchamp.

    Beauchamp has yet to be active in an NBA game since signing his Sixers deal on Dec. 26. However, power forwards Barlow and Walker have been with the Sixers all season. And all three players’ time would have expired following Saturday’s 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks if the Sixers didn’t make a roster move.

    Bassey must sign his contract before Monday’s game for Barlow and Walker to be available to play.

    Both of them have played well this season, but Walker could be replaceable now that the Sixers have their full complement of players.

    Paul George has assumed an important role for the Sixers after a lost season.

    Barlow has come off the bench in the last two games as the team moved George to power forward and started Oubre at small forward. Walker did not play in either game as Trendon Watford received the other power-forward minutes in the rotation.

    So it wouldn’t be surprising if we find out the Sixers aren’t committed to converting both players to standard deals, as they’re making decisions based on the salary cap and who’s helping the team. Things will work themselves out, as the squad has cap experts who handle such matters.

    But this roster, as it stands, is the best one Nurse has coached during his tenure.

    The Sixers have been in a lot of games that came down to the wire — some they won, others they lost. They could easily be seven games over .500 instead of four. And they’re just starting to consistently play games with their Big Three of Maxey, Embiid, and George.

    So the Sixers’ biggest need is time, not an addition before the trade deadline.

  • Sixers need to hang on to Kelly Oubre Jr. — at least through the end of the season

    Sixers need to hang on to Kelly Oubre Jr. — at least through the end of the season

    People are asking: How long will Kelly Oubre Jr. remain in a 76ers uniform?

    If the Sixers are wise, the answer is at least through the end of the season.

    The 30-year-old swingman’s contract expires at the end of June. However, his name has been repeatedly mentioned in recent trade reports. And that could continue ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline as teams look to upgrade rosters and slash salaries.

    But at this point, the Sixers will be hard-pressed to find someone able to do what Oubre provides.

    The squad is starting to show glimpses of why it has received Eastern Conference championship-contender hype. And Oubre’s ability to adjust to his ever-changing role is a reason for that.

    The Sixers are still struggling with inconsistency at the NBA’s halfway mark. How will they address it?

    The Sixers dropped to 24-20 after Saturday afternoon’s 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Before that tilt, they defeated the Houston Rockets, 128-122, in overtime Thursday night at home. Oubre played a significant role in the victory, finishing with 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting along with four rebounds, three assists, and one block while starting alongside Paul George, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey.

    It was the first time the Sixers employed that starting lineup.

    Coach Nick Nurse said before Sunday’s game that they would stay with it for a while. And had another solid performance, finishing with 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting, along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

    His remaining as a starter is understandable, given that it was a lineup they were expected to unveil at the beginning of the season. But George missed the first 12 games with left knee injury management. Then Oubre was sidelined 22 games from Nov. 17 to Jan. 5. While those two were injured, power forward Dominick Barlow proved to be a solid fifth starter.

    But Oubre is a more experienced, more versatile player, and has been noted several times before as the team’s X factor. His ability to play shooting guard, small forward, and small-ball power forward gives the Sixers a variety of rotation options.

    Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. has been noted several times before as the team’s X factor.

    While he starts at small forward, Oubre moves to shooting guard in a lineup that features George, Barlow, Embiid, and Maxey when Edgecombe is out of the game. And in his first game back from a sprained left knee ligament on Jan. 7, he played power forward in a small-ball lineup with Maxey, Quentin Grimes, Jared McCain, and Adem Bona.

    “He plays both ends, right?” Nurse said of his impact as a versatile player. “I think that’s the main thing. He’s been pretty effective on both ends, and the other probably main thing is he’s in about his 10th year. He’s got a lot of stuff under his belt. A lot of minutes. A lot of games, too. That helps, too. ”

    All-Star cornerstones, Embiid, Maxey, and George, along with rookie-of-the-year candidate Edgecombe, have deservedly received a lot of credit for the team’s being viewed as a contender.

    Embiid had scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games. While the 7-2 center is not where he once was defensively, he’s showing glimpses of being a 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star. Embiid is averaging 33.3 points, 10 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 0.7 blocks while shooting 58.3% on three-pointers in those games.

    Meanwhile, Maxey, who was named an All-Star starter on Monday, is averaging a league-third-best 29.9 points, a second-best 2.1 steals, and 12th-best 6.8 rebounds this season. He was also fourth (147) in made three-pointers.

    Sixers mailbag: Will Joel Embiid make the All-Star Game? Will Jared McCain be here after the trade deadline?

    George’s average of 15.4 points is below his career average of 20.5 points. But the nine-time All-Star has thrived at times as a facilitator and an elite defender. And it’s not uncommon for him to provide the bulk of the scoring during third-quarter stretches.

    Edgecombe is averaging 15.6 points, a league 11th-best 1.5 steals, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. The 20-year-old shooting guard’s elite potential was on full display in the Sixers’ season-opening victory over the Boston Celtics.

    That night, he scored 34 points to help lead the Sixers to victory. 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.

    Concurrently, Oubre averaged 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and shot 38.3% on three-pointers while continuously adjusting his role depending on who was playing or who the Sixers were playing against. The one constant thing is his defending the opposing team’s best perimeter player.

    Championship-caliber teams are built with players like Kelly Oubre Jr.

    Nurse was asked before Saturday’s game where he thinks Oubre has improved the most as a defender.

    “Listen, I think there are a couple of things, but probably at the top would be just his overall reading of situations,” Nurse said. “Just having a feel for anticipating what might happen next and getting involved in that and breaking that up. But he’s also been much better on the ball. He’s been much better in screen-and-roll. Stuff like that.”

    The New Orleans native has starred in all of his roles in addition to doing countless other things that go unnoticed on a stat sheet.

    As good as Embiid, George, Maxey, and Edgecombe are, championship-caliber teams are built with players like Oubre.

    The only benefit of trading him at this time is perhaps shedding his salary. Oubre’s expiring $8.3 million contract would help them gain salary cap relief and avoid the luxury tax. The squad is currently more than $7 million over the luxury-tax threshold. That’s why his name has been mentioned in reports.

    Don’t look now but the Sixers have turned a dire situation into a hopeful one behind their new Big Four

    But, night now, they can’t afford to let him go if contending for a title this season is truly the goal.

    The number of realistic available better options is slim. Even if they find a player as good, it will take the new person a while to adjust to the Sixers’ system. And Oubre’s ability to adapt is a primary reason why the team is starting to live up to expectations.

    With Embiid’s extension kicking in next season and Grimes becoming an unrestricted free agent, it may make sense for Oubre and the Sixers to part ways after the season.

    The way he’s been playing this season and elevated his stock during his Sixers’ three-year tenure, Oubre could become too costly to re-sign.

    It may make sense for the sides to part ways after the season.

    You can’t trade that away at this time.

  • Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid dominates, third-quarter woes return, and more in loss to Knicks

    Sixers takeaways: Joel Embiid dominates, third-quarter woes return, and more in loss to Knicks

    Joel Embiid is back to playing at an All-NBA level.

    Yet, the 76ers are still dealing with third-quarter blues.

    And they made a decision that will affect Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker, who were in jeopardy of playing their games as two-way players.endnu

    These things stood out in Saturday’s 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Back to dominating

    Embiid, a three-time All-Defensive performer, still doesn’t protect the rim the way the 7-foot-2 center did before undergoing two left-knee surgeries in a 14-month span. (First surgery was for a torn meniscus in February 2024. Then he had arthroscopic surgery on the knee in April.)

    But you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone with a better offensive stretch than the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player.

    Embiid finished with 38 points on 13-for-21 shooting – including making 3 of 5 three-pointers – along with 11 rebounds and five assists in his fourth consecutive game with at least 30 points.

    On Saturday, 28 of his points came in the first half on 10-for-12 shooting. Embiid acknowledged it was the best groove he felt offensively this season.

    “I felt pretty good, just attacking, doing whatever I wanted,” he said.

    The seven-time All-Star has averaged 31.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 0.7 blocks while shooting 57.1 % on three-pointers in his previous three games.

    Embiid was asked if there was a carryover from his logging 45 minutes, 36 seconds while finishing with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in Thursday’s 128-122 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets.

    “I feel great,” Embiid said. “Nah, I was tired. Early game, too. Yeah, I was tired. But … just got to keep pushing.”

    More third-quarter blues

    After Embiid dominated the first half, the Sixers took a 64-60 lead into intermission.

    But the Knicks went on a 24-5 run early in the third quarter to build an 86-72 cushion. That was partly due to the Sixers missing 10 of their first 12 shots of the quarter.

    He would shoot 4-for-17 (23.5%) and commit five costly turnovers in the quarter, as the Knicks took a 90-77 lead into the fourth. Embiid was held scoreless in the quarter while shooting 0-for-3.

    The Knicks would extend their lead to 17 points early in the fourth quarter.

    Tyrese Maxey (right) challenges for a loose ball against Knicks guard Mikal Bridges in Saturday’s loss.

    Mounting a comeback, the Sixers pulled within two points on VJ Edgecombe’s three-pointer with 1 minute, 34 seconds remaining.

    The Knicks stepped up their intensity after intermission. They also benefited from their dominance of the boards. For the game, New York outrebounded the Sixers, 53 to 38, and had a 26 to 4 advantage in second-chance points. Knicks 6-5 forward and former Villanova standout Josh Hart finished with a game-high 13 rebounds to go with 10 points.

    Reserve center Andre Drummond didn’t play despite being one of the league’s best rebounders. He’s averaging a team-leading 9.0 rebounds while playing just 20 minutes per game. The 6-11, 280-pounder finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds in his lone game against the Knicks this season.

    Did Nick Nurse ever consider inserting Drummond because of the rebounding disparity?

    “Not really tonight,” he said. “I mean, I think both him and Jabari are probably two quality rebounders for us. The only thing we did think about was trying the big lineup [with Embiid and reserve center Adem Bona]. They weren’t very big much tonight. Nor were they five, four much tonight either. But we did think about that.”

    With the Sixers down three points, Tyrese Maxey (22 points, six assists) appeared to be fouled before misfiring on a 27-foot, three-point attempt with 5.8 seconds left.

    “I should’ve just took the one dribble and shot it right,” Maxey said of forcing the shot.

    And Embiid appeared to be fouled before turning the ball over in the final second as the Sixers dropped to 24-20 on the season.

    Sixers center Adem Bona blocks New York Knicks guard Miles McBride’s second-quarter dunk attempt on Saturday.

    Out of time?

    The Sixers have agreed to sign Charles Bassey to a 10-day contract.

    Before that, Saturday was believed to be the last game in which Walker and Barlow could be active without the team needing to make a roster move. That’s because the team ran out of available games for playing on two-way contracts, since it has fewer than 15 players on standard NBA contracts.

    But they’ll temporarily have 15 players on the roster, with Bassey’s addition.

    Sixers’ Kelly Oubre Jr. is showing why he should be a keeper at the NBA trade deadline

    On Saturday, Barlow was the sixth man for the second consecutive game after starting at power forward. Meanwhile, Walker received a did not play coach’s decision for the second straight game. He was the backup power forward before Barlow was demoted.

    But the Sixers had to decide if they wanted to sign Barlow or Walker to a standard deal to avoid this restriction. Another option would have been to sign a player to a 10-day contract. And the Sixers could have sat both of them. But Barlow still has a vital role with the team, while Walker can still contribute when needed.

    New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby passes the basketball from the floor past Sixers forward Dominick Barlow (right) and guard VJ Edgecombe during the second quarter on Saturday.

    “I’d like to find a way to get him his five, six, eight-minute stints that he’s been providing as well,” coach Nick Nurse said of Barlow before the game. “So, there’s always room to be looking at stuff, and hopefully — I think I said this a few weeks ago — we gotta figure out kinda how things shape out. Role-wise, within the starters, within the bench guys. We’re still trying to develop some of that stuff because it’s been very few games.”

    With an impending storm coming to the region, the Sixers were set to travel to Charlotte following the game instead of Sunday. They’ll practice at the Spectrum Center on Sunday before facing the Hornets there on Monday. Bassey will sign his 10-day contract before Monday’s game.

    Shortly after the game, Barlow was asked whether he and Walker had received any indication from the team that he would remain with the Sixers.

    Follow the Inquirer’s complete coverage of Sixers basketball right here!

    “I mean, I don’t really ask those types of questions,” he said. “I would like to think so, but that’s for my agent and Daryl. They can all handle that kind of stuff. My goal is to be a great basketball player today, and then be a great basketball player tomorrow. And if anything happens in the future, see what happens. I try not to ask too many questions about that kind of stuff.

    “I’ve been in this situation before. It doesn’t really do anything for you, besides just make you think. I’ve kind of just been enjoying the day.

    Barlow’s previous two-way deals with the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks were converted to standard deals.

  • ‘Vintage’ Joel Embiid takes big step in the right direction with triple-double

    ‘Vintage’ Joel Embiid takes big step in the right direction with triple-double

    Joel Embiid overpowered Alperen Şengün with a spin inside, sending the Houston Rockets’ big man to the floor before easily laying the ball into the rim.

    The play on Thursday night drew the ire of Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who got whistled for a technical foul. It was also another sign of how much Embiid’s health — and production — continues to progress.

    Two years ago to the day, Embiid scored a career-high 70 points in a victory over the San Antonio Spurs. It was the masterpiece of a historic stretch, when the then-reigning NBA Most Valuable Player was scoring more than a point a minute.

    A few days later, however, the Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga inadvertently fell on Embiid’s knee, and years of struggles to stay healthy and available ensued.

    Sixers takeaways: Surviving a blown call, grabbing a much-needed home win over Rockets and more

    Embiid has not returned to his peak level. Perhaps he never will. Yet it was poetic that his best performance since those surgeries — 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in the 76ers’ thrilling 128-122 overtime victory at Xfinity Mobile Arena — arrived on the same date.

    “Maybe I should have a baby on Jan. 22,” Embiid quipped from his locker after the game. “Seems to be a good day. Me and my wife, when I get home, we’re probably going to talk about [it]. Start making those calculations, and make sure that we’re trying to have a baby on Jan. 22.”

    That answer, complete with the playful bravado, is further evidence that Embiid is getting back to himself, after acknowledging feeling depressed and separated from teammates while navigating his health struggles.

    He also has allowed himself to sincerely reflect at points this season, saying in Orlando earlier this month that “this is a moment where I’m like, ‘Wow.’ A lot of people, I think, never thought this would happen again.”

    Joel Embiid (with Kevin Durant) helped turn back the clock in an encouraging home victory Thursday night.

    Sixers teammates and staff members have closely watched this recovery unfold. For Paul George, Embiid’s first dunk on Jan. 3 at Madison Square Garden was a key benchmark. For coach Nick Nurse, it has been the gradual improvements in rim protection, rebounding, drives to the basket, and post-up opportunities.

    Nurse added he is still “a ways away” from schematically moving Embiid to different spots around the court “as much as we want to,” which could unlock even more of his offensive prowess.

    And though Embiid has appeared in 11 out of the past 13 games — during which he has averaged 27.8 points on 51.7% shooting, along with 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists — he said he still is “not allowed to play back-to-backs — yet.”

    Thursday, though, was another significant step, in a down-to-the-wire victory against a quality opponent. His 15 rebounds were his highest total since — Surprise! — that 70-point outburst. His 10 assists were a season-high, and a product of Embiid getting rid of the ball earlier when the extra defender arrives, Nurse said.

    Defensively, Embiid helped limit Şengün, an All-Star reserve contender in the Western Conference, to 5-of-14 from the floor and three points after halftime.

    As a scorer, Embiid drew fouls on a rip-through move and while assertively turning toward the basket. He hit a jumper over two defenders at the end of the second quarter. He hunted switches so he could be guarded by a smaller defender, even as the Rockets “were moving pieces like crazy,” Nurse said, while unleashing a variety of different schemes.

    Joel Embiid was effective on a night when the Rockets were aggressively making changes to help limit him.

    And when the Sixers needed buckets in the fourth, Embiid kept his team afloat before its final surge.

    An inside conversion to cut Houston’s lead to four points. A three-pointer to get them within 105-99. A driving finish out of a timeout to make the score 107-101. And six assists over the fourth quarter and overtime, including dishes to Tyrese Maxey (36 points) for a game-tying pull-up late in regulation and then for the game-sealing dunk in the final seconds of the extra frame.

    By the time Embiid’s night was over, he had played nearly 47 minutes.

    “He walked into the locker room after the game,” said Maxey, who leads the NBA in minutes played, “and said, ‘There’s no reason I should ever play more minutes than Tyrese.’ I said, ‘That’s great. You should do that more often.’ …

    “He’s just getting back to himself, slowly but surely. And he’s doing it in a different way, kind of. But he’s just really locked in and really bought into this team.”

    As Embiid held court in front of his locker, teammate Trendon Watford walked by and yelled, “All-Star Joel! All-Star Process!” Maxey had just done his own politicking during his news conference, saying “Process!” and tapping the microphone when asked to choose a teammate to join him at the festivities in Los Angeles next month.

    That all echoed Embiid’s own personal campaigning, saying in Orlando that he believes he is worthy of a spot and “you guys [the media] should start putting the word out that Joel Embiid is back.”

    Sixers’ Kelly Oubre Jr is showing why he should be a keeper at the NBA trade deadline

    A few minutes later, George said he could feel Embiid’s “competitive juices” while matching up against Sengun.

    “He won’t say it,” George said. “But me in that position, when I was in his spot and there was guys under me that was coming up, I took it personal to kind of still be a force out there.”

    Oh, but Embiid did say it.

    After former Sixers teammate Furkan Korkmaz in September called Şengün the best center he has shared the floor with, as part of the Turkish national team, Embiid added a new photo to his Instagram grid late Thursday.

    Şengün hunched over, slowly regaining his feet after that wicked spin sent him to the floor. Embiid standing over him, side-eyed and staring.

    And a one-word caption: “Furk ……”

    “He dominated,” George added. “Big fella took it on him to really take over. I thought he was the vintage Joel tonight.”

  • Sixers takeaways: Surviving a blown call, grabbing a much-needed home win over Rockets and more

    Sixers takeaways: Surviving a blown call, grabbing a much-needed home win over Rockets and more

    The 76ers were fortunate that a blown goaltending call didn’t doom them.

    In response, the Sixers (24-19) showed they can win a meaningful game at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    And they did that despite, once again, surrendering a high-scoring performance to an opposing player.

    All those things stood out in Thursday’s 128-122 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets.

    Missed call

    Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 36 points, 10 assists, and four steals. Joel Embiid added 32 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, and two blocks for his ninth career triple-double. And Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting — including 4 of 5 from three-point range — to go with four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and a block in a hard-fought victory.

    But with the score tied at 115 with three seconds remaining in regulation, Maxey’s layup attempt bounced off the backboard and in the direction of the rim. That’s when Houston Rockets small forward swatted the ball away for an obvious goaltending.

    Luckily for the Sixers, the game went to overtime, and they pulled out a six-point victory.

    ‘Drumming saved my life’

    But …

    “That was bad,” Paul George said. “It was a double goaltend. Yeah, that was bad. Luckily, basketball gods were on our side to win the game tonight. But yeah, that was a bad no-call.”

    Nick Nurse said he doesn’t always have the greatest view. But on this night, the no-call occurred in front of the Sixers’ bench.

    “And I think Tyrese almost, on purpose, tried to get it to the backboard extra quick,” Nurse said. “Like he almost threw it into the backboard real quick. I mean, listen, they are supposed to call those if there’s any chance at all there’s a goaltend, because they can review it. They can’t review it if they don’t call it. So they can get it right.

    “I’ve actually been in games with those guys that they’ve called them more than two or three times. You get it when they call it. But they didn’t. I guess they just thought it was too far under, or they didn’t see it. So they didn’t call it.”

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey attempts a lay up late that was goaltended and became a controversial no-call.

    Maxey responded “nope” when asked if the official gave him an explanation on the no-call.

    So what was his reaction?

    “Just get to overtime and try to win it there. That’s it,” he said. “I just was surprised. I kind of like laid it on the backboard. But it happens, man. We’re all humans.”

    Maxey scored six of his points and tallied two of his steals in the extra session, leading the Sixers to victory.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. said it was hard to let that blown call go in order to focus on overtime.

    “But that’s why you have a 15-man roster,” he said. “Everybody kind of collectively [kept the team focused]. But it started with Kyle [Lowry]. You know in his prime, he was the biggest complainer of them all, right? But when you have a guy who accomplished so much and is who’s so just witty and smart, and he knows the game. He just rallied us all and told us just to forget about it. We got five more minutes to go in the basketball game.”

    Much-needed home victory

    The Sixers’ home arena has been far from a safe haven. Heading into Thursday, they had lost five of their last seven home games and were 11-12 at this building. The fifth-place squad and 10th-place Atlanta Hawks (7-13) are the Eastern Conference’s only top 10 teams without winning home records.

    Jabari Walker was asked following Thursday’s shootaround if there was a sense within the Sixers’ locker room that they need to start winning some of their home games.

    Yes, Philly is most definitely a basketball city. Dating all the way back to 1898.

    “That’s always been like that,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any extra pressure, recently. That’s always been the standard. … We are just going to continue to rely on the attitude that we’ve had. And I think we will bounce back.”

    And they did just that with a victory over one of the league’s best teams.

    “That was huge,” Nurse said. “We needed a good home win. We needed … to beat somebody really good. We needed a good, tough close-game win. Hopefully, we can get some momentum off of it.

    “We certainly need to play better at home.”

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey scored 36 poins to lead his team in scoring.

    The Sixers will conclude their current six-game homestand at 3 p.m. Saturday against the New York Knicks. After facing the Charlotte Hornets on Monday in North Carolina, they’ll return to Philly for another three-game homestand.

    They’ll host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday in the second game of a back-to-back before entertaining the Sacramento Kings (Jan. 29) and New Orleans Pelicans (Jan. 31).

    The Sixers must find a way to keep racking up wins at home, where they are supposed to have an advantage. They blew golden opportunities to take advantage of home-court advantage in recent losses to the Cavs on Jan. 14 and 16, and to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

    Unfortunately for them, those losses weren’t surprising after losing home games to the tanking Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 23 and the depleted Denver Nuggets on Jan. 5. The Nuggets were without their entire starting lineup and eight players total.

    Right now, the Sixers are better on the road, where they’re 12-7. While the road record is impressive, they need to play much better at home. And as Nurse said, beating the Rockets was a good starting point.

    Another player torches Sixers

    We shouldn’t be surprised that Durant torched the Sixers for 36 points.

    The 6-foot-11, 240-pound forward is the 2014 MVP, a four-time scoring champion, an 11-time All-NBA selection, and a 15-time All-Star. He came into Tuesday’s game with a career scoring average of 27.2 points. And scored at least 30 points in 14 games played.

    To add to that, the Sixers have had a knack for allowing high-scoring performances from opposing players. So Durant’s performance was just part of a trend.

    Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant scored 32 points against the Sixers, becoming the latest star to score big against them.

    Boston Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown (32 points), Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (31), Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell (46 and 35), Milwaukee Bucks point guard Ryan Rollins (32), Miami Heat shooting guard Norman Powell (32), Orlando Magic point guard Anthony Black (31), Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (41), Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (40), New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson (31), Orlando shooting guard Desmond Bane (31) and Cleveland point guard Jaylen Tyson (39) were the others who scored at least 30 against the Sixers.

  • Sixers consider starting Quentin Grimes; VJ Edgecombe embracing rigors of NBA season

    Sixers consider starting Quentin Grimes; VJ Edgecombe embracing rigors of NBA season

    After a great start to the season, Quentin Grimes found himself in contention for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

    But he has been inconsistent as of late, and the 76ers are trying to get the guard back on track.

    ‘Drumming saved my life’

    “I think we really thought that he was a much better player off the bench,” coach Nick Nurse said. “That he liked to see the game a little bit and come in and play. And I think we’re having some discussions lately, that maybe that’s not the case, and maybe we’ll start sticking him back into the starting lineup a little bit to see if that helps.”

    The 6-foot-4, 210-pound shooting guard may have broken out of a recent slump in Tuesday’s 116-110 setback to the Phoenix Suns at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    In nine games entering Tuesday, Sixers guard Quentin Grimes averaged 10.4 points on 42.9% shooting – including making just 31.0% on three-pointers.

    Grimes scored 12 points on 3-for-7 shooting, adding five assists and three steals. However, with the Sixers down six points with 17.1 seconds remaining, he blew a layup, ending the comeback attempt. He also surrendered three turnovers.

    Entering Tuesday’s games, Grimes averaged 10.4 points on 42.9% shooting — including making just 31.0% on three-pointers in his last nine contests.

    “I really need him to attack the rim more,” Nurse said. “He’s good at it in the open floor and just a little bit more decisive when he’s coming up the floor to make a play in the paint, and then also to pull the three balls. Make sure he has the confidence to continue to take those. I think the light is green and getting greener, not the other way around, and just play with great confidence.”

    Edgecombe embracing rigors of NBA season

    With 38 NBA games under his belt, VJ Edgecombe already has played in five more games than he did during his lone season at Baylor. Yet the Sixers (23-19) still have 40 games remaining, meaning the rookie could play in 78 contests — more than double his total in college.

    How is the 6-5 shooting guard handling the NBA grind?

    Yes, Philly is most definitely a basketball city. Dating all the way back to 1898.

    “I’ll be honest, I’m embracing it,” he said. “I’m one of the few rookies who can say I’m playing 30 minutes. You know, that’s the blessing. Just once I’m on the floor, I’ve just got to be productive. I’ve got to not try to win every possession.”

    Heading into Thursday’s games, Edgecombe is sixth in the league in minutes at 35.8 per game, trailing teammate Tyrese Maxey (39.5), Houston Rockets stars Amen Thompson (37.2) and Kevin Durant (36.6), Los Angeles Laker guard Luka Doncic (36.3), and Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (36.0).

    Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe is 11th in the league in steals (1.5) while averaging 15.8 points and 4.2 assists.

    He is 11th in the league in steals (1.5) while also averaging 15.8 points and 4.2 assists.

    Edgecombe posted a team-high 25 points while logging 36 minutes, 45 seconds in Tuesday’s loss to the Suns. The 20-year-old scored 11 points in 35:18 in Monday’s victory over the Indiana Pacers.

    “I’m good with the back-to-backs now,” Edgecombe said with a laugh. “My first back-to-back, I wasn’t. I’m being completely honest, I wasn’t. But now I’m fine with it now. It’s still a lot. It’s still NBA games in two days.

    “It’s a toll on your body, but I’m young, and I’m grateful that I’ve got a healthy body where I can go up and down the floor. So yeah, I’m just taking it game by game, regardless if it’s back-to-back or not, just try to be the same person.”

    Sixers forward Dominick Barlow and Indiana’s Pascal Siakam battle for the ball on Monday. The Sixers have only two games left in which Jabari Walker and Barlow can both be active without the team making a roster move.

    Dwindling days

    The Sixers have only two games left in which Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow can both be active without the team making a roster move. That’s because the squad has only four total games available to players on two-way contracts, since it has fewer than 15 players on standard NBA contracts.

    Sixers takeaways: Poor three-point defense, Tyrese Maxey’s inefficiency, and more from loss to Suns

    The Sixers could sign Barlow, the starting power forward, or Walker, his backup, to a standard deal to avoid this restriction. They could also opt to sign a player to a 10-day contract. That would temporarily halt the under-15 penalty. And the Sixers could sit the two-way players, but they both have vital roles with the team.

    If nothing is done, the Sixers’ two-way players will be unable to play in NBA games following Saturday’s home game against the New York Knicks.

    Injury report

    Joel Embiid (right ankle injury recovery) is listed as probable to play Thursday against the Rockets (26-15) at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Meanwhile, Paul George (left knee injury management) is questionable.

    Houston will be without Steven Adams (sprained left ankle) and Fred VanVleet (right knee ACL repair), while Aaron Holiday (back spasms) is questionable.

  • Sixers takeaways: More urgency needed, Tyrese Maxey’s rising ceiling, and more from win over the Pacers

    Sixers takeaways: More urgency needed, Tyrese Maxey’s rising ceiling, and more from win over the Pacers

    The 76ers must play with a sense of urgency against bad and/or undermanned teams.

    Tyrese Maxey is a newly minted Eastern Conference NBA All-Star starter. But the Sixers point guard, and coach Nick Nurse, believe he has more to give.

    And the Sixers need more production from their bench.

    These things stood out in Monday’s 113-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Lack of energy

    Maxey and Joel Embiid’s play, especially late in the game, enabled the Sixers (23-18) to avoid an embarrassing loss to the Pacers (10-34).

    Maxey scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder also had four assists and four steals while playing 10 minutes, 35 seconds in the quarter.

    In the quarter, Maxey was able to get to the paint more frequently and finish at the rim.

    “We kind of opened the court up a little bit,” he said. “Me and Joel didn’t play a lot of two-man game. So it’s kind of like just getting him the ball, coming off screens, and doing that.”

    But before Embiid reentered the game with 5:01 remaining, Maxey was paired with Quentin Grimes, Jabari Walker, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Adem Bona.

    “And with that unit, I know I have to be ultra-aggressive for myself, for my teammates as well, getting to the paint, kicking it out, generating threes. That’s what I tried to do. Got a couple of corner threes with that group, and that’s good offense for us.”

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey named starter in NBA All-Star Game

    For the game, Maxey made 12 of 24 shots to go with eight assists, four rebounds, a career-high eight steals, and one block.

    “I was just trying to be aggressive, you know, make plays for my teammates,” Maxey said of his steals. “I think it gets us going when we get out in the open court [after stealing the ball] and get some easy baskets.”

    Meanwhile, Embiid scored nine of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. The center also finished with nine rebounds and four assists.

    But it was like the Sixers fell into a deep slumber against the Pacers before they took over.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid poured in 30 points in a combeack win Monday over Indiana.

    At the start of the game, they looked like a well-oiled machine.

    Embiid had 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Oubre, who started in place of Paul George, had six points on 3-for-3 shooting. And Dominick Barlow had the other two points on 1-for-2 shooting, as the Sixers had an 18-15 lead with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter. They had made 9 of 12 shots at the time.

    They couldn’t shake the Pacers and clung to a 33-30 lead heading into the second quarter. And things only got worse for the Sixers in the second. They shot 26.3% and trailed by as many as 10 points against the NBA’s second-worst team. Much of the defending Eastern Conference champions’ struggles are down to injuries.

    On Monday, they were without Tyrese Haliburton (right Achilles tendon tear), Bennedict Mathurin (sprained right thumb), and Obi Toppin (right foot stress fracture).

    The Sixers struggled through 3-for-13 three-point shooting over the first three quarters. They ended up making 5 of 17.

    But struggling against an undermanned squad isn’t uncommon.

    On Jan. 5, they put forth an inexcusable effort against a Denver Nuggets team playing without its entire starting lineup and three key reserves.

    This time, the Sixers woke up from their slumber and escaped with a nine-point victory. But they need to do a better job of putting teams away that have no business competing with them.

    The Sixers are still struggling with inconsistency at the NBA’s halfway mark. How will they address it?

    Maxey just scratching the surface

    Maxey impacted the game in many ways on Monday. But the belief is that the sixth-year veteran is just scratching the surface.

    “I think I’m most definitely nowhere close to where I could be, as far as basketball-wise,” Maxey said. “I feel like I can keep getting better. And my thing is I just want to be better. You know what I’m saying, for my teammates, for this organization, my family. And I know I have a coach, an organization, and teammates who believe in me. And when you have that, it kind of pushes you to be even better than what you are.”

    Right now, he must do a better job of adjusting when teams trap him. But Maxey is most proud of his leadership and the strides he’s made on defense. He was a good defender growing up. But he’s found that the transition to the NBA has been more challenging.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey had a career-high eight steals in Monday’s win.

    “I feel like I figured it out a little bit on how to be impactful,” he said, “and impact the game on the [defensive] end of the floor.”

    But even though he needs to regain his rhythm, Maxey is in the midst of a career season.

    He is third in the league in scoring (30.2 points per game), second in steals (2.1), and 15th in assists (6.7). He is also fourth in made three-pointers (140), and has scored at least 30 points in 19 of 39 games.

    “We’re trying to give him every opportunity to be aggressive and go do his thing,” Nurse said. “And he’s very talented. And I keep saying there’s still a lot of room for growth, which I think is exciting.”

    Sixers utilize six-game homestand to connect with the community during MLK Day weekend

    More needed from Sixers bench

    The Sixers were outscored 35-14 in bench points, and even that was misleading. They only had eight heading into the fourth quarter.

    Grimes had five points on 1-for-7 shooting. Walker had five while making 2 of 5 shots. He was, by far, the most productive reserve, finishing with six rebounds and four steals. Bona (two points, 1-for-2 shooting) and Trendon Watford (two points, 1-for-4 shooting) were the other bench scorers.

    Justin Edwards and Jared McCain didn’t attempt a shot after playing only the final 47 seconds. But the Sixers must get more production out of their bench if they expect to remain competitive.

  • Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey named starter in NBA All-Star Game

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey named starter in NBA All-Star Game

    When Tyrese Maxey first learned he could become an NBA All-Star Game starter, the 76ers point guard said it would be cool.

    He talked about watching Joel Embiid start in an All-Star Game and how much he enjoyed watching his teammate’s experience.

    “So if I’m blessed with the opportunity, I definitely won’t take it for granted,” Maxey said on Dec. 29.

    The opportunity has become a reality.

    Maxey learned Monday that he was named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.

    The starters were announced shortly after 2 p.m. on NBC/Peacock before the tipoff of the nationally televised game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers. The All-Star reserves, selected by the league’s coaches, will be announced at a later date. The game will be played on Feb. 15 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

    The Sixers are still struggling with inconsistency at the NBA’s halfway mark. How will they address it?

    “I’m very thankful for it, blessed,” Maxey said before Monday’s game against the Indiana Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena. “I appreciate everybody who voted for me, the people who believed in me. I’m thankful for my teammates, this organization for allowing me to kind of lead them and try to be a better version of a franchise and organization they were last year.”

    Usually taking his pregame nap at 2 p.m., Maxey was asleep when the All-Star Game starters were revealed. But he could hear his ringer going off while teammate VJ Edgecombe tried to call him multiple times.

    “I’m like, why is he calling me?” he said. “And I answer, and he’s screaming and showing me the TV. And I’m like, ‘OK.’ We chopped it up a little bit. I was thankful for that. Then my mom called me, and then I said, ‘Listen, I’m going back to sleep. I have work tonight.’

    “But I’m thankful, man. I’m just thankful that my support system and everybody who is around me, and my very thankful for that.”

    Maxey becomes the first Sixers guard selected to start an All-Star Game since Hall of Famer Allen Iverson in 2010. Iverson, however, did not play because his daughter, Messiah, was ill. The last time the Sixers had a player voted to start in the event was Embiid in 2024. He didn’t play because of a torn meniscus in his left knee.

    Maxey made his first All-Star team that season as a reserve. But after missing the cut last season, he’ll be a two-time All-Star.

    Fans accounted for 50% of the vote to determine the 10 starters. A media panel and NBA players each accounted for 25% of the vote. This season, All-Stars are selected regardless of position.

    Tyrese Maxey is lifted up by Adem Bona after the Sixers beat the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 4.

    Denver Nuggets center and three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and Milwaukee Bucks forward and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo are the leading vote-getters in their respective conferences.

    The starters from the Eastern Conference are Maxey, Antetokounmpo, New York Knicks point guard and former Villanova standout Jalen Brunson, Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham, and Boston Celtics small forward Jaylen Brown.

    “I guess you could say it’s one of the goals for sure, but my main goal is for us to win,” Maxey said of being a starter. “The rest of that will come. I feel like if I’m healthy and we can win games and stay afloat and try to get to a playoff spot and do something special there, all of the accolades and all that stuff will appear.”

    For the Western Conference, the starters are Jokić, Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Dončić, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.

    Maxey finished second in the fan voting among Eastern Conference players. He was third in the media voting and fifth in the player voting.

    The sixth-year veteran’s 2,941,622 fan votes were the most by an American player.

    “Thanks, fellow Americans,” Maxey said upon hearing the news. “I appreciate y’all. That’s love. I appreciate y’all.”

    The Texas native said he’s “blessed” to earn that type of popularity.

    “I have great teammates, great organization that believes in me,” Maxey said. “I just give grace to God every single morning to be able to at least wake up and do what I love every single day. And I just work extremely hard to be in this position.”

    Under a new format, the All-Star Game will feature a U.S. vs. World competition, consisting of two teams of U.S. players and one team of international players in a round-robin tournament featuring four 12-minute games.

    It’s not surprising that Maxey was voted an All-Star starter.

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

    He entered Monday third in the league in scoring (30.3 points per game), tied for third in steals (1.9), and 15th in assists (6.7). He’s also fourth in made three-pointers (139), and has scored at least 30 points in 19 of 38 games.

    “Look at his stats and what he’s been doing the whole season,” teammate Quentin Grimes said. “From Game 1 to Game 41 today, he’s been probably a top-three player in the league right now. So just seeing him go out every night has been really fun to go out there and watch.”

    Maxey’s season highlight came Nov. 20 when he scored a career-high 54 points, to go with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in a 123-114 overtime victory over the Bucks. He joined Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a game.