Maxey scored 35 points but missed a jumper with the Sixers trailing by one. Edgecombe tipped it in, but the Warriors quickly fired an inbounds pass to De’Anthony Melton, who had broke downcourt. Maxey got back to block the shot off the backboard just before time expired.
Joel Embiid had 12 points in his return to the 76ers lineup.
Pat Spencer scored 16 points for the Warriors, who erased a 24-point deficit despite playing with their two leading scorers, Stephen Curry (left quad contusion) and Jimmy Butler (left knee soreness), then losing Draymond Green to an injured right foot late in the second quarter.
Sixers’ Joel Embiid (left), Tyrese Maxey and Adem Bona celebrate after they beat the Warriors by one.
Maxey’s three-pointer made it 67-43 with 8 minutes, 6 seconds left in the third quarter. But the Warriors used a 15-0 run early in the fourth quarter to get back in the contest, then had a late lead before Edgecome stole an inbounds pass with 8.2 seconds to play.
Paul George (left knee injury recovery) was out for the Sixers, who play the second game of a back-to-back on Friday night in Milwaukee (8 p.m., NBCSP).
Curry didn’t even make the trip to Philadelphia, missing his third in a row and seventh game this season. Butler couldn’t play after getting injured in the Warriors’ 124-112 home loss to Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Golden State did get some good news on the injury front with the return of Melton, who had 14 points in his season debut while coming back from a torn ACL.
Tyrese Maxey trails only Hall of Famers Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain when it comes to the highest point total through 20 games in franchise history.
The Sixers (11-9) may face a tough decision if George continues to excel on defense. Once believed to be untradeable, the 6-foot-8 forward could be a nice addition for a contender looking for a solid defender. Or he could continue to help Maxey.
While he’s not the player he was a few seasons ago, George can still hold his own, depending on the matchup.
He had a tough time defending the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo a few weeks ago and may also struggle against some of the league’s quicker perimeter players. But aside from that, he hasn’t had a problem.
Sixers’ Paul George scored 11 points against the Wizards on Tuesday.
The nine-time All-Star had one steal to go with 11 points and five rebounds in just 17 minutes, 43 seconds against the Wizards. The 35-year-old was highly active on defense and continued to show his physicality. That enabled him to blanket the players he guarded. He also crashed the defensive boards.
His most significant impact through his first six games has come on defense, where he’s averaging 1.8 steals. He tallied a season-high five steals in Sunday’s 142-134 double-overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
His shooting has been inconsistent. George has gotten off to solid starts in a couple of games but has been unable to sustain them. And he has struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 35.3% on three-pointers.
But he was in rhythm against the Wizards, making 3 of 5 three-pointers.
“It’s getting there,” he said of his shot. “I’ve just got to get my legs under me, get a little bit stronger. I just feel like my legs aren’t as strong as they need to be. Just kind of get them under me a little bit. Kind of feeling training camp legs a little bit.”
The biggest question about George is his durability. Prospective teams will have to ask themselves whether they are willing to trade for a player with George’s recent injury history.
McCain getting back to his old self
McCain has been playing with a solid pace in recent games. His pace and shot-making ability have shown why he was last season’s rookie of the year front-runner before suffering a season-ending knee injury.
The combination guard averaged 16.7 points while shooting 47.4% on three-pointers during a three-game stretch against the Heat, Orlando Magic, and Brooklyn Nets. Then, after struggling Sunday vs. the Hawks, McCain bounced back against the Wizards.
The 21-year-old finished with 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting — including two made three-pointers — along with five assists in 25:11.
The Sixers’ Jared McCain (center) finished Tuesday’s game with 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting.
McCain scored seven of his points in the first quarter. A a solid distributor, he’s been a nice asset for the Sixers. He paces the game and fits well with George and Maxey. His weakness has been his defense, and opponents try to find matchups with him.
But McCain hasn’t shown any adverse effects from his surgically repaired left knee.
“I feel like I’m back to myself,” he said. “I think continuing those reps, the same stuff. But this game definitely felt good to get people off the dribble.
“I remember in the beginning when I first came back [Nov. 4 vs. the Chicago Bulls], I was like, ‘Dang, am I ever going to get this burst back at all?’ But just trusting the process, and now I’m here.”
Maxey’s latest milestone
After scoring a game-high 35 points, Maxey now has 649 points through 20 games. That ranks third behind Iverson (681 in 2005-06) and Chamberlain (661 in 1965-66).
“Obviously, that’s awesome, considering the names you mentioned and the other names that have been here, like the history, the storied history of this program,” coach Nick Nurse said. “It’s amazing to get in those kinds of conversations. I think that whenever I start thinking, ‘Jeez, is he going to be able to continue to do that?’ He just goes out and makes six or seven possessions like, ‘I’m going to do whatever I want here.’”
Maxey has been torching opponents on drives to the basket, on floaters, and behind the three-point line.
“And he’s just moving himself all over the court and getting himself clearance to shoot,” Nurse said. “And then I keep saying, ‘He should shoot more.’”
Maxey’s 35 points came on 13-for-26 shooting in just 28:49. He also finished with six assists, four rebounds, and four steals while being a plus-23.
He scored 20 of his points in the third quarter on 7-for-13 shooting, including the Sixers’ final 14 points in the quarter before sitting out the fourth.
“Yeah, that stretch alone, he put the game away,” George said of the Sixers taking a 101-77 lead into the fourth. “He just had his imprint over it. From steal, getting out, creating offense for himself, creating offense for us, big shots. And you can see that he was just in a rhythm and a flow, and he took over.”
Maxey wanted to be aggressive during that stretch.
“Give us a comfortable lead where we could be professional and finish that game out,” he said.
Maxey entered Wednesday third in the league in scoring at 32.5 points per game. Tuesday’s was his 11th game with at least 30 points.
The 6-2 guard entered Wednesday tied for second in the NBA in made three-pointers (75) and seventh in assists at 7.5 per game.
Tyrese Maxey drives to the basket against the Wizards.
Wizards great at tanking
It’s hard to believe the Sixers needed overtime to defeat the Wizards, 139-134, on Oct. 28 at the Capital One Arena.
On Tuesday, Washington (3-17) shot 39.8% from the field, including 9-for-36 from three-point range, and committed 15 turnovers, which led to 28 Sixers points.
Wizards fans will point to Alex Sarr (right thigh strain), Corey Kispert (right thumb fracture), Tre Johnson (left hip flexor strain), Khris Middleton (right knee injury management), and Sharife Cooper (right calf strain) missing Tuesday’s game.
But the Sixers were without Joel Embiid (right knee injury recovery), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain), Trendon Watford (left thigh strain), and Quentin Grimes (right calf soreness).
Andre Drummond (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Jabari Walker (10 points, 12 rebounds) finished with double-doubles in a game that was all but over in the third quarter.
Up 24 entering the fourth, the Sixers could rest George and Maxey for the entire quarter. Dominick Barlow logged only 1:39 during that period.
Sunday also marked just the 19th game that Embiid, George, and Maxey played together since George signed his four-year, $211.5 million deal on July 6, 2024. This was only the 16th game that all three finished. In those 16 games, the Sixers are 7-9.
“It was just great to get out there with those guys,” George said of the Big Three. “We just logged minutes together. I thought it was just a ton of excitement. But we obviously got work to do.”
On paper, Maxey, Embiid, and George are a solid mix.
Maxey is a budding superstar. Embiid is the former MVP and arguably one of the NBA’s all-time best scoring big men. George is a nine-time All-Star forward and three-level scorer. And despite coming off July’s left knee surgery, the 35-year-old still appears to be an elite defender. However, the problem is their usage.
Maxey is good enough that if the right co-stars surround him, the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder could excel like the Cleveland Cavaliers’ perennial All-Star, Donovan Mitchell.
The Sixers’ point guard is playing at an All-NBA level. If you put the ball in his hands, he’ll make plays for you offensively.
And on Sunday, the Embiid, George, and Maxey lineup looked improved compared to their limited games together last season. But it was far from Eastern Conference championship worthy.
There were times against the Hawks when the lineup looked clunky. Embiid still spends most of his time on the perimeter. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder’s outside presence often gets in his teammates’ driving lanes to the basket.
But when things did run smoothly, Maxey and Embiid did a solid job of orchestrating the pick-and-roll and keeping George involved. George, however, failed to knock down wide-open three-point shots on passes from the duo.
There was one moment in the fourth quarter when Maxey dished the ball to Embiid in the pick-and-roll. The seven-time All-Star, in turn, passed to a wide-open George in the corner. But he missed the 24-footer.
Then, a couple of possessions later, Maxey dished to George, who again was left wide-open in the corner for a three. He missed, again.
But in his defense, George isn’t known as a catch-and-shoot three-point shooter.
Sixers center Joel Embiid drives to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
There were also times when the offense flowed perfectly with the trio on the floor together. And if we learned something in the overtime sessions, it’s that the Sixers need George, Embiid, and Maxey on the floor together more.
The Sixers often replaced George and Embiid with undersized, nonshooting post players, which resulted in Maxey drawing extra attention. And he was also blitzed on screens, making it harder to free Maxey with screens or switches.
But due to a minutes restriction, George’s night was over after the opening minute, 22 seconds of the first overtime. Meanwhile, Embiid was unable to play in the second overtime due to his minutes restriction. Sunday marked Embiid’s first game since Nov. 8 and seventh this season due to knee injuries. This was just George’s fifth game because of left knee injury recovery and a sprained right ankle.
Without Embiid’s presence and George’s playmaking and stellar defense, the Sixers went Maxey or bust in the second overtime.
He tried to do his part, scoring all eight of his team’s points in the five-minute session. However, the Sixers’ small-ball lineup struggled on the boards. Atlanta outrebounded them, 7-2, in the second overtime, which enabled it to score seven second-chance points.
“It was tough not having [Embiid] out there in the second overtime,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He got us some open space to play in, with him just being on the floor. He created a lot of offense for us.”
Sixers forward Paul George was limited to 28 minutes against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Maxey finished with game highs of 44 points and nine assists to go with seven rebounds, six turnovers, and one block in 52:18. He scored 24 of his points over the fourth quarter and overtime sessions.
The Sixers walked away believing a victory would’ve been in the cards had Embiid, George, and VJ Edgecombe, who also sat out the extra sessions due to a minutes restriction, all played at the end. And they’re probably right under those circumstances on that particular night.
The Hawks were without perennial All-Star guard Trae Young and standout center Kristaps Porziņģis.
Right now, the Sixers are having a tough time beating quality opponents.
“I never get real satisfaction out of not winning,” said Nurse, whose Sixers (10-9) have lost nine of 15 games after starting 4-0. “Right now, though, we’ve gotten so thin over the last 10, 12 days. It’s just nice to have a few guys filtering back in. That’s like hopefully we can come out of this, obviously, we try to recover and rejuvenate [Monday], and hopefully, we can get most of the guys back on the floor Tuesday, again.
“And hopefully, the minute restrictions will start going up a little bit again. That’s something to look forward to again.”
The Sixers entertain the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The Wizards improved to 3-16 after Monday’s 129-126 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. They were riding a 14-game losing streak before defeating the Hawks on Nov. 25.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and center Joel Embiid shown during the loss to the Hawks on Sunday.
But once he returns, the Sixers must face reality.
Right now, they have a high-scoring speedster in Maxey and a big man who barely plays in Embiid. And when the 31-year-old does play, he doesn’t really move, especially defensively, following April’s arthroscopic left knee surgery. It was his second left knee surgery in 14 months and third in nine years.
Even though he’s averaging 32.3 points, the Sixers can’t count on Maxey to score 44 points every night. And at times this season — including Sunday — it appeared Embiid wasn’t trying on defense or just wasn’t able to get to a spot.
Offensively, the Sixers can give the ball to him, and he’ll score. He is averaging 19.4 points in just 24.3 minutes in seven games.
The problem is they’re not going to beat quality opponents with Embiid being limited. But the Sixers have to endure the process of acclimating Embiid and George, and there will likely be some collateral damage.
After all, the Sixers have been most successful in an up-tempo offense centered around ball movement. Yet Embiid is better suited to a two-man game with Maxey and isolation plays.
Sixers center Joel Embiid holds the basketball out with teammate guard Tyrese Maxey past Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels on Sunday, November 30, 2025 in Philadelphia.
“It’s different because he’s still really good,” Maxey said. “We still got to get him the ball. We also got to run our stuff. It’s going to come with time. … I think that may be VJ’s first time playing with Joel and Paul. A lot of guys’ first time playing with them.
“So we haven’t really practiced with that group. It’s kind of hard, but that’s no excuse. I think we did a good enough job to win the game. We played well. We got to finish those out.”
“I thought offensively, it kind of felt like we did have a better little rhythm out there, kind of finding, picking, choosing different lineups to incorporate, whether it’s pick-and-rolls, positioning on the floor,” George said. “And then defensively, I thought there were a lot of positives there. But again, all of it is now we’ve got to get to work and try to be consistent together.”
While that was encouraging, the Sixers still have a long way to go.
Joel Embiid was motivated in his first game in 22 days.
Just when you thought the 76ers needed more from Tyrese Maxey, the point guard showed why he’s been one of the NBA’s best players in the early season. But his missed free throws in overtime and his team’s lack of rebounding in double overtime were costly.
Ten days of rest were good for VJ Edgecombe’s body.
And Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder is a big fan of Dominick Barlow.
Those things stood out Sunday night in the Sixers’ 142-134 double-overtime loss to the Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Embiid motivated
Embiid usually looks rusty in his first game back from injury.
That was far from the case after he missed the past nine games. This time, he looked good physically and was aggressive.
The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder put his imprint on the game from the start, scoring the first basket 35 seconds into the contest. He later assisted on a Barlow layup that gave the Sixers a 7-4 advantage. Then Embiid added two points on a pair of foul shots to extend the Sixers’ early lead to five points.
Embiid scored those points and had that assist along with a rebound while logging 6 minutes, 1 second in the first quarter. He finished with 18 points on 6-for-14 shooting along with four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a block in a season-high 30 minutes.
“So tonight, obviously, I thought the first half was pretty good,” he said. “Moved really well. And we missed almost a month, and you only had two court sessions, going up and down, it’s going to be tough.”
Embiid added that Sunday’s game felt like facing the Boston Celtics in the season opener at TD Garden on Oct. 22. He was rusty that night.
But the 2023 MVP gradually improved. He had 20 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 20 minutes when the Sixers (now 10-9) faced the Celtics a second time on Oct. 31. And Embiid had his best game of the season while finishing with 29 points, six rebounds and four assists in a 130-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8. That marked the last game he played in before Sunday.
“You build on it, and I’m not even mad about tonight,” Embiid said. “I’m just happy that I got a chance to play the game of basketball, build on it, and go from there. Next game, whether shots fall or not, I don’t really judge myself based on if shots fall or not. It’s all about how I move laterally, jumping, and all that stuff. Tonight was a good start towards that.
“I felt good in the first half. Obviously, the second half was a little rough. I should build on what the first half looked like and go from there.”
After intermission, Embiid had seven points on 2-for-8 shooting. He failed to score in the first overtime and didn’t play in the second.
Embiid could have been more involved as a rebounder. He’s still rarely jumping on defense, and his lateral movement isn’t what it used to be. But effort-wise, this was one of his best first games back after an extended break.
Sixers center Joel Embiid gets fouled by Atlanta’s Luke Kennard.
He sat out the Sixers’ previous eight games because of right knee injury management or soreness. Before that, Embiid missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee. The former league MVP has already missed 12 of the Sixers’ 18 games because of his knee ailments.
More needed from Maxey until …
Quentin Grimes showed why he’s a legitimate candidate to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. He finished with 28 points on 8-for-15 shooting, including making 4 of 8 three-pointers, to go with 10 rebounds and four assists. Grimes also made all eight of his free throws.
But for a while, his performance couldn’t make up for what was trending to be the worst night of the season for Maxey.
The Hawks’ primary defenders did a solid job of defending the standout point guard.
He still managed to finish with a game-high 44 points on 14-of-31 shooting, though. That included missing 11 of his 13 three-point attempts. Maxey did make 14 of 17 foul shots to go with seven rebounds and nine assists.
But Maxey had just 20 points on 4-for-12 shooting — including making just 1 of 7 threes through three quarters.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey reacts late in the second overtime against the Atlanta Hawks.
Give Maxey credit. He kept battling and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter on 4-for-9 shooting. His three-point play pulled the Sixers within three points (108-105) with 3:11 left.
Then Maxey drained a three-pointer with 8.8 seconds left to knot the score at 115, forcing overtime.
Maxey went on to score four points in the extra session. However, he missed a pair of foul shots that would have given the Sixers a four-point cushion with 4.6 remaining.
“I thought I was going to make them, and we’ll figure it out after that,” he said of what was going through his mind at the foul line. “But it’s like what I get for messing with VJ.”
Maxey was referring to playfully ribbing Edgecombe for missing a pair of foul shots with the Sixers up 117-116 with 8.5 seconds left in the season-opening victory. Luckily for them, that night neither team scored another point.
After the Hawks (13-8) forced another overtime on Sunday, Maxey scored all eight of his team’s points. However, with Embiid and reserve center Andre Drummond (who played just six minutes) out of the game, the Sixers’ small-ball lineup struggled on the boards.
The Hawks won the rebounding game 7-2 in overtime, which enabled them to score seven second-chance points.
But those missed foul shots are something Maxey won’t soon forget. At the same time, he had to be exhausted, logging 52:16.
Maxey is averaging a league-leading 40.7 minutes while ranking third in scoring at 32.3 points. He’s been forced to carry the Sixers with Embiid and Paul George (16 points, seven rebounds, game-high five steals) both missing a lot of games with injuries.
Embiid was asked if Maxey’s standout play has added any extra urgency.
“I do feel bad,” Embiid said. “Obviously, the minutes that he has to play, the load that he has to handle. I’ve been there. I know how it feels. You’ve just got to trust in what you’re doing, and in God, and be OK with the fact that whatever happens, happens.”
Edgecombe was back in the starting lineup after missing the past three games with a left calf strain. The rookie shooting guard finished with seven points on 3-for-6 shooting, along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 21:25.
But the biggest takeaway was that he played with his trademark bounce and explosion that had been missing in a few games leading up to his injury. Back then, the 20-year-old looked fatigued from what had been an overwhelming amount of games to start the season.
Barlow’s admiration
On July 30, 2024, Barlow signed a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks. While he was only with the Hawks for one season, it’s evident that the power forward left a lasting impression on Snyder.
“He really knows how to play,” Sndyer said. “And he gave us, in a stretch where we really needed someone to come in and not only give us good minutes, but kind of connect as a team. And I think it’s unusual for a player in [a two-way] position to have that kind of impact on the group.
“So I’m really happy to see him doing well. And I’m not surprised. … He’s got a great feel for the game, can pass, handle, just a smart player. Very committed to helping the team in any way he can.”
Sixers forward Dominick Barlow dribbles as he is guarded by Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels.
Barlow averaged 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds in 35 games with four starts last season for the Hawks. He had his two-way contract converted to a standard deal on March 4.
However, Barlow left the Hawks in the offseason after they fired former general manager Landry Fields. Betting on himself, he signed a two-way deal with the Sixers on July 9. And he’s been one of their most impactful players.
The 6-9, 215-pounder made his seventh start of the season on Sunday. He finished with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks. The 22-year-old came into the game averaging career highs of 7.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals through nine games.
After the 76ers battled back from a 19-point second-half deficit to beat the Washington Wizards in the fourth game of the season, Tyrese Maxey was asked what the overtime win says about him and his teammates.
“It says that we are tough,” Maxey said. “But we don’t want it to become a habit. But it does say that we are tough. We’re resilient, and it says we are in shape, honestly, because to be able to play like that, come back, and do it multiple times, like go into overtime off a back-to-back and still pull out a win.”
At the time, the Sixers’ 139-134 overtime road victory on Oct. 28 came one day after they defeated the Orlando Magic, 136-124, at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Their other two games resulted in comeback victories over the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers were 4-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
With grit, athleticism, and a refuse-to-lose mentality, the Sixers showed no resemblance to last season’s 2024-25 squad. Joel Embiid’s knee issues were believed to be manageable, and Paul George’s season debut was imminent.
So we thought.
Now, we must ask ourselves: Was the Sixers’ impressive start just a mirage?
Since winning its first four games, the squad has lost eight of 14 contests. The Sixers (10-8) are eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.
They avoided losing a third consecutive game by defeating the struggling Brooklyn Nets, 115-103, at the Barclays Center on Friday. Now, they’ll look to win consecutive games for the first time since the season-opening winning streak when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Like last season, injuries, primarily to Embiid and George, have been the biggest thing holding them back. Having the two maximum-salary players sidelined forces role players to perform well above their pay grade.
“Well, listen, I think that, a little bit like I said a year ago, I think that we need them to be the best version of ourselves,” coach Nick Nurse said before the Sixers snapped their two-game skid on Friday. “That’s for sure. The concern levels hit me, obviously, when they’re not playing. But now, when we’re missing three or four other guys out of the rotation, [it gets harder]. I think we’re probably thinking about a nine-man rotation, and that’s when it’s getting a little tough.”
Nurse has a point. Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), and reserve forward Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) have been sidelined. Center Andre Drummond, who started the past nine games in place of Embiid, suffered a game-ending sprained right knee on Friday. Edgecombe and Drummond are questionable to return against the Hawks (12-8).
Sixers forward Paul George dribbles the basketball past Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo on last Sunday.
But the Sixers have more than $300 million owed to Embiid and George over the next three seasons, beginning next season. That’s a massive investment in two players, who, like last season, have been unable to stay on the court.
George played in just his fourth game on Friday, finishing with 14 points and two steals in 21 minutes, 21 seconds after missing Tuesday’s 144-103 setback to the Magic with a sprained right ankle.
The nine-time All-Star missed the first 12 games while recovering from left knee surgery. Then he sat out Nov. 19’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors because he isn’t cleared to compete on both nights of a back-to-back.
Meanwhile, Embiid will miss his 10th consecutive game on Sunday because of knee injuries. He’ll miss his ninth straight because of right knee injury management or soreness. Embiid also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
At this point, Embiid has been available for six of the Sixers’ first 18 games.
A season ago, Embiid played in only four of the first 18 contests en route to making just 19 total appearances. Meanwhile, George was further along, playing in nine contests. He ended up playing in 41.
When he does play, George has shown signs of being a solid piece for the Sixers.
He scored his team’s first 11 points before becoming more of a facilitator and defensive standout, as Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points in a 123-114 overtime road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 20.
Right now, however, he’s playing short stints while on a minutes restriction.
“It’s difficult,” George said. “I mean, it’s difficult knowing, to start the game off, how long you’ll be out there. But then, as the game goes on, you’re like, subconsciously counting how much time you’ve got left. So it’s tough. It’s a challenge, especially trying to find rhythm, try to stay in rhythm, and try to just be consistent with the time that you’re out for it.”
Paul George and Joel Embiid look on during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center.
But for now, Maxey is carrying the bulk of the load while Embiid and George are dealing with injuries. That’s no different from last season until he, too, succumbed to injuries.
Maxey is averaging a league-leading 40 minutes per game. One has to wonder if the Sixers are relying too much on him because of his fellow maximum-salary teammates’ lack of availability.
One also has to wonder how much, under the circumstances, relying heavily on Edgecombe and Oubre may have contributed to their injuries.
Despite being a rookie, Edgecombe was third in the league in minutes played at 37.3. Meanwhile, Oubre averaged 36.7 minutes through his first 11 games. He played just 14:56 before exiting at halftime in his 12th and latest appearance.
Yes, the Sixers showed resilience at the beginning of the season that captivated the city.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey meets with teammate center Joel Embiid after the Sixers beat the Orlando Magic, 136-124, on Oct. 27.
But, so far, after the hot start, Embiid and George’s lack of availability has made things reminiscent of last season’s teams. Back then, the Sixers spent most of the season battling for an NBA Play-In tourney spot before opting to tank.
Things could change for the Sixers, especially if the duo spends a substantial amount of time on the court moving forward.
But at this moment, this season has 2024-25 vibes.
They had no answers for the Magic on a night when the home crowd of 19,746 booed them loudly over the last three quarters. Fans even began heading for the exits at the conclusion of the third quarter. And with the Sixers down 42 in the fourth quarter, the remaining fans chanted, ‘We want Kyle,’ in reference to Sixers reserve point guard Kyle Lowry, who’s in his 20th season.
The Sixers (9-8, 0-3 East Group B) hobbled into their group play game against the Magic (11-8, 3-0).
Tyrese Maxey and Dominick Barlow, who started the first two games in place of George, were the Sixers’ only available starters from the opening day lineup.
Embiid (soreness in right knee), George (sprained right ankle), Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee), VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), along with reserve center Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) missed the game.
The Sixers’ able bodies shrunk when Trendon Watford suffered a game-ending left adductor strain with 4 minutes, 7 seconds remaining before intermission.
The reserve power forward grabbed the inner part of his left leg while passing the ball before falling to the court. After being helped up, Watford was assisted to the locker room.
He had eight points, one rebound, and an assist in 11 minutes. He was 2-for-2 from the field and 4-for-4 from the foul line.
The Sixers got another scare when Justin Edwards appeared to hurt his foot after scoring a third-quarter basket. He went to the locker room during a timeout to be checked out and returned to the game.
Sixers rookie Johni Broome played in just his fourth game of the season on Tuesday night.
With all the injuries, seldom-used guard Eric Gordon was the ninth man off the bench, and rookie power forward Johni Broome entered the game in the third quarter.
“It’s out of our control, man,” Drummond said of the injuries. “It’s the next-man mentality. It’s Barlow, [Jabari] Walker, Broome, and [Hunter Sallis]. These guys got to step up and be ready to fill those shoes. You know we are not excited for our guys to go out. But for them, it’s a great opportunity to come in and showcase themselves.”
While this is an excellent opportunity, the Sixers need to get healthy if they expect to remain competitive as they embark on an upcoming rough stretch of games.
Is the attrition starting to catch up to the Sixers?
“It sure felt like it tonight,” coach Nick Nurse said. “But, again, I think two or three times a season, you are going to have games like this where it’s like everything goes wrong. All of a sudden, they get hot. They start throwing in threes. We start turning [over the ball]. We can’t catch the ball. We can’t get back. We can’t grab a rebound. Just everything was really out of whack. You never really explain it. …
“Just like I told the guys, we’ve got to be better. That’s certainly not who we are out there tonight. We’ve got to get rid of this one, get rest and treatment over the next couple of days, and get back to who we are.”
Sixers must stop the ball
The Sixers struggled to stop the Magic’s dribble penetration. Orlando routinely drove to the lane with ease. Perhaps realizing the Sixers couldn’t stop it, the Magic prioritized the dribble drive for long stretches.
This was similar to what the Hornets did to the Sixers during the second game of the season. Charlotte led, 80-56, in points in the paint and had an 20–6 advantage in second-chance points.
Thirty of the Magic’s points in the paint came in the second quarter, where they outscored the Sixers, 51-25, to take an 86-60 halftime lead.
“It was one of those days, 82 games,” Drummond said. “These types of games do happen. Not that we want it to happen, but [stuff] does happen. It is what it is. Everything they shot went in. And it also didn’t help that we gave them that momentum in the second quarter, going into halftime.
“So it’s something to learn from. We’ve got to get some rest. A lot of guys are out, banged up right now. I think these next two days are very crucial for us going into Brooklyn.”
While Drummond downplayed it, the Sixers will have to improve their defense if they expect to beat quality teams. In a copycat league like the NBA, teams will watch this game film and attack the rim until the Sixers can stop them.
Drummond still an elite rebounder
Drummond squaring up with Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. was one of the most memorable things about this game.
The Sixers center got into a fighting stance after fouling and exchanging words with Carter. Things escalated after Orlando point guard Jalen Suggs shoved Drummond. That caused Walker to push Suggs.
Suggs received two technical fouls and was ejected. Meanwhile, Carter, Drummond, and Walker each received a technical.
“I had to stop the bleeding, man,” Drummond said of his exchange with Carter as the Sixers trailed 82-58 with 26.6 seconds left in the half. “They went on a crazy run. For me, if you can see me, I looked up at the score, and I was, like, ‘Man, this [expletive] is nasty. I got to do something.’ And I was just [expletive] with him, and he reacted. I was like, ‘OK, I got to capitalize on it!’
“I mean, I’m not one of those players who do anything dirty, so once I did what I had to do, I was clapping because I got the reaction I was looking for, I got somebody thrown out, hoping it would get us going a little bit. Still ended up losing by 30-plus, so it was one of those nights for us. Got to learn from it, watch film, and move on to the next one.”
But aside from that, Drummond continued to show that he’s still an elite rebounder.
The 32-year-old, in his 14th season, finished with three points and a game-high 12 rebounds in 22 minutes, 19 seconds. He is averaging 13.7 rebounds in his last eight games as a starter. That included a season-high 24 rebounds in Sunday’s 123-114 loss to the Miami Heat. And he had 18 boards in a Nov. 17 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Drummond said his goal is to lead the league in rebounding. That will be tough to do once Embiid returns and takes a chunk of Drummond’s minutes. He’s currently ranked ninth (10.7) in rebounding. His play has been one of the team’s bright spots.
“For me, I’m trying to get back to No. 1,” Drummond said. “I’m [at] 10 right now. I think the leader [San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama] is averaging [12.9]. I’m not too far off. The goal is to win, obviously. That’s first and foremost. [Rebounding] is what I’m known to do. So I got to keep putting a show on.”
Sixers guard Jared McCain and forward Trendon Watford walk off the court during a timeout during their loss Tuesday night to the Magic.
Same old story with George and Embiid
A season ago, Embiid had only played in four of the Sixers’ first 17 games while George played in eight. Tuesday’s contest marked this season’s 17th game. And at this point, George has played in only three games, while Embiid has been available for six.
George was sidelined with a sprained right ankle. Meanwhile, Embiid missed his eighth consecutive game because of knee injuries. The last seven were because of right knee injury management or soreness. He also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
George missed the first 12 games while recovering from left knee surgery. Then he sat out Wednesday’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors because he isn’t cleared to compete on both nights of a back-to-back.
The Sixers signed George to a four-year, $211.5 million contract on July 6, 2024, to form a Big Three with Embiid and Maxey. But for the second straight season, Maxey is carrying the bulk of the load while the duo is dealing with injuries. The hope is that things will change as the season goes along.
Tyrese Maxey carried the scoring load for the Sixers with 20 points.
But one could argue that, for the time being, they’ve been worse, with George playing in five fewer games and Embiid out since Nov. 8.
A year ago, Embiid missed the entire preseason and first six games of the season because of left knee management. After that, he served a three-game suspension for an off-court altercation.
Embiid made his season debut last year against the New York Knicks on Nov. 12, 2024. After playing in three of the next four games, he missed seven straight contests.
George was also hampered by injuries before the start of last season.
He was sidelined for three weeks after hyperextending his left knee during an Oct. 14, 2024, exhibition game against the Atlanta Hawks, leading to a bone bruise. George suffered the same injury during the Sixers’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 20, 2024, the team’s 14th game of the season. That cost him the next three games.
Give the Sixers credit for handling their absences better than a year ago, when the team was 3-14 through 17 games. But they are starting to fall apart, losing eight of 13 games after starting the season 4-0. And not seeing Embiid and George play is very reminiscent of last season.
Joel Embiid’s availability is either the NBA’s biggest mystery or the 76ers’ best-kept secret.
The 2023 MVP has missed the last seven games because of knee injuries. So what is his status for Tuesday’s matchup against the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena?
“The same as it was,” coach Nick Nurse said Monday, hours before Embiid was listed as questionable. “He’s still day to day.”
Embiid has missed the last six games because of soreness in his right knee. He also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights as part of the rest and recovery plan for his left knee.
The Sixers have said there’s no structural damage to his right knee. So what’s holding up his return?
“Just waiting for doctors to clear him,” Nurse said.
Asked if Embiid has been a full participant at practice, the coach said he was during Monday’s session. Nurse said the center is in good spirits despite being sidelined for two weeks.
“He’s a little frustrated about it,” the coach said. “But I think it was cognizant that he was feeling something there, and he immediately wanted to get it figured out.
“Like I said last night, he’s trying to do a lot of stuff to try to get back on the floor. So his spirits are good.”
The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder has missed 10 of the Sixers’ 16 games. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.
Sixers center Joel Embiid (left) talking with Tyrese Maxey after a victory against the Orlando Magic on Oct. 27.
The expectation was that Embiid would miss some time this season after arthroscopic surgery in his left knee in April. It was his second left-knee surgery in 14 months and third in nine years.
The plan was for Embiid sit out the second night of back-to-back games. He also wasn’t expected to play when there were fewer than two days of rest between games.
But now Embiid hasn’t played since Nov. 8, when he scored a season-high 29 points and posted six rebounds and four assists in a season-high 25 minutes, 57 seconds against the Toronto Raptors.
He has missed 64 games since the start of the 2023-24 season because of injuries. Embiid played in 39 games in 2023-24 and 19 games last season.
“As a friend, you want him to be healthy and ready to play,” Tyrese Maxey said of Embiid. “You want him to be happy. As long as he’s happy, then I’m happy. That’s at the end of the day.
“Yes, basketball is our career, but life is life, you know what I’m saying? You only get one life. So you’ve got to live life to the fullest. And as long as people are happy, his family’s good, he’s good, and he can get on the basketball court as much as possible, I’m happy.”
But Embiid isn’t the only banged-up player on the Sixers’ roster.
Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness), and reserve center Adem Bona (sprained right ankle) will remain sidelined for Tuesday’s game. Paul George (sprained right ankle) and Maxey (sprained right shoulder) are listed as probable. However, Maxey downplayed his injury.
When asked about coping with the team’s injuries, Maxey said the Sixers have a good mentality about them this season.
“It’s just like whoever’s playing is playing, whoever is not is not,” he said, “and they’re going to cheer the teammates on.”
Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. shooting over Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs on Oct. 27.
The standout point guard said he would love to have everyone available for all 82 regular-season games. Maxey knows that’s not possible.
“But you just have to have the next-man-up mentality,” he said, “and we move on from there.”
The Sixers (9-7) are focused on securing their first NBA Cup victory when they host the Magic.
They’re 0-2 in East Group B after a 114-105 loss to the Pistons on Nov. 14 at Little Caesars Arena. The Magic (10-8, 2-0) are tied with the Pistons for first place in the group.
The Sixers must find a way to contain Orlando forward Franz Wagner, who averages 23 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. The 6-10, 230-pounder has scored in double figures in every game this season. He scored at least 20 points on 13 occasions, including a season-high 37 points Saturday in a 133-121 victory over the New York Knicks.
Orlando All-Star forward Paolo Banchero will miss his seventh consecutive game with a left groin strain. Speaking to the Orlando Sentinel on Sunday, Banchero said he’s “pretty close” but could not pinpoint when he would return.
The Magic had their three-game winning streak snapped Sunday in a road loss to the Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, the Sixers are 5-7 after opening the season with four straight victories.
While the team has faded a little, Maxey has been one of the season’s elite players.
He scored a career-high 54 points to go with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks Thursday in a 123-114 overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Maxey was second in the league in scoring before Monday’s games at 33.0 points per game, and seventh in assists at 7.8.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey shoots as Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson defends him on Sunday.
“I just want us to win,” Maxey said when asked if winning MVP was a goal. “If we win, and that comes with it, I’m happy. But I don’t really care. Like last night, we lost [to the Heat]. When I play well, and we lose, it doesn’t make me happy at all.
“But when I play bad, and we win, I’m extremely happy because at the end of the day … the wins mean more to me. Right now, we have nine wins. That means the most to me. It’s to keep stacking days, keep winning, keep getting better every single day, and keep leading this team.”
Maxey showed why he’s a legitimate candidate for MVP, scoring a career-high 54 points on 18-for-30 shooting to go with nine assists, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. His 54 points tied Hall of Famer Allen Iverson for the ninth-most points scored in a regular-season game in team history. Iverson did it twice, in December 2004 and January 2001.
Maxey joins Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain (March 18, 1968) as the only two players in franchise history to produce at least 50 points and nine assists in a single game.
“Great. We won. That’s what matters most,” Maxey said of tying Chamberlain.
But how does he feel about being in that company?
“Blessed,” Maxey said. “I thank God for it. Anytime you are in a conversation with Wilt, who scored 100 points, you can’t complain.”
Maxey didn’t have a repeat of Wednesday night when he attempted one fourth-quarter shot attempt — a miss — in a 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors. On Wednesday, he passed out of double teams and made what would typically be the correct play in the fourth quarter. In the game, Maxey attempted only 14 shots, which is 9.4 shots below his average of 23.4.
However, the Sixers aren’t good enough for him to serve as a decoy or a secondary player at this moment.
Against the Bucks, with the Sixers down 85-82 with 10 minutes, 10 seconds remaining, Maxey came up with three clutch plays in a short span.
He drained a 20-foot jumper to pull the Sixers within one point. After grabbing the defensive rebound on the ensuing possession, Maxey drained a three-pointer to put the Sixers up, 87-85, with 9:26 to play.
He scored 22 in the fourth quarter and overtime session on 6-for-9 shooting. He made four clutch foul shots in overtime.
The Sixers need Maxey to remain aggressive throughout games to win.
Coach Nick Nurse said after Wednesday’s loss that Maxey needed to shoot the ball more.
“It was a different game last night,” Maxey said of Wednesday. “I definitely was not as aggressive as I should have been. I got hit in the head, and I also got hit in the quad. So it was a little tough for me. Kind of like pop up and get the ball and be extremely aggressive, as I probably need to be. And we were making some shots. I made some plays and got guys open. So I was trying to feel the game out.
“But [Nurse is] definitely right. I got to be aggressive. Joel [Embiid] definitely got on me as soon as I got in the locker room. He pulled out the stat sheet, showed me the 14 shots, and said, ‘This ain’t going to cut it.’ And Joel is normally right.”
The Sixers’ Paul George played a major role on both sides of the ball.
George’s presence
George’s presence has been noticeable in the two games he’s played in this season. The 35-year-old, who made his season debut on Monday, provided early offense and made a defensive impact in Monday’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers and in Thursday’s win against the Bucks.
He finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and two steals while playing 24 minutes, 42 seconds against Milwaukee. This comes after George had nine points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks vs. the Clippers.
George had an excellent start for the second consecutive game.
After scoring the game’s first five points in Monday’s debut, he scored the Sixers’ first 11 points while making his first four shots.
He scored the game’s first basket by driving through the lane and muscling his way to a basket. Then he added three-pointers on the Sixers’ next three possessions.
“That was kind of the mindset,” George said of attacking Thursday’s game from the start after sitting out Wednesday’s loss. “I know these guys played last night.. So I’m fresh. I tried to come in, get the boost, just morale on both ends. I tried to impose my will on the defense, and then come out with a burst offensively.”
The Sixers’ following points came when he assisted on an alley-oop dunk by VJ Edgecombe to make the Sixers’ lead 13-4 with 7:11 left in the quarter. George came out with 6:16 left in the quarter before returning at the start of the second.
While he missed his lone shot and committed a turnover, George made a pair of foul shots and had an assist to go with a steal in his short stint.
George did a solid job running the Sixers’ offense in the half-court and provided solid defense. One of his highlights was stealing the ball on Kyle Kuzma’s layup attempt at the 8:30 mark of the third quarter.
“Listen, whatever it is, to make the game easy for No. 0,” George said of running the offense. “I’ve been saying he’s been doing a lot for us. He might not want to say it, but I know he’s tired. He’s got to be tired. So, you know, I’m just trying to make the game easy for him within the offense, play my game.
“But also, you know, I do feel like I can see plays ahead and kind of see where guys should be and balancing the floor and just trying to give us the best possibility of getting a good shot each possession.”
If there was a negative to his performance, it was that he appeared to run out of gas. He missed five of his next six shots after starting the game 4-for-4. He even missed a third-quarter layup.
Edwards’ defense
With Kelly Oubre Jr. out (sprained left knee), Edwards made his second consecutive start at small forward. There was no drop-off defensively with him in the lineup. While Maxey and George provided the offensive scoring, the former Imhotep Charter standout provided stiff defense. Edwards finished with a season-high two steals, both coming in the opening quarter. The most he had in a game before Thursday was one. And he did that three times in his first 12 games.
“I take pride in it,” Edwards said of his defense. “You know that’s what the coaches expect from me every game. So, you know, I go out there and try to guard everybody’s best ballhandler and put them to the test, honestly.”
While he struggled shooting (seven points, 3-for-10 shooting), Edwards kept making the right plays on the offensive end. On one occasion, he drove the lane and wrapped a pass around a defender and into the arms of Andre Drummond, who scored an easy layup. Edwards had three assists and four rebounds.
But Edwards made two huge baskets in overtime. He opened the extra session with a three-pointer to give the Sixers a 109-106 advantage. Then, with 2:23 left, his 14-foot pull-up jumper gave them a five-point cushion.
He mentioned what the three-pointer meant to him after struggling from the field most of the game.
“It doesn’t bother me,” he said. “But it does bother me. I ain’t even going to lie. I was about to try to do my media-training stuff, but it does bother me. I just got to have short-term memory, because I feel like I’ve made a lot of growth. Last year, maybe college, I probably would not have shot that. I probably would have driven it. But that just shows the confidence in myself. I put the work in. I shot that shot a million times.”
Sixers forward Justin Edwards was one of the players charged with guarding breakout star Ryan Rollins.
Battered teams
The Sixers were without Embiid (right knee injury management), Oubre, and Adem Bona (sprained right ankle). Maxey (right quadriceps contusion) was cleared to play right before the game.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (left adductor strain) could be out for up to two weeks. The Bucks were also missing Taurean Prince (neck surgery) and Kevin Porter Jr. (right knee meniscus surgery).
But long injury lists aren’t isolated only to the Sixers and Bucks. Injuries have been up around the league this season.
Sacramento Kings standout center Domantas Sabonis (partially torn meniscus in left knee) will miss three to four weeks. Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (fractured hip) is expected to have season-ending surgery. And the Dallas Mavericks’ Anthony Davis, Portland Trail Blazers’ Jrue Holiday, San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper, and Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant and Ty Jerome are out with calf strains.
“Anybody can speculate about what they think it is, right?” Nurse said. “I think nutrition plays a big part of it. I think that the preseason plays a part of it, too. I think we are not getting a lot of gamelike reps [in the preseason], and then all of a sudden we’re going 100 miles an hour [in the regular season.]
“And like I said … on our way over here, this is our third road back-to-back, and it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. The games early in the season have been coming out of the chute. It’s a heavy, heavy load.”
It was the Sixers’ fourth back-to-back overall through their 17 games. And the Sixers have been dealing with injuries all season, as George (left knee injury management), Jared McCain (right thumb surgery), and Trendon Watford (hamstring) have also missed time.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse acknowledged before Monday’s game that the minutes for Maxey and VJ Edgecombe are piling up, and they are expected to carry the scoring load.
Nurse thinks things may settle down for the duo when George gets up to speed, as they do when Joel Embiid is playing.
The coach actually spoke to both of them on Sunday. He asked them four questions: Are you OK? Are you playing too many minutes? You sure? Are you looking for some help?
Maxey and Edgecombe responded “yes” to the first question and “no” to the other three.
“I said, ‘Because we don’t know when it’s going to come,” Nurse said. “’Get ready to go out there and do whatever is necessary.’
“And they’re both on board. I said, ‘Whenever these guys come back to help, we’re going to welcome them with open arms. But until that point, let’s stay focused on doing what needs to be done.”
On Monday, the Sixers (8-5) needed Maxey to take over while playing the entire second half.
That’s when he scored 27 of his game-high 39 points. It was the fifth time this season that the sixth-year guard scored at least 35 points. He also finished with three rebounds, six assists, one steal, and four turnovers while logging a game-high 40 minutes, 57 seconds.
Maxey scored 13 points in the third quarter before tallying 14 in the final quarter. But he must do a better job handling the ball in clutch situations. All four of his turnovers came after the intermission.
There’s no denying that he’s having a special season, though.
Maxey’s 39 points were the most by an NBA player on Monday night.
He ranks second in the league in scoring at 32.5 points per game, fourth in made three-pointers (50), and first in minutes (40.4).
What is Nurse looking at in the big picture with the kind of season Maxey is putting together?
“I don’t know if I think about that at this particular time,” Nurse said. “I think that you know what I talked about before … that was pretty evident tonight. You’ve got to go, and the minutes are going to be 40. And you are going to have to carry a bunch of the load. And you are going to have to figure it out.”
Sixers forward Paul George (center) scored nine points in his season debut.
PG’s debut
George hadn’t played in a game since March 4. Yet he’s been a full participant at practice since Oct. 19. As a result, it was hard to predict how the 35-year-old would perform against the Clippers (4-10).
He moved well. He got his shots. He bulked up. And, as expected, he was rusty.
George finished with nine points on 2-for-9 shooting along with seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 21:06 of playing time. He also made 4 of 7 free throws.
“It felt great to finally play basketball again,” he said. “It’s been like eight months since I played. So it was a long journey, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of hiccups. But it felt good to finally get out there. I felt good. Just rusty, but I felt good.”
He played in only 41 games last season — his first as a Sixer — while hampered by various injuries. George was ruled out for the remainder of that season on March 17, the day he received injections in the left adductor muscle in his groin and left knee.
He was expected to return in time for training camp. However, the nine-time All-Star had arthroscopic left knee surgery in July, which caused him to miss additional time.
On Monday, George scored a three-pointer on his first shot attempt 34 seconds into the game. On the next possession, the 6-foot-8, 220-pounder was fouled while attempting a three. He made two of three foul shots to give the Sixers a 5-0 advantage.
Paul George played 21 minutes in his season debut for the Sixers.
George missed his subsequent five attempts before turning the ball over and later scoring on a three-foot driving floater.
He missed three shot attempts after intermission. But George stepped up his game in other areas in the second half with three rebounds and a block.
Defensively, he looked comfortable and appeared to have lateral quickness.
“Yeah, it was definitely a trusting — it was definitely a trust factor,“ George said. ”When I first went out there to see what all I could do, and right away, ‘I’m ready for this.’ You know, ‘I can move, I can react, I can play physical, I can beat the guy to a spot. I can rebound.’ So that was, I think, a huge checklist for me personally, that I was able to slide my feet, stay in front of guys, and just fly around. Be reactive.”
It’s too early to know if he can be the dominant wing of the past. However, his basketball IQ, defense, rebounding, and leadership could help the Sixers once he gets in basketball shape.
Drummond’s play
Drummond is the Sixers’ lone healthy center.
Embiid missed his fourth consecutive game on Monday. It will be the third game he has missed due to right knee injury management. The 2023 MVP also sat out the Nov. 8 home loss to the Detroit Pistons to rest his surgically repaired left knee.
Sixers center Andre Drummond had 14 points and 18 rebounds against the Clippers.
And reserve center Adem Bona missed the first of at least three games with a sprained right ankle.
The 6-11, 279-pound Drummond held his own against Clippers center Ivica Zubac with 14 points and a game-high 18 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double and fifth of the season.
Zubac, who had 14 points and 13 rebounds, was outplayed by Drummond in the fourth quarter. That’s when the Sixer tallied seven points and five rebounds.
Drummond even made a pair of clutch foul shots to give the Sixers a 110-106 cushion with 1:08 remaining. Then he grabbed his 18th rebound on the ensuing possession.
Controversial ending
The Sixers will tell you a win is a win. And they probably couldn’t care less if people speak negatively about the controversial ones.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey and Trendon Watford celebrate their 110-108 victory over the Clippers on Monday.
And that’s what they escaped with against the Clippers.
With the Clippers down two points, video footage showed James Harden being fouled on a three-point attempt by Quentin Grimes with 6.3 seconds remaining. Crew chief Curtis Blair was asked after the game why the foul wasn’t called on the play.
“During live play, it was deemed that Grimes legally contested Harden’s three-point shot,” Blair said.
Based on the wording “during live play,” one has to believe there’s a great chance we’ll see a different answer Tuesday on the L2M report.
But the Sixers still celebrated this victory. Maxey and Trendon Watford even sprinted down the court after time expired on the final possession.
Fortunate and exciting are the best ways to describe the Sixers. They know it. So do their first three opponents.
Yet that shouldn’t take away from the unexpected excitement surrounding the team.
After beating the Magic on Monday night, the Sixers are 3-0. It’s their best start since opening 5-0 during the 2019-20 season.
The Sixers are fortunate because they’ve had a favorable schedule to start the season, facing the Magic (1-3), Charlotte Hornets (2-1), and Boston Celtics (1-3). And they’ll travel to the 1-2 Washington Wizards on Tuesday to complete their first back-to-back of the season.
Yet, the undermanned squad is fun to watch thanks to having one of the league’s best young backcourts in Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe.
According to ESPN, the duo’s combined 186 points are the most by any team’s starting backcourt through the first three games of a season since starters were first tracked during the 1970-71 season.
“That’s a long time ago,” Maxey said with a chuckle when asked his thoughts. “Nineteen-seventy that was like … a long time ago. All I have to say is that was a long time ago.
“But I mean, listen, we are just trying to go out there and be aggressive to help us win. As long as we are doing that, then we are doing a good job. VJ is doing great.”
Several gritty, athletic, defensive-minded role players surround the duo.
As a result, this team has shown more heart than all of last season when they finished with a disheartening 24-58 record. And things should only get better once the team gets healthy.
Joel Embiid missed Monday’s game due to left knee injury management. Dominick Barlow was also sidelined while having a procedure for a left elbow laceration. Paul George (left knee surgery recovery), Jared McCain (right thumb surgery recovery), and Trendon Watford (left hamstring injury management) have yet to play this season.
Sixers guard Eric Gordon scored eight points off the bench on Monday night.
On Monday, Jabari Walker (four points, five rebounds, one block) got his first start of the season. Eric Gordon (eight points, 2-for-3 on three-pointers) and Hunter Sallis made their season debuts.
“Last year, I think lineups changed a lot. Guys in and out,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said of the team’s ability to bring it together so quickly. “But this year, I think Tyrese has been hitting it on the head. It’s like no matter who’s out there, we have this constant that we won’t waiver from. That goes into our culture and the things that we do on a daily basis.
“It’s still early. But at the end of the day, man, if we can have the next man step up, or anybody come in there and be an impact to winning, I think that we’ll be better off than we were last year.”
But like they’ve done in their first two games, the Sixers came up with big fourth-quarter plays to pull out the victory.
On this night, Maxey scored 13 of his season-high 43 points in the final quarter to give the Sixers breathing room. He also finished with a game-high eight assists and four rebounds. The 2023 All-Star is averaging 37 points.
He received MVP chants during the game.
”I’m just trying to close games out,” said Maxey, who is in his sixth season. “Joel has been on me recently about that, probably since my fourth year, about how I can help close games out and have the ball in my hand and make decisions whether I’m shooting or whether I’m passing.”
Meanwhile, Edgecombe finished with 26 points, seven assists, four rebounds, one block, and a steal. He’s averaging 25 points. And the Sixers’ backcourt is a problem for teams to defend.
The team will be tough to beat if Oubre can duplicate Monday’s performance, finishing with 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting, along with 10 rebounds and two blocks.
The Magic didn’t help their case by taking too many poor shots and only playing hard in spurts. That’s where the Sixers were fortunate in this game.
But this team is exciting and has a refuse-to-lose attitude that could benefit them once the schedule toughens.
Sixers center Adem Bona shown blocking one of his three total blocked shots on Monday night against the Magic.
Bona’s impact, excessive fouling
Bona got the start at center for Embiid. The 6-foot-8, 235-pounder was flying around on the defensive end. That enabled him to sandwich two highlight blocks around one by Oubre on consecutive defensive possessions.
However, as Bona tends to do, he got caught for reaching and jumping into players he’s defending. Bona picked up his first foul with 8 minutes, 18 seconds left in the first quarter. Then the second-year player picked up his second foul 30 seconds later and was immediately subbed out by Andre Drummond.
“Like we all know that, like even from last year, try to avoid the early fouls to avoid going to the bench, you know?” Bona said. “Sometimes it happens. Sometimes, I just got to let some stuff go. It’s just not part of my mentality. My mentality is like no one scores on me, no one scores on the team while I’m on the floor.
“Sometimes I got to know when to switch it on, switch it off. … For me, I think that’s like the next step to know when to attack everybody and when to slow down.”
Bona returned to the game early in the second quarter.
The former UCLA standout was back to his aggressive self in the third quarter. He scored on two acrobatic alley-oop dunks, grabbed three rebounds, and blocked Desmond Bane’s layup before being subbed out with 5:50 left in the third.
“That’s huge, not just for me, but the whole team,” Bona said of highlight plays. “Not just for the whole team, but for the fans. It brings excitement. It brings juice.
“When you get the fans going, the fans are behind you and bring excitement to the team. We want to play harder. We want to play faster. So that’s really big, and that’s what I do, just bring that for the team and the fans.”
He finished with seven points and four rebounds to go with his three blocks.
Bona is a considerable asset for the Sixers. He brings unmatched energy, excitement, and rim protection. He needs to cut down on committing early fouls.
Quentin Grimes continues to thrive as a scoring threat off the bench for the Sixers.
Grimes is thriving in a reserve role
After being acquired in a trade from the Dallas Mavericks in February, Grimes proved that he’s capable of starting for the Sixers.
The 6-5, 207-pounder with elite three-point shooting and solid defense would be a great compliment to Maxey in the backcourt. He would also stretch the floor to create space for Embiid and George.
But coming off the bench has enabled him to play more as a playmaker and less as a stander in the corner, waiting for catch-and-shoot opportunities.
It’s also better for him and the team in that role. There’s less competition if he’s playing for the second unit. And his impact has been felt in each of the last two games.
Grimes finished with 14 points on Monday while making 3-of-4 three-pointers, to go with five rebounds and three assists before fouling out. He made an impact shortly after checking into the game with 6:53 left in the first quarter.
He also buried three foul shots to give the Sixers an 118-113 lead with 4:52 remaining.
This comes after Grimes finished with 24 points in Saturday’s 125-121 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. In that win, Grimes gave the Sixers the lead for good on a three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining.
“I know I’m going to get starters minutes and everything [despite coming off the bench],” Grimes said. “I’m going to do my thing. I just get the opportunity to go out there and play my game … go out there and help the team win.
“We got a lot of good guys on the team, a lot of versatility. So it’s all going to play itself out. It’s going to work out for sure.”
