But the Sixers’ best chance to win comes from the effort and aggressiveness of their less-heralded players. If they move the quickest to a loose ball, if they fight the hardest for rebounds, if they work the hardest on defense, maybe it’ll be enough.
And it’s up to Maxey and Embiid to keep others involved on offense by willingly making necessary passes.
That’s what is happening during the Sixers’ three-game winning streak.
They had five double-figure scorers in Saturday’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
But the Sixers started the winning streak off with six double-digit scorers in Tuesday’s 139-136 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. And the Sixers followed that with five double-figure scorers in their New Year’s Day 123-108 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.
Embiid had 34 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks against the Grizzlies, while Maxey had 34 points and 12 assists. The standout point guard came back with 34 points, 10 assists, two steals, and two blocks against the Mavs, while Embiid added 22 points and six assists.
And on Saturday, Maxey had 36 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and a steal, while Embiid finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists to knock off the Knicks (23-12) for the second time this season.
Sixers center Joel Embiid has to keep VJ Edgecombe involved moving forward.
Following Thursday’s game, Embiid noted that he was getting back to the dominant player he had been before being derailed by left knee injuries over the past two seasons. Before the injuries, the 2023 league MVP and seven-time All-Star felt like he could score 40 or 50 points every night.
“I can be more aggressive, but I feel like I’m also smarter,” Embiid said.
The 7-foot-2 center is starting to do what the team needs instead of looking for his own shot. Concentrating on scoring in previous games this season led to the ball becoming stagnant. As a result, his teammates, primarily VJ Edgecombe, became less impactful.
Sometimes, the rookie guard rarely touched the ball while Embiid hoisted up shots. But against Memphis, Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in this summer’s draft, scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and sank the game-winning three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime.
He followed that with 23 points on 9-for-14 shooting to go with a game-high four steals against the Mavs. And on Saturday, Edgecombe jump-started the Sixers’ rout by scoring 18 of his 26 points in the first half.
The shooting guard has shown off his shooting progress over the past three games, in which he’s made 14 of 25 three-pointers. Previously, Edgecombe was vastly underutilized offensively when Embiid.
The Sixers also have benefited from staggering Maxey and Embiid, allowing both to be aggressive. The tactic also allows for the offense to run through each player during specific stretches. They’ve also been successful utilizing a twin towers lineup featuring Embiid and Adem Bona at times. In that lineup, Embiid slides to power forward.
In this pairing, the Sixers incorporate drives to the basket that end with dump-offs to Bona. They also have high-percentage scoring plays, in which Embiid receives the ball at the elbow and dishes it to Bona underneath the basket. Another option is for Embiid to drive the lane and fire to wide-open three-point shooters in the corner.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (8) is defended by Sixers post players Joel Embiid (21) and forward Adem Bona (30) on Tuesday.
Bona’s presence helps provide rebounding and rim protection. Meanwhile, Embiid gets to display his shooting and passing skills.
And for them to continue to win, his passing skills must be on full display. Maxey, who’s the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.0 points per game, can shoulder the load.
Edgecombe, Paul George, and Quentin Grimes can also help in that category. While he’s going to get his points, Embiid’s focus should be on assisting teammates to get easier shots and making sure there’s constant ball movement.
The 76ers are bona fide NBA Eastern Conference contenders.
VJ Edgecombe has Daryl Morey looking like a genius for drafting him over Ace Bailey. And Tyrese Maxey’s impact on the defensive end doesn’t get the attention it deserves.
Those things stood out in Saturday’s 130-119 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Legitimate contenders
For most of the season, the Sixers (19-14) have been an enigma.
Bombarded with injuries and illness, they have yet to play with a full roster. And their Big Three of Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George were winless in their first four games together. But the belief was that once they got into rhythm, they would become a legitimate contender.
The Sixers are riding a three-game winning streak with Maxey, Embiid, and George playing in all those games. Saturday’s victory also marked the second time in as many meetings that they’ve defeated the second-place Knicks (23-12) this season.
Their first victory was a 116-107 decision at MSG on Dec. 19. The Sixers have won two of their meetings against the third-place Boston Celtics. And the team is only expected to get better once small forward Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee ligament) and reserve power forward Trendon Watford (strained adductor muscle in his left thigh) return.
While they remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, the Sixers are three games behind the Knicks with 49 games remaining.
Maxey finished with a game-high 36 points to go with eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal. The All-NBA caliber point guard scored 20 of his points after halftime.
And the Sixers had a balanced attack for the third consecutive game. Embiid (26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists), Edgecombe (26 points, four assists, two blocks, two steals), George (15 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks), and Quentin Grimes (10 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks) were the other double-digit scorers.
The Sixers blocked 10 shots, and out-rebounded the Knicks, 47-44, with 17 of 36 three-pointers made. If Embiid and George can remain healthy, the Sixers will be a problem for the East’s contending teams.
“I think that only thing that’s missing in these first stretch of games is just some consistency and having the same guys out on the floor,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think you can see some things growing. There was probably about 40 plus minutes making the absolute right decision on offense. …
“Having the same guys out there has been an issue this year, as well. Hopefully, we can smooth that out a little bit and build and get a few wrinkles in, counters, and you get to add defensive schemes all that kind of stuff if you keep the same guys out there.”
Sixers forward Paul George looks to get past Knicks center Mitchell Robinson in the team’s win against New York on Saturday.
The perfect selection
After the Sixers were awarded the third pick in June’s NBA draft, Morey, the team’s president of basketball operations, was determined to add a young standout who could add roster flexibility and co-star with Maxey to take pressure off Embiid and George, who are overcoming injuries.
Edgecombe and Bailey were the main options.
Once the Sixers were awarded the third pick in June’s NBA draft, there was a significant debate regarding whom the team should draft.
Some believed the Sixers had to select Bailey out of Rutgers. The small forward eventually could replace George, who was coming off one of his worst NBA seasons. Additionally, the thought was that Bailey, who had the most significant upside, could be a star down the road.
Meanwhile, Edgecombe was a highlight waiting to happen at Baylor.
The 6-foot-5, 193-pounder was known for his scoring ability — especially in transition and at the rim. The Bahamian also possessed solid playmaking skills and defensive instincts. But the belief was that an inability to dribble or make three-pointers would make selecting him a gamble.
But Morey, the Sixers president of basketball operations, still selected him despite the concerns. Outside of drafting Maxey, that might have been the best decision during his Sixers tenure.
Edgecombe torched the Knicks, scoring his 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting – including making 4 of 9 three-pointers. The 20-year-old scored 18 of his points in the first half while making 7 of 10 shots, highlighted by going 4-for-6 on three-pointers.
This performance comes after Edgecombe made a combined 8-for-16 three-pointers in the last two games. In one of those contests, the 20-year-old scored 13 of his 25 points in the third quarter and scored the game-winning three-pointer to give the Sixers a 139-136 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
And who can forget the 34 points he scored against the Boston Celtics in the season-opening victory?
It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.
All these accomplishments are reasons that Edgecombe’s selection has Morey and the Sixers looking like geniuses.
“He’s been awesome,” Nurse said of Edgecombe. “I think just, again, the composure. I think that he has it just so steady out there. He plays like a 10-year vet with his composure. He just kind of keeps making plays. He does a little bit of everything, which is great.”
Maxey scored at least 30 points for the 17th time this season. The sixth-year veteran is third in the league in scoring at 31.1 points per game. He’s also 11th in assists at 7.1 per game. But the league MVP candidate is also excelling on defense.
Maxey is fourth in the league in steals at 1.8 per game. He also blocked 28 shots this season, which is five off his high for a season.
His ability to track down players, get swats, and knack for getting in passing lanes have been a significant bonus for the Sixers this season.
One can argue that he’s been one of the league’s most well-rounded players this season. For that, he’s deserving of being voted an All-Star starter and garnering All-NBA honors.
“He’s been much better this year,” Nurse said of Maxey’s defense. “I think the whole way. I think you’d agree that he’s into the ball, he’s over screens, getting his share of pick-sixes, getting his share of turnovers. So he’s been really alerted on that end of the floor, I think all season. He just keeps getting better.”
DALLAS — Being relegated to a supportive teammate is tough for Kelly Oubre Jr.
The 76ers small forward was having a great season before spraining the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 14. Thursday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks marked the 20th game he has missed since.
“Just not being able to play basketball,” Oubre said of the most frustrating part of his injury. “Not being able to be with the guys on the court in battle. I’m with them every day, off the court. And I can help and say things that I see.
“But just being in that motion with the guys is everything that I want. And, you know, just kind of losing that groove a little bit.”
The 6-foot-8, 200-pounder is expected to give the Sixers a lift once he returns. Before his injury, he averaged 16.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 12 games. In addition to excelling when the ball was moving, he did a solid job of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.
“I think Kelly’s playing arguably his best basketball of his career this year,” coach Nick Nurse said, “so getting that back, the energy, and leadership defensively that he always shows — always plays hard, man. I think that’s definitely needed. He’s got a little bit more size, too.”
Oubre participated in a live four-on-four scrimmage on Wednesday in Texas. That comes after he partook in a live three-on-three scrimmage on Monday in Memphis.
“I’m doing a lot of running,” Oubre said. “But I’m also doing a lot of playing now and individual skill work. But, obviously, getting to that five-on-five and that actual live bump where I’m moving around and constantly guarding full court, that’s the next step for me.
“But other than that, I’m just going off pain management. No pain, you know, but, obviously, I have to get stronger in certain areas and get my wind up again.”
Sixers Kelly Oubre Jr. has averaged 16.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in his 12 games played this season.
Nurse said Tuesday that the Sixers hoped Oubre would play during this road trip. His only chance to do that would be Saturday, when the Sixers conclude the five-game trip against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. But his availability might depend on whether Oubre can get in a five-on-five scrimmage on Friday and how his body responds.
“I’m getting there,” Oubre said of getting closer to returning. “Every day, we have to take advantage of, I’m getting there.”
But how close does Oubre think he is to returning?
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’m just going off what the trainers and the docs say. So for me, I don’t feel any pain, any shortness after workouts, and things like that, which is a good sign. So I take that as a positive and just continue to build from there and get stronger.
“But I’m leaving it to the docs and the trainers.”
When he does return, Oubre doesn’t think he’ll have a problem with reintegrating.
He has yet to play in a game this season with Paul George, who was sidelined for the first 12 games because of left knee injury management. Oubre has only played six games with Joel Embiid.
But Oubre has played with Embiid the past two seasons and with George last season.
“I played with everybody already,” he said. “They know what I bring, and they know how I play. So, it’s just about finding that footing and that rhythm together again. But I don’t think it’s going to be difficult at all. I try to adapt to whatever my situation is on the court. And everybody, we flow off of each other, and I’m just going to be another piece to the puzzle.”
DALLAS — Maybe the 76ers should have listened to VJ Edgecombe sooner.
With 18.3 seconds left in Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, coach Nick Nurse drew up a play with two options for the Sixers (17-14). The first option was for Tyrese Maxey to score a layup. But if Maxey drew a double team, he was instructed to dish the ball to Edgecombe, who would take the shot.
The latter happened as Edgecombe’s defender left him to trap Maxey. And the No. 3 pick in June’s NBA draft buried a 25-foot three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime to give the Sixers a 139-136 victory at FedEx Forum.
“VJ has been telling us for probably, like, three weeks that he deserves to get to shoot one game-winner,” Maxey said. “Like, at the end of the game, like, ‘Everybody has shot one! Let me shoot one!’ He shot one, and he made it.”
This was actually the second game-winning basket Edgecombe has made during the first 27 games of his professional career. The first one occurred on Dec. 4 against the Golden State Warriors at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
He scored on a putback with 0.9 seconds left after Golden State’s De’Anthony Melton blocked Maxey’s shot. After that play, Maxey blocked Melton’s layup attempt at the buzzer, enabling the Sixers to escape with a 99-98 victory. But that was more of an athletic play by Edgecombe, who was in the right place at the right time.
Tuesday’s effort showed that Edgecombe can be trusted to close out games. And his teammates are not surprised that he made the shot or that he dared to take it.
“I said, ‘OK.’ I trust him,” Maxey said of Edgecombe asking for his number to be called. “Even that play, at first we were going to go 4-flat. I said, ‘Listen, let’s try something. Come up, set a screen, see if they put two on the ball. If they put two on the ball, slip out, shoot the three, and make it.’ And that’s what happened.”
With VJ Edgecombe guarding him, Jalen Brunson was held to six points on 1-for-10 shooting in the second half of the Sixers’ Dec. 19 victory over the New York Knicks.
Joel Embiid thinks Edgecombe’s desire to attempt a game-winner was normal, especially given the looks others get on the team.
“So everybody’s always bound to have that big moment,” Embiid said. ”It’s another thing to make it. … Then tonight, he made shots to give us the win.”
Edgecombe finished with 25 points while making five three-pointers. He carried the Sixers in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 points before adding the game-winner on his lone basket in overtime.
The shooting guard, who starred last season at Baylor, has a knack for producing in the clutch for the Sixers, even on the rare nights when he struggles for three quarters.
“We’re blessed to have him. Super,” Maxey said. “Thank you, basketball gods, Lord, Baylor, I don’t know. Daryl Morey. Everybody.”
Edgecombe has made Morey, the Sixers president of basketball operations, look like a genius.
The 20-year-old showed that he can be an elite scorer by producing 34 points on 13-for-26 shooting to go with seven rebounds in the Sixers’ 117-116 season-opening victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.
He also exhibited the ability to be a lockdown defender, with his stellar effort guarding New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson in a 116-107 victory at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 19. Brunson, a two-time All-Star, finished with 22 points on 7-for-22 shooting and missed 6 of 7 three-pointers. With Edgecombe guarding him, the former Villanova standout was held to six points on 1-for-10 shooting in the second half.
And on Tuesday, Edgecombe showed that he can be a closer.
Now, he and the Sixers turn their attention to a New Year’s Day game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Embiid is listed as probable for the matchup against the Mavs (12-22) with a sprained right ankle and right knee injury management. His absence from the game would create more scoring opportunities for Edgecombe.
Edgecombe outperformed No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg in their first meeting, finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, and four assists in a 121-114 victory on Dec. 20 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The prior matchup against Dallas was Edgecombe’s fourth straight game with at least 22 points, tying Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel for the longest such streak by a rookie this season.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe has been mentored by the Warriors’ Buddy Hield (left).
Edgecombe is clearly off to a fast start. So what’s his potential?
“He’s 20. Let him figure it out,” Maxey said. “I’m not going to put a cap on him. People tried to put a cap on me, and now we’re here. So, who knows? It’s up to him. How much does he want to work? Who does he want to become?”
For now, they’re enjoying the season the poised Bahamian is producing.
“A game-winner for a rookie is pretty good,” Nurse said. “He’s made some big shots and big plays this season. He’s kind of even-keeled all the time. He never shows a lot of emotion, and that’s an incredible quality to have. He just goes and plays the game.”
MEMPHIS — Tyrese Maxey lives for matchups against other elite guards. And on Tuesday, he and Ja Morant, a two-time All-Star for the Memphis Grizzlies, put on a show.
But VJ Edgecombe outshone both with the biggest shot of his young career, a game-winning three-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in overtime.
The 76ers might also be on to something when it comes to staggering the playing time of Maxey and Joel Embiid.
And even though they snapped a three-game skid, Kelly Oubre Jr.‘s impending return will provide a much-needed lift.
Edgecombe has a knack for producing in the clutch. And that’s precisely what the third overall pick did to improve the Sixers to 17-14.
With two defenders on him, Maxey made the right read and passed the ball to Edgecombe. He responded by draining a wide-open 25-footer to give the Sixers a 139-136 lead.
Coming out of a timeout with 18.3 seconds left, the play was set up for Maxey to get a layup or for Edgecombe to take the shot.
“My teammates have faith in us to make a play,” Edgecombe said. “And yeah, that’s what happened. They doubled him, and I’m wide-open. I’m shooting it regardless. I don’t care how far out I was, I’m shooting it.”
The 6-foot-5, 195-pound rookie made 5 of 10 three-pointers to finish with 25 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals, and one block. Edgecombe scored 13 of his points in the fourth quarter on 5-for-10 shooting — including making 3 of 4 three-pointers.
His game-winning three was his only basket in overtime.
“The moment’s never too big for me,” Edgecombe said. “It’s never too big. I was ready, to be honest. I was ready. I barely played the first half because I’m in foul trouble. I’ve got to stop hacking, but that’s how it goes.
“Like I say, Coach trusted me to make plays, and that’s what I did.”
Maxey and Embiid were the team’s co-leading scorers. Maxey finished with 34 points and a game-high 12 assists, while Embiid had 34 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks.
#Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe on stepping up in the fourth quarter and draining the game-winning shot in overtime to beat the Memphis Grizzlies: pic.twitter.com/TkX3MjIgV8
Maxey faced an All-Star point guard for the third time in the last six games. This time, he dominated play until the fourth quarter.
That’s when Maxey scored just one point on 0-for-3 shooting, while Morant tallied 18 of his game-high 40 points. Morant also outscored Maxey, 6-2, in overtime.
Maxey started his recent stretch of facing All-Star guards by outplaying New York Knicks two-time selection Jalen Brunson in a 116-107 victory at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 19.
Tyrese Maxey (right) scored 34 points against Memphis on Tuesday.
Maxey finished with a game-high 30 points while making 6 of 12 three-pointers to go with nine assists. Brunson finished with 22 points on 7-for-22 shooting — including missing 6 of 7 three-pointers — along with six rebounds and nine assists.
Then on Sunday, Maxey had mixed results against reigning MVP and three-time All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in a 129-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Maxey scored 23 points on 8-for-10 shooting in the first half. However, he was held to just five points in the second half.
Maxey, a 2024 All-Star, was held scoreless in the third quarter on 0-for-3 shooting. He scored his five fourth-quarter points on 2-for-5 shooting. Maxey also finished the game with four steals and five turnovers. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander had 27 points on 10-for-13 shooting.
Maxey loves to see where he stacks up against other elite point guards. And on Tuesday, he showed the 15,668 in attendance why he’s a favorite to be an All-Star starter.
Creating opportunities to excel
Embiid was averaging 29 points in his previous four contests entering Tuesday. However, Maxey was out of rhythm, shooting 31.6% in the last two games Embiid played in. At that point, some wondered whether Embiid looking for his own shot took away from Maxey’s game.
Against the Grizzlies, the Sixers’ substitution pattern enabled both of them to thrive.
Maxey played the entire first quarter while Embiid was subbed out with 5 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the quarter. Then Embiid reentered the game at the start of the second quarter, while Maxey was on the bench.
Maxey reentered the game at the 6:47 mark of the quarter. The duo spent time on the floor together before Embiid was subbed out with 3:07 remaining in the half. He came back 27 seconds later as the pair closed out the half.
The Sixers staggered the duo similarly for the remainder of the game. And Embiid and Maxey both benefited.
The team also took some of the rebounding and rim-protection duties off Embiid by going to a double-big lineup several times, featuring him and Adem Bona.
“There was a bunch of stuff going on tonight,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I think Bona was the first sub off the bench, and that was more because of the speed they have. They just play fast. They’re just running around 100 mph the whole game. They sub pretty freely.
“As you saw at the start of the game, it almost shocked us, the speed of what was happening. We couldn’t even get back, get set up, and follow cutters. It was just happening fast. I was trying to stay a little bit speedier with that. I kind of liked Bona’s presence out there, so that was a chance to play him and Joel together a little bit at the four and five, which I really thought really looked good tonight.”
Joel Embiid scored 34 points against the Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Providing rim protection, Bona blocked two shots and finished with four points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
“Back to your question [on Embiid and Maxey], we were working hard at trying to figure out who was in and who was out as far as staggering those guys to keep them going,” Nurse said. “It looked pretty decent tonight. There were a couple of segments when only one was out there, but not very many. Just a short segment of that.”
Oubre’s expected lift
This marked the 18th game that Oubre missed since spraining the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee against the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 14. Before his injury, the 6-8 small forward was the Sixers’ X factor.
Oubre’s averages of 16.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals took a backseat to the Sixers’ backcourt pairing of Maxey and Edgecombe in the first 12 games. But Oubre excelled when the ball was moving, and did a solid job of guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter player.
The Sixers could have used him against the Grizzlies and during the first two stops of their five-game road trip. They have two more games on the trip and are set to face the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday and conclude against the New York Knicks on Saturday.
Oubre and sidelined reserve power forward Trendon Watford participated in a live three-on-three scrimmage on Monday. It was the first on-court scrimmaging for both players.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse (right) calls to his players in the first half of Tuesday’s game in Memphis.
Nurse hopes Oubre returns at some point during the trip.
“I think it’s possible,” he said. “But, again, that was their first kind of live three-on-three yesterday. And you know, see how quick it goes. See how quick we can get them back on the floor again.”
Oubre participated in an individual on-court workout before Tuesday’s matchup.
“Probably get some more live action [Wednesday],” Nurse said,” and then we’ll see where they are at.”
Nurse is excited to get Oubre back.
“I think Kelly’s playing arguably his best basketball of his career this year,” Nurse said, “so, getting that back, the energy and leadership defensively that he always shows — always plays hard man. I think that’s definitely needed. He’s got a little bit more size, too.”
Regarding a key role, Nurse said the jury is still out on Watford. The Sixers haven’t seen much of him, as the free-agent acquisition has played in just 14 games. Meanwhile, Paul George will likely slide back to power forward once Oubre returns. In that scenario, Dominick Barlow would be the backup power forward. Reserve forward Jabari Walker has also been solid for the Sixers.
“Where he would slot back in, he’s going to probably have to earn that back in there, not unlike the other guys coming back off injury,” Nurse said of Watford. “I think it’s a bit of a process, usually.
“I think Kelly kind of has a game that just translates. As he’s healthy, he’ll get out there and scrap, play hard, rebound, and defend. Whether he’s scoring or not, that can come a little bit later, if it does or whatever, but it is still a process working.”
MEMPHIS — Quelling fear, anxiety, loss of identity, and lack of confidence often takes longer than physically healing from injuries.
Jared McCain knows that firsthand after having his rookie season cut short because of a torn meniscus in his left knee. And on top of that December 2024 injury, he had the start of this season delayed after he suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb in September.
How is the 76ers’ second-year guard dealing with the mental aspects of those injuries, particularly the left knee?
“I’m doing great, probably the last step for me,” McCain said Tuesday before shootaround at FedEx Forum. “A lot of it is I like to rebound, and I have to jump as high as I can … when I’m trying to rebound. And you know, the past few games, I’ve been able to do that. I feel comfortable doing that.
“But mentally, I’m great. I’m just trying to figure it out, still figuring it out, and it’s still a process.”
McCain still experiences knee soreness on some days but battles through because he wants to play in as many games as he can. At the same time, he’s giving himself grace while trying to have as much fun as possible.
McCain’s fun involves being part of the Sixers’ four-guard rotation with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes. Maxey and Edgecombe are the starting backcourt, while Grimes is the team’s sixth man. The Sixers view McCain as someone who comes off the bench to provide a spark.
Sixers guard Jared McCain McCain has averages of 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 19.8 minutes heading into Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzles. However, he is shooting just 36.2% from the field and 32.9% from three-point range.
“I want to provide a spark in any way possible, whether it’s picking up full court, whether it’s getting rebounds, making shots, of course,” he said, “any way I can provide a spark on the court when Coach calls my name, I’m ready to jump off the bench and come in the game and do whatever I can to help us get a lead or extend it.”
McCain was averaging 7.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 19.8 minutes heading into Tuesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. However, he was shooting just 36.2% from the field and 32.9% from three-point range.
During a six-game stretch from Dec. 12 through Friday, McCain shot 28.8% overall and 21.1% from three. But he snapped out of his shooting slump Sunday in a road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. McCain had 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting, making 2 of 4 three-pointers.
“I’m not going to fix anything or change anything with my shot,” McCain said. “It’s all going to come naturally. I know how to shoot. I’ve been doing it for a long time. I know there’s times like this. Again, I’ve been out for a whole year. So it’s still going to take some time to figure it out.
“I knocked them down forever. I’m just going to continue to shoot it.”
McCain’s confidence comes from his success as a McDonald’s All Americanand a standout at Duke, plus his status as an NBA rookie of the year front-runner last season before his injury. At every stop of his basketball career, McCain has been a stellar shooter who has dealt with and overcome shooting slumps.
“When I was doing my meditation this morning that came in my mind about not judging myself off my results,” he said. “It’s super hard to do that because this job is basically judged off your results and your performance.
“So I’m just trying to go into non-judgmental and watching it. How can I make the shots easier for myself? How can I find different windows to make the shot easier, and then just knocking it down? I know how to do it, and I think it’s one of those things that’s just going to come. It’s natural.”
OKLAHOMA CITY — VJ Edgecombe’s patience on the court is undeniable.
One might expect the third overall pick in June’s NBA draft to be anxious about making an impact. But the 6-foot-5 shooting guard picks his spots while deferring to Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George, the 76ers’ three maximum-salary players.
“The ultimate goal is just winning,” Edgecombe said. “I just want to win, to be honest. I know I was picked [No. 3], but they brought me here just so I can make plays. We have three prolific scorers. I don’t have to score the ball. I have to pick my times, but I must stay aggressive also. But I’m also a player that just wants to win.
“So whatever that takes, if it takes me guarding the best players on the defensive end, if that takes me playmaking, whatever, getting in the paint just to make plays for everyone else, I will do that.”
Staying aggressive has made him a human highlight film with his high-flying dunks. And it allows him to showcase his overall skill set when needed. Folks are still raving about his season-opening performance against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Oct. 22.
That night, the 20-year-old scored 34 points to help lead the Sixers to victory. The performance placed him in the same rarified air as Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain and future Hall of Famer LeBron James.
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. Edgecombe’s 14 first-quarter points set a record for the most in the opening period of an NBA debut, surpassing James’ 12 points on Oct. 29, 2003.
But that was Embiid’s first game since February of last season, and George was sidelined with left-knee injury management. So the Sixers needed Edgecombe’s scoring prowess. Since then, the rookie has shown his scoring ability in spurts. Sometimes he’ll dominate play in a quarter or for a half — when needed. But other than that, Edgecombe defers to the Big Three.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe is averaging 15.8 points a game.
He took averages of 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals into Sunday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center.
“It comes with patience,” he said. “It comes with just learning the game. I know as the No. 3 pick, but I’m on a team with people that can do that. They can score 30 a night. I can still score. I just want to win. Whatever it takes, that’s the most important thing.”
Sixers coach Nick Nurse praised Edgecombe for having a “really good feel for the game.” He noted that the rookie doesn’t get sped up during games. Still, Nurse would not mind seeing more.
“I would say, I probably would lean on him to be a little bit more aggressive,” the coach said. “I think there’s more opportunities for him to use his abilities, especially in transition, up the floor, etc.
“So, again, great feel for it. You know me well enough that I’m always pushing these guys to go a little bit more on the aggressive side, not necessarily for their own shots, but just to play-make. Get in there and draw two defenders, draw three defenders. Figure out how to start doing that and make the right play, create on offense.”
Bombarded with injuries and illness, the Sixers have yet to play with a full roster. But they’re 16-12 and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers are 1½ games behind the third-place Boston Celtics, whom they defeated twice this season. And their signature win was Dec. 19’s 116-107 road victory over the second-place — and NBA Cup champion — New York Knicks.
But with offseason uncertainty surrounding Embiid and George following left knee surgeries, the safe preseason projection for the Sixers was the NBA Play-In Tournament.
The uncertainty surrounding Sixers center Joel Embiid at the beginning of the season has worn off as the longtime center settles in following offseason knee surgery.
We may get a better idea of how good they are during the upcoming post-Christmas, five-game road trip. The Sixers open the road trip on Friday against the Chicago Bulls, who are riding the conference’s longest winning streak at four games despite having a 14-15 record.
Then, on Sunday, they face the defending NBA champions and the best team this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder. After facing the Thunder (26-5), the Sixers will play the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday and the Dallas Mavericks on New Year’s Day. They’ll conclude the five-game trip with a rematch against the Knicks (21-9) on Jan. 3.
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey had 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 113-111 victory over the Sixers on Nov. 4.
Like the Bulls, the Grizzlies (14-16) and Mavericks have shown recent improvement. Dallas (12-20) is 7-5 after opening the season 5-15. The Mavs also won their last five home games.
“It will be a good test to play some really good teams,” George said of the road trip. “It will for sure be a test for us. But we’ve been playing great basketball, despite this loss [Tuesday night to the struggling Nets],”
Before that loss, the Sixers had won six of eight games, with their two losses coming to the Los Angeles Lakers (Dec. 7) and Atlanta Hawks (Dec. 14).
“So we’re playing pretty good basketball,” George said. “[Tuesday] was one of those nights we were a little bit flat. And we’ll pick up the pieces and keep it moving.”
But George doesn’t see this as a defining road trip because the Sixers still don’t have their full complement of players.
Embiid is not expected to play in every game of this road trip because of management of injuries to both knees and soreness. Kelly Oubre Jr. (LCL sprain in his left knee) and Trendon Watford (adductor strain in his left thigh) remain sidelined. And VJ Edgecombe, Dominick Barlow, and Quentin Grimes were sidelined against the Nets (9-19) with illnesses.
Embiid, Edgecombe, Barlow, and Grimes are listed as questionable for Friday’s game
“As far as defining us, it’s still early,” George said. “We’re playing good basketball. Our record doesn’t indicate how well and challenging it’s been. We haven’t had a full roster at any point this season. Whether I’ve been down to start the season, myself and [Watford]. I come back, Kelly goes down. You know, Joel has been injured. Tyrese has been sick.
“So we really haven’t had a full roster. So it’s hard to tell what we are, who we can be.”
Sixers standout rookie VJ Edgecombe missed Tuesday’s game with an illness.
But the Sixers are eager to avenge their 113-111 loss to the Bulls on Nov. 4 at the United Center, when they blew a 24-point lead.
The Sixers relied heavily on Maxey and Embiid, either in the two-man game or in one-on-one situations, that night. The problem was that neither player could get anything going down the stretch, as the Sixers missed their final 11 shots from the floor.
Maxey finished with a game-high 39 points. However, he had eight points on 2-for-8 shooting in the fourth quarter. Embiid was worse. He was held scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting in the frame. That came after he scored two points on 1-for-5 shooting in the third period, and he finished with 20 points on 7-for-21 shooting.
The Bulls went ahead 113-111 on Nikola Vučević’s game-winning three-pointer with 3.2 seconds left. It was their only lead of the game.
The Sixers must maximize everyone’s talent and move the ball if they expect to be competitive. They must also find a way to contain Josh Giddey, who had 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists in that meeting. The guard is averaging 16.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in the last five games against the Sixers, along with that triple-double.
Chicago Bulls and former Sixers center Nikola Vučević has consistently been a strong contributor against his former team.
Meanwhile, Vučević has tallied five double-doubles and one triple-double across his last 10 games against his former team. In addition to containing the duo, the Sixers will look to snap a three-game series losing streak.
They also believe this 10-day road trip will benefit team growth.
The trip will “get us out of our home market and be with each other on the plane, on the team bus, at the hotel, like, actually get a chance to do a few things together, too,” Andre Drummond said. “We have a couple of days in between games, too. So I know we’ll set up some team activities and really continue that bonding experience that we’re feeling right now.”
And we may get a better idea of how competitive the Sixers are, even while being undermanned.
Those things stood out in Tuesday’s 114-106 setback to the Brooklyn Nets at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Winless with star trio
The Sixers (16-12) know much of their success ultimately will depend on how they play when Embiid, George, and Maxey are available.
Well, let’s say they have a lot of work to do.
Tuesday’s loss dropped the Sixers to 0-3 this season in games in which all three play. They suffered a 142-134 double-overtime home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 30. And the Sixers lost, 112-108, at home to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 7.
The team was missing several rotation players because of illness and injury. The Nets (9-19) also have won two straight and six of nine games. However, with their best three players, the Sixers were expected to beat Brooklyn.
Sixers forward Paul George scores two of his 19 points on Tuesday night.
So what’s the next step to a victory?
“We all just got to figure out how to find rhythm, playing off one another,” George said.
But early Tuesday, the Sixers lacked ball movement. It was a game in which Embiid and George tried to get themselves going. Meanwhile, Maxey was a bystander, despite entering the game as the league’s third-leading scorer at 31.7 points.
He was scoreless on 0-for-1 shooting in the first quarter and finished with 13 points. He missed 11 of 14 shots — including all five of his three-pointers. Maxey also finished with three rebounds, two assists, four steals, and four turnovers.
Afterward, Maxey said he didn’t get into rhythm.
But was only getting one shot attempt in the first quarter a result of that? Or was that a matter of trying to get others involved?
“I feel like I was trying to make the right play,” he said. “But I got to stay aggressive.”
Embiid had 27 points on 8-for-13 shooting along with six rebounds, four assists, three turnovers, and two blocks. George had 19 points on 5-for-14 shooting to go with four rebounds, two assists, four steals, three turnovers, and two blocks.
As a team, the Sixers shot 40.7% — including making just 7 of 27 three-pointers. They also committed 17 turnovers.
“Just being stagnant,” George said of what led to the Sixers’ struggles. “We got stagnant, loss of rhythm, team-wise. And we just played slow. I think our pace was a little slow, which, give them credit. They were making shots, which made it tough to get out, and play, and run fast.”
Embiid scare
Embiid went back to the locker room after falling to the court 25 seconds into the second half after being fouled by Terance Mann. It initially appeared that Embiid turned his ankle. However, he reached down and grabbed his right knee.
The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder returned with 6 minutes, 49 seconds remaining in the quarter. Embiid has already missed 16 games this season because of injuries to both knees. The Sixers had to be elated that this wasn’t serious.
Embiid returned to the bench midway through the quarter with both of his knees wrapped.
“Just hyperextended it,” Embiid said. “Went to the locker room, checked it out, and we’ll see how I feel.”
Before the injury, he was off to a solid start, with 19 first-half points on 7-for-10 shooting.
Embiid had missed the previous two games because of an illness and right knee injury management.
“It’s all right,” he said of his hyperextension. “We’ll see how it feels. Obviously, when you’re hurt, it’s kinda hard to judge, so we’ll see how it feels tomorrow.”
Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) attempts a layup against the Nets. He scored 27 points.
Gordon is still a sharpshooter
Gordon, who turns 37 on Christmas Day, has had a solid NBA career. But now in his 18th season, the shooting guard rarely plays because the Sixers have younger, more athletic guards in Maxey (25), VJ Edgecombe (20), Quentin Grimes (25), and Jared McCain (21).
While he’s not as mobile as before, Father Time has not impacted Gordon’s shooting. He shot 61.5% from the field and 62.5% on three-pointers in his first five appearances of the season.
He made his sixth appearance on Tuesday with Edgecombe and Grimes sidelined by an illness.
And Gordon again had a solid shooting night.
He finished with a season-high 12 points on 4-for-8 shooting. He made his first three shots.
The Indianapolis native entered the game with 3:56 left in the first quarter. He made a layup at the 3:00 mark. Then he drained a three-pointer to tie the score at 27 with 16 seconds left in the frame. He hit his third shot attempt, a three-pointer that gave the Sixers a five-point cushion, 1:28 into the second quarter.
He added a three-pointer in the final second of the third quarter.
“I’m going to be ready for whatever opportunity comes,” Gordon said. “I played in this league for a long time. I can still move. I can still shoot. I can still create my own shot. I don’t know, maybe we will see when the times get harder, play against tougher teams, or whatnot.
“But I know we got a lot of young guys that we need to continue to play and whatnot. I’ll just be ready when it’s my time because I know I can fit in and gel with these guys and keep the floor open for these guys. As you can see, whether I play, miss 10 games and don’t play, come in, you know, I’m still going to be ready to go.”
A need to get healthy
Before the game, the Sixers were excited to have Embiid, Maxey, and George together on the floor.
But they didn’t like the fact that several of their key rotation players were sidelined.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) have been out for several weeks. Dominick Barlow also missed Tuesday’s game because of illness.
With Edgecombe and Barlow sidelined, the Sixers started McCain and Jabari Walker alongside Embiid, George, and Maxey.
Grimes and Barlow initially were listed as questionable on Monday evening’s initial injury report. The team announced Tuesday morning that Edgecombe also was questionable. Moments later, they canceled the morning shootaround.
But the team has been dealing with illness for a couple of weeks.
Paul George (left) and Tyrese Maxey celebrate after George made a shot against the Nets on Tuesday night.
Maxey missed the Sixers’ games against the Indiana Pacers (Dec. 12) and Hawks (Dec. 14) with an illness. Embiid sat out both games of Friday and Saturday’s back-to-back against the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks with an illness and right knee injury management.
“It has kind of gone for a bit,” coach Nick Nurse said. “It probably started with Tyrese, but that would seem to be an isolated case, and now it’s kind of making its way a little bit, obviously. The guys that weren’t feeling great yesterday didn’t report to practice. This morning, when we didn’t see much improvement and added another to the list, we postponed shootaround, as you guys well know. You probably would have been here this morning. Just keeping the guys away until we can bring them to the game.”
Michael Porter Jr. (center) is defended by Paul George during Tuesday night’s game.
The Sixers can only hope Edgecombe, Grimes, and Barlow are back when they embark on their five-game road trip against the Chicago Bulls (Friday), Oklahoma City Thunder (Sunday), Memphis Grizzlies (Dec. 30), Dallas Mavericks (Jan. 1), and New York Knicks (Jan. 3).
With the trio out, Justin Edwards was the sixth man. Gordon was the seventh man, and Kyle Lowry was the ninth. This was the fifth game for the 39-year-old Lowry, who’s in his 20th NBA season.
“You know what we missed? We missed three athletes,” Nurse said. “Other than Tyrese, that’s our speed, right there. We got Q, explosive. Barlow, athlete. VJ, athlete that we [depend on]. We missed all three of them. And it kind of made it hard for Tyrese to not … have other guy [Edgecombe] out there to crack into the paint a little bit and do some of the things that VJ does for sure.”
This was a bad loss to a team over which the Sixers had averaged 18-point victories in their first two meetings.
“They were definitely missed,” George said. “Their energy, their extra plays. Those guys have a great feel for the game and just understanding where to be the defensive mindset. So they were for sure missed.
“But, you know, this is a very winnable game with [the Nets also being] down [players.] So you can’t make excuses that they weren’t there.”
NEW YORK — Exactly six months before Christmas Day, the 76ers received an early holiday gift in VJ Edgecombe.
On June 25, they selected the combo guard from Baylor over the polarizing, perceived-to-be-more-NBA-ready Ace Bailey with the third pick of the NBA draft.
“He’s a dynamic athlete, potential All-Star, two-way player,” Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said of Edgecombe the night of the draft. “Really helped his team. He’s got all these winning qualities that we think fit. Great teammate. His story and what he has done to get to this point is really unbelievable.
“We think he’s on a great trajectory to take where he’s come from and continue to improve … all the way through a very long and very promising NBA career. And we’re excited it’s here with the 76ers.”
The 6-foot-5 , 195-pounder made Morey look like a genius by scoring 34 points on 13-for-26 shooting to go with six rebounds in the Sixers’ 117-116 season-opening victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. It was the third-highest scoring debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 43 points on Oct. 24, 1959, and Frank Selvy’s 35 on Nov. 30, 1954.
And nothing has changed since then to make the Sixers rethink the selection.
Edgecombe outperformed No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg while finishing with 26 points, six rebounds, and four assists in Saturday’s 121-114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
It was his fourth straight game with at least 22 points, tying Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel for the longest 22-plus-point streak by a rookie this season.
Edgecombe is averaging 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.3 steals in 24 games. He is also shooting 38.3% from three-point range.
Meanwhile, Bailey averaged 10.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists through 26 games with the Jazz. His highest-scoring games were 21 points twice, whereas Edgecombe has scored at least 21 points seven times while playing alongside Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe scored 23 points and made clutch plays in a win over the Knicks.
And even though he shone in Saturday’s game against the struggling Mavs (11-18), folks were still marveling over Friday’s performance against the NBA Cup champion New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Following his stellar performance in the 116-107 victory over the Knicks, several Sixers were asked if his play has surprised them this season.
“Sadly, no,” Maxey said. “I want to say yes, but, sadly, no. Like, this is who he is, you know what I mean? We realized that Game 1. Yeah, you can do what you want to do in the preseason, and all that and practice in training camp, but when the lights come on, you just never know, and the lights came on, and he came on with it.”
Against the Eastern Conference second-place Knicks (19-8), Edgecombe finished with 23 points, 18 of which came after halftime. He also finished with four assists, two steals, and one block while being a plus-13 and logging a game-high 38 minutes, 4 seconds.
His most notable achievement was his stellar defensive performance against Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. The two-time All-Star point guard finished with 22 points on 7-for-22 shooting and missed 6 of 7 three-pointers. With Edgecombe guarding him, Brunson was held to six points on 1-for-10 shooting in the second half.
He kept hounding Brunson with his ability to get over screens.
“To be honest, it’s kind of like a skill and wanting to do it,” Edgecombe said of battling through screens. “You know, everyone, when you see a teammate come in, you say, ‘Oh, switch.’ But that’s like wanting to [stay on your man]. You got to put in the effort, and knowing who I’m guarding also, an elite player, someone that thrives off coming off ball screens … so I’m just trying to make it difficult.”
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe held Knicks All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson to six points on 1-for-10 shooting in the second half on Friday.
Andre Drummond has been most impressed by the Bahamian’s poise.
“Despite whatever comes in the game, he still plays the game,” Drummond said. “He doesn’t get too sped up, and the way that he defended Brunson [Friday night] was textbook.”
But isn’t it rare for a 20-year-old rookie to have that kind of poise?
“I think I told you guys at the beginning of the season that he doesn’t count,” Drummond said. “He’s been a professional for God knows how long with the Bahamian national team. So he knows what it takes to play against tough competition. He’s been doing it since he was very young.
“So no surprise there. We are just going to expect more from him. That’s all.”
But coach Nick Nurse admitted that Edgecombe surprised him against the Knicks. The coach mentioned his tough buckets down the lane when the Sixers needed them and raved about Edgecombe’s huge two offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter to keep possessions alive when they desperately needed to match the Knicks’ scoring.
“So that was, I don’t know, surprising,” Nurse said. “He’s really good. He’s getting better, too.”
Edgecombe averaged 19.6 points on 48.6% shooting — including making 14 of 28 three-pointers — in the five games entering Saturday.
But his role has shifted game to game, with his responsibilities affected by Embiid and George missing time because of injuries and Maxey being sidelined for the two games before Friday with the flu.
“To be honest, when one of them is out or not, the three of them tell me all the time, ‘Stay aggressive,’” Edgecombe said. “So regardless of the game, they are going to tell me to stay aggressive all the time. In Atlanta [on Sunday], Joel was telling me, ‘Stay aggressive.’ ’Rese tells me, ‘Stay aggressive every night.’ P always tells me, ‘Be aggressive; be aggressive.’
“So I say my role is just to be myself, and the adjustment to the pro game has been going well, to be honest with you. It’s the pros, the best players in the world. Just to be in the league, I know I have a lot of work to do because one day I want to be the best player.”
Sixers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) scored 17 of his 26 points in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.
With Maxey out against the Hawks, Edgecombe scored 17 of his 26 points in the third quarter to keep the Sixers in the game. He did that while making 5 of 7 shots, including all three of his three-pointers. He was 4-for-4 from the foul line while playing the entire quarter.
Edgecombe has been solid for most of the season. It’s just been a matter of keeping him involved. He gave the crowd in Atlanta a glimpse of what he can do when the offense runs through him. Then he showed folks at MSG why he’s an early Christmas gift for the Sixers.
“Do I surprise myself? No, I don’t, to be honest,” he said. “I don’t want to sound cocky or nothing, but I don’t surprise myself at all. I know what I’m capable of doing.”
