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Tag: Kyle Lowry

  • Sixers takeaways: Struggles without Joel Embiid, horrid three-point shooting, and more from loss to Knicks

    Sixers takeaways: Struggles without Joel Embiid, horrid three-point shooting, and more from loss to Knicks

    So much for the early-season banter about the 76ers being better without Joel Embiid.

    Guard depth went from the biggest strength to a glaring weakness.

    And poor three-point shooting was another major problem.

    These things stood out in the Sixers’ 138-89 loss to the New York Knicks at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Knicks rout the Sixers behind strong performances by Jose Alvarado and Mikal Bridges

    The loss dropped the Sixers to 30-24. The Eastern Conference’s sixth-place team takes a two-game losing streak into the NBA All-Star break. Meanwhile, the third-place Knicks improved to 35-20 after posting their largest victory in franchise history and evened the season series with the Sixers at two games apiece.

    No Embiid, no victory

    Remember when Embiid couldn’t move well at the beginning of the season?

    Back then, the Sixers played at a noticeably slower pace on nights when the 7-foot-2, 280-pound center was in the lineup. As a result, there was a growing belief that the team was better when Adem Bona or Andre Drummond started in his place.

    No one thinks that anymore.

    Embiid missed his second consecutive game on Wednesday with right knee soreness. And he was sorely missed.

    The Sixers have now lost six of the last seven games that Embiid has not played. Their lone victory during that stretch was a 113-94 decision over the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 3 at Chase Center. The Sixers are 11-12 without him and 19-12 when he plays.

    The Sixers trailed by as many as 52 points against the Knicks. This came after they trailed by as many as 31 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

    New York scored 32 points off 18 Sixers turnovers. The Knicks also had a commanding 51-38 rebounding advantage in Philly’s most-lopsided loss of the season.

    The Sixers must find a way to play well in games without Embiid, considering he’s going to miss more time due to not playing in back-to-backs.

    “There’s been some, probably not as good of nights [without Embiid],” coach Nick Nurse said. “And I think most of it has been offensively. When I thought we were operating really well early in the year with some of the stuff we kind of put in in training camp, and just kind of maybe get back and readjust [to playing without him] we go over it a little bit and look at some of that stuff, because we’re obviously capable of playing pretty decently offensively as well.”

    Tyrese Maxey finished with a game-high 32 points to go with two assists. His backcourt mate, VJ Edgecombe, added 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Dominick Barlow had 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting.

    Joel Embiid and Quentin Grimes miss second straight game as Sixers face Knicks

    However, Bona got into early foul trouble and finished with six points, five rebounds, two steals, two turnovers, and four fouls, while being minus-24 in 22 minutes, 42 seconds. Drummond had two points and four rebounds and was minus-10 in 10:38 off the bench. He was replaced by Charles Bassey in the rotation during the second half.

    Bassey, whose second 10-day contract expires on Saturday, had two points and one block in 4:38. Following the game, he was assigned to the Delaware Blue Coats.

    “It’s weird, man,” Maxey said of readjusting to play without Embiid. “It’s weird because you got to play multiple different ways. A lot of times when he sits out, it’s on back-to-backs, so it’s hard. You go from playing one way with him or without him early in the season. He comes back and then you got to play that way and then a different way when he’s there, which is OK. It’s fine, you know what I mean?

    “It’s the reality of it, and I think we’ll be all right. He’ll be here more than he isn’t here when we get back, and we just got to maintain. Those games that he’s not there and [suspended forward] Paul [George] probably won’t be there till the end, so we just got to maintain.”

    The Sixers also struggled to contain Jose Alvarado. The reserve guard, acquired last week in a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, finished with 26 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the three-point line. He also finished with a game-high five steals.

    The Brooklyn native’s play drew loud “Jose … Jose … Jose!” chants from the Knicks fans who made up at least half of the 19,746 in attendance.

    “Obviously, we had zero readiness and energy physically or mentally,” said Nurse, whose squad trailed 72-42 at intermission. “We kind of got to the half, the game was pretty much settled by then, and just going over all the things that we already gone over that we couldn’t get done.”

    Lack of guard depth

    This past summer, the Sixers were excited about their deep, versatile backcourt rotation featuring Maxey, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and Jared McCain.

    Daryl Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations, likened it to the guard-heavy style used by the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers to reach last season’s NBA Finals.

    But the Sixers traded McCain on Feb. 4 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for a first-round pick and three second-rounders. Meanwhile, Grimes has missed the past two games with an illness.

    The Sixers also traded Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 5 for a pick swap. As a result, Kyle Lowry, MarJon Beauchamp, and Dalen Terry joined Maxey and Edgecombe as the available guards against the Knicks.

    And that wasn’t good.

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey (right) scored a game-high 32 points against the Knicks on Wednesday.

    Lowry is a six-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer. But in his 20th NBA season, the 39-year-old has taken on more of a player-coach and mentor role. Meanwhile, Beauchamp and Terry are both on two-way contracts.

    Beauchamp made his first appearance in Monday’s loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. He finished with eight points, three rebounds, one assist, one block, and three turnovers against the Knicks. And Terry had a rebound, an assist, and one turnover one day after signing his two-way contract with the team.

    Regardless of Daryl Morey’s comments, the Sixers used the NBA trade deadline to duck luxury tax

    The Sixers need to strongly consider adding a guard in the buyout market. That will help Maxey and Edgecombe, especially on nights Grimes is unavailable.

    Meanwhile, McCain appears to be finding his groove in Oklahoma City.

    The second-year guard had 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting — including making 2 of 3 three-pointers — in the Thunder’s 136-109 victory over the Suns. McCain scored eight of his points in 75 seconds.

    Poor three-point shooting

    The Sixers had more problems than being without Embiid and a lack of guard depth. Against the Knicks, they shot 18.8% (6 of 32) from three-point range.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. (0-for-5), Edgecombe (0-for-5), Justin Edwards (0-for-3), Trendon Watford (0-for-2), Terry (0-for-1), and Johni Broome (0-for-1) were a combined 0-for-17.

    A lot of the Sixers’ three-pointers were short or off target. The squad appeared noticeably fatigued in their first home after following a five-game West Coast road.

    “Maybe,” Maxey said when asked if being tired impacted their three-point shooting. “I think, in general, guys are a little tired, but that’s what the break is for, though. That’s what the [All-Star] break is for. Rejuvenate, get your legs back under you. Get mentally prepared for this stretch because after the break, it’s go time. It’s go time for every team in the NBA that’s trying to make a push, for sure. They want to play their best basketball down the stretch to get ready for the playoffs.”

    Inside Sixers: Tyrese Maxey’s three-point invite, Paul George suspension plan and more

    The Sixers are 16th in the league in three-point shooting at 35.6%. However, they’re 21st in made threes (12.7 per game). And the squad hit less than half that amount against the Knicks.

    As bad as things were, this wasn’t the fewest amount of made three-pointers for the Sixers this season. They made 4 of 28 in a road victory over the Orlando Magic on Jan. 9.

    The Sixers were fortunate that night. They know they must shoot the ball better to stay in games, especially when Embiid doesn’t play.

  • 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.”

  • Inside Sixers: Kyle Lowry’s Toronto curtain call, Joel Embiid’s All-Star push and more from a 2-1 road trip

    Inside Sixers: Kyle Lowry’s Toronto curtain call, Joel Embiid’s All-Star push and more from a 2-1 road trip

    TORONTO — Photos from Kyle Lowry’s fabulous Raptors tenure lined the hallway leading to Scotiabank Arena’s visitors’ locker room. No. 7 jerseys peppered the home crowd. And Tyrese Maxey told Lowry at the start of Monday’s matchup that his 76ers teammates would “do whatever we’ve got to do to get you in tonight.”

    Maxey kept his word by spearheading the Sixers’ 115-102 victory, allowing Lowry to check in late and soak in (potentially) one last ovation from an adoring crowd that watched the North Philly native become a six-time All-Star and 2019 NBA champion.

    “Probably one of the greatest basketball moments of my personal career,” Lowry said after the game.

    Lowry, who now is primarily a veteran mentor with his hometown team in his 20th NBA season, received that joyous curtain call because of the Sixers’ scorching offensive start to build a 33-point cushion. They dropped a season-high 80 first-half points on 73% shooting from the floor, making 13 of 20 shots from three-point range. It was a resounding response to the previous night, when the Sixers collapsed in regulation before falling in overtime against this same opponent.

    Kyle Lowry returns to Toronto as a Raptors legend and Sixers leader: ‘I embrace it, and they embrace me’

    So as the fourth quarter progressed, a faint “We want Lowry!” chant turned boisterous. Teammates encouraged the crowd from the bench before, at coach Nick Nurse’s command, Lowry finally unzipped his blue hoodie.

    Maxey swung his arms in support as Lowry took the floor. Nurse drew up a play to get Lowry a three-point look on his first possession, which he left well short. Teammates kept getting the ball into his hands for shooting opportunities, before his third and final long range-attempt rimmed out. Lowry held onto the ball as the final seconds ticked down in the Sixers’ win.

    “A lot of neat [moments] up here,” said Nurse, who coached Lowry with the Raptors and Sixers. “And that was another one.”

    The sentimental emotions were complemented by spicy ones, however. As Maxey poured in 18 first-quarter points, he visibly barked at the Raptors’ bench multiple times. Joel Embiid said after the game that he was displeased with Toronto’s Alijah Martin pointing at Maxey as the Raptors finished off Sunday’s overtime thriller, and used that as an extra dash of motivation in his return from a one-game absence because of knee/groin injuries.

    “They were talking a lot last night after they won,” Embiid said at his locker. “With just me sitting on the bench, that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. So just wanted to make sure we came out aggressive and set the tone. …

    “I don’t know about everybody else, but I didn’t like the way [Martin] was pointing at Tyrese last night. So that’s why, tonight, I had to make sure everybody was on point.”

    Sixers players cheer as teammate Kyle Lowry (left) enters what could be his final game in Toronto.

    Following this unique road back-to-back, the regular-season series between the Sixers and Raptors is over at 2-2. But if the playoffs began Tuesday, they would face each other in the matchup between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds.

    Sign us up for at least four more of these games, eh?

    Here are some more observations from the Sixers’ 2-1 road trip.

    Get well soon, Bill Kennedy

    Early in the victory against the Magic on Friday in Orlando, Nurse heard referee Bill Kennedy scream and grab his leg along the baseline near the Sixers’ bench. Then Kennedy yelled again and went to the floor.

    Kennedy’s reported hamstring injury, which will keep him out indefinitely, captured the attention of the most dialed-in NBA followers. He is a rare example of an official fans actually like because of his entertaining explanations of replay reviews and coaches’ challenges.

    Referee Bill Kennedy suffered an injury during the Sixers’ game against the Orlando Magic.

    Several Sixers players and staff members displayed concern for Kennedy when he hit the floor. Embiid and fellow center Andre Drummond were among those who helped Kennedy into a wheelchair to leave the court.

    “I’ve had some of the most unfortunate injuries,” Embiid said after that game. “So every single time I see someone struggling or getting hurt, I know that kind of hits me a little bit. … Hopefully it’s nothing too bad. I’ll be praying for him.”

    Embiid, the All-Star?

    In Orlando, Embiid was asked about the new All-Star Game format, and whether he would play for the U.S. or World team.

    “Am I going to make it?” Embiid quipped. “I think I should. I don’t think we’re pushing it enough, but I’ve been playing a lot and I think I’ve got pretty good stats. You guys should start putting the word out that Joel Embiid is back.”

    Such consideration would have seemed outlandish even a few weeks ago. But Embiid has played in six of the last seven games, including logging 40 minutes for the first time since the 2024 playoffs. He has progressed from a ho-hum late-game dunk in a Jan. 3 win at the New York Knicks to a nasty one-handed flush in traffic Monday night in Toronto. He is contesting shots at the rim and taking center court for jump balls. He is averaging 23.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, and on Monday surpassed the number of games he played in during the entire 2024-25 season (20).

    And Embiid meshed Friday’s playful trolling with expressing genuine emotion about looking — and feeling — more like himself in recent weeks.

    “I know I usually say, ‘Got to keep building,’” Embiid said. “But this is a moment where I’m like, ‘Wow.’ A lot of people, I think, never thought this would happen again. So got to keep praying and put in the work to keep that going.”

    But … back to a potential All-Star choice.

    Though Embiid played for the U.S. in the 2024 Olympics, he reiterated that he is “always going to be from Cameroon.”

    “I’m part of the whole world,” Embiid said with a grin. “I wasn’t planning on [being an All-Star], but I guess since you’re talking about it, maybe there’s a chance.”

    Get your popcorn ready

    As Maxey packed up his belongings at his locker in Toronto, he spotted a staffer with a bag of popcorn and asked for his own.

    This is no surprise. A box of popcorn is often found in his locker at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Whenever the Sixers visit Chicago, an attendant brings Maxey a trash bag filled with it.

    It’s not just his go-to locker-room snack, but a go-to snack, period. For a simple reason: It’s what his mother, Denyse, used to give him most often as a child.

    “She said it had good fiber in it,” he said.

    Where’s Watford?

    Nearly three hours before each game’s tipoff, Lowry is always the first Sixer to go through his pregame shooting routine. But Monday evening, Trendon Watford had joined him on the floor.

    The versatile forward has not cracked the rotation since returning from a 17-game absence with an adductor strain in his thigh. When asked about remaining steps to reintegrate and potentially earn more minutes, Nurse said Watford still has “a ways to go” with his conditioning.

    Sixers takeaways: Big Three’s impact, Kyle Lowry’s ovation, and more in a win over the Raptors

    The coach also wants to exercise extra caution because, after Watford also missed training camp and the preseason with a hamstring issue, he does not want to risk another injury.

    “I want to kind of take some baby steps with him,” Nurse said. “Because I want him to be in for a while. I don’t want to see three games and then not see him for three weeks again.”

    Watford is averaging 7.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 17 games, including a triple-double against the Raptors in November. He checked in at the stoppage in play with Lowry on Monday, recording one rebound in 1 minute, 27 seconds.

    And when Lowry detoured from the locker room for a formal postgame news conference, Watford sneaked into the back of the room to take in the scene.

    Tip-ins

    • Eric Gordon pulled out his cell phone as soon as he returned to his locker following Friday’s win in Orlando. The former Indiana star and Indianapolis native needed to catch the end of the Hoosiers’ blowout win over Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinals to continue that program’s magical ascension.
    • Quentin Grimes donned appropriate game-day attire in Toronto, wearing half brother Tyler Myers’ Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres hockey jerseys to the arena. Myers, a defenseman, also played for the Winnipeg Jets.
    • While reminiscing Sunday about Lowry’s tenacious playing style, Nurse mentioned that the three most relentless players he has ever coached were part of the current Sixers’ locker room. The other two are player development coaches Fabulous Flournoy, whom Nurse coached with the Birmingham Bullets of the British Basketball League, and Curtis Stinson, whom Nurse coached with the then-D League’s Iowa Energy.

    Quotable

    Embiid on Lowry’s legacy in Toronto: “When you play this game, that’s the respect you want at the end of your career. I loved it. I know Philly’s tough, but hopefully one day I’m in that position, too.”

    Maxey on Lowry’s legacy in Toronto: “Any time I ask him to set up reservations for me [in this city], he gets me in wherever I need to get in like that.”

  • Sixers takeaways: Big Three’s impact, Kyle Lowry’s ovation, and more in a win over the Raptors

    Sixers takeaways: Big Three’s impact, Kyle Lowry’s ovation, and more in a win over the Raptors

    It was evident from the beginning that the 76ers are a completely different team with the Big Three in the lineup.

    On the road, there’s no better scorer than Tyrese Maxey.

    VJ Edgecombe continues to display his shotmaking and versatility.

    And they will always love Kyle Lowry in Toronto.

    Sixers ride 80-point first half, Tyrese Maxey’s 33 points to beat the Raptors 115-102

    Those things stood out in Monday’s 115-102 victory over the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.

    Better with Embiid and George

    Early in the season, some questioned if the Sixers played better without Joel Embiid. The team lost its first four matchups when the Big Three of Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George all played. So there were some doubts about the group’s ability to lead the squad.

    But if the starts of the last two games they played together have proven one thing, it’s that the Sixers (22-16) are actually a way better team with them in the lineup.

    The Sixers looked lost without the full trio early on during Sunday’s 116-115 overtime loss to the Raptors (24-17). But on Monday, the Sixers looked like a bona fide Eastern Conference championship contender.

    “Opened the floor up,” Maxey said to reporters about the presence of Embiid and George on Monday night. “And you’ve got to guard them. You’ve got to guard them every [second] out there on the court. That opened up the game for everybody else.”

    Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) defends Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles during the first half.

    Maxey scored 18 of his game-high 33 points in the first quarter in Monday’s rout. Embiid tallied 11 of his 27 points in the frame, while George had eight of his 15.

    Following their lead, the Sixers shot 14-for-17 — including going 7 of 8 on three-pointers — and made all 10 free throws while ending the first quarter with a 45-28 advantage.

    The Sixers built a 31-point second-quarter cushion before taking an 80-51 halftime lead. Their 80 points were the most of any half since scoring 80 in the first half against the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 13, 2022.

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

    But Embiid (left knee injury management and left groin soreness) and George (left knee soreness) missed Sunday’s game. And the Sixers struggled mightily without them to start the game.

    They shot 37.8% from the field — including making just 2 of 14 three-pointers — in the first half. They had six assists and nine turnovers in the half. The Sixers finished with 22 turnovers compared to just 11 assists that night.

    On Monday, they had 22 assists and 16 turnovers. Most important, the Sixers have won three straight and six of their last seven games when the Big Three play.

    The Sixers’ Paul George (right) fouls Raptors forward Brandon Ingram during the first half of Monday’s game.

    In addition to shooting 9-for-17, Embiid had eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and seven turnovers. George made 5 of 13 shots, along with four rebounds, six assists, and one turnover.

    Top road scorer

    Maxey is the league’s top road scorer, averaging 32.1 points in his 18 games away from Xfinity Mobile Arena. His highlight was the career-high 54 points scored against the Bucks on Nov. 20 in Milwaukee.

    But he had an impressive showing during this back-to-back series against Toronto. The All-NBA caliber point guard’s 33 points came after finishing with a game-high 38 on Sunday.

    On Monday, Maxey made 10 of 16 shots — including shooting 6-for-9 on three-pointers — along with four rebounds, two assists, and one turnover. It was his 19th performance with at least 30 points.

    Excelling on the road in hostile environments is a valuable trait, especially for a team that will play eight of its 11 games in February away from home.

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

    Versatile rookie

    Edgecombe headed into Monday night’s game as the NBA leader in loose balls recovered with 45. He was also ninth in the league in steals at 1.6 per game. And the 6-foot-5 shooting guard ranked third among rookies in scoring (16.1).

    “VJ’s probably two biggest qualities, or one, he does a little bit of everything,” coach Nick Nurse told the media before Sunday’s game. “He really can defend. He makes plays. He’ll rebound and block shots, steal the ball. He’ll shoot threes and make big buckets. He does a lot of everything well.

    “And two, he’s super composed. He kind of has the same demeanor all the time, same work ethic all the time. He walks around like a guy that’s been in the league 10 years.”

    Edgecombe’s versatility was on full display on Monday.

    The 20-year-old scored 15 points on 5-for-6 three-point shooting. He also had a team-high eight assists, one steal, and two turnovers.

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (right) defends the Raptors’ Immanuel Quickley on Monday night.

    Greatest Raptor

    Lowry made his imprint as an NBA player during his nine seasons in Toronto. In Canada, he’s regarded as the greatest Raptor of all-time for being a six-time All-Star and leading the franchise to its only NBA title in 2019. And the fans still adore him whenever he returns to face his former squad.

    Before Sunday’s game, Lowry spoke to the media for close to 10 minutes. He talked about everything from playing in his 20th season to mentoring the Sixers’ young players, his relationship with former Raptors teammates Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka, and his thoughts on one day seeing his No. 7 Raptors jersey retired and hanging in the Scotiabank Arena rafters.

    “If it does, it will be a super emotional day,” he told the media. “I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into that 7. And to know it probably won’t ever be worn again will be pretty special. I think something for my basketball legacy is pretty, pretty, pretty darn cool.”

    Lowry didn’t play on Sunday. But his appearance on Monday was one for the ages for the 39-year-old in his 20th NBA season.

    Kyle Lowry returns to Toronto as a Raptors legend and Sixers leader: ‘I embrace it, and they embrace me’

    While he hasn’t mentioned anything about retirement, there’s a sense that this could be his last game played in that arena. And the 18,127 in attendance let the North Philly native know how much they still love him.

    The Raptors fans began chanting “We want Kyle” in reference to Nurse inserting him into the game during the midway point of the fourth quarter. Then, with 2 minutes 30 seconds left, there were louder chants. Those chants continued until the Sixers inserted him with 1:57 left to a standing ovation.

    He missed his three shot attempts, but got another standing ovation while holding the ball in the closing seconds. Lowry walked off the court clutching the game ball.

    “It was a great team win for us,” Lowry said to reporters. “And, you know, I got an opportunity to experience probably one of the greatest basketball moments of my personal career.”

  • Kyle Lowry returns to Toronto as a Raptors legend and Sixers leader: ‘I embrace it, and they embrace me’

    Kyle Lowry returns to Toronto as a Raptors legend and Sixers leader: ‘I embrace it, and they embrace me’

    TORONTO — Trendon Watford’s eyes widened as he walked into Scotiabank Arena’s visitors’ locker room and noticed the media scrum surrounding Kyle Lowry’s locker. Teammates Justin Edwards and Jared McCain joined the back of the crowd, with McCain pulling out his cell phone to pretend to ask a question.

    “This is why I’m here,” Lowry quipped to those gathered.

    The scene was warranted. This could be Lowry’s final visit as a player to Toronto, where the North Philly native and former Cardinal Dougherty and Villanova star became a Raptors franchise legend and NBA champion. And the 76ers’ back-to-back against the Raptors — they lost a 116-115 overtime heartbreaker Sunday night — represents another bridge between the city that Lowry now calls his second home and his hometown Sixers, the team with which he is likely to wrap up his NBA career primarily as a mentor on the bench and behind the scenes.

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

    “You’ve got to find ways to challenge yourself,” Lowry said when asked about his role before Sunday’s game. “And the challenge for me is to try to help these guys every single day. … It’s just finding that niche and helping people get better — and me being in a place where I’m happy.”

    The 39-year-old Lowry went into last offseason with a public declaration that he wanted to play one more season to reach the “massive accomplishment” of 20 in the NBA. Only 12 players have achieved that benchmark in league history, including two who stood 6-foot or shorter (Lowry and Chris Paul). His sons, Karter and Kameron, who are still based in Miami following Lowry’s post-Raptors tenure with the Heat, signed off on him pursuing that milestone.

    Yet when asked before the Sixers departed for Toronto late Friday if he expected this to be a farewell trip of sorts, Lowry’s tone shifted to “I don’t know, honestly.” It is possible that the Sixers (21-16) could return to Canada after these consecutive regular-season matchups because, if the playoffs began Monday, the 24-16 Raptors would be their first-round opponents. Lowry also believes his leadership is “immensely important to what this organization is trying to do.”

    “You’ve got to be able to kind of take yourself out of it sometimes,” Lowry said, “and be able to say, ‘OK, how can I pay it forward a little bit?’ … It’s that balance of I know I’m not on the court, so I can’t yell at them and curse at them. But I can say, ‘Hey, these are the things that I see. Let’s try to do that.’”

    Kyle Lowry played nine seasons in Toronto (2012-21), winning a title in 2019 and being named to six All-Star teams.

    It is a transition that those who knew Lowry in Toronto — where he was a six-time All-Star and a notoriously tenacious point guard — might be surprised he has so wholeheartedly welcomed. Though he became a starter after joining the Sixers off the 2024 buyout market, Lowry’s minutes dramatically diminished while hampered by a lingering hip issue for the bulk of last season. He has played in 42 total minutes across five games this season, receiving a rousing reaction from teammates when he buried a three-pointer in his debut at the Brooklyn Nets in November.

    Survey those same teammates about Lowry’s daily influence, and faces typically light up.

    Rookie VJ Edgecombe can count on Lowry to “keep it real,” including during a pressure-releasing pep talk before Edgecombe scored 34 points in his NBA debut at the Boston Celtics. Quentin Grimes said Lowry’s diligent workout routine — he is still the first Sixer on the floor for his pregame shooting nearly three hours before every game, and puts in extra individual work before and after practices — provides a blueprint on how to prepare as his own career progresses.

    Sixers takeaways: Inability to close out games and stop dribble drives are glaring in loss to Raptors

    And though star Tyrese Maxey jokingly calls Lowry “old as hell,” he also views the veteran as “like, my leader. He comes to me and leads me, and I try to lead the team.” Lowry fosters this relationship while regularly rebounding and screening for Maxey during workouts, and when he calls the 25-year-old “at least three or four times a day,” Maxey said.

    “I couldn’t do this without him, honestly, right now,” said Maxey, who finished Sunday ranked third in the NBA in scoring at 30.9 points per game and has entered the MVP conversation.

    Even Sixers coach Nick Nurse, who also led Lowry’s Raptors teams, said the point guard has “talked me off the ledge a couple times” during games this season. Nurse views Lowry as a valuable conduit between the players and the coaching staff, providing insight on when the Sixers might need a day off from practice or should be pushed.

    “There’s times when I’ll be leaning on him,” Nurse said. “He’ll get behind me and say [to teammates] … ‘This is what it takes.’”

    The relationship between Nick Nurse and Kyle Lowry is extensive and built on trust.

    Before Sunday’s game, Nurse said that he would speak to Lowry about his desire to hit the floor inside Scotiabank Arena again. Lowry acknowledged he would “love to get in there for the fans, and help my team,” but stressed that winning was the top priority. There was no appropriate opportunity for Lowry to enter during Sunday’s down-to-the-wire overtime defeat.

    Still, Lowry remained active from the bench. He jetted onto the court to greet Maxey after he drilled a three-pointer with 20.1 seconds remaining in regulation. He stood between Nurse and assistant Bryan Gates during an overtime discussion. And after Kelly Oubre Jr. attempted what he described as a “terrible” inbounds pass to Edgecombe that became a critical crunch-time turnover, Lowry pointed out that Grimes also had leaked open.

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

    “He’s been there, done that,” Oubre said of Lowry. “Been at the highest level. For him to be so engaged and allow him to use his IQ to help us grow ours, it’s amazing. He’s definitely a huge leader on this team, and his voice is always heard.”

    Doug Smith, the longtime Raptors beat writer for the Toronto Star, suggested in an article that Nurse should put Lowry in Monday’s starting lineup so he can bask in a pregame introduction here one last time. When asked how it will feel to see his No. 7 raised into the rafters someday, Lowry’s response was, “Y’all ever seen me cry?”

    He walked into the arena Sunday wearing a signed jersey from Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews, a tribute to the player and the city. He confirmed that, whenever the time comes, he would sign a one-day contract to retire as a Raptor.

    Veterans like Joel Embiid (21) know the impact Kyle Lowry has made during his 20 seasons in the NBA.

    And his forever connection to Toronto was clear when Joel Embiid tried to land a playful jab inside Friday’s postgame locker room in Orlando. Hours before the Sixers’ flight across the border, Embiid interrupted an interview with Lowry by asking, “Why are they talking to you?” in an exacerbated tone.

    “Where you lost Game 7 at,” said Lowry, referencing the Sixers’ crushing playoff defeat to the eventual-champion Raptors in 2019.

    “Talking about how great of a cheerleader you are?” Embiid countered.

    “Yes, basically,” Lowry responded.

    “He’s a great cheerleader,” Embiid conceded.

    Because right now, Lowry is a Sixer. And when asked about how enthusiastically those teammates describe Lowry’s impact in his 20th — and, potentially, final — NBA season, his emotions again bubbled to the surface.

    Kyle Lowry could be finishing a storied career with a mentor role on a possible playoff team.

    “It means a lot, to be honest,” Lowry said. “Because I really give to them the purity of how I feel about them. Like I said, sacrifice. I don’t care about myself as a basketball player. I know in my career what I’ve done. And what I’ve done is I’ve given everything to this game. Everything I could possibly give to this game, physically and mentally.

    “You see me every day with these guys. I cheer for them. I clap for them. I help coach them from a player’s perspective. I try to give them things in life. I try to help them out, just overall, in general.

    “I guess it’s a testament to how they feel about me. I’m the ancient man in this locker room. I embrace it, and they embrace me.”

  • Sixers takeaways: Winless with their Big Three, Joel Embiid injury scare, and more from loss to Nets

    Sixers takeaways: Winless with their Big Three, Joel Embiid injury scare, and more from loss to Nets

    The 76ers are winless when Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey play together.

    It’s always a scary moment when Embiid falls on the court.

    Eric Gordon can still shoot.

    And the Sixers must get healthier for their upcoming five-game road trip.

    Michael Porter’s 28 points leads Nets to a 114-106 win over the Sixers

    Those things stood out in Tuesday’s 114-106 setback to the Brooklyn Nets at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Winless with star trio

    The Sixers (16-12) know much of their success ultimately will depend on how they play when Embiid, George, and Maxey are available.

    Well, let’s say they have a lot of work to do.

    Tuesday’s loss dropped the Sixers to 0-3 this season in games in which all three play. They suffered a 142-134 double-overtime home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 30. And the Sixers lost, 112-108, at home to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 7.

    The team was missing several rotation players because of illness and injury. The Nets (9-19) also have won two straight and six of nine games. However, with their best three players, the Sixers were expected to beat Brooklyn.

    Sixers forward Paul George scores two of his 19 points on Tuesday night.

    So what’s the next step to a victory?

    “We all just got to figure out how to find rhythm, playing off one another,” George said.

    But early Tuesday, the Sixers lacked ball movement. It was a game in which Embiid and George tried to get themselves going. Meanwhile, Maxey was a bystander, despite entering the game as the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.7 points.

    He was scoreless on 0-for-1 shooting in the first quarter and finished with 13 points. He missed 11 of 14 shots — including all five of his three-pointers. Maxey also finished with three rebounds, two assists, four steals, and four turnovers.

    Afterward, Maxey said he didn’t get into rhythm.

    But was only getting one shot attempt in the first quarter a result of that? Or was that a matter of trying to get others involved?

    “I feel like I was trying to make the right play,” he said. “But I got to stay aggressive.”

    ‘This is who he is’: High-flying rookie VJ Edgecombe has exceeded Sixers’ expectations

    Embiid had 27 points on 8-for-13 shooting along with six rebounds, four assists, three turnovers, and two blocks. George had 19 points on 5-for-14 shooting to go with four rebounds, two assists, four steals, three turnovers, and two blocks.

    As a team, the Sixers shot 40.7% — including making just 7 of 27 three-pointers. They also committed 17 turnovers.

    “Just being stagnant,” George said of what led to the Sixers’ struggles. “We got stagnant, loss of rhythm, team-wise. And we just played slow. I think our pace was a little slow, which, give them credit. They were making shots, which made it tough to get out, and play, and run fast.”

    Embiid scare

    Embiid went back to the locker room after falling to the court 25 seconds into the second half after being fouled by Terance Mann. It initially appeared that Embiid turned his ankle. However, he reached down and grabbed his right knee.

    The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder returned with 6 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the quarter. Embiid has already missed 16 games this season because of injuries to both knees. The Sixers had to be elated that this wasn’t serious.

    Embiid returned to the bench midway through the quarter with both of his knees wrapped.

    “Just hyperextended it,” Embiid said. “Went to the locker room, checked it out, and we’ll see how I feel.”

    Before the injury, he was off to a solid start, with 19 first-half points on 7-for-10 shooting.

    Embiid had missed the previous two games because of an illness and right knee injury management.

    “It’s all right,” he said of his hyperextension. “We’ll see how it feels. Obviously, when you’re hurt, it’s kinda hard to judge, so we’ll see how it feels tomorrow.”

    Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) attempts a layup against the Nets. He scored 27 points.

    Gordon is still a sharpshooter

    Gordon, who turns 37 on Christmas Day, has had a solid NBA career. But now in his 18th season, the shooting guard rarely plays because the Sixers have younger, more athletic guards in Maxey (25), VJ Edgecombe (20), Quentin Grimes (25), and Jared McCain (21).

    While he’s not as mobile as before, Father Time has not impacted Gordon’s shooting. He shot 61.5% from the field and 62.5% on three-pointers in his first five appearances of the season.

    He made his sixth appearance on Tuesday with Edgecombe and Grimes sidelined by an illness.

    And Gordon again had a solid shooting night.

    He finished with a season-high 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting. He made his first three shots.

    The Indianapolis native entered the game with 3:56 left in the first quarter. He made a layup at the 3:00 mark. Then he drained a three-pointer to tie the score at 27 with 16 seconds left in the frame. He hit his third shot attempt, a three-pointer that gave the Sixers a five-point cushion, 1:28 into the second quarter.

    He added a three-pointer in the final second of the third quarter.

    “I’m going to be ready for whatever opportunity comes,” Gordon said. “I played in this league for a long time. I can still move. I can still shoot. I can still create my own shot. I don’t know, maybe we will see when the times get harder, play against tougher teams, or whatnot.

    “But I know we got a lot of young guys that we need to continue to play and whatnot. I’ll just be ready when it’s my time because I know I can fit in and gel with these guys and keep the floor open for these guys. As you can see, whether I play, miss 10 games and don’t play, come in, you know, I’m still going to be ready to go.”

    A need to get healthy

    Before the game, the Sixers were excited to have Embiid, Maxey, and George together on the floor.

    But they didn’t like the fact that several of their key rotation players were sidelined.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) have been out for several weeks. Dominick Barlow also missed Tuesday’s game because of illness.

    With Edgecombe and Barlow sidelined, the Sixers started McCain and Jabari Walker alongside Embiid, George, and Maxey.

    Grimes and Barlow initially were listed as questionable on Monday evening’s initial injury report. The team announced Tuesday morning that Edgecombe also was questionable. Moments later, they canceled the morning shootaround.

    But the team has been dealing with illness for a couple of weeks.

    Paul George (left) and Tyrese Maxey celebrate after George made a shot against the Nets on Tuesday night.

    Maxey missed the Sixers’ games against the Indiana Pacers (Dec. 12) and Hawks (Dec. 14) with an illness. Embiid sat out both games of Friday and Saturday’s back-to-back against the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks with an illness and right knee injury management.

    “It has kind of gone for a bit,” coach Nick Nurse said. “It probably started with Tyrese, but that would seem to be an isolated case, and now it’s kind of making its way a little bit, obviously. The guys that weren’t feeling great yesterday didn’t report to practice. This morning, when we didn’t see much improvement and added another to the list, we postponed shootaround, as you guys well know. You probably would have been here this morning. Just keeping the guys away until we can bring them to the game.”

    Michael Porter Jr. (center) is defended by Paul George during Tuesday night’s game.

    The Sixers can only hope Edgecombe, Grimes, and Barlow are back when they embark on their five-game road trip against the Chicago Bulls (Friday), Oklahoma City Thunder (Sunday), Memphis Grizzlies (Dec. 30), Dallas Mavericks (Jan. 1), and New York Knicks (Jan. 3).

    With the trio out, Justin Edwards was the sixth man. Gordon was the seventh man, and Kyle Lowry was the ninth. This was the fifth game for the 39-year-old Lowry, who’s in his 20th NBA season.

    “You know what we missed? We missed three athletes,” Nurse said. “Other than Tyrese, that’s our speed, right there. We got Q, explosive. Barlow, athlete. VJ, athlete that we [depend on]. We missed all three of them. And it kind of made it hard for Tyrese to not … have other guy [Edgecombe] out there to crack into the paint a little bit and do some of the things that VJ does for sure.”

    This was a bad loss to a team over which the Sixers had averaged 18-point victories in their first two meetings.

    “They were definitely missed,” George said. “Their energy, their extra plays. Those guys have a great feel for the game and just understanding where to be the defensive mindset. So they were for sure missed.

    “But, you know, this is a very winnable game with [the Nets also being] down [players.] So you can’t make excuses that they weren’t there.”

  • The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    The Sixers’ season has 2024-25 vibes with Joel Embiid and Paul George missing substantial time

    After the 76ers battled back from a 19-point second-half deficit to beat the Washington Wizards in the fourth game of the season, Tyrese Maxey was asked what the overtime win says about him and his teammates.

    “It says that we are tough,” Maxey said. “But we don’t want it to become a habit. But it does say that we are tough. We’re resilient, and it says we are in shape, honestly, because to be able to play like that, come back, and do it multiple times, like go into overtime off a back-to-back and still pull out a win.”

    At the time, the Sixers’ 139-134 overtime road victory on Oct. 28 came one day after they defeated the Orlando Magic, 136-124, at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Their other two games resulted in comeback victories over the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers were 4-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 season.

    Sixers takeaways: A much-needed easy opponent, another untimely injury, and more from victory over Nets

    With grit, athleticism, and a refuse-to-lose mentality, the Sixers showed no resemblance to last season’s 2024-25 squad. Joel Embiid’s knee issues were believed to be manageable, and Paul George’s season debut was imminent.

    So we thought.

    Now, we must ask ourselves: Was the Sixers’ impressive start just a mirage?

    Since winning its first four games, the squad has lost eight of 14 contests. The Sixers (10-8) are eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.

    They avoided losing a third consecutive game by defeating the struggling Brooklyn Nets, 115-103, at the Barclays Center on Friday. Now, they’ll look to win consecutive games for the first time since the season-opening winning streak when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

    Like last season, injuries, primarily to Embiid and George, have been the biggest thing holding them back. Having the two maximum-salary players sidelined forces role players to perform well above their pay grade.

    “Well, listen, I think that, a little bit like I said a year ago, I think that we need them to be the best version of ourselves,” coach Nick Nurse said before the Sixers snapped their two-game skid on Friday. “That’s for sure. The concern levels hit me, obviously, when they’re not playing. But now, when we’re missing three or four other guys out of the rotation, [it gets harder]. I think we’re probably thinking about a nine-man rotation, and that’s when it’s getting a little tough.”

    Nurse has a point. Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), and reserve forward Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) have been sidelined. Center Andre Drummond, who started the past nine games in place of Embiid, suffered a game-ending sprained right knee on Friday. Edgecombe and Drummond are questionable to return against the Hawks (12-8).

    Sixers forward Paul George dribbles the basketball past Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo on last Sunday.

    But the Sixers have more than $300 million owed to Embiid and George over the next three seasons, beginning next season. That’s a massive investment in two players, who, like last season, have been unable to stay on the court.

    George played in just his fourth game on Friday, finishing with 14 points and two steals in 21 minutes, 21 seconds after missing Tuesday’s 144-103 setback to the Magic with a sprained right ankle.

    The nine-time All-Star missed the first 12 games while recovering from left knee surgery. Then he sat out Nov. 19’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors because he isn’t cleared to compete on both nights of a back-to-back.

    Meanwhile, Embiid will miss his 10th consecutive game on Sunday because of knee injuries. He’ll miss his ninth straight because of right knee injury management or soreness. Embiid also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.

    Tyrese Maxey more concerned about his friend’s health than having Joel Embiid back on the court

    At this point, Embiid has been available for six of the Sixers’ first 18 games.

    A season ago, Embiid played in only four of the first 18 contests en route to making just 19 total appearances. Meanwhile, George was further along, playing in nine contests. He ended up playing in 41.

    When he does play, George has shown signs of being a solid piece for the Sixers.

    He scored his team’s first 11 points before becoming more of a facilitator and defensive standout, as Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points in a 123-114 overtime road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 20.

    Right now, however, he’s playing short stints while on a minutes restriction.

    “It’s difficult,” George said. “I mean, it’s difficult knowing, to start the game off, how long you’ll be out there. But then, as the game goes on, you’re like, subconsciously counting how much time you’ve got left. So it’s tough. It’s a challenge, especially trying to find rhythm, try to stay in rhythm, and try to just be consistent with the time that you’re out for it.”

    Paul George and Joel Embiid look on during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center.

    But for now, Maxey is carrying the bulk of the load while Embiid and George are dealing with injuries. That’s no different from last season until he, too, succumbed to injuries.

    Maxey is averaging a league-leading 40 minutes per game. One has to wonder if the Sixers are relying too much on him because of his fellow maximum-salary teammates’ lack of availability.

    Sixers mailbag: Will Joel Embiid ever be able to play without a minutes restriction?

    One also has to wonder how much, under the circumstances, relying heavily on Edgecombe and Oubre may have contributed to their injuries.

    Despite being a rookie, Edgecombe was third in the league in minutes played at 37.3. Meanwhile, Oubre averaged 36.7 minutes through his first 11 games. He played just 14:56 before exiting at halftime in his 12th and latest appearance.

    Yes, the Sixers showed resilience at the beginning of the season that captivated the city.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey meets with teammate center Joel Embiid after the Sixers beat the Orlando Magic, 136-124, on Oct. 27.

    But, so far, after the hot start, Embiid and George’s lack of availability has made things reminiscent of last season’s teams. Back then, the Sixers spent most of the season battling for an NBA Play-In tourney spot before opting to tank.

    Things could change for the Sixers, especially if the duo spends a substantial amount of time on the court moving forward.

    But at this moment, this season has 2024-25 vibes.

  • Sixers takeaways: Mounting injuries, poor defense, and more from blowout loss to the Magic

    Sixers takeaways: Mounting injuries, poor defense, and more from blowout loss to the Magic

    The 76ers are literally breaking down.

    They still need to do a better job of keeping opposing teams out of the paint.

    One of the Sixers’ few positives is that Andre Drummond continues to be a rebounding machine.

    And when it comes to availability, things haven’t changed since last season for Joel Embiid and Paul George.

    Those things stood out in Tuesday’s 144-103 NBA Cup loss to the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Tyrese Maxey more concerned about his friend’s health than having Joel Embiid back on the court

    Broken down Sixers

    This was the Sixers’ worst loss of the season.

    They had no answers for the Magic on a night when the home crowd of 19,746 booed them loudly over the last three quarters. Fans even began heading for the exits at the conclusion of the third quarter. And with the Sixers down 42 in the fourth quarter, the remaining fans chanted, ‘We want Kyle,’ in reference to Sixers reserve point guard Kyle Lowry, who’s in his 20th season.

    The Sixers (9-8, 0-3 East Group B) hobbled into their group play game against the Magic (11-8, 3-0).

    Tyrese Maxey and Dominick Barlow, who started the first two games in place of George, were the Sixers’ only available starters from the opening day lineup.

    Embiid (soreness in right knee), George (sprained right ankle), Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee), VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), along with reserve center Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) missed the game.

    Joel Embiid, Paul George miss Sixers’ NBA Cup matchup with Orlando Magic

    The Sixers’ able bodies shrunk when Trendon Watford suffered a game-ending left adductor strain with 4 minutes, 7 seconds remaining before intermission.

    The reserve power forward grabbed the inner part of his left leg while passing the ball before falling to the court. After being helped up, Watford was assisted to the locker room.

    He had eight points, one rebound, and an assist in 11 minutes. He was 2-for-2 from the field and 4-for-4 from the foul line.

    The Sixers got another scare when Justin Edwards appeared to hurt his foot after scoring a third-quarter basket. He went to the locker room during a timeout to be checked out and returned to the game.

    Sixers rookie Johni Broome played in just his fourth game of the season on Tuesday night.

    With all the injuries, seldom-used guard Eric Gordon was the ninth man off the bench, and rookie power forward Johni Broome entered the game in the third quarter.

    “It’s out of our control, man,” Drummond said of the injuries. “It’s the next-man mentality. It’s Barlow, [Jabari] Walker, Broome, and [Hunter Sallis]. These guys got to step up and be ready to fill those shoes. You know we are not excited for our guys to go out. But for them, it’s a great opportunity to come in and showcase themselves.”

    While this is an excellent opportunity, the Sixers need to get healthy if they expect to remain competitive as they embark on an upcoming rough stretch of games.

    Sixers’ Trendon Watford leaves Magic game with left adductor strain

    Is the attrition starting to catch up to the Sixers?

    “It sure felt like it tonight,” coach Nick Nurse said. “But, again, I think two or three times a season, you are going to have games like this where it’s like everything goes wrong. All of a sudden, they get hot. They start throwing in threes. We start turning [over the ball]. We can’t catch the ball. We can’t get back. We can’t grab a rebound. Just everything was really out of whack. You never really explain it. …

    “Just like I told the guys, we’ve got to be better. That’s certainly not who we are out there tonight. We’ve got to get rid of this one, get rest and treatment over the next couple of days, and get back to who we are.”

    Sixers must stop the ball

    The Sixers struggled to stop the Magic’s dribble penetration. Orlando routinely drove to the lane with ease. Perhaps realizing the Sixers couldn’t stop it, the Magic prioritized the dribble drive for long stretches.

    This was similar to what the Hornets did to the Sixers during the second game of the season. Charlotte led, 80-56, in points in the paint and had an 20–6 advantage in second-chance points.

    Thirty of the Magic’s points in the paint came in the second quarter, where they outscored the Sixers, 51-25, to take an 86-60 halftime lead.

    “It was one of those days, 82 games,” Drummond said. “These types of games do happen. Not that we want it to happen, but [stuff] does happen. It is what it is. Everything they shot went in. And it also didn’t help that we gave them that momentum in the second quarter, going into halftime.

    “So it’s something to learn from. We’ve got to get some rest. A lot of guys are out, banged up right now. I think these next two days are very crucial for us going into Brooklyn.”

    While Drummond downplayed it, the Sixers will have to improve their defense if they expect to beat quality teams. In a copycat league like the NBA, teams will watch this game film and attack the rim until the Sixers can stop them.

    Drummond still an elite rebounder

    Drummond squaring up with Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. was one of the most memorable things about this game.

    The Sixers center got into a fighting stance after fouling and exchanging words with Carter. Things escalated after Orlando point guard Jalen Suggs shoved Drummond. That caused Walker to push Suggs.

    Suggs received two technical fouls and was ejected. Meanwhile, Carter, Drummond, and Walker each received a technical.

    “I had to stop the bleeding, man,” Drummond said of his exchange with Carter as the Sixers trailed 82-58 with 26.6 seconds left in the half. “They went on a crazy run. For me, if you can see me, I looked up at the score, and I was, like, ‘Man, this [expletive] is nasty. I got to do something.’ And I was just [expletive] with him, and he reacted. I was like, ‘OK, I got to capitalize on it!’

    “I mean, I’m not one of those players who do anything dirty, so once I did what I had to do, I was clapping because I got the reaction I was looking for, I got somebody thrown out, hoping it would get us going a little bit. Still ended up losing by 30-plus, so it was one of those nights for us. Got to learn from it, watch film, and move on to the next one.”

    But aside from that, Drummond continued to show that he’s still an elite rebounder.

    Tyrese Maxey’s impact extends far beyond basketball. Philly is blessed to have him.

    The 32-year-old, in his 14th season, finished with three points and a game-high 12 rebounds in 22 minutes, 19 seconds. He is averaging 13.7 rebounds in his last eight games as a starter. That included a season-high 24 rebounds in Sunday’s 123-114 loss to the Miami Heat. And he had 18 boards in a Nov. 17 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

    Drummond said his goal is to lead the league in rebounding. That will be tough to do once Embiid returns and takes a chunk of Drummond’s minutes. He’s currently ranked ninth (10.7) in rebounding. His play has been one of the team’s bright spots.

    “For me, I’m trying to get back to No. 1,” Drummond said. “I’m [at] 10 right now. I think the leader [San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama] is averaging [12.9]. I’m not too far off. The goal is to win, obviously. That’s first and foremost. [Rebounding] is what I’m known to do. So I got to keep putting a show on.”

    Sixers guard Jared McCain and forward Trendon Watford walk off the court during a timeout during their loss Tuesday night to the Magic.

    Same old story with George and Embiid

    A season ago, Embiid had only played in four of the Sixers’ first 17 games while George played in eight. Tuesday’s contest marked this season’s 17th game. And at this point, George has played in only three games, while Embiid has been available for six.

    George was sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Meanwhile, Embiid missed his eighth consecutive game because of knee injuries. The last seven were because of right knee injury management or soreness. He also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.

    George missed the first 12 games while recovering from left knee surgery. Then he sat out Wednesday’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors because he isn’t cleared to compete on both nights of a back-to-back.

    The Sixers signed George to a four-year, $211.5 million contract on July 6, 2024, to form a Big Three with Embiid and Maxey. But for the second straight season, Maxey is carrying the bulk of the load while the duo is dealing with injuries. The hope is that things will change as the season goes along.

    Tyrese Maxey carried the scoring load for the Sixers with 20 points.

    But one could argue that, for the time being, they’ve been worse, with George playing in five fewer games and Embiid out since Nov. 8.

    A year ago, Embiid missed the entire preseason and first six games of the season because of left knee management. After that, he served a three-game suspension for an off-court altercation.

    Embiid made his season debut last year against the New York Knicks on Nov. 12, 2024. After playing in three of the next four games, he missed seven straight contests.

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

    George was also hampered by injuries before the start of last season.

    He was sidelined for three weeks after hyperextending his left knee during an Oct. 14, 2024, exhibition game against the Atlanta Hawks, leading to a bone bruise. George suffered the same injury during the Sixers’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 20, 2024, the team’s 14th game of the season. That cost him the next three games.

    Give the Sixers credit for handling their absences better than a year ago, when the team was 3-14 through 17 games. But they are starting to fall apart, losing eight of 13 games after starting the season 4-0. And not seeing Embiid and George play is very reminiscent of last season.

  • A milestone for NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby as the NBA launches new TV schedule

    A milestone for NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Alaa Abdelnaby as the NBA launches new TV schedule

    Charles Barkley on ESPN! Sixers games on Amazon! Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!

    The NBA season tips off Tuesday, and with it begins new TV rights deals with NBC, ESPN, and Amazon that will reshape coverage of the league for the next decade plus.

    There’s been a lot of handwringing over the NBA’s new national schedule, with exclusive games being broadcast nationally every night on different channels and streaming platforms. It’s quite a change, considering TNT had been broadcasting national games on Thursday nights for 36 years.

    Despite the shuffling, not much will change for Sixers fans. Sixty nine of the team’s 82 games will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia (seven on NBC Sports Philadelphia+), with Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby back to call all the action.

    Abdelnaby, the former Duke standout and NBA player, is entering his 10th season calling Sixers games (and his fifth alongside Scott). He was hired in the middle of “The Process,” but despite the Sixers losing 72 games during his first season, last season was his most difficult as a broadcaster.

    “Even though it wasn’t written in stone, we knew what they were doing” when the Sixers were intentionally losing games to gain assets, Abdelnaby told The Inquirer. “Last year, that wasn’t the case. They weren’t trying to do anything Process-ish … We kind of went through a whole season of not being relevant. And that stinks.”

    Joel Embiid’s health will be the big question mark for the Sixers this season.

    Abdelnaby has high hopes for this season, pinned on a potentially new role for Joel Embiid following his second knee surgery in 14 months. Embiid played 19 minutes in the Sixers’ final preseason game on Friday, telling reporters he was “in a good space” mentally and physically, though his status for the season opener against the Boston Celtics Wednesday remains uncertain.

    Being around them for two games and at practice, Abdelnaby said the mood among the Sixers seemed more positive then the second half of last season. By his eye, the body language of the players and coaches point in the right direction.

    “I think health has a lot to do with that,” Abdelnaby said. “At least I’m feeling a sense of optimism from the group, and that’s a good thing.”

    The new NBA media deals have opened up broadcasting opportunities dramatically, with national games airing just about every night. While Abdelnaby used to call college basketball games for CBS Sports, he’s in no rush to return to a jet-setting lifestyle.

    “When I did college, it was a rough and tumble existence,” Abdelnaby said. ” I think I’ve gotten soft over the last 10 years, because now I fly on their plane, I don’t have to rent a car in the middle of nowhere and return it … I am so spoiled.”

    As far as NBC Sports Philadelphia’s studio goes, Amy Fadool, Marc Jackson, and former Sixers head coach Jim Lynam return for Sixers pre- and postgame coverage.

    This is the first season Sixers fans within the Philadelphia TV market can subscribe directly to NBC Sports Philadelphia without needing a cable TV plan. Fans outside the area can stream all the games using NBA League Pass.

    Sixers games can also be heard on 97.5 The Fanatic, with Tom McGinnis returning for his 31st season calling games.

    New NBA weekly national schedule

    While the bulk of the Sixers’ regular-season games will air on NBC Sports Philadelphia, 13 games will air nationally across a host of services.

    Here’s a general breakdown of the NBA’s national broadcast and streaming schedule this season:

    • Sunday: NBC/Peacock and ABC/ESPN (beginning midseason)
    • Monday: Peacock
    • Tuesday: NBC/Peacock
    • Wednesday: ESPN
    • Thursday: Prime Video (beginning midseason)
    • Friday: Prime Video and ESPN (beginning midseason)
    • Saturday: Prime Video and ABC/ESPN (beginning midseason)

    After 23 years, NBA returns to NBC

    Hall of Famer Michael Jordan will make his NBC debut Tuesday night.

    Michael Jordan is making the leap to NBA pundit (sort-of) as NBC airs games for the first time since the 2002 season.

    Jordan won’t make his debut Tuesday as a studio analyst. Instead, he’ll appear via a prerecorded interview with Mike Tirico during NBC’s debut. The network hasn’t said how frequently Jordan will contribute, but those taped segments are expected to be scattered throughout the season.

    NBC will start the season broadcasting a Tuesday doubleheader, with the East Coast and West Coast getting different prime-time games during most weeks (both will stream live on Peacock).

    NBC will also debut Sunday Night Basketball beginning Feb. 1, after the end of the NFL season. The network’s NBA coverage will pause after that for the first two weeks in February for the 2026 Olympics in Milan, Italy.

    After practicing with the Sixers and a few other teams last season, Tirico said he’ll call the first couple of Tuesday night games for NBC before focusing on his NFL duties through the playoffs. He’ll also has his duties as the host of the Olympics to contend with.

    The Sixers are scheduled to appear on NBC four times, beginning with their Nov. 11 matchup against the Boston Celtics at the newly-named Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Play-by-play voices: Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle, Terry Gannon, Michael Grady

    Game analysts: Reggie Miller, Grant Hill, Jamal Crawford, Brad Daugherty, Derek Fisher, Austin Rivers, Brian Scalabrine, Robbie Hummel

    Studio analysts: Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady

    Sixers fans will also need Peacock and Amazon’s Prime Video

    NBA games will stream on Peacock Monday and Tuesday nights.

    The streaming wars have finally come for NBA fans.

    With TNT out of the picture, Sixers completists will need to sign up for two streaming services to watch all of Philly’s 82 games.

    The first is Peacock, NBC’s subscription streaming service, which is slated to stream 40 exclusive NBA games, as well as every game airing on NBC.

    As of now, Peacock is scheduled to exclusively stream just one Sixers game — a matchup against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 5.

    A subscription to Peacock’s premium tier runs $10.99 a month, though some Comcast Xfinity subscribers can get a discount.

    Amazon’s Prime Video will stream NBA games two nights a week after the NFL season ends.

    The second streaming service Sixers fans will need is Amazon Prime Video, which will stream 66 regular-season NBA games, including a bulk of the Emirates NBA cup and a new Black Friday game.

    The Sixers are scheduled to play in four games on Prime Video, beginning with their Halloween night matchup against the Celtics in Philly.

    If you’re an NBA League Pass subscriber, one cool feature on Prime Video is the ability to make your own multiview featuring up to four live NBA games.

    Prime Video comes with Amazon Prime, but you can also subscribe to it directly for $9 a month.

    One familiar face will be Sixers veteran Kyle Lowry, who is slated to make “select appearances” on Amazon’s NBA coverage this season. Amazon’s studio show, which will feature Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki, could be a fun watch.

    Charles Barkley and the ‘Inside the NBA’ crew heading to ESPN

    Hall of Famer and former Sixers star Charles Barkley will be seen on ESPN this season.

    TNT lost the NBA but is keeping its studio show. It’s just going to air on another network.

    Inside the NBA, the beloved studio show featuring Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, is jumping to ESPN while still being produced by TNT Sports. They’ll make their debut Wednesday at 6 p.m. as part of ESPN’s season-opening doubleheader.

    ESPN has said there would be no changes to the show, beyond a lopsided schedule. Barkley and company are only scheduled appear three more times before Christmas — Thursday, Oct. 29, and Nov. 12.

    “We always go to 2 in the morning. They said they’re going to give us time,” Barkley said in a recent interview with NBA columnist Steve Bulpett. “We were concerned they’re going to be like, ‘No, you gotta go to SportsCenter or you’ve got to leave when we’re on ABC and go to the local affiliates.’ That’s the only two things we were concerned with.”

    The only remaining TV partner from last season, ESPN will mostly air NBA games on Wednesday nights, with some other nights and holidays thrown into the mix. They’ll also add Friday night games beginning Jan. 16, with most airing on ABC.

    As far as ESPN’s announcers, the only major change is on their top announcing crew, which the network hasn’t been able to get right since laying off Jeff Van Gundy and Marc Jackson in 2023.

    This time, Doris Burke is out, replaced by longtime ESPN analyst and former La Salle standout Tim Legler, who will join Mike Breen and Richard Jefferson. Burke will still call NBA games alongside Dave Pasch.