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Tag: VJ Edgecombe

  • Sixers takeaways: Surviving a blown call, grabbing a much-needed home win over Rockets and more

    Sixers takeaways: Surviving a blown call, grabbing a much-needed home win over Rockets and more

    The 76ers were fortunate that a blown goaltending call didn’t doom them.

    In response, the Sixers (24-19) showed they can win a meaningful game at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    And they did that despite, once again, surrendering a high-scoring performance to an opposing player.

    All those things stood out in Thursday’s 128-122 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets.

    Missed call

    Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 36 points, 10 assists, and four steals. Joel Embiid added 32 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists, and two blocks for his ninth career triple-double. And Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 26 points on 10-for-14 shooting — including 4 of 5 from three-point range — to go with four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and a block in a hard-fought victory.

    But with the score tied at 115 with three seconds remaining in regulation, Maxey’s layup attempt bounced off the backboard and in the direction of the rim. That’s when Houston Rockets small forward swatted the ball away for an obvious goaltending.

    Luckily for the Sixers, the game went to overtime, and they pulled out a six-point victory.

    ‘Drumming saved my life’

    But …

    “That was bad,” Paul George said. “It was a double goaltend. Yeah, that was bad. Luckily, basketball gods were on our side to win the game tonight. But yeah, that was a bad no-call.”

    Nick Nurse said he doesn’t always have the greatest view. But on this night, the no-call occurred in front of the Sixers’ bench.

    “And I think Tyrese almost, on purpose, tried to get it to the backboard extra quick,” Nurse said. “Like he almost threw it into the backboard real quick. I mean, listen, they are supposed to call those if there’s any chance at all there’s a goaltend, because they can review it. They can’t review it if they don’t call it. So they can get it right.

    “I’ve actually been in games with those guys that they’ve called them more than two or three times. You get it when they call it. But they didn’t. I guess they just thought it was too far under, or they didn’t see it. So they didn’t call it.”

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey attempts a lay up late that was goaltended and became a controversial no-call.

    Maxey responded “nope” when asked if the official gave him an explanation on the no-call.

    So what was his reaction?

    “Just get to overtime and try to win it there. That’s it,” he said. “I just was surprised. I kind of like laid it on the backboard. But it happens, man. We’re all humans.”

    Maxey scored six of his points and tallied two of his steals in the extra session, leading the Sixers to victory.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. said it was hard to let that blown call go in order to focus on overtime.

    “But that’s why you have a 15-man roster,” he said. “Everybody kind of collectively [kept the team focused]. But it started with Kyle [Lowry]. You know in his prime, he was the biggest complainer of them all, right? But when you have a guy who accomplished so much and is who’s so just witty and smart, and he knows the game. He just rallied us all and told us just to forget about it. We got five more minutes to go in the basketball game.”

    Much-needed home victory

    The Sixers’ home arena has been far from a safe haven. Heading into Thursday, they had lost five of their last seven home games and were 11-12 at this building. The fifth-place squad and 10th-place Atlanta Hawks (7-13) are the Eastern Conference’s only top 10 teams without winning home records.

    Jabari Walker was asked following Thursday’s shootaround if there was a sense within the Sixers’ locker room that they need to start winning some of their home games.

    Yes, Philly is most definitely a basketball city. Dating all the way back to 1898.

    “That’s always been like that,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any extra pressure, recently. That’s always been the standard. … We are just going to continue to rely on the attitude that we’ve had. And I think we will bounce back.”

    And they did just that with a victory over one of the league’s best teams.

    “That was huge,” Nurse said. “We needed a good home win. We needed … to beat somebody really good. We needed a good, tough close-game win. Hopefully, we can get some momentum off of it.

    “We certainly need to play better at home.”

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey scored 36 poins to lead his team in scoring.

    The Sixers will conclude their current six-game homestand at 3 p.m. Saturday against the New York Knicks. After facing the Charlotte Hornets on Monday in North Carolina, they’ll return to Philly for another three-game homestand.

    They’ll host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday in the second game of a back-to-back before entertaining the Sacramento Kings (Jan. 29) and New Orleans Pelicans (Jan. 31).

    The Sixers must find a way to keep racking up wins at home, where they are supposed to have an advantage. They blew golden opportunities to take advantage of home-court advantage in recent losses to the Cavs on Jan. 14 and 16, and to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

    Unfortunately for them, those losses weren’t surprising after losing home games to the tanking Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 23 and the depleted Denver Nuggets on Jan. 5. The Nuggets were without their entire starting lineup and eight players total.

    Right now, the Sixers are better on the road, where they’re 12-7. While the road record is impressive, they need to play much better at home. And as Nurse said, beating the Rockets was a good starting point.

    Another player torches Sixers

    We shouldn’t be surprised that Durant torched the Sixers for 36 points.

    The 6-foot-11, 240-pound forward is the 2014 MVP, a four-time scoring champion, an 11-time All-NBA selection, and a 15-time All-Star. He came into Tuesday’s game with a career scoring average of 27.2 points. And scored at least 30 points in 14 games played.

    To add to that, the Sixers have had a knack for allowing high-scoring performances from opposing players. So Durant’s performance was just part of a trend.

    Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant scored 32 points against the Sixers, becoming the latest star to score big against them.

    Boston Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown (32 points), Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (31), Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Donovan Mitchell (46 and 35), Milwaukee Bucks point guard Ryan Rollins (32), Miami Heat shooting guard Norman Powell (32), Orlando Magic point guard Anthony Black (31), Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (41), Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (40), New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson (31), Orlando shooting guard Desmond Bane (31) and Cleveland point guard Jaylen Tyson (39) were the others who scored at least 30 against the Sixers.

  • Sixers consider starting Quentin Grimes; VJ Edgecombe embracing rigors of NBA season

    Sixers consider starting Quentin Grimes; VJ Edgecombe embracing rigors of NBA season

    After a great start to the season, Quentin Grimes found himself in contention for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award.

    But he has been inconsistent as of late, and the 76ers are trying to get the guard back on track.

    ‘Drumming saved my life’

    “I think we really thought that he was a much better player off the bench,” coach Nick Nurse said. “That he liked to see the game a little bit and come in and play. And I think we’re having some discussions lately, that maybe that’s not the case, and maybe we’ll start sticking him back into the starting lineup a little bit to see if that helps.”

    The 6-foot-4, 210-pound shooting guard may have broken out of a recent slump in Tuesday’s 116-110 setback to the Phoenix Suns at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    In nine games entering Tuesday, Sixers guard Quentin Grimes averaged 10.4 points on 42.9% shooting – including making just 31.0% on three-pointers.

    Grimes scored 12 points on 3-for-7 shooting, adding five assists and three steals. However, with the Sixers down six points with 17.1 seconds remaining, he blew a layup, ending the comeback attempt. He also surrendered three turnovers.

    Entering Tuesday’s games, Grimes averaged 10.4 points on 42.9% shooting — including making just 31.0% on three-pointers in his last nine contests.

    “I really need him to attack the rim more,” Nurse said. “He’s good at it in the open floor and just a little bit more decisive when he’s coming up the floor to make a play in the paint, and then also to pull the three balls. Make sure he has the confidence to continue to take those. I think the light is green and getting greener, not the other way around, and just play with great confidence.”

    Edgecombe embracing rigors of NBA season

    With 38 NBA games under his belt, VJ Edgecombe already has played in five more games than he did during his lone season at Baylor. Yet the Sixers (23-19) still have 40 games remaining, meaning the rookie could play in 78 contests — more than double his total in college.

    How is the 6-5 shooting guard handling the NBA grind?

    Yes, Philly is most definitely a basketball city. Dating all the way back to 1898.

    “I’ll be honest, I’m embracing it,” he said. “I’m one of the few rookies who can say I’m playing 30 minutes. You know, that’s the blessing. Just once I’m on the floor, I’ve just got to be productive. I’ve got to not try to win every possession.”

    Heading into Thursday’s games, Edgecombe is sixth in the league in minutes at 35.8 per game, trailing teammate Tyrese Maxey (39.5), Houston Rockets stars Amen Thompson (37.2) and Kevin Durant (36.6), Los Angeles Laker guard Luka Doncic (36.3), and Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (36.0).

    Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe is 11th in the league in steals (1.5) while averaging 15.8 points and 4.2 assists.

    He is 11th in the league in steals (1.5) while also averaging 15.8 points and 4.2 assists.

    Edgecombe posted a team-high 25 points while logging 36 minutes, 45 seconds in Tuesday’s loss to the Suns. The 20-year-old scored 11 points in 35:18 in Monday’s victory over the Indiana Pacers.

    “I’m good with the back-to-backs now,” Edgecombe said with a laugh. “My first back-to-back, I wasn’t. I’m being completely honest, I wasn’t. But now I’m fine with it now. It’s still a lot. It’s still NBA games in two days.

    “It’s a toll on your body, but I’m young, and I’m grateful that I’ve got a healthy body where I can go up and down the floor. So yeah, I’m just taking it game by game, regardless if it’s back-to-back or not, just try to be the same person.”

    Sixers forward Dominick Barlow and Indiana’s Pascal Siakam battle for the ball on Monday. The Sixers have only two games left in which Jabari Walker and Barlow can both be active without the team making a roster move.

    Dwindling days

    The Sixers have only two games left in which Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow can both be active without the team making a roster move. That’s because the squad has only four total games available to players on two-way contracts, since it has fewer than 15 players on standard NBA contracts.

    Sixers takeaways: Poor three-point defense, Tyrese Maxey’s inefficiency, and more from loss to Suns

    The Sixers could sign Barlow, the starting power forward, or Walker, his backup, to a standard deal to avoid this restriction. They could also opt to sign a player to a 10-day contract. That would temporarily halt the under-15 penalty. And the Sixers could sit the two-way players, but they both have vital roles with the team.

    If nothing is done, the Sixers’ two-way players will be unable to play in NBA games following Saturday’s home game against the New York Knicks.

    Injury report

    Joel Embiid (right ankle injury recovery) is listed as probable to play Thursday against the Rockets (26-15) at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Meanwhile, Paul George (left knee injury management) is questionable.

    Houston will be without Steven Adams (sprained left ankle) and Fred VanVleet (right knee ACL repair), while Aaron Holiday (back spasms) is questionable.

  • 76ers fall to Suns, 116-110, despite 25 points from VJ Edgecombe

    76ers fall to Suns, 116-110, despite 25 points from VJ Edgecombe

    PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Devin Booker scored 27 points and Jalen Green added 12 points in his return to the lineup as the Phoenix Suns beat the 76ers 116-110 on Tuesday night in a matchup of teams playing the second game of a back-to-back.

    Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin scored 16 points apiece, and former Villanova star Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro each added 12 as the Suns won their third straight game and for the 12th time in 16 games.

    Paul George out Tuesday vs. Suns with left knee injury management

    Rookie VJ Edgecombe led the 76ers with 25 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. finished with 21 points, and Tyrese Maxey added 20. Andre Drummond finished with eight points and 15 rebounds for the Sixers, who lost for the fourth time in six games.

    Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid (right ankle injury management) and Paul George (left knee injury management).

    Green played in just his third game of the season, and his first since Nov. 8, because of a right hamstring injury. He is in his first season with the Suns, arriving in the offseason as part of the trade in which Kevin Durant was sent to the Houston Rockets.

    Green came off the bench to score seven points in nine minutes in the first half, and went on to shoot 4 for 11 from the field, including 2 for 4 from distance, in 20 minutes, with three assists and two rebounds.

    The Suns, coming off a win over Brooklyn on Monday, got 13 points from Booker, 10 from Ighodaro, and were perfect on 13 shots from the free-throw line on the way to a 57-53 lead at the break.

    The Sixers, who beat Indiana on Monday, opened the second half with a 13-2 run for a 66-59 lead. The Suns tied it at 68 and built a 97-84 lead by the end of the third period. Phoenix extended its lead to 103-86 with 9 minutes, 37 seconds left in the fourth after Sixers coach Nick Nurse received a technical foul for contesting a call. Philadelphia chipped away down the stretch, but never really threatened.

    Up next

    The Sixers host Houston on Thursday (7 p.m., NBCSP) in the fifth game of a six-game homestand.

  • Tyrese Maxey addresses viral argument with VJ Edgecombe: ‘That’s my little brother’

    Tyrese Maxey addresses viral argument with VJ Edgecombe: ‘That’s my little brother’

    There will be times when passionate teammates have heated exchanges.

    One of those occasions happened Friday night between the 76ers’ backcourt mates, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, during a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

    The two were spotted arguing near the bench during a break in action after Edgecombe left Cavs standout Donovan Mitchell wide-open for a three-pointer. Maxey yelled something to Edgecombe after the made basket, and the discussion continued on the sideline during a timeout. The two-time All-Star point guard even rose from the bench to further explain his point to Edgecombe, leading to a spirited discussion in front of teammates, coaches, fans, and cameras.

    https://www.inquirer.com/sports/sixers-indiana-pacers-takeaways-tyrese-maxey-joel-embiid-pascal-siakam-20260119.html

    A video of the exchange, which circulated on social media, has gone viral.

    “I was not aware until my dad called me and was like, ‘Hey, you and VJ good?’” Maxey said. “I was like, ‘Uh, yeah. Why?’ A couple of people sent [the video] to me, and I kind of just laughed at it. We want to win so, so bad. And we talked about the scenario of, like, not leaving Donovan Mitchell. … I didn’t want him to leave Donovan Mitchell.”

    With Mitchell running down the court, Maxey wanted Edgecombe to switch off Craig Porter Jr., the ball handler. Instead, both players followed Porter, who passed to a wide-open Mitchell.

    After catching the pass, the six-time All-Star stepped into a 27-foot three-pointer to knot the score at 16 with 6 minutes, 52 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Sixers held Mitchell to 13 points on 4-for-13 shooting that night after he tormented them for 35 points two nights before.

    Aside from the miscommunication, the Sixers guards did a solid job defending him. However, they struggled offensively. Maxey had 22 points on 9-for-23 shooting. Edgecombe scored 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting. He didn’t attempt a shot in the third quarter and scored three points on 1-for-2 shooting in the fourth.

    But a lot of attention went to their exchange in the video.

    Second-half goals for the Sixers: Tyrese Maxey’s MVP push, Jared McCain’s minutes and more Joel Embiid dunks

    “I just told him, like, man, in certain scenarios, certain principles go out the window,” Maxey said of wanting Edgecombe to switch on to Mitchell. “Like, this dude is really good, and he had 35 on us last night. I say all that to say, we just want to win. Like, we laughed about it after the game. I was the first person to tell him, like, ‘Dude, you shooting five times in a basketball game is not going to cut it for us. Like, we need you. You’ve got to be up to 10, 12. Like, you’ve got to be aggressive.’

    “So, man, that’s fine. That’s my dog. That’s my little brother.”

    McConnell’s milestone

    On Friday, T.J. McConnell joined another former Sixer, Lou Williams, as the only players in NBA history to record 3,000 assists off the bench.

    McConnell, who’s in his seventh season with the Indiana Pacers, reached the milestone with two assists in the first quarter of the Pacers’ 129-117 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

    Williams, who played a combined 17 seasons with the Sixers, Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Los Angeles Clippers, recorded 3,262 assists as a reserve and added 527 as a starter.

    Former Sixers guard T.J. McConnell (9), now with the Indiana Pacers, posted a stat that is unique to only two players who spent time in Philly.

    After adding three assists in Monday’s 114-103 loss to the Sixers, McConnell has 3,010 assists off the bench. The 11th-year veteran is just one of five players to reach career marks of 3,000-plus points, 2,000-plus assists, 1,500-plus rebounds, and 500-plus steals as a reserve.

    “I feel like my playing here established the player I was going to be throughout my career,” McConnell said of spending his first four NBA seasons with the Sixers. “It established a mindset on how I’m going to play, how I’m going to go about it, and how I’m going to be a pro.

    “Obviously, I’m very thankful for my time here, because I wouldn’t have been put in a position to play as many years as I did. For them to take a chance on me and establish the type of player I want to be, I’m thankful.”

    The NBA journey of former Villanova star Collin Gillespie seems unlikely to everyone — except him

    Undrafted out of Arizona, McConnell began his NBA journey as the Sixers’ fifth-string point guard during training camp in 2015. At the time, the 6-foot-1, 190-pounder didn’t even have a locker.

    The former Sixers fan favorite averaged 6.4 points and 4.7 assists in 314 games with 72 starts before signing a free-agent deal with the Pacers on July 29, 2019.

  • Does Tyrese Maxey ‘hate’ VJ Edgecombe? The Sixers stars have a little fun with a heated moment.

    Does Tyrese Maxey ‘hate’ VJ Edgecombe? The Sixers stars have a little fun with a heated moment.

    After the 76ers beat Indiana on Monday night, VJ Edgecombe wanted to get something on the record in his postgame interview with Tyrese Maxey.

    “For the record, man, we do not hate each other,” Edgecombe said.

    “I hate you. Don’t talk to me ever again, and go in the locker room,” Maxey joked in response.

    Online speculation about whether Maxey and Edgecombe liked each other started after a defensive miscommunication in the first quarter of Friday’s loss to Cleveland led to an open Donovan Mitchell three. Maxey and Edgecombe were caught on the bench having what appeared to be a heated conversation after the play.

    But on Monday, after Maxey was named an All-Star starter, Edgecombe was the first person to reach out to him — telling reporters he set a 2 p.m. alarm just to make sure he found out right away whether Maxey had been named a starter so he could congratulate him.

    Edgecombe woke up Maxey from his pregame nap trying to call him.

    “I’m like, why is he calling me?” Maxey said pregame. “And I answer, and he’s screaming and showing me the TV. And I’m like, ‘OK.’ We chopped it up a little bit.”

    And postgame, the two Sixers guards were having fun after the 113-104 win over the Pacers.

  • Sixers takeaways: More urgency needed, Tyrese Maxey’s rising ceiling, and more from win over the Pacers

    Sixers takeaways: More urgency needed, Tyrese Maxey’s rising ceiling, and more from win over the Pacers

    The 76ers must play with a sense of urgency against bad and/or undermanned teams.

    Tyrese Maxey is a newly minted Eastern Conference NBA All-Star starter. But the Sixers point guard, and coach Nick Nurse, believe he has more to give.

    And the Sixers need more production from their bench.

    These things stood out in Monday’s 113-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    Lack of energy

    Maxey and Joel Embiid’s play, especially late in the game, enabled the Sixers (23-18) to avoid an embarrassing loss to the Pacers (10-34).

    Maxey scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder also had four assists and four steals while playing 10 minutes, 35 seconds in the quarter.

    In the quarter, Maxey was able to get to the paint more frequently and finish at the rim.

    “We kind of opened the court up a little bit,” he said. “Me and Joel didn’t play a lot of two-man game. So it’s kind of like just getting him the ball, coming off screens, and doing that.”

    But before Embiid reentered the game with 5:01 remaining, Maxey was paired with Quentin Grimes, Jabari Walker, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Adem Bona.

    “And with that unit, I know I have to be ultra-aggressive for myself, for my teammates as well, getting to the paint, kicking it out, generating threes. That’s what I tried to do. Got a couple of corner threes with that group, and that’s good offense for us.”

    Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey named starter in NBA All-Star Game

    For the game, Maxey made 12 of 24 shots to go with eight assists, four rebounds, a career-high eight steals, and one block.

    “I was just trying to be aggressive, you know, make plays for my teammates,” Maxey said of his steals. “I think it gets us going when we get out in the open court [after stealing the ball] and get some easy baskets.”

    Meanwhile, Embiid scored nine of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. The center also finished with nine rebounds and four assists.

    But it was like the Sixers fell into a deep slumber against the Pacers before they took over.

    Sixers center Joel Embiid poured in 30 points in a combeack win Monday over Indiana.

    At the start of the game, they looked like a well-oiled machine.

    Embiid had 10 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Oubre, who started in place of Paul George, had six points on 3-for-3 shooting. And Dominick Barlow had the other two points on 1-for-2 shooting, as the Sixers had an 18-15 lead with 6:19 remaining in the first quarter. They had made 9 of 12 shots at the time.

    They couldn’t shake the Pacers and clung to a 33-30 lead heading into the second quarter. And things only got worse for the Sixers in the second. They shot 26.3% and trailed by as many as 10 points against the NBA’s second-worst team. Much of the defending Eastern Conference champions’ struggles are down to injuries.

    On Monday, they were without Tyrese Haliburton (right Achilles tendon tear), Bennedict Mathurin (sprained right thumb), and Obi Toppin (right foot stress fracture).

    The Sixers struggled through 3-for-13 three-point shooting over the first three quarters. They ended up making 5 of 17.

    But struggling against an undermanned squad isn’t uncommon.

    On Jan. 5, they put forth an inexcusable effort against a Denver Nuggets team playing without its entire starting lineup and three key reserves.

    This time, the Sixers woke up from their slumber and escaped with a nine-point victory. But they need to do a better job of putting teams away that have no business competing with them.

    The Sixers are still struggling with inconsistency at the NBA’s halfway mark. How will they address it?

    Maxey just scratching the surface

    Maxey impacted the game in many ways on Monday. But the belief is that the sixth-year veteran is just scratching the surface.

    “I think I’m most definitely nowhere close to where I could be, as far as basketball-wise,” Maxey said. “I feel like I can keep getting better. And my thing is I just want to be better. You know what I’m saying, for my teammates, for this organization, my family. And I know I have a coach, an organization, and teammates who believe in me. And when you have that, it kind of pushes you to be even better than what you are.”

    Right now, he must do a better job of adjusting when teams trap him. But Maxey is most proud of his leadership and the strides he’s made on defense. He was a good defender growing up. But he’s found that the transition to the NBA has been more challenging.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey had a career-high eight steals in Monday’s win.

    “I feel like I figured it out a little bit on how to be impactful,” he said, “and impact the game on the [defensive] end of the floor.”

    But even though he needs to regain his rhythm, Maxey is in the midst of a career season.

    He is third in the league in scoring (30.2 points per game), second in steals (2.1), and 15th in assists (6.7). He is also fourth in made three-pointers (140), and has scored at least 30 points in 19 of 39 games.

    “We’re trying to give him every opportunity to be aggressive and go do his thing,” Nurse said. “And he’s very talented. And I keep saying there’s still a lot of room for growth, which I think is exciting.”

    Sixers utilize six-game homestand to connect with the community during MLK Day weekend

    More needed from Sixers bench

    The Sixers were outscored 35-14 in bench points, and even that was misleading. They only had eight heading into the fourth quarter.

    Grimes had five points on 1-for-7 shooting. Walker had five while making 2 of 5 shots. He was, by far, the most productive reserve, finishing with six rebounds and four steals. Bona (two points, 1-for-2 shooting) and Trendon Watford (two points, 1-for-4 shooting) were the other bench scorers.

    Justin Edwards and Jared McCain didn’t attempt a shot after playing only the final 47 seconds. But the Sixers must get more production out of their bench if they expect to remain competitive.

  • The Sixers are still struggling with inconsistency at the NBA’s halfway mark. How will they address it?

    The Sixers are still struggling with inconsistency at the NBA’s halfway mark. How will they address it?

    Monday’s game against the Toronto Raptors showed who the 76ers could be.

    Wednesday and Friday’s matchups against the Cleveland Cavaliers revealed who they are currently.

    As much as their talent level has improved because of health and key offseason additions, these Sixers still don’t know which version of themselves will show up on any particular night, a reality they were reminded of in a 117-115 loss to the Cavs on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    With Cleveland playing without two-time All-Star Darius Garland (right big toe soreness) and key reserve Sam Merrill (sprained right hand), the Sixers should have been able to make up ground on the fourth-place Raptors (25-18). Instead, they’re seventh in the standings.

    Fortunately for the Sixers (22-18), there are 42 games remaining in the regular season.

    But if it concluded today, they would be bound for the play-in tournament for the second time in three seasons. Last year, the Sixers missed the postseason entirely. And with Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Jared McCain over last season’s injuries, the hope was that the squad would be a contender in the East.

    At times, they appear to be. But this season has been a roller coaster of inconsistency.

    The Sixers will resume play at home Monday against the Indiana Pacers in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day game (6 p.m., NBCSP). On paper, they should defeat the Pacers, who have the NBA’s second-worst record of 10-33.

    Entering this week’s games, it’s unclear if Joel Embiid (21) will play against the Pacers or the Suns.

    But there are several questions the Sixers will face.

    Will Embiid and George play against Indiana or on Tuesday versus the Phoenix Suns, given they haven’t been cleared to play on both nights of back-to-backs?

    Can they resemble the Sixers squad that rarely missed a shot while scoring 80 first-half points in Monday’s 115-102 victory over the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena?

    Or will they come out sluggish and fail to match their opponent’s intensity, as they did in Wednesday’s 133-107 loss to the Cavs (24-19)?

    And will they’ll fail to close out the game as they did in Friday’s loss and in several other winnable games?

    “I think seven or eight [games] this year, where we just had [it] in our hands and then slip away,” Tyrese Maxey said. “Two Detroit games up in the fourth quarter, let them slip away. Chicago [on Nov. 16], same thing. Two of those games, let them slip, and Toronto as well [on Sunday]. Both times, had them beat, kind of let the game slip away. It’s probably more. Just those are the ones that come on top of my head, but those hurt.”

    The Sixers’ success is dependent on Joel Embiid’s ability to make others better

    On Friday, the Sixers had an 11-point cushion with 8 minutes, 47 seconds remaining. After the teams traded baskets, the Sixers missed six straight shots, as Cleveland tied the score at 102.

    The Sixers responded by making four consecutive baskets to build a 111-104 cushion with 3:53 left. But they fell apart down the stretch, turning the ball over before missing five of their final six shots.

    Something to remember: The Sixers have only played with a full complement of key players in their last six games. Even that’s a bit misleading, with Dominick Barlow leaving early in the third quarter of Wednesday’s game with a bruised back. That ugly setback came after the Sixers briefly looked like they’d turned the corner.

    On Monday, the Sixers were on top of their game against the Raptors as the ball moved freely and they boasted balanced scoring. Maxey finished with a game-high 33 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Rookie VJ Edgecombe, his backcourt mate, added 15 points while making 5 of 6 three-pointers.

    But the standout duo, considered among the league’s best young backcourts, failed to have the same scoring impact against Cleveland. Edgecombe had nine points on 3-for-10 shooting on Wednesday — and missed five of six three-pointers. He finished with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting on Friday. However, only two of his shot attempts came after intermission. The shooting guard didn’t attempt a shot while logging 7:19 in the third quarter, and shot 1-for-2 while playing the entire fourth quarter.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) averaged 18 points on 35.9% shooting in the past two games.

    Meanwhile, Cleveland appears to be Maxey’s Kryptonite.

    The point guard, an All-Star in 2023-24, entered Saturday as the league’s third-leading scorer at 30.3 points per game. However, he averaged 18 points on 35.9% shooting — including making just 4 of 16 three-pointers — in the past two games.

    “They do a good job on all my ball screens, and they just put a lot of attention on me,” Maxey said of his struggles against the Cavs. “So it’s a lot of times, even when I’m coming off a ball screen with Joel, and Jarrett Allen’s guarding him … I’m throwing it back to Joel. So, I mean, that was that, and then I missed some good looks tonight.”

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

    Maxey and the Sixers will attempt to regroup during this week’s games against the Pacers, Suns, Houston Rockets (Thursday), and New York Knicks (Saturday). They should have a great opportunity to climb up the standings with all four of those contests at home, but the Sixers are 10-11 at Xfinity and 12-7 on the road.

    But the big question is: Which team will show up?

  • The Sixers were dominated by the Cavaliers. Nick Nurse is eager to see how they respond.

    The Sixers were dominated by the Cavaliers. Nick Nurse is eager to see how they respond.

    The 76ers relish the opportunity to play the Cleveland Cavaliers again on Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    The matchup will be two days after the Sixers lost, 133-107, to the Cavaliers at the same venue. It was the Sixers’ fifth series loss in six meetings against Cleveland.

    “So, absolutely [excited] to get a chance to play them again,” Paul George said. “It’s a test for us. And, you know, see how we respond.”

    Sixers takeaways: A bad matchup, Joel Embiid’s mounting turnovers, and more from loss to Cavaliers

    Donovan Mitchell finished with a game-high 35 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists on Wednesday. The six-time All-Star has scored 35, 46, and 37 points in his last three games vs. the Sixers. And he’s averaging 28.0 points and 6.6 assists in 10 games against the Sixers (22-17) after being traded to Cleveland (23-19) from the Utah Jazz on Sept. 3, 2022.

    Meanwhile, Evan Mobley had 17 points and game highs of 13 rebounds and four blocks on Wednesday for his 15th double-double of the season. The 7-foot power forward and reigning defensive player of the year has averaged 19.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in his last five games against the Sixers.

    But the All-Stars aren’t alone in their dominance.

    Cleveland had five double-figure scorers, shot 53.3% — including 18 of 44 three-pointers — in a 132-121 victory over the Sixers on Nov. 5. On Wednesday, they shot 52.6%, and made 20 of 46 three-pointers. Their 41 assists on Wednesday were the most an opposing team has posted against the Sixers this season.

    Tyrese Maxey was shut down in the Sixers’ loss to the Cavaliers, producing only 14 points on 5 of 16 shooting.

    “It wasn’t just a win, but how we played,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Forty-one assists on 50 made baskets is kind of college basketball [numbers] the way we moved it.

    “And defensively, we were good.”

    They shut down Tyrese Maxey (14 points on 5-for-16 shooting) and VJ Edgecombe (nine points on 3-for-10) on Wednesday.

    The Cavaliers showed Maxey two defenders several times to get the ball out of his hands quickly.

    “I started off slow, kind of, energy-wise, and let them kind of box me in a little bit,” said Maxey, who had nine points on 3-for-10 at halftime. “But, yeah, sometimes you just got to make the right plays. I felt like some times I came off, and there were two or three bodies, and I just got off the ball.

    “That’s how I play basketball. If I see multiple bodies and I don’t think I have an advantage, like, somebody else on my team should have an advantage.”

    And as in the teams’ previous meeting, Wednesday’s outcome was all but decided after three quarters.

    Sixers’ Dominick Barlow leaves Cavaliers game with back contusion

    Nick Nurse is eager to see how the Sixers respond on Friday.

    “I think it’s a great test for us,” the coach said. “It’s a great test for us to see if we can snap out of the energy funk that we were in [Wednesday night] and dig in and guard something and execute something on offense because we didn’t … scheme right or execute right.”

    Sixers power forward Dominick Barlow missed most of Wednesday’s game after suffering a back contusion early in the third quarter. Barlow was expected to have an MRI on Thursday. His injury is a tough blow for the Sixers, as he is a solid glue guy who started alongside George, Joel Embiid (20 points), Edgecombe, and Maxey.

    Meanwhile, Cleveland’s Darius Garland (right foot) and Sam Merrill (right hand) also left the game because of injuries. Atkinson said he doubts that they’ll play on Friday.

    “Dom is a big piece for us, but it is, it’s another gut punch, man, that somebody else goes down,” said George, whose squad has dealt with injuries all season. “Soon as we finally start to get healthy and there’s some consistency with the starting group. It’ll be another starting group come Friday, so that has been a challenge.”

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

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

    TORONTO — Tyrese Maxey scored 33 points, Joel Embiid had 27 and the 76ers used an 80-point first half to beat the Toronto Raptors 115-102 on Monday night.

    VJ Edgecombe and Paul George each scored 15 points as the Sixers bounced back from Sunday’s overtime loss to Toronto to win for the sixth time in eight games.

    Embiid (left knee and left groin) and George (left knee) were back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday.

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    Fans chanted “We want Lowry!” in the fourth quarter, then rose for a standing ovation when former Raptors player Kyle Lowry checked in for Maxey with 1 minute, 57 seconds left to play.

    Lowry starred for the Toronto team that won the 2019 NBA championship. He airballed a three-pointer on his first attempt and missed all three shots he took.

    Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (left) scored a game-high 33 points.

    Immanuel Quickley scored 18 points and Brandon Ingram had 17 points and 10 rebounds. Scottie Barnes scored 15 points for Toronto.

    Barnes, who hit the game-winning free throw Sunday, was named Eastern Conference player of the week on Monday.

    Philadelphia’s 80 first-half points were the most by a Raptors opponent this season. The 76ers made 27 of 37 field goals in the opening half, including 13 of 20 from long range, and shot 13 -for-13 at the free throw line.

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

    Maxey scored 18 points in the first quarter to help Philadelphia build a 45-28 lead after one. He connected on 6 of 7 attempts, including 3 of 4 from distance.

    After shooting 8 for 31 from long range Sunday, the Sixers combined to make 7 of 8 three-pointers in the first. They followed that by making four straight to begin the second.

    Ingram returned after missing two games because of a sore right thumb. RJ Barrett (left thumb) sat for the second straight game.

    Philadelphia’s biggest lead was 33 points, 87-54, after an Edgecombe three with 8:24 remaining in the third.

    The Sixers host the Cleveland Cavaliers (22-19) on Wednesday at Xfinity Mobile Arena (7 p.m., ESPN).

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

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

    The 76ers still have a problem closing out games.

    Their guards also need to do a better job of preventing straight-line drives.

    But on the positive side, Kelly Oubre Jr. is back to contributing on both ends of the floor.

    Those things stood out in Sunday’s 116-115 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.

    Inability to close out

    The Sixers (21-16) were trending in the right direction after winning two straight and five of their last six games heading into this matchup. And with Tyrese Maxey scoring a game-high 38 points, they appeared capable of overcoming the huge absences of Joel Embiid (left knee injury management/left groin soreness) and Paul George (left knee soreness).

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

    But an inability to close out the game reared its ugly head.

    Maxey hit a what appeared to be a 29-foot dagger three-pointer to give the Sixers a 107-103 cushion with 20.1 seconds left.

    However, they failed to inbound the ball. The Raptors (24-16) won two challenges and made two baskets to force overtime.

    The Sixers built a 112-108 lead with 2 minutes, 23 seconds remaining in overtime. But the Raptors responded with a 7-0 run to take a 115-112 lead after the Sixers missed two shots and committed a costly turnover.

    Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (left) led the team in points with 31 against the Sixers.

    VJ Edgecombe made a 30-foot three-pointer to knot the score at 115. However, Scottie Barnes got away with initiating contact with Oubre, who was called for a foul, on a drive with 0.8 seconds left.

    Barnes, who finished with 31 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds, made the first foul shot and intentionally missed the second to win the game.

    The Sixers committed 22 turnovers and made just 8 of 31 three-pointers. But they were ultimately doomed by poor late-game execution. Something they need to correct.

    “We just got to be better, be more disciplined and stay together in those moments where we’re facing a little bit of adversity, because we both made runs,” Oubre said to reporters. “But you know, theirs was the final shot.”

    Scottie Barnes hits tiebreaking free throw in final second of OT as Raptors beat Sixers, 116-115

    Too many straight line drives

    Barnes will get the credit for winning Sunday’s game. However, the Raptors backcourt of Immanuel Quickley and Jamal Shead had their way with the Sixers guards. Quickley finished with 20 points and seven assists, while Shead had 22 and six assists.

    The duo had several downhill drives in the lane. If they couldn’t score, they kicked the ball out to teammates. Late in the game, Shead and Quickley drove the lane. Once the Sixers provided help defense, the guard would dump the ball off to a big man for a dunk.

    “We just got out of position on some of that,” coach Nick Nurse said to reporters. “I felt we went to help a little too early, and obviously left too big a passing lane for those dumboffs late.”

    But it started with the Sixers guards needing to do a better job of keeping opposing perimeter players in front of them.

    Oubre’s impact

    Before missing 22 games with a sprained left knee ligament, Oubre was the quiet assassin for the Sixers. The 6-foot-8 small forward averaged 16.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in his first 12 games. In addition to excelling when the ball was moving, Oubre did a solid job of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.

    He returned on Wednesday and provided solid defense that night against the Washington Wizards and again on Friday vs. the Orlando Magic. However, he averaged one point on a combined 1-for-9 shooting in those two games.

    Toronto Raptors guard Alijah Martin, left, strips the ball from Sixers’ Kelly Oubre Jr. during overtime.

    He had the complete package against the Raptors.

    Oubre finished with 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting to go with five rebounds and season highs of four steals and three blocks in his third game back. Nine of his points came in the third quarter.

    “He hasn’t really scored much since being back, so that’s obviously nice to see,” Nurse said. “He even hit a three, but had some really nice drives. He had a couple of good blocks and steals as well, which is why we ended up playing him as much as we did down the stretch.”

    He’ll go back to being an X-factor if he can keep this up.

    “It definitely felt good,” Oubre said. “It’s just, I think I could be better. I got blocked because I’m not trusting myself and the work that I put in.

    “So you know, just watching film, continue to just show up every day and get better. That’s all I can do. But it definitely felt good to get some run.”