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

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

    NEW YORK — Exactly six months before Christmas Day, the 76ers received an early holiday gift in VJ Edgecombe.

    On June 25, they selected the combo guard from Baylor over the polarizing, perceived-to-be-more-NBA-ready Ace Bailey with the third pick of the NBA draft.

    “He’s a dynamic athlete, potential All-Star, two-way player,” Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said of Edgecombe the night of the draft. “Really helped his team. He’s got all these winning qualities that we think fit. Great teammate. His story and what he has done to get to this point is really unbelievable.

    “We think he’s on a great trajectory to take where he’s come from and continue to improve … all the way through a very long and very promising NBA career. And we’re excited it’s here with the 76ers.”

    Jabari Walker shuts down Cooper Flagg, Tyrese Maxey gets hot when it counts, and other takeaways from a Sixers win over Dallas

    The 6-foot-5 , 195-pounder made Morey look like a genius by scoring 34 points on 13-for-26 shooting to go with six rebounds in the Sixers’ 117-116 season-opening victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.

    And nothing has changed since then to make the Sixers rethink the selection.

    Edgecombe outperformed No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg while finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, and four assists in Saturday’s 121-114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    It was his fourth straight game with at least 22 points, tying Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel for the longest 22-plus-point streak by a rookie this season.

    Edgecombe is averaging 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals in 24 games. He is also shooting 38.3% from three-point range.

    Meanwhile, Bailey averaged 10.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists through 26 games with the Jazz. His highest-scoring games were 21 points twice, whereas Edgecombe has scored at least 21 points seven times while playing alongside Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George.

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe scored 23 points and made clutch plays in a win over the Knicks.

    And even though he shone in Saturday’s game against the struggling Mavs (11-18), folks were still marveling over Friday’s performance against the NBA Cup champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

    Following his stellar performance in the 116-107 victory over the Knicks, several Sixers were asked if his play has surprised them this season.

    “Sadly, no,” Maxey said. “I want to say yes, but, sadly, no. Like, this is who he is, you know what I mean? We realized that Game 1. Yeah, you can do what you want to do in the preseason, and all that and practice in training camp, but when the lights come on, you just never know, and the lights came on, and he came on with it.”

    Against the Eastern Conference second-place Knicks (19-8), Edgecombe finished with 23 points, 18 of which came after halftime. He also finished with four assists, two steals, and one block while being a plus-13 and logging a game-high 38 minutes, 4 seconds.

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

    His most notable achievement was his stellar defensive performance against Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. The two-time All-Star point guard finished with 22 points on 7-for-22 shooting and missed 6 of 7 three-pointers. With Edgecombe guarding him, Brunson was held to six points on 1-for-10 shooting in the second half.

    He kept hounding Brunson with his ability to get over screens.

    “To be honest, it’s kind of like a skill and wanting to do it,” Edgecombe said of battling through screens. “You know, everyone, when you see a teammate come in, you say, ‘Oh, switch.’ But that’s like wanting to [stay on your man]. You got to put in the effort, and knowing who I’m guarding also, an elite player, someone that thrives off coming off ball screens … so I’m just trying to make it difficult.”

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe held Knicks All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson to six points on 1-for-10 shooting in the second half on Friday.

    Andre Drummond has been most impressed by the Bahamian’s poise.

    “Despite whatever comes in the game, he still plays the game,” Drummond said. “He doesn’t get too sped up, and the way that he defended Brunson [Friday night] was textbook.”

    But isn’t it rare for a 20-year-old rookie to have that kind of poise?

    “I think I told you guys at the beginning of the season that he doesn’t count,” Drummond said. “He’s been a professional for God knows how long with the Bahamian national team. So he knows what it takes to play against tough competition. He’s been doing it since he was very young.

    “So no surprise there. We are just going to expect more from him. That’s all.”

    But coach Nick Nurse admitted that Edgecombe surprised him against the Knicks. The coach mentioned his tough buckets down the lane when the Sixers needed them and raved about Edgecombe’s huge two offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter to keep possessions alive when they desperately needed to match the Knicks’ scoring.

    “So that was, I don’t know, surprising,” Nurse said. “He’s really good. He’s getting better, too.”

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

    Edgecombe averaged 19.6 points on 48.6% shooting — including making 14 of 28 three-pointers — in the five games entering Saturday.

    But his role has shifted game to game, with his responsibilities affected by Embiid and George missing time because of injuries and Maxey being sidelined for the two games before Friday with the flu.

    “To be honest, when one of them is out or not, the three of them tell me all the time, ‘Stay aggressive,’” Edgecombe said. “So regardless of the game, they are going to tell me to stay aggressive all the time. In Atlanta [on Sunday], Joel was telling me, ‘Stay aggressive.’ ’Rese tells me, ‘Stay aggressive every night.’ P always tells me, ‘Be aggressive; be aggressive.’

    “So I say my role is just to be myself, and the adjustment to the pro game has been going well, to be honest with you. It’s the pros, the best players in the world. Just to be in the league, I know I have a lot of work to do because one day I want to be the best player.”

    Sixers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) scored 17 of his 26 points in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.

    With Maxey out against the Hawks, Edgecombe scored 17 of his 26 points in the third quarter to keep the Sixers in the game. He did that while making 5 of 7 shots, including all three of his three-pointers. He was 4-for-4 from the foul line while playing the entire quarter.

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

    Edgecombe has been solid for most of the season. It’s just been a matter of keeping him involved. He gave the crowd in Atlanta a glimpse of what he can do when the offense runs through him. Then he showed folks at MSG why he’s an early Christmas gift for the Sixers.

    “Do I surprise myself? No, I don’t, to be honest,” he said. “I don’t want to sound cocky or nothing, but I don’t surprise myself at all. I know what I’m capable of doing.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    To the G League

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    In the clutch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    That’s when things got interesting.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    What do the NBA rules say?

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

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

    But there is one exception:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Hmmm.

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

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

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

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

    Washed up? No.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Didn’t happen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Oubre has several steps to take before returning to action.

  • 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?

  • 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.

  • Tyrese Maxey to miss Sixers’ game against Indiana Pacers with illness

    Tyrese Maxey to miss Sixers’ game against Indiana Pacers with illness

    Tyrese Maxey will miss Friday night’s game against the Indiana Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena with an illness. This comes after the 76ers point guard missed practice this week.

    “Obviously, that’s a huge challenge,” coach Nick Nurse said of not having Maxey. “Obviously, lots of minutes, lots of ball handling, lots of scoring against a team that likes to pressure a lot, play a lot of guards.

    “So I think the handling of the ball responsibilities got to get spread out between the rest of those guys. It’s going to be a good challenge for them.”

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

    Nurse declined to disclose who will start in Maxey’s place alongside shooting guard VJ Edgecombe. However, Quentin Grimes wore a blue practice jersey, which is usually reserved for starters, when the media was permitted on the arena floor after Friday morning’s shootaround.

    This will be Maxey’s first game missed this season. The 6-foot-2 point guard is the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.5 points per game. He’s also third in three-pointers made (84) and ninth in assists per game (7.2).

    Sixers Tyrese Maxey goes around Wizards # 27 Will Riley in the first half of the Washington Wizards at Philadelphia 76ers NBA game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025.

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

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

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

    Maxey joins Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only two players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a single game.

    The Sixers will also be without Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain), Trendon Watford (left adductor strain), and Hunter Sallis (right shoulder sprain). The Pacers are without Tyrese Haliburton (right Achilles’ tendon tear), Kam Jones (lower back stress reaction), Aaron Nesmith (left knee MCL sprain), Ben Sheppard (left calf strain), and Obi Toppin (right foot stress reaction).

  • 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.”

  • 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.