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?
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.
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.”
And in the end, the Sixers did manage to win consecutive games at Xfinity Mobile Arena for the first time in over a month.
Those three things stood out in their 113-111 victory in front of 18,608.
Avoiding disaster
Maxey and Embiid reentered the game with the Sixers (26-21) down, 100-92, with 8 minutes, 13 seconds remaining.
Zach LaVine scored on a three-point play to put the Kings (12-37) up 11 points with 7:44 left.
That’s when Maxey and Embiid combined to score the Sixers’ final 21 points to avoid a loss to the Kings, a team that is now tied for the NBA’s worst record.
Maxey capped the scoring barrage with a layup to put the Sixers up two points with 1.3 seconds left. He was also fouled on the play, but intentionally missed the free throw. And the Sixers escaped with the two-point victory after LaVine misfired on a heave with 0.3 left.
Maxey finished with a game-high 40 points, with 11 coming in the fourth quarter. Embiid scored 10 of his 37 points in the final quarter. Each player had eight assists.
“Well, I think that’s kind of what you fear a little bit going into this game happened,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think we are pretty lucky, to be honest with you, that we got out of there with a W.
“I mean, you know, it’s like not very good on the glass, not very good in transition, not very good on defense. And they just started building confidence, right?”
Sixers center Joel Embiid reacts after guard Tyrese Maxey made the game-winning basket against the Kings.
The Sixers were outrebounded, 46-24, only had three transition points, and gave up 54.2% shooting to a struggling team playing without Malik Monk (right ankle soreness), Keegan Murray (sprained left ankle), and Russell Westbrook (right foot soreness).
The Sixers have a habit of playing down to struggling opponents, which has led to a few embarrassing losses. While they expected Thursday night to be different, it was much of the same against a Sacramento squad that had lost six straight entering the game.
Sixers forward Paul George (left) and Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe double team Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis.
“We did a good job,” Maxey said. “We played kind of resilient. We knew we had to go in there and make a run, quick, and we did that.”
Maxey was asked if he agreed with Nurse that the Sixers were lucky.
“I feel like sometimes you got to be lucky,” he said. “It happens. It’s 82 games in the season. We didn’t play great by no stretch of the imagination. But we are going to take the W. I’d rather win the game and learn the lessons after than lose it.”
But Embiid didn’t see it as a lucky victory. He thinks the Kings are better than their record.
“They got a lot of talent,” Embiid said. “You look at DeMar [DeRozan], Zach, [Domantas] Sabonis. I mean, those are great players. They have a bunch of others. So they haven’t been healthy all season. So I think they are better than whatever their record says.
“But I think this is luck. Obviously, this is the NBA. Every team has NBA players.”
Two hours before the game started, arena employees were discussing the possibility of Antetokounmpo coming to Philly.
Right before tip-off, a fan asked if it would be wise to include VJ Edgecombe in a package to acquire Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. The Stein Line reported that the Sixers never contacted the Bucks about a possible deal for the two-time All-Star. However, the report said the possibility of playing with Maxey has the Sixers on Antetokounmpo’s radar.
The problem is, aside from Maxey and Edgecombe, the Sixers don’t have the assets to acquire a player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber. And they’re not trading either of those guys.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe reaches for a loose ball as Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder looks on.
Plus, despite his love for Maxey, the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged as the preferred destinations for the superstar. Yet that didn’t stop the infatuation with acquiring the nine-time All-NBA selection from taking much of the shine off Thursday’s game.
Back-to-back home wins
With their second straight home win, the Sixers improved to 14-13 at home. The last time they won consecutive home games was against the Indiana Pacers and Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 12 and Dec. 20, respectively.
“No disrespect to them because they really do have good players and they played well tonight,” Nurse said of the Kings. “Again, I just didn’t like a lot of our defensive mentality and our rebounding mentality. I think it really let them hang around.
“So I wouldn’t say that was a great game for us. It’s a line drive in the box score, and it’s a W. So we’ll take it. But I think we got another similar team coming in on Saturday.”
The New Orleans Pelicans, who are 12-27 and tied with the Kings for the NBA’s worst record, are Saturday’s opponents.
“It feels like a long time,” Maxey said of getting consecutive home victories. “But that’s an achievement, man. We struggled at home, and we are trying to get better … We are just going to keep trying to get better.”
The 76ers have made at least one move at five consecutive NBA trade deadlines since Daryl Morey took over as president of basketball operations in 2020.
Many of those moves slashed salaries, enabling the Sixers to avoid paying the luxury tax. However, the new acquisitions didn’t make the team’s playoff chances any better.
The Sixers are expected to continue their trend of making moves ahead of this season’s 3 p.m. deadline on Feb. 5. Here are five reasons the Sixers should be cautious at the deadline:
The Sixers could avoid the luxury tax by trading Kelly Oubre Jr. ahead of the Feb.5 NBA trade deadline. However, he’s their best perimeter defender.
A bad look for the franchise
The Sixers are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.
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.
But trading a key contributor for the sake of avoiding being taxed would be a bad look for the franchise. It would give the impression that saving money for Sixers managing partner Josh Harris is more important than contending for a title. The team would come off looking cheap, especially considering that the Joel Embiid championship window is closing quickly.
Aside from Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe (77), the Sixers don’t have the assets to bring in the type of player who could drastically improve the team.
Not enough assets
The Sixers don’t have much to give up to upgrade talent via a trade. Aside from Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, the Sixers don’t have the assets to acquire the type of player who could drastically improve the team. And they’re not trading either of those guys. Nor should they forfeit their future by surrendering future draft picks to help facilitate a trade. The Sixers will need those picks to acquire young talent and continue building around Maxey and Edgecombe after Embiid and Paul George leave.
Joel Embiid (21) and Paul George (8) are once again healthy. As a result, the Sixers can beat anyone in the Eastern Conference when the team plays well.
A dangerous team
The Sixers are dangerous as currently constructed. When they play well, they can beat anyone in the East. They’ve won two of their three meetings against the conference’s second-place New York Knicks. The Sixers have done the same against the third-place Boston Celtics, and split the four-game series against the fourth-place Toronto Raptors. They’re 0-2 against the first-place Detroit Pistons. However, the Sixers were without Embiid and George in both games. And they still had opportunities to win before blowing fourth-quarter leads both times. So if they remain healthy, the Sixers are a team no one wants to face in the postseason.
Forward Trendon Watford is one of many role players who have learned to mesh well with the Sixers’ Big Three of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George.
Losing chemistry
If you bring in someone new, he’ll have to learn to play with Embiid. The current players spent half the season learning how to play with Embiid, Maxey, and George. And based on the Sixers’ early struggles with their Big Three intact, there’s clearly a learning curve to playing alongside Embiid, Maxey, and George.
Players like Oubre, Grimes, Drummond, Dominick Barlow, Jabari Walker, Adem Bona, Jared McCain, and Trendon Watford have established roles. Tinkering with that could negatively impact the team, especially if the Sixers are not acquiring a major upgrade in talent.
League sources say the Sixers are open to trading Andre Drummond.
Insurance for Embiid
With Drummond and Bona backing up Embiid, who is back to playing at a high level, the center position is set. However, league sources say the Sixers are open to trading Drummond, even though he and Bona have been equally valuable assets, playing behind and often in place of Embiid, who misses games because of knee injury management.
Bona plays against the teams that have fast and athletic centers, while Drummond usually plays against towering centers who flourish in the post.
The 6-foot-11 Drummond averages a team-leading 8.9 rebounds while playing just 20 minutes per game. Drummond is second in the NBA in rebounds per 36 minutes at 16.0, trailing the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson (16.9). And he has started 17 of the games Embiid has missed, averaging 8.6 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in those contests.
Sixers guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have landed on the latest cover of SLAM Magazine, marking the second time both players have been featured on the cover page, but the first time together.
Maxey was first featured on the cover of SLAM’s February/March 2024 issue. Meanwhile, Edgecombe made his cover debut as part of SLAM’s 2024 high school all-American team. Now, the young guards share the stage as members of the Sixers.
The Sixers “box office” backcourt has ignited a new hope within the Philadelphia fan base, with the team already surpassing its win total from all of last season. Edgecombe, the team’s third-overall pick, made a historic debut — finishing the night with 34 points, the most in a Sixers rookie’s first game in franchise history, and the most scored in any NBA debut since Wilt Chamberlain.
Maxey will also be at All-Star Weekend. The sixth-year pro was named a starter for the NBA All-Star game, making him the first Sixers guard to be named a starter since Allen Iverson in 2010. Maxey’s second All-Star nod comes after averaging 29.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists.
Maxey and Edgecombe, who have been having fun together on and off the court, are part of a long list of current and former Sixers who have graced the cover, including Allen Iverson, Joel Embiid, Jerry Stackhouse, James Harden, and Ben Simmons.
Joel Embiid and Paul George, once again, showed why their presence is vital to the 76ers’ success.
Jared McCain appears to have regained his shooting touch.
And in his third season as the Milwaukee Bucks coach, Doc Rivers still thinks back fondly on his time leading the Sixers.
These things stood out in Tuesday’s 139-122 victory over the Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The Embiid and George impact
If we learned anything over the past two days, it’s that the Sixers (25-21) are a better team when Embiid and George are in the lineup.
Without them Monday, the Sixers suffered an embarrassing 130-93 road loss to the Eastern Conference’s 11th-place Charlotte Hornets. It was a game where they trailed by as many as 50 points.
With Embiid and George back Tuesday, the Sixers led wire-to-wire in a blowout victory over the 12th-place Bucks (18-27). The duo combined to score 61 points.
George finished with a game-high 32 points while making nine three-pointers, tying Tyrese Maxey (Oct. 28, 2022), Danny Green (Jan. 9, 2021), and Dana Barros (Jan. 27, 1995) for the franchise record.
“I got a little thirsty late in the game, trying to get to 10,” George said. “Kyle [Lowry] was in my ear the whole fourth quarter to get a couple more. But you know, those things happen when everything aligns. I thought we played great offensively as a unit. And, you know, the ball just found me in those moments and knocked shots down.”
So did Embiid, who finished with 29 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. Embiid dominated from the start, scoring 18 of his points while playing the entire first quarter.
He did that in a variety of ways: jumpers, tip-ins, and even a reverse layup. But his highlight came on a second-quarter alley-oop dunk off a pass from Maxey.
“I don’t know if that was a wise decision, but it felt good,” said Embiid, who has been dealing with knee injuries. “That was the first one in probably four, five years …”
He said it wasn’t a wise decision because he doesn’t usually go for dunks and alley-oops.
“But it’s fun,” Embiid said. “Everybody gets happy, so that makes me happy.”
Tyrese Maxey (right) looks on after sending an alley-oop to Joel Embiid, who dunked in the second quarter of Tuesday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I was telling a very, very, very Hall of Fame player that I coached, ‘Joel is the most talented player that I ever coached,’ “ Rivers said before the game. “He was like, ‘What?’ I was like, ‘He is.’ The things that you guys see and then the things you actually don’t see in practice, sometimes, that he can do, it’s incredible. It really is.
“Unfortunately for me, I never had him healthy once in the playoffs. He wasn’t healthy last year. He wasn’t healthy the year before. That’s five years straight, I think. If he ever gets to the playoffs healthy, especially if they added some big pieces here, they are going to be a dangerous team. But it’s always going to come down to that.”
After intermission, Embiid was content with setting teammates up for quality shots. He passed out of double-teams. And when Embiid didn’t have the ball, he instructed teammates where passes should go.
George made 11 of 21 from the field, including 16 in the third quarter while making 4 of 6 threes.
“I think coach [Nick Nurse] called my number early, and just go off from there,” George said of taking over the third quarter.
Tyrese Maxey (left) and Joel Embiid share a laugh in Tuesday’s win over the Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
But what enabled him to have his best shooting performance of the season? Was this a matchup that he liked?
“I just know Doc,” said George, who played for Rivers during the 2019-20 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. “I know his coverages. I know his play calling. I know what he’s looking at, what he’s looking for, how he’s going to guard me.
“… These days just feel like some of my best days, as far as my body responds and, you know. But if anything, it’s how today felt.”
The duo’s presence also opened up the floor for Maxey, who was voted an All-Star starter. The point guard finished with 22 points one night after finishing with a season-low six points on 3-for-12 shooting.
The Sixers shot 52.5 %, including 22 of 42 three-pointers, after shooting just 38.9% while hitting 9 of 31 three-pointers against the Hornets (19-28).
Milwaukee played without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. And this was just the Sixers’ fourth victory in 10 games. But the way George and Embiid are now playing after getting healthy, George thinks the Sixers can contend for the Eastern Conference title.
“I think we’re right there with the New York Knicks, with the Clevelands,” he said. “I think we are right in the mix. When things are clicking, and we’re playing the right way, and we’re firing on all cylinders, we still have the one unguardable player [in Embiid], and that’s the trump card.
“So yeah, absolutely, we got a chance.”
Sixers guard Jared McCain finished with 17 points, shooting 5 of 6 from three in the win over the Bucks.
Sharpshooting McCain
Based on his last two performances, McCain’s slump is definitely over. And judging by the applause he received Tuesday night, Sixers fans appear to be back on board with the former Duke standout.
McCain, who shot just 31.3% from the field in a recent 10-game stretch, had 17 points while shooting 6-for-8 — including making 5 of 6 three-pointers — to go with three assists. This came after he made 4 of 8 threes while scoring 16 points against the Hornets on Monday.
Before that game, McCain racked up a did-not-play coach’s decision in four of the Sixers’ last five games. In the one game he played, he only played the last 47 seconds in a comfortable victory over the Indiana Pacers on Jan. 19.
With Quentin Grimes sidelined with a sprained right ankle, McCain was the first player off the bench against the Bucks, and he took full advantage.
The Sixers fired Rivers on May 16, 2023, two days after he received a lot of the blame for their 112-88 Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals at TD Garden. It marked the third consecutive season that Rivers’ squad has suffered a second-round postseason exit.
The Sixers lost in seven games to the Atlanta Hawks in 2021 before losing in six games to the Miami Heat the following season.
The 2022-23 team looked like it had a chance to compete for an NBA title. Yet the Sixers looked like a team that quit in the second half during their Game 7 loss to Boston.
Tyrese Maxey leaps toward Joel Embiid after Maxey sent an alley-oop to Embiid, who dunked the ball in the second quarter.
Those factors, along with an inability to get out of the second round, were the reasons the Sixers fired Brett Brown as coach in August 2020.
Under Rivers, the Sixers clinched the 2021 Eastern Conference regular-season title. Their 54-28 record in 2022-23 was their best mark since going 56-26 in 2000-01. And Embiid’s game improved each year under Rivers, leading to his becoming the 2023 MVP.
But the Sixers hired Rivers to get them at least beyond the second round. And that never happened.
“I love my time here,” he said before Tuesday’s game. “I say it all the time, I took a job where the year before they lost in the first round as the eighth seed. And the first year, we won the East in the regular season. We were one game away twice from getting in the Eastern finals, which was never my goal. My goal was to get to the finals. I get the history that the team hasn’t gone [since 2001], but your goal has to be higher than that.
“I was only here for three years. But the three years, I think my winning record was as good as any coach that has been here. So I loved it.”
Rivers compiled a 154-82 record over his three seasons in Philly. The 64-year-old talked about the “unbelievable relationships” he developed while coaching the Sixers. He said he probably gained 15 pounds while living in Philly because of the restaurants he frequented.
“I don’t know if you guys know there’s a lot of restaurants here,” Rivers said. “And then Philly Cricket [Club], I’m still a member. I come back in the summer, and I play it. If I had not ever coached here, I would not still be doing those things.
“So it’s nice when you get friendships and stuff like that.”
As John Buck watched the final seconds of the Dec. 4 matchup between the 76ers and Golden State Warriors, he was unsurprised by how VJ Edgecombe reacted to teammate Tyrese Maxey’s deep fadeaway jumper with 2.5 seconds remaining.
Edgecombe instantly sensed where the ball might be if the shot fell short, Buck said, then “slithered” into that space, elevated, and grabbed the partially blocked attempt to convert a game-winning putback.
“How many guards just stand there and watch the ball get shot and hope it goes in?” said Buck, who coached Edgecombe at Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville, N.Y. “VJ was moving into the spot where it may have missed.”
Yes, Edgecombe’s athleticism is electric. Yes, the rookie’s three-point shooting has been a pleasant surprise. But perhaps what Sixers coach Nick Nurse and teammates have raved most about Edgecombe so far is his beyond-his-years basketball IQ.
That natural feel helped put Edgecombe in position to be one of the NBA’s top rookies — on Monday night he was named to the Rising Stars roster for All-Star Weekend — along with an immediate starter for a Sixers team in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and a player already with a knack for clutch fourth-quarter moments on both ends of the floor. When asked recently about this aspect of his game, Edgecombe agreed it has “played a lot” into his early NBA success.
“If you watch the game,” Edgecombe told The Inquirer at his locker last week, “you understand the game, understand the flow of the game, the importance of possessions, I rely on my IQ a lot. That’s the most [important part] of the game, the mental part.
“I just try to make sure I’m locked in mentally, to make certain plays and be decisive.”
So what are the origins of such a trait? Matter-of-factly, Edgecombe says, “I watch so much basketball.”
As a child in Bimini, the Bahamas, he initially spent the bulk of his free time playing the sport on dirt courts and makeshift hoops outside. But once his mother bought him a tablet as a middle schooler, YouTube became an endless supply of player highlights and archived games. He could utilize his already “really good memory” while transitioning from watching for entertainment to studying. He even discovered some of Maxey’s film from his time playing for South Garland High School in the Dallas suburbs.
“He didn’t believe me,” Edgecombe said, explaining how he told Maxey after they became Sixers teammates. “And I had to literally tell him my basketball knowledge.”
When Edgecombe moved to the United States and eventually joined Long Island Lutheran’s nationally ranked program, he received access to online scouting reports with full games or clips from opponents. While Buck said he needed to “beg” some players to spend time reviewing that film while walking down the aisle during bus rides to games, Edgecombe’s commitment to that preparation was “elite.”
That gave Edgecombe the confidence to make suggestions about defensive coverages or individual assignments during timeouts, Buck said. And to better leverage his supreme physical gifts.
Buck witnessed it on blocks, when Edgecombe could pin the ball on the glass because he beat the shooter to the spot. Or in his timing on offensive rebounds. Or whenever he got into a shooting rhythm because he picked the correct moments to fire away, later prompting Buck to chuckle when NBA scouts called to ask about his three-point potential as a professional. The early returns vindicate that reaction, with Edgecombe entering Monday 12-of-22 on “clutch” NBA three-pointers, including an overtime game-winner at Memphis in late December.
“There are players who are extremely athletic,” Buck told The Inquirer by phone earlier this month, “but you don’t see it in the flow of a game, or you see it rarely. … With [Edgecombe], it would show up in so many ways.”
Guard VJ Edgecombe spent one season with Baylor before becoming the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
Another coach who valued Edgecombe’s IQ: Baylor’s Scott Drew.
During Edgecombe’s lone college season, Drew recognized his “boldness” to speak up during practices, “wisdom” to be accurate with his question or suggestion, and “heart” to keep it centered on the team. Most freshmen in his program, Drew added, only learn one position that first season. Edgecombe could play every spot but center, offering the Bears flexibility to use him as a lead ballhandler or as a power forward in four-guard lineups.
“It allows a coach to have an opportunity to steal a couple baskets by putting in new plays [and] doing things that are harder to guard,” Drew said last week. “And in one-, two-, three-possession games, if you have enough of those plays, you win a lot of those games.”
When Edgecombe first arrived in Philly, Nurse also asked himself, “How did he get like this?”
Nurse quickly recognized Edgecombe had already “absorbed a lot of basketball — and, probably, a little bit obsessively” because of his interest in the game’s history. That is not as common as an outsider might think for a player born in 2005, but was apparent to Nurse when Edgecombe marveled while walking into Chicago’s United Center for the first time.
Edgecombe’s inquisitive nature during practices also has continued at the NBA level. While still building out schemes throughout the first half of the season, Nurse said, Edgecombe could already identify future wrinkles. Edgecombe said he typically first goes to a teammate to clarify if such additions are possible, then to coaches to get their point of view.
“I just want to make sure my team is in the best possible [situation],” said Edgecombe, who entered Monday averaging 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals.
Added Nurse: “I answer them a lot with, ‘We’re getting to that.’ … Then you kind of quickly explain, ‘Yeah, we can do that, and here’s what happens. That’ll be coming when we need it — and when we see it and when we can polish and can put it in.’”
On the court, that IQ has translated to Edgecombe immediately taking on some ballhandling responsibilities — and committing only two combined turnovers when Maxey missed two games with an illness. Veteran forward Paul George has been most impressed with Edgecombe’s defensive savvy, recognizing when to make sharp rotations or well-timed playmaking risks. Edgecombe’s feel also shows up in how he spaces the floor on offense, clocks when a teammate has not gotten a shot recently, and balances when to be aggressive with the ball in his hands or facilitate.
“He could be a guy that just takes off,” Nurse added, “and jumps in the air and figures it out three or four seconds later. But he doesn’t do that. He makes pretty good basketball plays.”
Sixers coach Nick Nurse has been impressed by guard VJ Edgecombe’s ability to absorb information.
That is why Nurse has reiterated that he still wants more out of Edgecombe, even as the Sixers’ roster has returned to full strength. Following a Jan. 16 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Maxey told Edgecombe in the locker room that taking only five shots “is not going to cut it for us.” Nurse also has shown Edgecombe film examples of more opportunities to attack the rim or create space for a pull-up jumper.
“He’s just a little too unselfish for me,” Nurse said. “I know that sounds funny, but we need him to use those gifts a little bit more. … I’m like, ‘That was a great move. You only did it once last night. I need like eight of those.’”
Edgecombe acknowledged last week that he is “still learning” but does feel the game slowing down. And he flashed that knack during Saturday’s loss to the New York Knicks. In less than five seconds of the game’s final minute, he buried a three-pointer, forced a jump ball on a tie-up with Jalen Brunson, made two free throws after being fouled to cut the Sixers’ deficit to three points — and nearly drew an off-ball foul on Brunson before the ensuing inbounds pass, but that call was overturned on a coach’s challenge.
Buck is not exactly shocked that such high-IQ play is fueling Edgecombe’s rookie season. He saw it in that heads-up putback against Golden State. And in a game-winning three-pointer in Memphis.
And, behind the scenes, when Edgecombe paid an impromptu visit to a Long Island Lutheran practice just before his rookie season began.
“We’re running a set, and he kind of waves me over,” Buck recalled. “And he’s like, ‘Hey, Coach. I think the spacing for this guy right here should be a little bit different to maximize the play.’ That’s just not normal for a 19-, 20-year-old guy to be coming to practice, not just kind of chilling or being there to be there. But kind of saying, ‘Hey, let me look at this. I think there’s a way to improve that.’”
Now, Edgecombe is applying that as an NBA rookie, to a degree drawing raves from his coach and teammates.
“He’s not out there looking lost or forcing anything,” George said. “He kind of just lets the game come to him. And that right there makes the greats, greats. …
“The game just evolves around them, and that’s kind of what he has.”
The 76ers find themselves in dire predicaments when Joel Embiid and Paul George are both sidelined. On Monday, the squad’s performance was downright embarrassing without the two maximum-salary players.
Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe must play much better than they showed against the Charlotte Hornets.
And the Sixers must improve their three-point shooting.
Those things stood out in a 130-93 loss to the Hornets on Monday at the Spectrum Center.
Struggling without Embiid and George
Embiid and George missed this matchup because they are not yet cleared to play on back-to-back days as both deal with left knee injury management.
They are expected to return for Tuesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. But the Sixers (24-21) looked lost on both ends of the floor against Charlotte (19-28) without the standouts.
The Hornets did a great job of attacking the rim. On defense, Charlotte challenged everything the Sixers attempted. For their part, the Sixers appeared flat and in need of better communication on both ends of the floor without their stars.
The Sixers struggled through 33.3% shooting — missing 11 of 14 three-pointers — in the first half. During that time, the Hornets scored 38 points in the paint, a fact that was likely impacted by Embiid’s absence. As a result, the Hornets took a 69-44 advantage into intermission. The 25-point margin was the Sixers’ second-biggest halftime deficit of the season.
Nick Nurse’s team also struggled at the start when Embiid and George both missed the game against the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 11. The Sixers shot 37.8% while making just 2 of 14 three-pointers and trailing by double digits in the first half of that game. They mounted a second-half comeback before losing in overtime against Toronto.
But on Monday, the Hornets opened the third quarter with a 9-0 run and led by as many as 50 points late in the period.
The Sixers made just 38.9% of their shots in the game while surrendering 56.6% to Charlotte. Hornets wing Brandon Miller led all scorers with 30 points. Meanwhile, Moussa Diabaté put together a personal slam-dunk contest and finished with 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting.
Hornets forward Miles Bridges reacts during the first half. His team rode a 41-22 second-quarter performance to a big win over the Sixers.
The Sixers must find a way to play when undermanned. They can’t use the absences of Embiid and George as an excuse for losing to one of the league’s worst teams in epic fashion.
A couple of weeks ago, the Sixers lost to a Denver Nuggets squad playing without its entire starting lineup. Denver found a way to win, and the Sixers must do the same.
But against Charlotte, they lacked energy and cohesion.
More needed from guard tandem
Maxey and Edgecombe had one of their worst games of the season as a pairing.
Maxey, who was named an All-Star starter last week, finished with a season-low six points on 3-for-12 shooting, along with seven assists and three turnovers in 25 minutes, 18 seconds. Edgecombe, a standout rookie, had nine points while making 2 of 11 shots to go with six rebounds, one assist, and two turnovers in 25:44. They were tied at minus-36. With the game out of hand, Maxey and Edgecombe sat out the fourth quarter.
This was a shockingly bad performance by Maxey, who entered Monday as the NBA’s third-leading scorer at 29.9 points. Meanwhile, Edgecombe is a rookie of the year candidate. They must play better for the Sixers to be victorious, especially in games when Embiid and George are sidelined.
Three-point shooting blues
The Sixers struggled, once again, from three-point distance.
For the game, they made just 9 of 30 shots for 30% from deep.
This comes after the Sixers shot a combined 32.0% in their previous 10 games. They were ranked 16th for the season at 35.4% heading into the game. But they’ve been in a funk in most of their recent games from behind the arc.
What type of player would help them with the NBA trade deadline 10 days away?
At the guard spot, where the duo of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe is regarded as one of the NBA’s best young backcourts, they’re pretty good. And that doesn’t account for the depth that Quentin Grimes provides off the bench.
With Andre Drummond and Adem Bona backing up Joel Embiid, who’s playing at a high level, the center position is pretty good, too.
At forward, Dominick Barlow is playing well. And the Sixers get stellar play out of the duo of Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr.
I’m not sure what they need.
Some will argue that the Sixers (24-20) don’t have a true point guard. But they have a lot of guards who can handle the ball. And you can add Oubre and George, who were guards in the previous season, to that mix.
If the Sixers remain healthy, they’re a deep team.
But based on their recent history of trading to get under the luxury-tax threshold, there’s an expectation that they’ll make at least one trade ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline.
Guard Quentin Grimes Grimes has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any trade the Sixers attempt to make involving him.
The Sixers are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.
But this season is different from the recent ones heading into the trade deadline. Whether it’s fool’s gold or not, the Sixers see that they have a chance.
Embiid, the 2023 MVP, is returning to his All-NBA level, averaging 33.3 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.5 assists, while shooting 58.3% from three-point range in his last four games. George is regaining his rhythm while playing the role of a facilitator and defender who occasionally takes over scoring for stretches. Maxey is the league’s third-leading scorer (29.9 points per game) and an All-Star starter. And Edgecombe has been better than expected as a rookie.
So this season is definitely different. In 2023-24, the Sixers’ hopes were dashed heading into the trade deadline because Embiid suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee. And last season, they were 20-30 and on their way to full-blown tanking.
The Sixers probably think that when they’re at their best, they could beat anyone else in the East.
However, sources around the league say the team is willing to part ways with Drummond.
At first glance, it’s hard to imagine that the financial aspect will play a role at the trade deadline unless it’s someone like Eric Gordon. The reserve guard has played in only six games, with his last appearance coming Dec. 23 against the Brooklyn Nets.
The 37-year-old, in his 18th season, signed a one-year, $3.63 million contract on July 1 after declining his $3.47 million player option. Gordon’s deal created a $2.3 million cap and a $2.3 million dead cap value, which is considered a good, low-risk expiring salary for potential trades.
Maybe the Sixers could entice the Nets or the Utah Jazz, teams with a lot of cap space, with a second-round pick just to take on Gordon’s contract for the remainder of the season. However, he’s Edgecombe’s mentor, and there’s a sense the Sixers may keep him because of that.
Meanwhile, Oubre ($8.3 million), Grimes ($8.7M), and Drummond ($5M) also have expiring contracts.
The Sixers have gotten the most out of two-way players Jabari Walker (left) and Dominick Barlow.
Grimes has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any trade the Sixers attempt to make involving him. Yet some around the league are wondering if the Sixers are willing to part ways with Oubre, whose name keeps coming up as a possible trade chip. But by getting rid of Drummond, the Sixers would be in the market for another backup center.
Maybe, they’ll give former Sixer Charles Bassey a look after he signs his 10-day contract. However, it appears that his signing is more to help facilitate Barlow and Jabari Walker getting extended time on their two-way contracts. Bassey was scheduled to sign his deal Sunday night. He needed to do so ahead of Monday’s 3 p.m. game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center in order for Barlow and Walker to play.
But Drummond and Bona have been equally great assets, playing behind and often in place of Embiid. Bona plays against the teams that have fast and athletic centers, while Drummond usually plays against towering centers with a post presence.
The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder averages a team-leading 9 rebounds while playing just 20 minutes per game. Drummond is second in the NBA in rebounds per 36 minutes at 16.1, trailing the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson (16.9).
Kelly Oubre Jr. of the Sixers guarding the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson on Saturday.
He’s also averaging 7.1 points while playing in 35 games with 16 starts this season. With his contract, there’s a market for Drummond. Teams in need of a backup center would like to acquire him.
But coach Nick Nurse didn’t play him in Saturday’s loss to the Knicks despite his squad being outrebounded by 53-38 and having a 26-4 disadvantage in second-chance points. This came after Drummond had 14 points and 13 rebounds in his lone game against the Knicks this season.
Perhaps Nurse felt the Knicks, who favored a small-ball lineup, were a bad matchup for Drummond. But his not playing was a big omission and a conversation piece.
It’s hard to imagine Sixers co-managing partner Josh Harris, who knows the window is closing, would forfeit the opportunity to finally win an NBA championship to get rid of key pieces just to save money. I wouldn’t blame Harris if he could stay under the first apron and get below the luxury-tax threshold if it was manipulated by a fringe player or someone out of the rotation.
But if it were Oubre, Grimes, or Drummond, players vital to their success, it would be a bad look.
Nor should they trade Jared McCain, who recently dropped out of the rotation. Even though the second-year guard is struggling, he’s insurance for Grimes, whom the Sixers could lose this summer in free agency. And the Sixers should only trade Grimes if they were getting back an upgrade in talent. It doesn’t make any sense to part ways with him in return for a same-level player.
But the Sixers do have three players on two-way contracts in Barlow, Walker, and MarJon Beauchamp.
Beauchamp has yet to be active in an NBA game since signing his Sixers deal on Dec. 26. However, power forwards Barlow and Walker have been with the Sixers all season. And all three players’ time would have expired following Saturday’s 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks if the Sixers didn’t make a roster move.
Bassey must sign his contract before Monday’s game for Barlow and Walker to be available to play.
Both of them have played well this season, but Walker could be replaceable now that the Sixers have their full complement of players.
Paul George has assumed an important role for the Sixers after a lost season.
Barlow has come off the bench in the last two games as the team moved George to power forward and started Oubre at small forward. Walker did not play in either game as Trendon Watford received the other power-forward minutes in the rotation.
So it wouldn’t be surprising if we find out the Sixers aren’t committed to converting both players to standard deals, as they’re making decisions based on the salary cap and who’s helping the team. Things will work themselves out, as the squad has cap experts who handle such matters.
But this roster, as it stands, is the best one Nurse has coached during his tenure.
The Sixers have been in a lot of games that came down to the wire — some they won, others they lost. They could easily be seven games over .500 instead of four. And they’re just starting to consistently play games with their Big Three of Maxey, Embiid, and George.
So the Sixers’ biggest need is time, not an addition before the trade deadline.
If the Sixers are wise, the answer is at least through the end of the season.
The 30-year-old swingman’s contract expires at the end of June. However, his name has been repeatedly mentioned in recent trade reports. And that could continue ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline as teams look to upgrade rosters and slash salaries.
But at this point, the Sixers will be hard-pressed to find someone able to do what Oubre provides.
The squad is starting to show glimpses of why it has received Eastern Conference championship-contender hype. And Oubre’s ability to adjust to his ever-changing role is a reason for that.
Before that tilt, they defeated the Houston Rockets, 128-122, in overtime Thursday night at home. Oubre played a significant role in the victory, finishing with 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting along with four rebounds, three assists, and one block while starting alongside Paul George, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey.
It was the first time the Sixers employed that starting lineup.
Coach Nick Nurse said before Sunday’s game that they would stay with it for a while. And had another solid performance, finishing with 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting, along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
His remaining as a starter is understandable, given that it was a lineup they were expected to unveil at the beginning of the season. But George missed the first 12 games with left knee injury management. Then Oubre was sidelined 22 games from Nov. 17 to Jan. 5. While those two were injured, power forward Dominick Barlow proved to be a solid fifth starter.
But Oubre is a more experienced, more versatile player, and has been noted several times before as the team’s X factor. His ability to play shooting guard, small forward, and small-ball power forward gives the Sixers a variety of rotation options.
Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. has been noted several times before as the team’s X factor.
While he starts at small forward, Oubre moves to shooting guard in a lineup that features George, Barlow, Embiid, and Maxey when Edgecombe is out of the game. And in his first game back from a sprained left knee ligament on Jan. 7, he played power forward in a small-ball lineup with Maxey, Quentin Grimes, Jared McCain, and Adem Bona.
“He plays both ends, right?” Nurse said of his impact as a versatile player. “I think that’s the main thing. He’s been pretty effective on both ends, and the other probably main thing is he’s in about his 10th year. He’s got a lot of stuff under his belt. A lot of minutes. A lot of games, too. That helps, too. ”
All-Star cornerstones, Embiid, Maxey, and George, along with rookie-of-the-year candidate Edgecombe, have deservedly received a lot of credit for the team’s being viewed as a contender.
Embiid had scored at least 30 points in four consecutive games. While the 7-2 center is not where he once was defensively, he’s showing glimpses of being a 2023 MVP and seven-time All-Star. Embiid is averaging 33.3 points, 10 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 0.7 blocks while shooting 58.3% on three-pointers in those games.
Meanwhile, Maxey, who was named an All-Star starter on Monday, is averaging a league-third-best 29.9 points, a second-best 2.1 steals, and 12th-best 6.8 rebounds this season. He was also fourth (147) in made three-pointers.
George’s average of 15.4 points is below his career average of 20.5 points. But the nine-time All-Star has thrived at times as a facilitator and an elite defender. And it’s not uncommon for him to provide the bulk of the scoring during third-quarter stretches.
Edgecombe is averaging 15.6 points, a league 11th-best 1.5 steals, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. The 20-year-old shooting guard’s elite potential was on full display in the Sixers’ season-opening victory over the Boston Celtics.
That night, he scored 34 points to help lead the Sixers to victory. It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.
Concurrently, Oubre averaged 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and shot 38.3% on three-pointers while continuously adjusting his role depending on who was playing or who the Sixers were playing against. The one constant thing is his defending the opposing team’s best perimeter player.
Championship-caliber teams are built with players like Kelly Oubre Jr.
Nurse was asked before Saturday’s game where he thinks Oubre has improved the most as a defender.
“Listen, I think there are a couple of things, but probably at the top would be just his overall reading of situations,” Nurse said. “Just having a feel for anticipating what might happen next and getting involved in that and breaking that up. But he’s also been much better on the ball. He’s been much better in screen-and-roll. Stuff like that.”
The New Orleans native has starred in all of his roles in addition to doing countless other things that go unnoticed on a stat sheet.
As good as Embiid, George, Maxey, and Edgecombe are, championship-caliber teams are built with players like Oubre.
The only benefit of trading him at this time is perhaps shedding his salary. Oubre’s expiring $8.3 million contract would help them gain salary cap relief and avoid the luxury tax. The squad is currently more than $7 million over the luxury-tax threshold. That’s why his name has been mentioned in reports.
But, night now, they can’t afford to let him go if contending for a title this season is truly the goal.
The number of realistic available better options is slim. Even if they find a player as good, it will take the new person a while to adjust to the Sixers’ system. And Oubre’s ability to adapt is a primary reason why the team is starting to live up to expectations.
With Embiid’s extension kicking in next season and Grimes becoming an unrestricted free agent, it may make sense for Oubre and the Sixers to part ways after the season.
The way he’s been playing this season and elevated his stock during his Sixers’ three-year tenure, Oubre could become too costly to re-sign.
It may make sense for the sides to part ways after the season.
Joel Embiid is back to playing at an All-NBA level.
Yet, the 76ers are still dealing with third-quarter blues.
And they made a decision that will affect Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker, who were in jeopardy of playing their games as two-way players.endnu
These things stood out in Saturday’s 112-109 loss to the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Back to dominating
Embiid, a three-time All-Defensive performer, still doesn’t protect the rim the way the 7-foot-2 center did before undergoing two left-knee surgeries in a 14-month span. (First surgery was for a torn meniscus in February 2024. Then he had arthroscopic surgery on the knee in April.)
But you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone with a better offensive stretch than the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player.
Embiid finished with 38 points on 13-for-21 shooting – including making 3 of 5 three-pointers – along with 11 rebounds and five assists in his fourth consecutive game with at least 30 points.
On Saturday, 28 of his points came in the first half on 10-for-12 shooting. Embiid acknowledged it was the best groove he felt offensively this season.
“I felt pretty good, just attacking, doing whatever I wanted,” he said.
The seven-time All-Star has averaged 31.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 0.7 blocks while shooting 57.1 % on three-pointers in his previous three games.
Embiid was asked if there was a carryover from his logging 45 minutes, 36 seconds while finishing with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in Thursday’s 128-122 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets.
“I feel great,” Embiid said. “Nah, I was tired. Early game, too. Yeah, I was tired. But … just got to keep pushing.”
More third-quarter blues
After Embiid dominated the first half, the Sixers took a 64-60 lead into intermission.
But the Knicks went on a 24-5 run early in the third quarter to build an 86-72 cushion. That was partly due to the Sixers missing 10 of their first 12 shots of the quarter.
He would shoot 4-for-17 (23.5%) and commit five costly turnovers in the quarter, as the Knicks took a 90-77 lead into the fourth. Embiid was held scoreless in the quarter while shooting 0-for-3.
The Knicks would extend their lead to 17 points early in the fourth quarter.
Tyrese Maxey (right) challenges for a loose ball against Knicks guard Mikal Bridges in Saturday’s loss.
Mounting a comeback, the Sixers pulled within two points on VJ Edgecombe’s three-pointer with 1 minute, 34 seconds remaining.
The Knicks stepped up their intensity after intermission. They also benefited from their dominance of the boards. For the game, New York outrebounded the Sixers, 53 to 38, and had a 26 to 4 advantage in second-chance points. Knicks 6-5 forward and former Villanova standout Josh Hart finished with a game-high 13 rebounds to go with 10 points.
Reserve center Andre Drummond didn’t play despite being one of the league’s best rebounders. He’s averaging a team-leading 9.0 rebounds while playing just 20 minutes per game. The 6-11, 280-pounder finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds in his lone game against the Knicks this season.
Did Nick Nurse ever consider inserting Drummond because of the rebounding disparity?
“Not really tonight,” he said. “I mean, I think both him and Jabari are probably two quality rebounders for us. The only thing we did think about was trying the big lineup [with Embiid and reserve center Adem Bona]. They weren’t very big much tonight. Nor were they five, four much tonight either. But we did think about that.”
With the Sixers down three points, Tyrese Maxey (22 points, six assists) appeared to be fouled before misfiring on a 27-foot, three-point attempt with 5.8 seconds left.
“I should’ve just took the one dribble and shot it right,” Maxey said of forcing the shot.
And Embiid appeared to be fouled before turning the ball over in the final second as the Sixers dropped to 24-20 on the season.
Sixers center Adem Bona blocks New York Knicks guard Miles McBride’s second-quarter dunk attempt on Saturday.
Out of time?
The Sixers have agreed to sign Charles Bassey to a 10-day contract.
Before that, Saturday was believed to be the last game in which Walker and Barlow could be active without the team needing to make a roster move. That’s because the team ran out of available games for playing on two-way contracts, since it has fewer than 15 players on standard NBA contracts.
But they’ll temporarily have 15 players on the roster, with Bassey’s addition.
On Saturday, Barlow was the sixth man for the second consecutive game after starting at power forward. Meanwhile, Walker received a did not play coach’s decision for the second straight game. He was the backup power forward before Barlow was demoted.
But the Sixers had to decide if they wanted to sign Barlow or Walker to a standard deal to avoid this restriction. Another option would have been to sign a player to a 10-day contract. And the Sixers could have sat both of them. But Barlow still has a vital role with the team, while Walker can still contribute when needed.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby passes the basketball from the floor past Sixers forward Dominick Barlow (right) and guard VJ Edgecombe during the second quarter on Saturday.
“I’d like to find a way to get him his five, six, eight-minute stints that he’s been providing as well,” coach Nick Nurse said of Barlow before the game. “So, there’s always room to be looking at stuff, and hopefully — I think I said this a few weeks ago — we gotta figure out kinda how things shape out. Role-wise, within the starters, within the bench guys. We’re still trying to develop some of that stuff because it’s been very few games.”
With an impending storm coming to the region, the Sixers were set to travel to Charlotte following the game instead of Sunday. They’ll practice at the Spectrum Center on Sunday before facing the Hornets there on Monday. Bassey will sign his 10-day contract before Monday’s game.
Sixers two-way contract players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker played in their last game on Saturday if the squad doesn’t make a roster move. Barlow was asked if they received indication that the team will make a move to keep them with the Sixers: pic.twitter.com/xJ6dJ429n8
“I mean, I don’t really ask those types of questions,” he said. “I would like to think so, but that’s for my agent and Daryl. They can all handle that kind of stuff. My goal is to be a great basketball player today, and then be a great basketball player tomorrow. And if anything happens in the future, see what happens. I try not to ask too many questions about that kind of stuff.
“I’ve been in this situation before. It doesn’t really do anything for you, besides just make you think. I’ve kind of just been enjoying the day.
Barlow’s previous two-way deals with the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks were converted to standard deals.
