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Tag: Joel Embiid

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    “He looked pretty good.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Jabari Walker is soaking up knowledge from his veteran Sixers teammates

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Joel Embiid grabbed the offensive rebound and, before tumbling to the floor, muscled the put-back through contact and into the basket.

    And as the 76ers’ center stepped to the line to shoot the and-1 free throw, faint “M-V-P!” chants resurfaced inside Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    That conversion highlighted Embiid’s best game of the season — 39 points, nine rebounds, and three assists in Friday’s 115-105 win over the Indiana Pacers — when his team needed the boost while playing without ill star guard Tyrese Maxey. The big man’s first 30-point outing in nearly a calendar year also served as a flashback to the player he used to be, before multiple knee surgeries curtailed his dominance on both ends of the floor.

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

    And a reminder of the player he can still be, at least every now and then?

    “I feel like I can do it,” Embiid said from his locker after the game. “I think the dynamics [are] obviously different, at times. I want to play more as a team, so making sure everybody’s involved. If someone has to sacrifice, I will. But in some occasions, when I’ve got it going or nights like tonight, it’s going to happen.

    “I don’t expect having to do this when everybody’s healthy. But I will if I have to.”

    Embiid reacts after scoring three of his 39 points against the Pacers.

    Embiid’s outburst came in his 10th appearance of an early season that already has been interrupted by scheduled missed games and a three-week absence due to a right (not left) knee issue. It also occurred after one of the worst shooting performances of his fabulous career, going 4 of 21 during Sunday’s loss against the Los Angeles Lakers.

    But Embiid shrugged that dud off in the immediate aftermath. Then, he utilized a rare four days between games to generate rhythm through team practices and individual workouts. The break also allowed a previously undisclosed finger issue that may have affected his shooting to heal, Embiid said during Friday’s postgame media session.

    “Obviously, it’s easier to be consistent when everything is going well physically,” said Embiid.

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

    Sixers coach Nick Nurse, meanwhile, added a “couple little wrinkles” to foster a variety of Embiid scoring avenues that the coach is “always trying to continue to seek,” he said.

    Friday night, that manifested in post-ups from both blocks. And in pick-and-roll actions in the middle and on the side of the floor. And in Embiid directing teammates such as Dominick Barlow to cuts for easy dunks. And in Embiid driving to draw fouls — and 13 free-throw makes — with an aggressiveness that signals the center is at his best, Nurse said.

    “It came in a lot of different schemes [that the Pacers] threw at him,” Nurse said of Embiid’s performance Friday. “And I thought he read the different stuff pretty good most of the night.”

    VJ Edgcombe started at point guard Friday with Tyrese Maxey out.

    Embiid’s presence also helped unleash rookie VJ Edgecombe, who scored 14 of his 20 points in the first quarter while filling in for Maxey as the starting point guard. Embiid then amassed 15 points of his own in the second frame, including a step-back three-pointer that snapped a streak of 17 consecutive long-range misses.

    During the third quarter, Embiid spun and scored early in the frame and later finished an off-balance and-1. And he complemented the Sixers’ stout down-the-stretch defense by sinking a baseline fadeaway jumper with less than a minute remaining, putting his team up by 10 points and earning a slap on the backside from Nurse.

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

    Perhaps nobody was happier to see this version of Embiid resurface than Maxey, who entered Friday ranked third in the NBA in scoring (31.5 points per game) and first in minutes played (39.9 per game). During the game, Maxey posted “GOOD PROCESS!!” on X, then fielded a postgame phone call from his teammate and close friend.

    Embiid also was spotted chopping it up with Edgecombe and Jared McCain in the postgame locker room, evidence of the connections forming during the Sixers’ 14-10 start.

    “I won’t lie,” Embiid said. “Last year, I wasn’t happy all the time coming to work because of everything that was going on, whether it was on and off the court. This year, it’s a little different. I’ve got a great group of guys. I’m happier coming in here.”

    Following a lengthy postgame treatment session, Embiid said his body feels “great” after playing a season-high 32 minutes. The real test, as always, will be how both knees respond Saturday morning. He reiterated the plan remains for him to take two days off between games, which means it would require at least a conversation in order for Embiid to be cleared to play Sunday at the Atlanta Hawks.

    “It’s up to them,” said Embiid, adding he was “consistently pushing” his body during the four days leading up to Friday’s game. “If I can, I’ll fight for it. If I can, I’ll play. But if I’m not allowed or if I can’t, then it is what it is.”

    The Sixers are injured at key spots. They still see reason to be optimistic about their East chances.

    But when the Sixers needed a boost from their former MVP while playing without Maxey for the first time this season, Embiid dropped a reminder of who he used to be.

    And can still be, at least occasionally?

    “People don’t understand how much work he does,” teammate Paul George said of Embiid, “ … when it comes to taking care of his body and trying to do whatever it takes to get on the floor and be available for us.

    “Just happy that it showed out, [that he] got back to his usual self.”

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

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

    Paul George is starting to live up to the hype.

    Joel Embiid can still have lethal scoring nights.

    VJ Edgecombe is back to playing at a high level. And he could do more if the 76ers keep him involved throughout.

    Those three things stood out in the Sixers’ 115-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

    George shows his worth

    George had to deal with the attention, scrutiny, and spotlight that came with signing a four-year, $211.5 million contract with the Sixers on July 6, 2024. He’s been mostly criticized over the past year while dealing with injuries and underperformances.

    Tyrese Maxey misses Sixers’ game against Indiana Pacers with illness

    But the 6-foot-8 forward’s team-first mentality and ability to adapt to various roles have been on full display in the nine games he’s played this season. And with Tyrese Maxey sidelined with an illness, George excelled in the point-forward role against the Pacers (6-19).

    He put his imprint on the game from the start, scoring the first two points of the night before assisting on the Sixers’ next two baskets.

    The nine-time All-Star ended the quarter with eight points and two assists before finishing the game with 23 and five, respectively. George also had six rebounds and a steal and served as a solid two-way player.

    “I’m comfortable with the ball,” George said. “I think more than anything, it’s just continue to prove to myself and remain confident as I continue to trust my body and gain confidence on the floor that my body can still produce. So it’s just adding to the confidence, and just chipping away at the work put into this season so far to get ready for this season.”

    He missed 14 games this season with left knee injury management and sat out another game with a sprained right ankle.

    https://www.inquirer.com/sixers/tgi-fridays-city-line-avenue-allen-iverson-charles-barkley-club-fridays-20251212.html

    On offense, the 35-year-old ran the team well, creating shots for himself and teammates against the Pacers. Defensively, George was active and made Indiana work hard for shots. He remained in constant communication with teammates on both sides of the ball.

    These are the things the Sixers (14-10) envisioned when signing him to the maximum-salary contract to form a Big Three with Embiid and Maxey.

    Embiid shines

    This was Embiid’s best game of the season.

    His 39 points were his highest regular-season total since he finished with a career-high 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 22, 2024. Embiid also finished with nine rebounds and three assists.

    The seven-time All-Star was asked if his performance proves “I still do this.”

    “I don’t know,” said Embiid, who averaged a career-low 18.2 points in his first nine games. “That’s for those people that don’t think I can do it. I can’t change their mind or opinion.

    “It feels good. Obviously, playing like that, I feel like I can do it.”

    He thinks the dynamics are different, at times. Embiid said he wants to play more as a team. He said that includes making sure everybody is involved.

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

    “If somebody has to sacrifice, I will,” he said. “But [on] some occasions, when I got it going, like tonight, it’s going to happen.

    “I don’t expect having to do this when everybody is healthy. But I will, if I have to.”

    Coach Nick Nurse thinks Embiid’s performance was as simple as finding an offensive rhythm.

    “But he worked at it this week, a lot,” Nurse said. “I think the practices helped, his own individual work away from practice certainly helped, which is a great sign that he’s doing that and feeling good or better-ish to do some of that.”

    After scoring just four points in the first quarter, he combined for 29 points over the second and third quarters.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid turned the clock back with 39 points and nine rebounds.

    For the game, he made 12 of 23 shots. His biggest basket came on a putback while being fouled with 2 minutes, 56 seconds remaining. He made the foul shot to give the Sixers a 108-102 lead.

    The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder later grabbed a huge defensive rebound on Pascal Siakam’s missed layup with 1:57 left. That led to George’s layup, which made it 112-105 at the 1:41 mark.

    The 2023 MVP made just 2 of 8 three-pointers, showing that he still needs to improve in that area. Embiid also needs to do a better job from the foul line, where he shot 13-for-18. But he did attack the basket more, which was part of a night where he moved better than in any game this season.

    “Again, I keep saying he’s best when he’s driving,” Nurse said. “And I think he drove it a lot to draw the foul early. That puts them in a tough situation of how to play him. And probably the best thing about it all, I mean, 39 is great, but it came at a lot of different schemes they threw at him.”

    This was an outstanding offensive performance, considering he was shooting career lows from the field (40.7%) and on three-pointers (21.4%) in the first nine games of the season.

    Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was asked if he was surprised by Embiid’s productivity.

    “Great player, perennial All-Star, on the Olympic team,” Carlisle said, “He’s a Hall of Fame guy. Who’s surprised? I’m not surprised.”

    If he and George continue to play this way once Maxey returns, the fifth-place Sixers should ascend in the Eastern Conference standings.

    Edgecombe must remain aggressive

    At the start of the season, Edgecombe was the overwhelming favorite for rookie of the year. But a heavy workload, a tweaked role, and a left calf strain slowed him down a bit … until recently.

    Now well-rested and healthy, Edgecombe is excelling once again. The 6-4 combo guard averaged 12.3 points on 44.8% shooting — making 6 of 12 three-pointers — in the three games heading into Friday’s contest. He followed that up with 22 points on 6-for-10 shooting, to go with four rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe performed better after nursing his calf injury.

    Edgecombe scored 14 of his points on 5-for-6 shooting in the first quarter. However, he attempted only four shots afterward, making one to score eight points.

    The third overall pick is playing well and showing that he can provide a key role. He just needs to remain in attack mode for four quarters. One can argue that his lack of aggressiveness stemmed from Embiid and George dominating the ball. However, he must stay involved.

  • The Sixers are injured at key spots. They still see reason to be optimistic about their East chances.

    The Sixers are injured at key spots. They still see reason to be optimistic about their East chances.

    Joel Embiid and Paul George are coping with injuries and poor shooting performances. Averaging a league-most 39.9 minutes, Tyrese Maxey could be on the verge of breaking down if not careful. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford aren’t healthy enough to practice.

    And still, there is optimism.

    The 76ers head into Friday night’s matchup against the Indiana Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena with a 13-10 record. They’re in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings, 1 ½ games out of third place heading into Thursday night’s games.

    Sixers’ Joel Embiid and Paul George want to ‘be efficient’ while playing on the floor together

    “You look at the East, it’s kind of clumped,” George said. “No one’s really pulled away yet, so we do have the opportunity to kinda write our future out from this point forward.

    “No pressure to the cause of it, but we do have an opportunity to kind of take advantage of the standings. We can look at every game as important if you want to make steps going forward, for sure.”

    The Sixers are favored to pick up a victory against the Pacers (6-18), who are tied for the league’s third-worst record.

    Afterward, their next five games are against the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, and Chicago Bulls — teams with a combined record of 55-65.

    Sixers Joel Embiid is shooting career lows from the field (40.7%) and on three-pointers (21.4%), in addition to averaging a career-low 18.2 points in nine games this season.

    The Sixers will face the Hawks (14-11) on Sunday at State Farm Arena. After four days off, they’ll face the Knicks (17-7) at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 19 before hosting the Mavericks (9-16) the next night. The Sixers will then entertain the Nets (6-17) on Dec. 23 and kick off a five-game road trip against the Bulls (9-14).

    Facing just two teams with winning records will provide ample opportunity for the Sixers to ascend in the standings during their next six games.

    A practice-heavy week with few practices, along with this upcoming stretch, could enable George and Embiid to get into rhythm while building on-court chemistry with teammates.

    “I think we still have a number of guys, but, obviously, those two guys are at the top of the list that are still looking for rhythm and conditioning, but more probably rhythm,” coach Nick Nurse said. “You know it’s always a combination of those two things. And they had two good days [of practice].”

    However, through eight games played this season, George’s field-goal percentage (41.8%) and three-point percentage (34.9%) are both the second lowest of his career. He’s also averaging the fourth-fewest points (14.1 points) of his career.

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

    Meanwhile, Embiid is shooting career lows from the field (40.7%) and on three-pointers (21.4%), in addition to averaging a career-low 18.2 points in nine games this season.

    The 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star has missed 14 games this season due to left and right knee injury management. Meanwhile, George missed 14 games with left knee injury management and sat out another game with a sprained right ankle.

    Their injuries and absences have put a heavy load on Maxey, who’s the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.5 points per game. He’s logging 39.9 minutes per game entering Thursday, with Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Dončić, who’s second in average minutes played, sitting 2.7 minutes behind him.

    Maxey logged a season-high 52:18 during the 142-134 double-overtime home loss to the Hawks on Nov. 30. He’s logged at least 38:08 minutes in 17 of the Sixers’ 23 games. Nine of those games involved him playing at least 41:24. With 59 games remaining, whether Maxey can hold up all season is worth considering.

    Sixers small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. has missed the past 11 games with a left-knee LCL sprain.

    Meanwhile, Oubre has missed the past 11 games with a left-knee LCL sprain. The 6-foot-8 small forward has left an enormous void to fill. Prior to injury, Oubre was averaging 16.8 points and doing a solid job of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.

    The Sixers also miss Watford, who’s been a solid point forward. He finished with his lone career triple-double — 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists — in a 130-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8. Watford, who’s averaging 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, has missed the past six games with a left abductor strain.

    “There on the court doing some individual stuff, but doing stuff with the team,” Nurse said of Oubre and Watford.

    Despite injuries, the Sixers have been playing exciting basketball and given themselves a chance to win most games.

    “We have been doing a lot of great things late in games,” Nurse said. “There’s a lot that’s encouraging. I feel like we’re going [upward], just by the way we are playing, and with [improved] health and participating and guys being available, and it feels like we are heading in the right direction.”

    But the Sixers believe defensive improvement will help them ascend in the standings.

    As of Thursday afternoon, they were ranked 14th in the league in defensive rating (113.5). The Sixers were also eighth in three-point percentage defense (.343), 11th in field-goal percentage defense (.464), and 15th in scoring defense (116.1 points per game). One bright spot is that they are first in blocked shots (6.1 per game).

    The Sixers still haven’t figured out their bad third quarters: ‘Something’s got to give’

    “I think we’re a little ways away from where we need to be, but I think we’re getting there,” George said. “We’re making steps to be a better defensive team. Kelly, obviously, brings a lot. He’s still one of the best on-ball defenders. One of the best help-side defenders, and just that tenacity he plays with on the defensive end to get after it.

    “We’re gonna get a lot once he comes back, and then it’ll allow us to be more versatile with myself, with KO, with [Dominick] Barlow, Quentin [Grimes], the four of us taking the bulk of the defensive matchups. We’ll be really good, but I like where we’re at. It’s a good thing to have areas to improve in when you are going in the right direction.”

  • The NBA’s $525 million injury epidemic

    The NBA’s $525 million injury epidemic

    LOS ANGELES – Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr sparked a moment of introspection for the NBA last month when he said his team’s medical staff believed modern basketball’s fast pace and heavy mileage were contributing to a rash of injuries. After bemoaning the lack of practice and recovery time, Kerr demurred when asked whether he thought the league would consider shortening its 82-game schedule in an attempt to protect player health.

    “The tricky part is all the constituents would have to agree to take less revenue,” Kerr said. “In 2025, in America, good luck in any industry. … That’s not happening.”

    Kerr’s doubt was well founded, because the NBA’s business is booming: Commissioner Adam Silver recently struck new media rights deals worth $76 billion over 11 years, the league’s 30 teams combined to generate a record $12.25 billion in revenue last season, and a record 16 players will earn at least $50 million in salary this season.

    But as the NBA’s top-line financial metrics continue to increase, so, too, do the skyrocketing costs associated with lost productivity for injured stars. Remarkably, if early trends hold, the NBA’s 30 highest-paid players, according to salary data compiled by ESPN, could combine to cost their teams more than $525 million in empty salary associated with games they do not play this season.

    Is Joel Embiid injured? We’re tracking his current status and injury history.

    Stephen Curry (who will earn $59.6 million) is sidelined with a quadriceps injury. Joel Embiid ($55.2 million) has missed more games than he has played because of recurring knee problems, Kawhi Leonard ($50 million) has already missed 10 games because of a foot injury, and Bradley Beal ($53.7 million including a contract buyout) played only six games before suffering a season-ending hip injury. LeBron James ($52.6 million) and Anthony Davis ($54.1 million) missed the first four weeks of the season because of injury, and Giannis Antetokounmpo ($54.1 million) and Ja Morant ($39.4 million) are out with muscle strains.

    Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, Tyrese Haliburton and Kyrie Irving are on the books for $204.4 million combined but have yet to play because of major injuries suffered last season. During one recent loss, the New Orleans Pelicans took the court without their five highest-paid players, who will combine to earn more than $140 million.

    Stephen Curry is currently sidelined with a quadriceps injury.

    Many of those absences have directly led to trouble in the standings. Haliburton’s Indiana Pacers, who reached the NBA Finals in June, have dropped to 14th in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks are at risk of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2015-16 and must pay Lillard $113 million over the next five seasons after waiving him using the league’s stretch provision. And the Los Angeles Clippers, wobbly with Leonard and Beal missing time, are on track for their first losing season since 2010-11.

    “When you lose your best player and a top-10 player when he’s on the floor, it’s hard to make up for that,” Clippers Coach Tyronn Lue said last week. “I know a lot of people say ‘next man up,’ but if [Leonard] is making [$50] million and your next man up is making $400,000, it’s not really the same.”

    Sixers’ Joel Embiid and Paul George want to ‘be efficient’ while playing on the floor together

    In two notable cases, star injuries have already contributed to major personnel changes. Without Davis and Irving, the Dallas Mavericks struggled out of the gate and fired general manager Nico Harrison less than a month into the season. And well before Zion Williamson’s latest injury, a hip strain that will keep him out for weeks, the Pelicans had crashed into the Western Conference’s basement and fired Willie Green after he coached just 12 games.

    “We have a lot of guys that are in street clothes,” Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd said shortly after Harrison’s firing. “We’ve got over, I think, $100 million sitting on the sideline.”

    More injuries, more problems

    The rise in star injuries goes well beyond this season’s most extreme examples of the Pacers, Clippers, Mavericks and Pelicans.

    Flash back one decade: During the 2015-16 season, NBA teams averaged 102.7 points, 24.1 three-point attempts and 95.8 possessions per game. That year, the league’s 30 highest-paid players combined to miss just 14 percent of their teams’ games.

    This season, teams entered Wednesday averaging 116.6 points, 36.9 three-point attempts and 100 possessions per game. The league’s highest-paid players have combined to miss 35 percent of their teams’ games. A faster, higher-scoring and more rigorous sport appears to be taxing players like never before.

    John DiFiori, the NBA’s director of sports medicine, said the league views the 2019-20 season as an “inflection point” for star injuries. During the four seasons before that campaign, which was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA’s 30 highest-paid players missed between 14 and 20 percent of their teams’ games. Since 2019-20, that number has jumped, ranging from 24 percent to 35 percent. The missed games rate has remained elevated in the years after the NBA stopped requiring players to sit out if they tested positive for the coronavirus.

    “Injury rates are going up,” DiFiori said. “When we look back at what we’ve been doing the last 10 or 12 years, it’s a moving target. The game doesn’t stay the same. We’re trying to reduce injuries, and the game is also changing. All these other factors, the pace of play and what players are doing in training, those are all moving targets. To wrap our arms around that is a challenge. It’s something we’re quite focused on. … [Teams are] spending a lot of time and money and bringing in a lot of expertise. Despite all of that, we’re seeing an increase in injuries. It’s not for teams’ lack of focus on it.”

    The percentage of games missed by the NBA's 30 highest-paid players has increased over the past decade.
    The percentage of games missed by the NBA’s 30 highest-paid players has increased over the past decade.

    The NBA instituted the Player Participation Policy (PPP) before the 2023-24 season to address what it calls “a statistically significant increase” in star absences and to curb “load management,” a strategy used by some teams to rest players throughout the season. With the NBA negotiating new media rights deals and debuting the NBA Cup in-season tournament to spark interest, then-league executive Joe Dumars met with all 30 teams to remind them that the NBA is an “82-game league.” To reinforce that message, the PPP mandated that players appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for end-of-season awards, and the league began fining teams if they rested healthy players for nationally televised games.

    The PPP enjoyed some initial success: The 30 highest-paid players missed just 24 percent of games in 2023-24, the league’s best mark since the pandemic. That progress proved short-lived, however; the availability of the NBA’s highest-paid players has regressed noticeably over the past three seasons. During the 2025 playoffs, Tatum, Lillard and Haliburton all suffered season-ending Achilles tendon injuries during a span of less than two months.

    Muscle strains have been another point of immediate concern. The Mavericks shocked the basketball world by trading franchise player Luka Doncic last season while he was recovering from a calf strain; Antetokounmpo, Davis, Morant and Victor Wembanyama are among the stars who have been sidelined by the same injury this season. Haliburton was still recovering from a calf strain when he tore his Achilles during Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but the NBA’s medical staff has yet to identify clear evidence that suggests a prior calf injury increases the risk of an Achilles tear.

    “When you have a small prevalence of injury, it’s hard to scientifically study that,” DiFiori said. “Typically over the last 15 years, we average about two Achilles tendon injuries per year. Last year, we had seven. That’s a lot. One year prior, also with a high pace of play, we had zero. We’re taking it very seriously. We’re concerned about it, but I don’t think we have our finger on what’s the driver here or what factors may have led to last season’s unusually high number.”

    More injuries, more money

    Kerr is hardly the only voice in the basketball and medical communities raising the alarm about the increase in injuries. A range of theories abound.

    The NBA cut its preseason to three weeks in 2017, reducing the amount of time players have to ramp up for game action to spread out the regular season more evenly and eliminate instances of four games in five nights. The league changed its shot clock reset to 14 seconds and emphasized greater freedom of movement for players to encourage faster and less restrictive play in 2018. The pandemic created calendar disruptions and shortened schedules in 2020-21 and 2021-22, and the NBA has tweaked its regular season schedule in each of the past three seasons to accommodate the NBA Cup in November and December.

    Aside from those legislative moves and the possibility of unintended consequences, the use of analytics has swept through the league and transformed the sport into a perimeter-dominated endeavor. Playing at a fast pace and shooting a high volume of three-pointers are now generally viewed as optimal strategies for underdogs hoping to increase variance against more talented opponents.

    The Pacers’ unexpected Finals run, driven by a breakneck offense and high-pressure defense, has spawned copycats. The results haven’t always been positive: The Portland Trail Blazers made waves by regularly deploying a full-court press to start the season, only to endure injuries to their guards in recent weeks.

    It’s also worth noting that a cohort of superstars such as Curry and James has remained highly productive late into their lengthy careers. While these older players have remained among the league’s biggest earners, their durability has tended to decrease as they proceed through their late 30s.

    On the flip side, a younger generation of high draft picks – such as Williamson, Morant, LaMelo Ball and Ben Simmons – has encountered recurring injuries before they reach their late 20s, which have typically been viewed as the prime years for basketball players. NBA executives have long expressed serious concerns that the modern generation of players is arriving to the NBA with preexisting injuries or risks that result from playing too many games at the youth level and specializing in only one sport.

    The amount of salary (in millions of dollars) earned by the NBA's 30 highest-paid players specifically for games they missed.
    The amount of salary (in millions of dollars) earned by the NBA’s 30 highest-paid players specifically for games they missed.

    As the NBA and its fans continue to debate possible solutions, the injury epidemic has reached staggering heights when it comes to lost productivity. Back in 2015-16, the 30 highest-paid players combined to earn roughly $560 million. Because those players only combined to miss 14 percent of their teams’ games, their teams combined to pay roughly $79 million in empty salary.

    Last year, the empty salary mark reached more than $352 million. This season, with the 30 highest-paid players combining to earn more than $1.49 billion and missing 35 percent of their teams’ games entering Wednesday, the number is on pace to exceed $525 million.

    That would easily set a record for lost productivity. As Lue and Kidd might say, NBA teams could soon have a half-billion dollars sitting on the sideline.

  • Sixers’ Joel Embiid and Paul George want to ‘be efficient’ while playing on the floor together

    Sixers’ Joel Embiid and Paul George want to ‘be efficient’ while playing on the floor together

    Paul George and Joel Embiid have only played two games together this season. So, following the 76ers’ optional practice on Wednesday, George was asked what the next step was for the pairing.

    “Just keep at it,” he said. “Keep getting opportunities on the floor together. Keep presenting healthy, and everything else just kind of roll it out once we get on the floor and continue to keep logging minutes.”

    Neither player shot the ball well during Sunday’s 112-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The Sixers still haven’t figured out their bad third quarters: ‘Something’s got to give’

    George made 3 of 8 shots — including going 1-for-3 on three-pointers — to finish with 12 points along with six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and a turnover in 32 minutes, 9 seconds. Meanwhile, Embiid missed 17 of 21 shots — including all six of his three-pointers — while scoring 16 points. The 7-foot-2 center also finished with seven rebounds, two assists, one block, and a steal.

    In their two games together, Embiid averaged 17 points while making 28.5% of his shots. Meanwhile, George averaged 14 points on 36% shooting.

    “Just, obviously, trying to be efficient,” George said of his biggest takeaway from playing alongside Embiid. “Trying to understand, still, spacing and key moments of being aggressive, and when I can be aggressive, look for mine, but understanding, like, he [hasn’t] played a ton either. So, he’s trying to find his rhythm. He’s trying to get in a flow, and I think both of us, on the court, are trying to do that at the same time.

    “So, more minutes. More understanding. He’ll know where I like the ball, where I’m aggressive, and vice versa.”

    Joel Embiid is averaging a career-low 18.2 points in nine games for the Sixers this season.

    But their struggles haven’t been limited to those two games.

    Through eight games played this season, George’s field-goal percentage (41.8%) and three-point percentage (34.9%) are both the second lowest of his career. He’s also averaging the fourth-fewest points (14.1 points) of his career.

    Meanwhile, Embiid is shooting career lows from the field (40.7%) and on three-pointers (21.4%), in addition to averaging a career-low 18.2 points in nine games this season.

    Sixers vs. Lakers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey’s lack of respect, Joel Embiid’s struggles, and more from loss to Lakers

    But George noted that Embiid had great looks at the basket on Sunday. He added they were shots the Sixers want him to take.

    “Shots, I’m sure he was comfortable with,” George said. “It’s just how the ball went that night, but that’s the game. He’s been working on his game. He’s been working on his rhythm, his timing. He’s been putting the extra work in.

    “So, we expect him to be on the reverse side of that. But it’s the game, man. It’s how it goes sometimes.”

    Sixers’ Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey shown together during a game against the Hawks on Nov. 30.

    Embiid has missed 14 games this season due to left and/or right knee injury management. Meanwhile, George missed 14 games with left knee injury management and sat out another game with a sprained right ankle.

    Not having games on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week is bittersweet for the Sixers, especially Embiid and George. They’ve been able to rest and build rhythm heading into Friday’s home game against the Indiana Pacers.

    Jabari Walker is soaking up knowledge from his veteran Sixers teammates

    “We’ve taken advantage of these days off,” George said. “We’re in the gym today. We were in the gym yesterday. So, it hasn’t been ‘off’ for us. We’re still putting the work in to kind of be prepared and be ready and get our bodies going and try to stay sharp, but it is bittersweet. Especially, for us trying to get into a game time rhythm where we start to come back and then there’s a break in between, but it’s good.

    “Especially for the guys that have been playing a ton of minutes for them to get some time away. That’s where the sweet part comes in.”

  • Sixers vs. Lakers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey’s lack of respect, Joel Embiid’s struggles, and more from loss to Lakers

    Sixers vs. Lakers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey’s lack of respect, Joel Embiid’s struggles, and more from loss to Lakers

    Tyrese Maxey needs to keep his cool, but the 76ers point guard’s frustration is justified.

    The Sixers’ three-guard lineup of VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and Jared McCain is showing improvement and could provide a security blanket when Maxey sits on the sideline.

    Yet, the Sixers must get more out of the center position.

    Those things stood out in the Sixers’ 112-108 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    No respect for Maxey

    Maxey had another dominant performance, finishing with 28 points while making 5 of 8 three-pointers. His last three pulled the Sixers (13-10) within two points at 110-108 with 7.6 seconds left.

    But Luka Dončić responded with a pair of foul shots before LeBron James stole the inbounds pass on the Sixers’ final possession as the Lakers (17-6) escaped with the four-point victory.

    Jabari Walker is soaking up knowledge from his veteran Sixers teammates

    It was Los Angeles’ first victory in Philadelphia since Dec. 7, 2017.

    Dončić had game highs of 31 points and 11 assists, while James added 29 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. The four-time MVP scored 12 of his points on 5-for-6 shooting in the fourth quarter.

    In addition to scoring at least 28 points for the 14th time, Maxey finished with seven rebounds and nine assists.

    But you wouldn’t know he is having an All-NBA-caliber season based on the lack of calls he receives from officials. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder routinely gets hammered on his way to the basket. But fouls are rarely called.

    Coach Nick Nurse is surprised by the lack of calls Maxey receives at this stage of his career.

    “I think as much as he’s getting held and pushed and grabbed, and all that stuff, you think there’d be some more,” Nurse said. “As much as he drove it down the lane, you think there’d be some more. But the surprising ones are when [the Lakers] were trying to foul on purpose, but then they let those go.”

    There were a couple of others where the Lakers were trying to stop Maxey in transition without committing a take foul.

    The Sixers are adapting to life without stars, and reigniting their season as a result

    “And [they] whacked him upside the head,” Nurse said, “and he’s got to try to play through it.”

    The frustration that comes with that came to a boiling point on Sunday.

    No foul was called when guard Austin Reaves hacked Maxey on the arm as the Sixer blew by him on the way to the basket. Jaxson Hayes blocked his driving finger roll with 2:53 left in the first quarter.

    A heated Maxey had to be separated from an official after he expressed his disappointment over the no-call. Maxey was called for a technical as a result.

    He downplayed the incident when asked about his frustration following the game.

    “Not frustrated at all,” he said. “I laughed.”

    You got a technical foul for laughing?

    “Nah, I’m just saying, I’m happy, I’m smiling,” Maxey said. “It happens, sometimes.”

    Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, center, reacts to his three-point shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

    Despite trying to downplay it, Maxey’s frustration was visible. And while his actions were out of character for the fun-loving Sixer, they were understandable considering the frequency with which these no-calls happen.

    And the no-calls didn’t stop, as Reaves got away with grabbing Maxey’s arm or hand several times afterward.

    “You know, referees are human,” he said. “Sometimes, they call it. Sometimes, they don’t. But you got to keep playing through all those calls, man.

    “I ain’t tripping off that. I think the referees do a great job.”

    Solid trio

    There was a time earlier in the season that the non-Maxey minutes were tough to watch. But they’ve gotten better as McCain has regained his rhythm and Edgecombe has healed from a calf injury.

    On Sunday, the Sixers had success with their three-guard lineup of McCain, Edgecombe, and Grimes, with the standout on the bench for the first 5:45 of the second quarter.

    With those three guards leading the way, the Sixers outscored the Lakers, 16-8, before Maxey re-entered the game. Edgecombe scored five of those points, while McCain had seven.

    The Sixers went to the same three-guard lineup at the start of the fourth quarter. But it was just for a limited time as Maxey checked back into the game with 8:35 remaining.

    More needed from centers

    On paper, the Sixers had a big advantage at the center position with 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star Joel Embiid starting and two-time All-Star Andre Drummond as his backup. They faced a Lakers squad that started Deandre Ayton and had Hayes coming off the bench.

    However, Embiid struggled to make shots. Drummond did the same in the first half. Defensively, they both had a tough time guarding Ayton.

    Embiid finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. However, he missed 17 of his 21 shots, including all six of his three-pointers. Most of Embiid’s points came at the foul line, where he went 8-for-8.

    Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid, left, talks with Tyrese Maxey, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

    Embiid loved the looks he got.

    “Every shot felt like it was right there,” said Embiid, who has missed 14 of the Sixers’ 23 games. “I think it all comes down to just getting back into rhythm, playing every day, and it’s hard being in and out. But I got to do it, I think every single day.

    “I like what I got tonight. I just happened to miss them. Maybe next time it’s going to go in.”

    Drummond finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds. He made five of 11 baskets, but he scored only two points on 1-for-4 shooting before intermission.

    Meanwhile, Ayton had 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting to go with 12 rebounds. Hayes put up three points and five rebounds in 16 minutes.

    The Sixers’ big men must play better for the Sixers to have any chance of beating a solid team.

  • Sixers takeaways: Paul George steps up, Tyrese Maxey gets defensive, and more in victory over Bucks

    Sixers takeaways: Paul George steps up, Tyrese Maxey gets defensive, and more in victory over Bucks

    With Paul George leading the way, the 76ers showed they can win on nights Tyrese Maxey struggles offensively.

    On the flip side, it’s time to stop being critical of Maxey’s defense.

    And Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow might be the NBA’s best two-way players.

    Those things stood out in Friday’s 116-101 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.

    Taking up Maxey’s offensive slack

    Maxey’s streak of scoring at least 20 points ended with 21 games. The early-season MVP candidate had a season-low 12 points on 5-for-14 — including missing all three of his three-pointers — along with finishing with four rebounds, four assists, a team-high four steals, and one block.

    Maxey’s scoring was a significant drop off from his career-high 54 points against the Bucks in the Sixers’ 123-114 overtime victory in Milwaukee on Nov. 20.

    Big night from Paul George, Sixers bench players headline 116-101 win over Bucks

    This time, Milwaukee (10-14) made a conscious effort to get the ball out of Maxey’s hand. But that tactic led to other Sixers stepping up and contributing.

    Paul George hit several clutch shots en route to finishing with 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. With the Bucks mounting a comeback, the 6-foot-8 forward hit two straight jumpers to give the Sixers (13-9) a 101-87 lead with 5 minutes, 51 seconds remaining. Then he grabbed a huge defensive rebound to ward off another comeback attempt with 2:52 to play. George scored six points and four rebounds in the fourth quarter.

    George took a lot of the pressure off Maxey while logging a season-high 29 minutes, 58 seconds. He brought the basketball up the court and initiated the offense. His performance had to be refreshing for the Sixers coaching staff to see.

    Sixers forward Paul George puts up a shot against Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. (7) in the first half at Fiserv Forum.

    George missed Thursday’s 99-98 victory over the Golden State Warriors due to left knee injury recovery. And Friday’s matchup was just his seventh game of the season.

    “I just wanted to come out and get us on a good note,” George told NBC Sports Philadelphia following the game. “That was just my mindset. My body is starting to shape back. I’m blessed that I’m healthy, and I’m just trying to stack games.”

    George actually sat Maxey down in the fourth quarter to tell him not to worry. He said that he would finish things out for the Sixers.

    “That’s what he’s here for,” Maxey told the media. “You know what I mean? And we appreciate Paul.”

    Reserves Quentin Grimes (a team-high 22 points on six three-pointers), Adem Bona (10 points), and Walker (a season-high 18 points) also stepped up. The Sixers also led, 61-41, in bench points to help fill the gap.

    Maxey’s defense

    Not too long ago, Maxey was considered a defensive liability. That’s why there was a lot of excitement when the Sixers selected VJ Edgecombe third in June’s NBA draft. That thought was that Edgecombe or Grimes could provide a defensive presence while starting alongside Maxey in the backcourt.

    But if we learned one thing recently, Maxey is quieting his critics.

    On Thursday, the point guard blocked former Sixer De’Anthony Melton’s layup right before the final buzzer to preserve Thursday’s victory.

    Then, on Friday, Maxey finished with four steals for the third time this season. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder put his defensive imprint on the game early, recording three steals in the first quarter. Then he blocked AJ Green’s three-pointer late in the second quarter.

    This comes after Maxey averaged 3.0 steals and one block in his previous two games. He’s averaged 1.8 steals and 0.9 blocks through his first 21 games.

    Milwaukee Bucks’ Kyle Kuzma (18) controls the ball as he drives to the basket between Philadelphia 76ers’ Dominick Barlow, left, and Adem Bona during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

    Two-way stars

    As fourth-year players, Barlow and Walkers aren’t your typical players on two-way contracts. Walker actually signed a multi-year deal with the Portland Trail Blazers after being selected by them with the 59th pick of the 2022 draft.

    Meanwhile, Barlow went undrafted in 2022 but had his two-way contracts with the San Antonio Spurs (2023-24) and the Atlanta Hawks (2024-25) converted to standard deals the past two seasons.

    Yet, they both have been huge bargains after signing two-way deals with the Sixers in July. So far, Walker has averaged 4.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in his first 20 games. Meanwhile, Barlow took averages of 8.1 points and 5.8 rebounds into the game.

    Barlow made his 10th start of the season at power forward Friday night. The 6-9, 215-pounder had a rough shooting night, missing five of six shots. However, he finished with six points, four rebounds, and a steal. Meanwhile, Walker gave the Sixers a huge lift, scoring 16 points while making 4 of 6 three-pointers before intermission. Walker made his first four threes.

    Milwaukee Bucks’ Kevin Porter Jr. (7) drives to the basket against Philadelphia 76ers’ Jabari Walker, right, Jared McCain (20), and Adem Bona during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

    The 6-7, 237-pounder cooled in the second half, scoring two points while missing two three-pointers. But his four three-pointers were a season high.

    “He was shooting like he was in Camden,” Maxey said of Walker being a solid shooter at practice.

    Maxey added, “I just want him to shoot it when he’s open. If he’s open, shoot it. That’s what he can do. he’s really good at that. Corner threes, wing threes. I think that would be a good shot for him.”

  • Sixers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey rises again, Joel Embiid has to get better, and more from win over Warriors

    Sixers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey rises again, Joel Embiid has to get better, and more from win over Warriors

    Tyrese Maxey showed, once again, that he’s super talented.

    As good as Maxey is playing, Joel Embiid has to get better to lead the 76ers if they expect to win an NBA championship.

    The Sixers need to do a better job of holding leads. But they’re fortunate to have VJ Edgecombe.

    V.J. Edgecombe’s game-winning shot, Tyrese Maxey’s game-saving block helps Sixers beat Warriors, 99-98

    On Thursday, they beat a Golden State Warriors team with a huge Sixers presence.

    Those things stood out in their 99-98 victory at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Maxey’s super talented

    Displaying elite speed and quickness, Maxey is the type of player league executives drool over in today’s NBA.

    He puts pressure on the defense and gets in the paint whenever he wants. And on Thursday, the 6-foot-2 point guard blocked De’Anthony Melton’s layup attempt at the buzzer to enable the Sixers (12-9) to escape with a one-point victory.

    “He had a clean layup, man,” Edgecombe said of Melton. “[Tyrese] probably ran a 4.2 [second 40-yard dash] or something, and ran him down. So credit Tyrese, and he blocked it, by the way, he blocked it.

    “So he’s probably the best shot-blocking guard under 6-4.”

    Said Maxey: “I just ran back and wanted to make a play and help us win that game. VJ scored it, so I just tried to get back and make a play on the ball.”

    That came after Edgecombe grabbed the offensive rebound and scored on a putback with 0.9 seconds left after Melton blocked Maxey’s shot.

    Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 35 points.

    Though his shot was blocked, Maxey will be great at making contested shots in the postseason if the Sixers get there.

    That’s when opposing teams will have the Sixers thoroughly scouted and know precisely what they’re going to run. But when you desperately need someone to produce in late shot-clock situations, Maxey is capable of stepping up.

    Against the Warriors (11-12), Maxey finished with a game-high 35 points while making 4 of 10 three-pointers. He also finished with three rebounds, two assists, and the block in 39 minutes, 40 seconds.

    He ranks second in the league with nine games of at least 35 points, trailing the Lakers’ Luka Dončić, who has 10 such games.

    Maxey is also third in the league in scoring (32.6 points per game), trailing the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (32.8) and Dončić (35.3).

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    “Fun to watch,” Embiid said of Maxey. “I was just telling him, and I told him the last couple of years when I was on that scoring run, ‘When you get in that moment, it just feels like the game slows down. It just becomes easy.’

    “That’s what it is right now every single time he steps on the floor. … He’s in such a good rhythm making shots, getting to his spots, not rushing. I think that’s the biggest key.”

    Embiid must improve

    If Embiid doesn’t get better, this whole thing is going down.

    That’s not a knock on Maxey or Paul George. Maxey has established himself as an All-NBA caliber player and hasn’t yet reached his ceiling. But right now, he’s not the most essential piece to an NBA championship puzzle. It has to be Embiid’s team. If it’s not, they’re in trouble.

    Embiid finished with 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting — including missing all six of his three-pointers. He also had six rebounds, three assists, three turnovers, and one block in 25:13 minutes. He looked fatigued during a poor performance.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid finished with 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting against Golden State.

    The Sixers kept saying Embiid would get healthier. But it became apparent at the start of the season that the Sixers would be a team incapable of making a deep postseason run without him rolling to the basket. Yet, we’re in December, and the 7-2, 280-pounder is still positioned outside the three-point line.

    Could that be a sign that his knees aren’t getting better?

    If his knees don’t improve, it’s hard to imagine the Sixers advancing beyond the first round of the postseason.

    A blown lead

    The Sixers had a 24-point lead with 8:06 left in the third quarter. At that time, it appeared that coach Nick Nurse would rest his starters in the fourth quarter ahead of Friday’s road game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

    But the Warriors chipped away at the Sixers’ lead before taking a 93-92 advantage on Gui Santos’ basket with 2:39 to play. With the Sixers down 98-97 with 40.9 seconds left, Adem Bona missed a pair of foul shots.

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    They were fortunate to have Edgecombe step up down the stretch, followed by Maxey blocking Melton’s shot.

    Edgecombe finished with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, and a game-high three steals. In addition to scoring the game-winning basket, the third pick in June’s draft tallied two of his steals in the fourth quarter.

    Edgecombe’s final steal came on Pat Spencer’s pass with 8.2 seconds left to set up the Sixers’ final possession.

    “He just does a lot of things that, like, we know he can score, we know he can pass, but he does things that don’t show up in a box score all the time,” Maxey said. “He goes out there and plays hard. He’ll get the extra rebound. He’ll tip the ball to somebody, or he’ll get the deflection.

    “We appreciate him because he does those things. And we know who he is as a person and as a basketball player. So he’s going to keep doing that and keep working on those things, and we appreciate him.”

    Former Sixer Buddy Hield (left) and VJ Edgecombe meet after the game. Both players were born in the Bahamas.

    Sixers West

    Melton, who scored 14 points Thursday in his season debut, is one of five Warriors who have played for the Sixers during their career.

    Melton played in Philly from 2022-24. He initially signed with Golden State on July 8, 2024, following his tenure with the Sixers. The shooting guard suffered a season-ending partially torn ACL in his left knee on Nov. 12, 2024. After having surgery on Dec. 4, 2024, Melton was traded to the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 15. But he re-signed with the Warriors on Oct. 1.

    Jimmy Butler (2018-19), Al Horford (2019-20), Seth Curry (2020-21 and until the trade deadline of 2021-22), and Buddy Hield (after the trade deadline of 2023-24) also played for the Sixers.

    Melton appeared in six games — two starts — with the Warriors last season, averaging 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.4 steals in 20.2 minutes before suffering his injury against the Dallas Mavericks.

    “I’m just happy to see him out there, dude,” Maxey said of his close friend. “He was at my house two or three hours yesterday, just chopping it up, talking about life. I’m happy to see him out there. He’s smiling.

    “I told him I’ll give him one jump shot, because he was struggling early. I gave him one middy in the third. But I’m just happy he was out there. It was good to see him. I told him he can’t guard me. So it’s all good.”

    Butler had the best Sixers stint among the group. He averaged 18.2 points, 4.0 assists, and 1.8 steals in 55 games in Philly. The 2018-19 team, which featured Butler, Tobias Harris, Embiid, JJ Redick, and Ben Simmons in the starting lineup, was the best Sixers team since the start of The Process.

    Butler, a six-time All-Star, missed Thursday’s game with left knee soreness after exiting Tuesday’s game against the Thunder.

  • Joel Embiid’s new Skechers, the brand’s first signature basketball shoe, have dropped: ‘It means a lot’

    Joel Embiid’s new Skechers, the brand’s first signature basketball shoe, have dropped: ‘It means a lot’

    After driving hours from Connecticut, 25-year-old Tristan Howard walked toward the back of Lapstone & Hammer with a large canvas covered in wrapping paper. He approached Sixers center Joel Embiid with the gift, and the former league MVP gladly accepted — opening the present on the spot.

    As the wrapping paper slowly fell to the floor, a painting of Embiid was revealed. The 7-foot center could be seen dunking on an opponent with one hand while holding his MVP trophy in the other, wearing sunglasses, sporting his Olympic gold medal — and of course, wearing his new Skechers shoe, the SKX JE1.

    “I know he’s a very powerful player,” Howard said. “So him dunking the ball is very important. And I know that he won a gold medal and was MVP. So, I wanted to incorporate that somehow. And then obviously the new shoe, I put that on him. I’m happy with how it came out.”

    Howard, who happens to be a New York sports fan, spent six hours the night before painting the gift for Embiid. It was one way the Sixers player was able to celebrate the launch of his latest sneaker and Skechers first-ever signature basketball shoe.

    Joel Embiid’s first signature shoe from Skechers, the SKX JE1, feature his initials on the tongue.

    “It means a lot [to have a signature shoe], especially when you look at where I come from, everything that I’ve been through, and what it took to get here,” Embiid said in a news release. “I always say, my life is a movie, everything happened so fast, one thing after another. Honestly, I wasn’t even supposed to be here. So, to be sitting here now, with my own shoe, it just shows that people believed in me. And that feels great. It’s truly amazing.”

    How do Joel Embiid’s new Skechers shoes compare to other Philly athletes’ signature kicks?

    The shoe was released exclusively at Lapstone & Hammer on Saturday, just a day before Embiid debuted his new sneakers during the team’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Wednesday’s event gave fans another chance to purchase the shoes ahead of its global release on Thursday.

    And as a way to celebrate the release in the city, Embiid met with a number of those fans at the Center City store, signing sneakers and posing for photos. Sixers forward Jabari Walker, a fellow Skechers athlete, even made an appearance to show his support.

    “The message I want to send is that anything is possible,” Embiid added. “When you look at where I started, I wasn’t even supposed to play basketball — I was playing volleyball. And now, here I am. I’m just so thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had.

    “Like I said earlier, this shoe represents the belief that people had in me. It’s about showing that as long as you put the work in, you can achieve your goals — you can achieve anything you want. That’s what happened to me, and that’s what I want for others.”

    A side view of the SKX JE1 shows the upper cage, as well as the three heel points that were a critical part of the shoe’s design.

    The design, according to Skechers, is inspired by Embiid’s non-traditional path to the NBA. It features an abstract multidirectional traction pattern with their signature Goodyear outsole and a mesh body with a 3D-printed silicon lockdown cage. The three heel points represent Embiid’s three keys of life: heritage, sports, and family.

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

    “I’ve been working with Skechers on fine-tuning every detail of the SKX JE1 and I’m excited to share it with the world,” Embiid said in the release. “Skechers strives for excellence in performance and comfort, so I couldn’t ask for a better partner in creating this signature shoe.”

    In addition to being on sale at Lapstone & Hammer, the SKX JE1s are now available at Skechers.com, select Skechers stores, and other specialty retailers. They retail for $130.

    Different designs of Joel Embiid’s SKX JE1 sneakers were on display during the release event at Lapstone & Hammer on Wednesday.