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Tag: Paul George

  • VJ Edgecombe describes intense practices, one-on-one battles with Tyrese Maxey: ‘About to throw hands in there’

    VJ Edgecombe describes intense practices, one-on-one battles with Tyrese Maxey: ‘About to throw hands in there’

    Following his Rising Stars MVP, VJ Edgecombe joined former NBA star Jeff Teague and co-hosts DJ Wells and Brandon Hendricks on the Club 520 Podcast. But if listeners didn’t know any better, they might have thought they accidentally tuned into an episode of Kylie Kelce’s podcast, as Edgecombe repeatedly made it clear that he was “not gonna lie.”

    The Sixers guard candidly discussed his pre-draft workouts, the intensity of Sixers practices, his relationships with his teammates, and his “Welcome to the NBA” moment. Here’s everything you missed from Edgecombe’s appearance on the Club 520 Podcast …

    ‘I’ve never been so nervous’

    Before making historic NBA debuts, gracing the cover of SLAM Magazine with Tyrese Maxey, and getting shoutouts from the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Edgecombe spent one season at Baylor University.

    Inside Sixers: VJ Edgecombe’s new mentor, Tyrese Maxey’s ‘tanking’ perspective, and more from All-Star Weekend

    “At the beginning of the year, I’m not going to lie, I thought I wasn’t going nowhere,” said Edgecombe, who averaged 15 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists at Baylor. “I thought I had to stay another year. And then conference [games] came around and I started hooping for real, for real.

    “You know the people that be doing all the little rankings and stuff? You know, you pay attention to that. Freshman year, they got me in like honorable mentions. I’m not even in the top 10. I’m like, it’s quiet, bro. I’m like, I’m going to have to run it back. And then conference came around and I just started hooping.”

    Once Edgecombe declared for the draft, he participated in the NBA combine and decided to conduct a private workout with only one team: the Sixers.

    Sixers head coach Nick Nurse (right) talks to Edgecombe during a December game against the Pacers. Edgecombe won MVP of the NBA Rising Stars game over All-Star Weekend.

    “I only worked out for one team. I took my chances, I ain’t going to lie,” Edgecombe said. “And that was Philly. I only worked out in Philly. I went in there, I’m not gonna lie, [and] shot four air balls. I was nervous as [expletive].

    “But then I was like if they draft me or not, it’s whatever at this point. I wasn’t even trying to trip about it. But, I’m not going to lie, I’ve never been so nervous, bro. Because you got the owners, you got everybody on the sideline just watching you.”

    That risk ended up paying off. Edgecombe was drafted third overall by the Sixers and has been one of the league’s top rookies, averaging similar numbers to his lone season in Waco: 14.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists.

    Sixers’ Kelly Oubre Jr. releases a new rap song, ‘Fast & Furious,’ under the stage name t$unami

    ‘About to throw hands in there at practice’

    Edgecombe joined a team with veteran players like Maxey, Paul George, Joel Embiid, and Kelly Oubre Jr. When asked about the intensity of Sixers practices, Edgecombe responded: “I ain’t going to lie, [expletive] about to throw hands in there at practice.”

    However, Edgecombe believes that those high-energy practices — along with his one-on-one battles with Maxey — have helped the team when it comes time to compete.

    “I feel like that helps us a lot though,” Edgecombe added. “Me and [Maxey] play ones. That’s the first time, I’m going to be honest, the first time I’m like I’m really losing ones, for real. That [expletive] can hoop. I ain’t going to lie. I didn’t know he was that fast, bro. And he can shoot.”

    Edgecombe said he’s continually impressed by Sixers center Joel Embiid (left).

    ‘They be dropping gems all the time’

    When they’re not getting ready to “throw hands,” Edgecombe is learning from some of the vets on the team, including George, a nine-time NBA All-Star.

    “They be dropping gems all the time, bro,” Edgecombe said. “Teaching me off-the-court stuff, on-the-court stuff. I ain’t going to lie, I been working with [George] too with ball-handling and all that, just trying to get in that bag, just trying to activate a different part of my game, bro. I mean, I’m able to just run by [guys] sometimes, but you know just trying to be able to break [them] down. … I feel like it will just make it a lot easier for me, if I’m able to get to my spot and be able to break down.”

    Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe wins Rising Stars MVP, adding another accomplishment in his terrific season

    And when it comes to Embiid, Edgecombe is still impressed by the former MVP’s presence on the court.

    “He cool as [expletive],” Edgecombe said. “He just chill. Be in his own little world. I swear, I’ve never seen someone really that good. I ain’t going to lie. He good, bro. I sit there and just watch him. He just be going at people. I told him, ‘Bro, if I was like 7-foot, I probably would have been able to guard him.’ But, he being drawing fouls and all type of different stuff going on, bro.”

    ‘That’s my welcome to the NBA moment’

    When Edgecombe first made the transition to the NBA, he immediately recognized the difference in pace from college. But his true “Welcome to the NBA” moment came on the defensive end.

    “I had to guard Luka [Doncic], Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], D-Book [Devin Booker], [Jalen] Brunson,” Edgecombe said. “I got to guard all of them. That’s my ‘Welcome to the NBA’ moment. I’m not going to lie.”

    When asked who was the toughest player to guard in the league, he responded: “I ain’t going to lie to you, it was Ja Morant. He had 40 [points].”

    Tyrese Maxey’s All-Star Weekend showed he’s not merely a promising young star. Maxey has become one of the faces of the NBA.
  • With NBA trade deadline behind them, Sixers turn focus to the buyout market to balance their roster

    With NBA trade deadline behind them, Sixers turn focus to the buyout market to balance their roster

    The NBA trade deadline garnered a lot of attention last week — especially among 76ers fans.

    The team’s president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, moved Jared McCain before Thursday’s deadline, sending him to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-rounders. The Sixers also traded Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a 2032 second-round pick swap.

    Those moves were made in part to accomplish the team’s goal of getting under the luxury tax threshold at the trade deadline for the fourth consecutive year. But the Sixers will still need to make roster additions for what they hope is a championship run.

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

    Right now, Charles Bassey is on his second 10-day contract, while Patrick Baldwin Jr. is on his first 10-day. Once those contracts expire on Saturday, the Sixers will have two available roster spots.

    Since five games have passed during Paul George’s 25-game suspension, the forward will be moved from the active to the suspended list. So the Sixers will be able to sign an additional player if need be.

    The team could opt to use one of the available spots to convert Jabari Walker’s two-way contract into a standard contract, as the Sixers did with Dominick Barlow on Thursday. Walker has been inactive for the last two games because he ran out of the allotted number of games a two-way player can be available for an NBA game.

    The Sixers also can try to sign players via the buyout market. However, Walker’s situation will factor into their decision-making.

    The Sixers have to decide whether they want to convert Jabari Walker’s two-way contract to a standard NBA deal or add players in the buyout market.

    “Jabari, for sure,” Morey said. “Not to reference our [collective bargaining agreement] we all live under, [but] it’s sort of like, you know, annoying … just how it all works, that Jabari can’t play for some games here. He’s obviously been part of our next man up mentality. I think coach [Nick] Nurse has done a good job when we’ve had players in and out, which we’ve had less of this year. But we’ve still had quite a bit, especially with the recent Paul news, things like that.”

    With George suspended for violating the league’s anti-drug program, Barlow has moved back into the starting lineup at power forward. Trendon Watford and Justin Edwards have been the two forwards off the bench.

    “He’s been a tremendous next man up type contributor,” Morey said of Walker. “We hope to have his services going forward, but we do have to weigh optimal use of our sort of scarce two roster spots, and against the other opportunities as well. So that’ll be written over time, whether or not we do that conversion there.”

    Sixers takeaways: Matching physicality, Tyrese Maxey is hard to guard, and more from the win against Suns

    The Sixers are $1.57 million below the $187.9 million tax line and $3.75 million under the $195.9 million first apron. As a result, the Sixers will have only enough space under the luxury tax to fit two more season minimum salary contracts for the rest of the season.

    Among the buyout-market candidates are power forward Chris Boucher, point guard Lonzo Ball, forward Haywood Highsmith, and wing Khris Middleton, if he is waived by the Dallas Mavericks.

    The Boston Celtics traded Boucher to the Utah Jazz, who waived him.

    Boucher failed to crack the Celtics’ rotation after signing a one-year minimum deal this past summer. However, he flourished in the last seven seasons as a reserve glue guy for the Toronto Raptors. Nurse was Raptors coach during Boucher’s first five seasons in Toronto. He was able to get the best out of the undersized post player, who averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 406 games as a Raptor.

    Sixers forward Dominick Barlow had his two-way contract converted to a standard deal on Thursday.

    Highsmith began his NBA career as a Sixers two-way player on Jan. 8, 2019. After being waived less than a month later, he thrived with the Delaware Blue Coats, leading to an opportunity with the Miami Heat. He played in 213 games, with 80 starts, over four seasons with the Heat before signing with the Brooklyn Nets last summer.

    He has not played this season because of a meniscus tear in his right knee. Now healthy, Highsmith has been taking part in five-on-five drills and was on track to return Wednesday before the Nets released him to free up a roster spot. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder is expected to draw interest from teams looking for wing depth.

    Middleton is a three-time All-Star with career averages of 16.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, while shooting 38.5% from three-point range in 810 games over 14 seasons.

    Daryl Morey likes the Sixers’ chances in the East, but he understands skepticism around the Jared McCain trade

    Because of injuries, the Milwaukee Bucks moved the former fixture to the Washington Wizards last February in a four-team trade that enabled them to acquire Kyle Kuzma from Washington. On Thursday, Middleton was moved to the Mavericks as part of a three-team trade that netted the Wizards 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis.

    While he’s not the player he once was, Middleton could be a solid option to provide some scoring off the bench if the Mavs buy him out.

    Ball was the second overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017. The 6-5, 190-pounder also played for the New Orleans Pelicans and Chicago Bulls before a significant knee injury derailed his career. The Bulls traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers in June. In a salary-clearing move, Cleveland traded him on Thursday to the Jazz, who waived him.

    Former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Lonzo Ball could be available for teams to sign in the buyout market.

    He averaged just 4.6 points on 30.1% shooting (27.2% on three-pointers) in 35 games with three starts for the Cavs. But he could be an option to provide guard depth after the Sixers parted ways with McCain and Gordon.

    “I mean, we have two [spots] to fill,” Morey said of the team’s needs. “Obviously, Barlow was one of the signings. I think balancing it out with guard and wing might — we really want to go for best player. I mean, obviously, that sounds trite, but that’s true. You do want to focus on a little roster balance in terms of adding. …

    “We thought, yeah, backfilling Paul was a possible spot while he was out, but I hate to repeat it again, the operative players that were available [in a trade] weren’t adding in a way that was material [compared] to what teams wanted us to give up.”

  • Sixers takeaways: Matching physicality, Tyrese Maxey is hard to guard, and more from the win against Suns

    Sixers takeaways: Matching physicality, Tyrese Maxey is hard to guard, and more from the win against Suns

    The 76ers need to keep playing a heady brand of basketball.

    Tyrese Maxey is unguardable when in his bag of tricks.

    And so far, Paul George’s absence hasn’t had a major impact on the outcomes of games.

    These things stood out in Saturday’s 109-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center.

    With the win, the Sixers improved to 30-22 and evened the two-game season series against the Suns (31-22). They’re also 3-1 in the first four games of their five-game West Coast road trip, which concludes on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center.

    Solid brand of basketball

    The Sixers had effective ball movement against the Suns. They also attacked the basket, crashed the boards, and played at a much faster pace than in recent games.

    In addition to doing those things, they didn’t back down from Phoenix’s physicality or Dillon Brooks’ antics. Kelly Oubre Jr. got in the face of his former roommate and high school teammate at Findlay Prep (Nevada) after Brooks flopped on a play.

    Before that, Joel Embiid and Devin Booker exchanged words at the conclusion of the first half. And there were other heated exchanges.

    Joel Embiid (21), who led with a game-high 33-point effort, gets fouled by Suns guard Jordan Goodwin in the first half of Saturday’s game.

    The Sixers didn’t match the physicality of the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this season. So seeing them fight back and play with an edge against the Suns was a great sign.

    “We stayed professional,” Maxey said to the media. “We didn’t let all the rah rah stuff affect us. We got physical back, and that’s good. That happens, and we can take that.”

    Maxey said he could anticipate the Suns’ antics. With the Sixers up 16 points in the second quarter, he knew Phoenix would resort to something.

    “Any good team or any team that’s playing for something, they’re not going to let you steamroll them. They’re not going to lay down. They are going to go out there and try to put up a fight. And sometimes that’s what has to come with it. You have to get more physical, and you have to sustain that lead. And we did a good job of that.”

    Daryl Morey likes the Sixers’ chances in the East, but he understands skepticism around the Jared McCain trade

    The Sixers had a 50-40 rebounding advantage. They scored 34 points in the paint and held the Suns to 23.9% three-point shooting.

    Embiid finished with 33 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and one block. Maxey finished with 29 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and one steal, while Oubre added 18 points, six rebounds, and two steals.

    Marvelous Maxey

    Maxey had a slow start, missing his first three shot attempts. But after that, the two-time All-Star was close to unstoppable.

    Unable to keep him in front of them, the Suns’ defenders were helpless. The point guard drained a couple of his three-pointers. He scored on a post-up. And Maxey played through contact on his way to the rim. Fourteen of his points came in the first half.

    “We just played fast that group that I was in there with,” Maxey said regarding the first half. “Got rebounds, got stops, and got out and ran, trying to make sure everybody touched the ball, everybody involved, and it was good.”

    Maxey missed his first three shots in the second half. But after settling down, the Suns, once again, had a tough time guarding him.

    Making 8 of 9 foul shots, the sixth-year player scored 13 of his points in the fourth quarter. His last two with 11.8 seconds remaining gave the Sixers their six-point cushion.

    No George, no problem?

    Let’s not get it twisted.

    The Sixers are a better team with George on the floor. The nine-time All-Star is a solid facilitator and one of their best defenders. As a result, there was a thought that the team would struggle while he serves a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug Program.

    So far, that hasn’t been the case.

    The Sixers are 4-1 in the first five games without the 6-8 forward. Their lone loss was Thursday’s 119-115 setback to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.

    Different players stepped up to help Embiid and Maxey in each of their victories. On Saturday, it was Trendon Watford in addition to Oubre.

    “He’s become a little more important now [what] the roster is,” said Sixers coach Nick Nurse. “If one of those guys gets in foul trouble, he’s got to kind of be another ball handler. I thought he did a good job.

    “He’s starting to show a little bit of element of some toughness, kind of standing up to [the Suns with] some of his physicality out there.”

    Daryl Morey’s message to Joel Embiid and Sixers fans: Trust the Process

    Watford finished with six points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.

    While he didn’t score a lot of points, the reserve point forward displayed a lot of toughness and did a lot of intangible things. Being impactful, Watford played the entire fourth quarter. That’s when he had four points, four rebounds, and two blocks.

    “The big thing for us is he can handle the ball,” Maxey said of his close friend. “He’s a connector. We needed that for a long time. Nico [Batum during the 2023-24 season] was probably the last [point forward] we had. But he doesn’t handle the ball as much as TY does. So he does a good job of handling the ball. He can play pick-and-roll. He can post, get a bucket down there in the post. We just got to get him to play some defense, then we will be alright.”

  • The Sixers have entered the NBA trade deadline madness. What will they do next?

    The Sixers have entered the NBA trade deadline madness. What will they do next?

    Could we see another alteration to the 76ers‘ roster before they face the Los Angeles Lakers at 10 p.m. Thursday at Crypto.com Arena?

    There was always a belief that the Sixers would shed some salary before the 3 p.m. Thursday trade deadline to get below the luxury tax threshold. They also needed to free up a roster spot to sign two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to standard deals.

    And the squad might have accomplished both by trading Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-rounders. One of the second-rounders is the 2027 most favorable pick from Oklahoma City, Houston, the Indiana Pacers, and Miami Heat. The others are the 2028 Milwaukee Bucks and 2028 Thunder picks.

    Jared McCain traded to OKC Thunder for first-round pick and three second-round selections

    The Sixers are now $3 million below the luxury tax threshold after trading away McCain’s $4.2 million salary for draft assets.

    But is there another deal to be made? There’s a sense that this roster, as it’s currently constructed, has a chance to position itself for an Eastern Conference title.

    The Sixers (29-21) take a five-game winning streak into their contest with the Lakers (30-19). The conference’s fifth-place team is 3 ½ games behind the second-place New York Knicks with 32 games remaining.

    The Sixers traded Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the Houston Rockets’ 2026 first-round pick and three second-rounders.
    Six burning questions facing the Sixers at the NBA trade deadline

    Multiple sources insist that the Sixers are still willing to trade reserve center Andre Drummond.

    But while McCain battled inconsistent play during his return from last season’s knee surgery, Drummond is the team’s best rebounder and has 12 double-doubles this season.

    Parting ways with Drummond would be a blow to the Sixers’ depth. With Joel Embiid resting on the second night of a back-to-back, Drummond started his 18th game of the season Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors. The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder had 12 points, 12 rebounds, one steal, and a block in the 113-94 victory.

    Sixers center Andre Drummond is averaging 6.9 points and 8.8 rebounds in just 19.8 minutes per game.

    But more than providing a presence, Drummond has been a great teammate, setting screens, playing hard, and mentoring younger players.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has seen the same traits from many of his teammates.

    “As far as the trade deadline, when I was younger, I was a part of every [possible trade] situation,” Maxey said. “So you have to keep your head low, keep working. It’s a business, at the end of the day. Whatever happens, happens.

    “I like this group. I think our group is really good, really tight, and guys like each other. So whatever happens, we will always support each other.”

    At this stage of his career, it remains to be seen what kind of return the Sixers would receive for Drummond.

    In fact, Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are the only trade assets who would pull in a player capable of drastically improving the team. And both are considered untouchable.

    Five reasons the Sixers should be cautious at the NBA trade deadline

    But by trading McCain, Daryl Morey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, has made a deadline deal every year since being hired in2020.

    And he’s not the only NBA executive making moves. The Detroit Pistons, who sit atop the East, received sharpshooter Kevin Huerter and former Sixers post player Dario Šarić from the Chicago Bulls in a multiteam trade that sent Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley and Pistons combo guard Jaden Ivey to the Bulls.

    The Los Angeles Clippers traded former Sixers guard James Harden (right) to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

    The third-place Boston Celtics are acquiring two-time All-Star center Nikola Vučević, a former Sixer, and a second-round pick from the Bulls in exchange for Celtics guard Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick.

    And the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers traded two-time All-Star guard Darius Garland and a second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers for 11-time All-Star point guard James Harden, another former Sixer.

    A look at the Sixers’ movable contracts, and how Paul George’s suspension could impact their trade deadline plans

    Harden will be paired in the backcourt with seven-time All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. Cleveland (31-21) also has frontcourt difference-makers in 2025 Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley and rim protector Jarrett Allen. Both players have made an All-Star team.

    “He does James Harden stuff,” Maxey said about his close friend being traded. “He’s a dynamic player with playoff experience. He knows how to play the game, knows how to get guys involved. He’ll take some pressure off D-Mitch, for sure, and get those other guys, Mobley, Allen, [Jaylon] Tyson, all those guys easy shots.”

    The big question is: What else will the Sixers do?

  • Sixers takeaways: Winning without Joel Embiid, best stretch since 2024, and more from victory over Warriors

    Sixers takeaways: Winning without Joel Embiid, best stretch since 2024, and more from victory over Warriors

    Andre Drummond has to sustain quick starts in games.

    The 76ers, however, bucked the recent trend of losing on nights when Joel Embiid is not playing.

    And in the process, they’re in the midst of their best stretch since concluding the 2023-24 season with nine consecutive victories.

    Those things stood out in Tuesday’s 113-94 victory over the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

    Sixers mailbag: Paul George’s suspension, Joel Embiid’s scoring surge and trade deadline targets

    The Sixers (29-21) are a half-game behind the fourth-place Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference standings.

    Drummond must sustain his shooting

    Drummond got his 18th start of the season due to Embiid not being cleared to play on back-to-back nights. Drummond finished with a game-high 11 rebounds to go with 12 points for his 12th double-double of the season.

    On paper, his stat line looked good. He made 5 of 11 shots, including 1 of 2 on three-pointers, to go with one assist, one steal, and one block.

    But he’ll have to be a more consistent shooter to gain the coaching staff’s trust as a reliable reserve when Embiid plays.

    Sixers reserve center Adem Bona scored 11 points in 16 minutes off the bench Tuesday night.

    Drummond was unable to build off his solid shooting start to the game.

    He had four points on 2-for-2 shooting and five rebounds in the first five minutes. He scored those baskets on a put-back dunk and a tip-in. However, Drummond missed his next six attempts.

    Paul George’s suspension brings back belief that he was a bad signing for the Sixers. Here’s why.

    He missed a reverse layup and had a driving dunk blocked before being subbed out for Adem Bona with 2 minutes, 15 seconds remaining in the first quarter. He followed that up by missing a 23-foot three-pointer and a put-back layup in the second quarter.

    His rough shooting night continued in the third quarter, when he missed an eight-foot turnaround jumper and an alley-oop.

    Drummond snapped out of his shooting skid, scoring on two layups in the fourth quarter. The majority of his misses came on shots around the basket.

    Drummond’s offensive shortcomings could be one reason sources say the Sixers are open to trading him, even though he is their leading rebounder.

    Joel Embiid not sweating All-Star Game snub: ‘I don’t need any validation from anybody’

    While he struggled from the field, Bona had 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting.

    All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey (14 points on 3-for-9 shooting), Dominick Barlow (10 points, 3-for-10), and Kelly Oubre Jr. (15 points, 4-for-12) all struggled from the field.

    But VJ Edgecombe paced them with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, and the Sixers got quality contributions from their bench.

    They also benefited from the undermanned Warriors (27-24), who were without Stephen Curry, committing 20 turnovers.

    Needed win without Embiid

    Before Tuesday, the Sixers had lost four straight games when Embiid didn’t play. Teams were blitzing Maxey, and role players weren’t stepping up. They didn’t have that problem against the Warriors.

    Trendon Watford had 16 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in a reserve role. The Sixers had eight scorers in double digits.

    This victory serves as a major confidence boost for a team dealing with Paul George’s 25-game suspension.

    Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe (left) had a game-high 25 points against the Warriors.

    Extending overall winning streak

    The Sixers have the league’s second-best active winning streak at five games. The Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks are tied for the best with seven consecutive victories.

    Dominick Barlow’s stellar play, sharpshooting from three, and more in win over Clippers

    They opened the season with four consecutive victories before winning three straight games from Dec. 30 to Jan. 3.

    But this time, the Sixers appear to be coming into form, getting major contributions from several players.

  • Sixers takeaways: Dominick Barlow’s stellar play, sharpshooting from three, and more in win over Clippers

    Sixers takeaways: Dominick Barlow’s stellar play, sharpshooting from three, and more in win over Clippers

    Dominick Barlow is making Paul George’s absence manageable.

    Paced by Tyrese Maxey’s season-high seven three-pointers, the 76ers showed why they are tough to beat when they’re making threes.

    And facing Ivica Zubac remains a lopsided matchup for Joel Embiid.

    These things stood out in a 128-113 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The win extended the Sixers’ (28-21) winning streak to a season-tying four games heading into Tuesday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

    The sixth-place Sixers are a game behind the fourth-place Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference standings.

    Picking up the slack

    Monday marked the second game of George’s 25-game suspension due to violating the NBA’s Anti-Drug program. And just like Saturday night’s contest, he wasn’t missed. Barlow was a major reason why.

    The 6-foot-9 power forward finished with a career-high 26 points to go with 16 rebounds, including a career-high 10 on the offensive boards, to post his second double-double of the season. He also finished with two steals and a block.

    Sixers mailbag: Paul George’s suspension, Joel Embiid’s scoring surge and trade deadline targets

    He became the first Sixer with at least 25 points and 10 offensive rebounds since Hall of Famer Charles Barkley did so in November 1990.

    “That’s pretty good company,” Barlow said in a postgame interview on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

    Barlow had 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting, along with seven rebounds — four offensive — in the first quarter. That enabled him to become the league’s first player with at least 10 points, four offensive rebounds, a steal, and a block in a first quarter since Embiid tallied that in a December 2023 game.

    “Some of the stuff I was getting was just easy in transition,” Barlow said of the first quarter. “I didn’t really do anything in the half-court for the first quarter, and I had 11. So I was like, ‘OK, if I get some stuff in the half-court and keep running, it’s going to be a big night.”

    He was right.

    Barlow reentered the game with 4 minutes, 21 seconds remaining in the half, and added four points on 2-for-2 shooting before intermission.

    Paul George’s suspension brings back belief that he was a bad signing for the Sixers. Here’s why.

    Always in attack mode, Barlow has a knack for grabbing offensive rebounds, cutting to the basket when he’s off the ball, and finding gaps in the defense where he can make an impact besides just scoring.

    Three-point shooting

    The Sixers are starting to find their rhythm with their three-point shooting. They made 22 of 42 three-pointers in their win over the Milwaukee Bucks last week. On Saturday, the Sixers made 17 of 36 threes. Against the Clippers, they went 17-for-39 (43.6%), 10 coming in the first half on 19 attempts.

    Maxey‘s season-high seven three-pointers led to his 29 points to go with six assists and three steals. Kelly Oubre Jr. hit three from long range while scoring 15 points. Quentin Grimes (15 points) and Jared McCain (six points) each made two.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points while draining seven three-pointers against the Clippers Monday night.

    Embiid dominates Zubac … again

    Zubac averaged eight points and eight rebounds in eight previous games playing against Embiid, who averaged around 34 points and 10 rebounds in those games.

    Embiid wasn’t efficient on Monday, nor was he a beast on the boards. But he still outplayed his counterpart. He finished with 24 points on 8-for-19 shooting to go with five rebounds, three assists, and one steal. It was his 19th consecutive game with at least 20 points. Zubac had eight points and nine rebounds.

  • Sixers takeaways: Celebrating 2001 conference champs, another Joel Embiid domination, and more from win over Pelicans

    Sixers takeaways: Celebrating 2001 conference champs, another Joel Embiid domination, and more from win over Pelicans

    Saturday morning, Paul George owned the headlines.

    Saturday night, however, belonged to the 76ers’ 2001 Eastern Conference championship team.

    Joel Embiid continued to put teams on notice that he’s back to playing at an All-NBA level. And Kelly Oubre Jr. is doing his best to fill the void left by George‘s 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy.

    Those things stood out on an evening where the Sixers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 124-114.

    Celebrating Sixers’ last NBA Finals team

    The Sixers improved to 27-21 while extending their home winning streak to three games. Embiid finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, while Oubre added 19 points on the first night of Paul George’s suspension.

    Not to be outdone, Tyrese Maxey (18 points, eight assists), VJ Edgecombe (15 points, five assists), and Jared McCain (12 points) were the other double-digit scorers against the Pelicans (13-38).

    Former Villanova standout Saddiq Bey led New Orleans with 34 points, while Zion Williamson was held to 11.

    But the 2000-01 Sixers were the highlight of the evening.

    Not only did that squad reach the NBA Finals, but they were also the last Sixers team to advance past the second round of the playoffs.

    That gritty team was led by Hall of Famer Allen Iverson and a bunch of defensive-minded blue-collar players. It was a squad that still carries a lot of weight in Philly and across the NBA. And that’s impressive, considering the Los Angeles Lakers ousted them in five games in the NBA Finals.

    “I can say I’m not surprised, because we had an iconic run, but we had an iconic player, too [in Iverson],” said Eric Snow, who was that team’s point guard. “And it was different. It was unique, the city and the players. It was such a connection that I can [feel] to this day everywhere I’ve been, and I traveled to other countries, and I’ve been to every state, except two, and I’m always asked about this team.”

    Paul George is suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy

    That season, Iverson was the league MVP, Aaron McKie was the Sixth Man of the Year, Dikembe Mutombo garnered Defensive Player of the Year, and Larry Brown was the Coach of the Year.

    Members of the team were on hand and honored during a halftime celebration. Former Sixers team president Pat Croce and former Sixers mascot Hip Hop were the bell ringers.

    The thing that made that Sixers squad special was Brown, a true player’s coach, and the team general manager Billy King assembled around Iverson.

    “When you had a talent like Allen, you had to build a team to fit him,” King said. “So I remember talking to Larry quite a bit. Larry had a vision to get him off the ball, get him to two guard, but we needed a bigger guard that could play point guard and defend some of the guards that Allen couldn’t guard.

    “And I remember Larry and I talking, and we were saying we were watching Eric, we were in Seattle, and he was the fourth point guard there. And we were like, we think we can beat that.”

    Former Sixers guard Allen Iverson talks with former team announcer Marc Zumoff during Saturday’s celebration.

    So they acquired Snow from the Seattle SuperSonics on Jan. 18, 1998, in exchange for a second-round pick.

    “That’s where it started,” King said. “Then it was like, let’s get George Lynch, because we need somebody that can defend the three. Then the big one was Larry, and I looked, we needed a shot blocker, and it was like we knew Allen and Jerry Stackhouse wasn’t going to fit, and so we kept calling Detroit about Theo [Ratliff].”

    The Pistons agreed to the trade, but also wanted the Sixers to take McKie for salary purposes.

    So on Dec. 18, 1997, they traded Stackhouse, Eric Montross, and a 2005 second-round pick for Ratliff, McKie, and a 2003 first-round pick.

    Former Sixers President Pat Croce jokes with past team mascot Hip-Hop during pregame ceremonies before the Sixers-Pelicans game on Saturday.

    Lynch signed with the Sixers as a free agent on Jan. 21, 1999.

    “So it was more than building pieces,” King said. “We wanted guys who could play defense. Larry was a guy that I knew from coaching with him that he didn’t care if you could shoot it. He wanted guys that can play defense, and he’d figure out how to score.”

    But Ratliff suffered a broken bone in his right wrist, which forced him to miss the 2001 All-Star Game and the remainder of the season.

    In need of a standout replacement, the Sixers traded Ratliff along with Toni Kukoč, Nazr Mohammed, and Pepe Sánchez to the Hawks for Mutombo and Roshown McLeod on Feb. 22, 2001.

    Former Sixers guard Allen Iverson greets former team president Pat Croce during the 25th anniversary NBA finals team ceremony on Saturday.

    Embiid back to dominating

    Embiid has made things look easy in the first half, especially as of late.

    The 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star scored 23 of his points on 7-for-17 shooting. Two games prior, Embiid scored 18 of his 29 points in the first quarter.

    But none of this has been surprising, as the 7-foot-2 center is getting back to his old self after dealing with two left knee surgeries in the previous two seasons.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans guard Micah Peavy on Saturday.

    Embiid averaged 33.2 points while shooting 50.0% on three-pointers, along with 9.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists in his previous six games. And it was the seventh straight game that he’s scored at least 29 points.

    “Honestly, surprising,” Embiid said of his play. “Coming into this year, I thought it was going to be more of a tryout year to me. To me, this year has already been successful, because I feel like coming into the year, it was about figuring out, OK, what’s the schedule? How are we going to do this moving forward? And try to figure out how the knee is going to respond every single day.”

    He began the season by taking at least two days off after every game. Now, Embiid can play every other day, and he says everything is going well. That’s why this season is already a success.

    Allen Iverson welcomed with MVP chants, Pat Croce praises Eric Snow, and more from Sixers reunion night

    “But that doesn’t change my mentality as far as wanting to get better every single day,” he said. “Keep pushing and seeing. … Like I said, it was supposed to be a tryout for next year and moving forward, and how we are going to do this.

    “His name hasn’t been mentioned. But I think guys like Simon Rice [the vice president for athletic care for the Sixers], you know, he’s been probably the main guy when it comes to everything. I would say probably everybody gave up on me. He’s the one guy that just kept trying to figure it out … I’m really thankful because he was that one person.”

    Embiid scored on putbacks, jumpers, and layups while making it tough for everyone who had the misfortune of guarding him.

    At one point in the season, the Sixers appeared to be Maxey’s team. But Embiid is showing that he can still be the franchise player. Fans chanted “MVP … MVP … MVP!” as Embiid attempted foul shots in the closing seconds.

    ” He’s really good at basketball,” Maxey said. “That’s really good, though. And I’m not trying to be funny. He’s playing the right way, too. He’s getting people involved, rolling. I think the biggest thing right now is his trust level and his teammates.”

    Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr.,is expected to play a major role with the loss of Paul George due to his suspension.

    Oubre’s outing

    The biggest question surrounding the Sixers is who’s going step up in George’s absence.

    Oubre appears to be the frontrunner to do that. The 6-8 swingman scored his points on 7-for-13 shooting — including making 3 of 7 three-pointers — to go with 10 rebounds and four assists.

    This isn’t the first time that Oubre was a force in a game. He scored a season-high 29 points on Nov. 2 against the Brooklyn Nets. He’s also scored at least 18 points on 10 occasions. But he’s been known more for crashing the boards and guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter defender.

    He’s sure to get more offensive opportunities with George out. And he’s excited about that.

    “But at the end of the day, man, any given night we have a team that people can show up and put points on the board and be key contributors to winning,” Oubre said. “And I just want to be a key contributor to winning, whether you know my role be what it was or what it is, just try to take everything with grace and just take the proper steps to be prepared for anything.

    “But at the end of the day, man, I just want to prove that, you know, I’m a valuable piece to this league, and to this team, and you know, that I just continue to show up every day.”

    And if he continues to excel, the Sixers may be better suited to weather the storm.

    His teammates are confident that he can step in for George.

    “We’ve seen it,” Oubre said. “We’ve seen it last year. We’ve seen it the year before. We’ve seen it early this year. He did a really good job early in the season, just kind of playing that role, scoring, rebounding, and defending.

    “I think he had 10 rebounds tonight. That’s big time. We’re going to need it, especially filling in for that role. And I have trust in him, because Kelly’s a guy who is not scared of the moment.”

  • Paul George is suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy

    Paul George is suspended 25 games for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy

    The 76ers’ season, which was starting to take shape, suffered a significant blow Saturday.

    The NBA announced that Paul George will be suspended 25 games without pay for violating the terms of the NBA and National Basketball Players Association anti-drug program.

    “Over the past few years, I’ve discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication,” George said in a statement to ESPN. “I take full responsibility for my actions and apologize to the Sixers organization, my teammates, and the Philly fans for my decision-making during this process.

    “I am focused on using this time to make sure that my mind and body are in the best condition to help the team when I return.”

    Joel Embiid hopes the Sixers’ roster remains intact beyond the NBA trade deadline

    Under the suspension, George won’t be eligible to play until the March 25 game against the Chicago Bulls at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The 35-year-old will lose $11.7 million during the suspension.

    As a result, the Sixers will receive a $5.8 million tax variance credit.

    After the fifth game of his suspension, George will be moved from the active to the suspended list. The Sixers will be able to sign an additional player once he’s on that list.

    The Sixers head into Saturday’s home game against the New Orleans Pelicans with the Eastern Conference’s sixth-best record of 26-21.

    With George and Joel Embiid healthy, the Sixers were recognized as one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams. They were a squad capable of beating any team on any given night.

    The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals in 27 games this season.

    Sixers coach Nick Nurse said before Saturday’s game that he’s spoken to George. Nurse also didn’t say that George didn’t exhibit signs of dealing with mental-health issues this season.

    “I’m not gonna share anybody’s mental health issues with anybody, in general,” he said. “I think he’s been fine. Been really fun to coach, a really good teammate, his teammates really like him. I think showing some great leadership, and I think he’s played well, and I think he’s, again, slotted into a situation where he kinda sees OK, Tyrese [Maxey] is going here, and [Joel Embiid]’s coming back, and this is what I need to do, and I think he was doing things at a really high level.”

    Prior to this suspension, he was dealing with injuries during his tenure with the Sixers.

    George, in his 16th NBA season, missed the first 12 games of the season with left knee injury management. He has yet to be cleared to play in back-to-back games.

    Paul George was considered the NBA’s top free agent when he signed with the Sixers.

    The Sixers signed George to a four-year, $211.5 million contract in July 2024 to form the Big Three with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

    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 for the Los Angeles Clippers. He shot a career-best 41.3% on three-pointers.

    The Sixers must address their rebounding problems before it’s too late

    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.

    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 start of the regular season.

    “He’s still part of the team,” Nurse said. “He can’t play the games, but still allowed in the facility. and practices and all that stuff.

    “We’re gonna make sure those things continue to happen to get him back, and I just told him listen—as with all our players dealing with this type of stuff—we care about him. We’re here to help him, the organization is, in any way possible, and gotta get through it the best way we can, and then go from there.“

  • The Sixers must address their rebounding problems before it’s too late

    The Sixers must address their rebounding problems before it’s too late

    The 76ers have a rebounding issue.

    Their 24 rebounds in Thursday’s 113-111 victory over the Sacramento Kings were the third-fewest posted by an NBA team this season.

    The Sixers (26-21) can’t brush this off as just an isolated incident. Over the last 11 games, they’ve ranked last in the league in rebounding at 39.5 per game.

    So what is the biggest issue? Effort? Or being undersized?

    Sixers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid to the rescue, Giannis rumors, and more from win over Kings

    The Sixers went with a starting lineup centered on Joel Embiid and four perimeter players in four of their last five games, with Kelly Oubre Jr., Paul George, VJ Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey alongside the big man.

    Embiid is a towering center at 7-foot-2. Oubre and George are both 6-8 forwards who have played shooting guard in previous seasons. Edgecombe is a 6-5 shooting guard, while Maxey, an All-Star starter, is a 6-2 point guard.

    The Sixers only have two other rotation players — reserve center Andre Drummond (6-11) and reserve power forward Dominick Barlow (6-9) — taller than Oubre and George.

    Sixers forward Paul George (left) and Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe double team Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis during the third quarter on Thursday.

    “Well, I think that it’s a few things,” coach Nick Nurse said of the rebounding issue. “Sometimes it’s size and athleticism, whether it’s playing against bigger guys, more athletic, stronger, or whatever. Sometimes it’s just not paying attention to details and getting a body on people.

    “And sometimes, I think it’s defense in general. You give a few [rebounds] and the blood’s in the water. Those guys just seem to get cracked up after they get a couple. And they’re just like, ‘Man, this is an easy way to live tonight. I’m going to really focus on that.’”

    When that happens, the Sixers must put in more effort, and Nurse must devise a strategy to secure more rebounds.

    Joel Embiid hopes the Sixers’ roster remains intact beyond the NBA trade deadline

    Against a player like Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis, who is a rebounding machine, the Sixers assigned two players to try to slow him down.

    “Those guys were blocking him out in front of them,” Nurse said. “The balls were coming over the head, and got to be somebody else’s.”

    The Sixers might also benefit from giving Drummond more playing time.

    Despite averaging 8.7 rebounds in 19.6 minutes and leading the Sixers in the category, Drummond didn’t enter Thursday’s game until the start of the fourth quarter. At that point, the Kings (12-37) had a commanding 37-18 rebounding advantage.

    Drummond did not play in six of the previous nine games. The Sixers felt 6-8center Adem Bona, an undersized but athletic rim protector, was better suited to back up Embiid in those games.

    Sixers coach Nick Nurse looks to solve his team’s rebounding issue.

    But due to the growing rebounding disparity, Nurse said he might look at Drummond coming off the bench more moving forward.

    “I think that the smaller lineup that we are playing is obviously something to look at as well,” Nurse said. “I think Drummond with big, really big centers like that. [The Kings] played big all night, but they’re also pretty physical. All four of their bigs that they play are physical. And I think that probably called for a Joel, Bona lineup or Drummond, [Jabari] Walker. Just maybe different than what we did [Thursday] because it was difficult to rebound.”

    Honoring the 2000-01 team

    The Sixers will look to extend their home winning streak to three games on Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The game will also be recognized as the 25th anniversary reunion game, celebrating the 2000-01 Eastern Conference championship team.

    Members of the team, which lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals, will be on hand for several celebrations in their honor.

    Sixers star Allen Iverson led his team to the NBA Finals in the 2000-01 season.

    “It’ll be great,” George said of the festivities. “Obviously, it’s a tradition here. Being a part of the Sixers family, organization, that group means a lot to the city. It’ll be awesome to kind of share the space, the moment, and play in front of them. We want to represent them the same way that they represented the city.”

  • Joel Embiid hopes the Sixers’ roster remains intact beyond the NBA trade deadline

    Joel Embiid hopes the Sixers’ roster remains intact beyond the NBA trade deadline

    Joel Embiid hopes the 76ers take a different approach at the NBA trade deadline.

    In recent seasons, they made moves that enabled them to avoid the luxury tax. And there’s a belief around the NBA that they’ll do the same this season. There are also reports that Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the NBA’s foremost stars, is on the outs with the Milwaukee Bucks and might have interest in playing in Philly.

    The Sixers (26-21) are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.

    Five reasons the Sixers should be cautious at the NBA trade deadline

    Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million), Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3 million), and Andre Drummond ($5 million) have expiring contracts that could help avoid paying the threshold tax. The problem is, all three players are major contributors to the Eastern Conference’s sixth-place team.

    Oubre is the starting small forward and the team’s X-Factor.

    Grimes is the sixth man and one of the squad’s best three-point shooters. The shooting guard has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any deal.

    Marcus Hayes: Sixers boss Daryl Morey should trade Joel Embiid for Giannis Antetokounmpo — while he still can

    But league sources have said the Sixers are willing to trade Drummond, and that could create a void as the reserve center is the team’s leading rebounder.

    In addition to the Big Three of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey, this might be the deepest Sixers squad since the 2018-19 season, when they had Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick in the starting lineup.

    “We’ve been ducking the tax the last couple of years,” Embiid said. “So hopefully we keep the same team. I love all of the guys that are here. I think we got a shot.

    “I don’t know what [the front office is] going to do. But I hope that we get a chance to go out there and compete because we got a good group of guys in this locker room, and the vibes are great.”

    The Sixers are three games out of second place with 35 games remaining. They have winning records against the second-place New York Knicks and the third-place Boston Celtics. And they tied the season series with the fourth-place Toronto Raptors.

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

    Now that Embiid and Paul George are healthy, the Sixers could be one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams.

    Embiid, the 2023 league MVP, finished with 37 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in Thursday’s 113-111 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It marked the fifth time that he’s scored at least 30 points in his last six games. George finished with 15 points, five assists, and two steals vs. the Kings (12-37). The nine-time All-Star is finding his groove in his role as a facilitator and defender.

    Sixers forward Paul George (left) and Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe double team Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis during the third quarter on Thursday.

    Tyrese Maxey, an All-Star starter, had a game-high 40 points on Thursday. It was his fifth 40-point performance of the season. And the point guard is third in the league in scoring at 29.4 points per game.

    In addition to the Big Three of Embiid, George, and Maxey, this might be the deepest Sixers squad since the 2018-19 season, when they had Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick in the starting lineup.

    “Like I said in the past, we’ve been ducking the tax,” Embiid said. “So hopefully, we think about improving, because I believe we have a chance.”