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Tag: Nick Nurse

  • Instant observations: Diving into Joel Embiid’s progress and obstacles on both ends of the floor after Sixers fall to Bulls

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    Joel Embiid had a strong offensive showing on Friday. On defense, the Sixers started experimenting a bit with how they used him. An Embiid-centric look at another brutal loss for the Sixers in Chicago:

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Joel Embiid doubtful for Sixers-Mavericks on Saturday; Paul George out

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    Joel Embiid (illness; right knee injury management) is doubtful for the Sixers’ home contest against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night, according to the team’s initial injury report for the game unveiled on Saturday afternoon. The report also lists Paul George as out on the second leg of the team’s back-to-back:

    Embiid, initially listed as questionable for Friday’s game in New York due to an illness, was later ruled out with the additional tag of right knee injury management applied. It was the first time Embiid’s right knee has been officially reported as an issue in over two weeks, when he returned from a nine-game absence. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse provided the following comments on Friday evening:

    George, meanwhile, has yet to play in both legs of any back-to-backs this year. The nine-time All-Star logged 33 minutes for the third consecutive game on Friday at Madison Square Garden; he only shot 2-for-10 from the field but was a team-best +16, largely because of his continued defensive impact.

    The expected absences are the same: Kelly Oubre Jr., who has been out for well over a month with his left knee LCL sprain and still does not have a timeline to return, and Trendon Watford, who is coming up on a month-long absence due to a left adductor strain and also does not have a timeline to return.

    For Dallas, Anthony Davis is probable with an illness and Klay Thompson is questionable due to left knee soreness.

    MORE: VJ Edgecombe meets the moment in Madison Square Garden debut

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Tyrese Maxey’s superstar surge resumes without Joel Embiid, Sixers nab clutch win over Knicks

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    When the Sixers and Knicks face off at Madison Square Garden, chaos and intensity typically ensue. That was no different on Friday night.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: As he leads Sixers to overtime road win against Bucks, Tyrese Maxey sure looks like a superstar

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    Tyrese Maxey’s sixth NBA season is quickly becoming historic.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Nick Nurse’s Quentin Grimes-centric adjustment backfires in Sixers’ loss to Raptors

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    After two successful trial runs, a new tactic being used by Sixers head coach Nick Nurse to solve the team’s woes in third quarters did not work. The Sixers have a 44-26 frame out of intermission to blame for their latest loss.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Sixers list Paul George questionable to make season debut vs. former team on Monday; Joel Embiid out vs. Clippers

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    Nine-time All-Star Paul George appears to be primed to make his season debut for the Sixers on Monday night against his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers listed George as questionable to play on their injury report unveiled on Sunday evening. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid remains out due to a right knee issue:

    George had multiple left knee injuries during his debut season with the Sixers, only logging 41 appearances while also being derailed by ailments related to his finger and groin. The nine-time All-Star injured his left knee again during the offseason, requiring an arthroscopic procedure in July. George has not yet played in 2025-26 despite fully participating in Sixers practices for a month now, causing significant frustration among fans. The latest substantive update on George’s status came on Tuesday, when the Sixers said his final step before returning was strengthening his left quadricep.

    Embiid, who has played in half of the Sixers’ dozen games to begin the season, has not appeared in a game since Nov. 8, his best and longest performance of the campaign to date. The next day came his fourth absence of the season; all four of those missed games came as planned rest days as the team managed his troubled left knee. But he has missed the Sixers’ last two games because of soreness he reported in his right knee, though imaging confirmed there is no structural damage. His designation has changed from “right knee soreness” to “right knee injury management.”

    Elsewhere, the Sixers said on Sunday afternoon that Kelly Oubre Jr. and Adem Bona would both be out for Monday’s game. Oubre suffered a left knee hyperextension during the team’s loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday, missing the second half of the game. The Sixers said on Sunday that Oubre’s injury involved his LCL and his return timeline was unclear. His official designation on the injury report: “left knee sprain.”

    Bona, meanwhile, suffered a right ankle sprain in Detroit and will miss at least three games, beginning with Monday’s contest. The earliest Bona could return is on Thursday night in Milwaukee, the second leg of the team’s next back-to-back.

    Jared McCain, who missed the Sixers’ last game because he was on assignment in the G League, has been recalled to the team, practiced with the group on Sunday and, according to Nurse, is going to be part of the rotation on Monday. He is officially available.

    MORE: McCain makes progress with Delaware Blue Coats: ‘I’m getting there’

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Sunday stats: Quentin Grimes’ turnover troubles, Justin Edwards’ growing confidence and Kelly Oubre Jr.’s value

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    While the Sixers’ 7-5 record is a relatively positive outcome given the lack of certainty surrounding the team, their problematic health and the memory of their miserable start to a nightmarish 24-58 campaign last season, it is also representative of some missed opportunities.

    Of the Sixers’ five losses, a few of them – including Friday’s defeat at the hands of a depleted Detroit Pistons team – have been avoidable. That the Sixers can withstand some injuries, bungle some games and still see plenty of reasons for optimism is a testament to how much more pleasant everything has been this season.

    However, there are some real causes for concern, both in terms of recent play and looking ahead. This is a very flawed team, even if it is one much closer to being good in a normal capacity than anybody expected it to be.

    A look at some of the good and some of the bad in this week’s edition of Sunday stats:

    100

    The percentage of Quentin Grimes’ appearances in which he has recorded multiple turnovers.

    Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe have tag-teamed backup point guard duties when Tyrese Maxey has been off the floor this year; the level of success accomplished in those minutes has been difficult to quantify. Twice the Sixers have overcome relatively poor Maxey outings by winning his rest minutes, but on the whole they have been shredded with the sixth-year star guard off the floor.

    While both Grimes and Edgecombe have more than enough chops to handle some ball-handling duties in an NBA rotation, neither one is a true primary creator. With Edgecombe in a particularly tough slump of late, more responsibility has befallen the 25-year-old Grimes, whose optimal role is likely as a secondary option on the perimeter and a tertiary option overall. Grimes gets to fill that role when sharing the floor with Maxey and Embiid, but because Embiid has missed six of the team’s 12 games and no other competent ball-handlers exist on the roster outside of Edgecombe, Grimes has rarely gotten the chance to be utilized in an ideal fashion.

    A player having the ball a decent bit racking up turnovers is not breaking news, but Grimes’ issues with ball security have been pretty pronounced for the last few weeks:

    Game Quentin Grimes turnovers
    Oct. 22 @ BOS 5
    Oct. 25 vs. CHA 2
    Oct. 27 vs. ORL 2
    Oct. 28 @ WAS 2
    Oct. 31 vs. BOS 3
    Nov. 2 @ BKN 4
    Nov. 4 @ CHI 4
    Nov. 5 @ CLE 4
    Nov. 8 vs. TOR 3
    Nov. 9 vs. DET 3
    Nov. 11 vs. BOS 4
    Nov. 14 @ DET 2

    On Friday, Grimes was not the lone bad actor in the Sixers’ disastrous 15-point fourth quarter, but he certainly did not help them stay afloat:

    It is not that Grimes should be used as an off-ball role player, on this team or any other. But in a perfect world, the blossoming skill he showed with the ball in his hands during the final two months of last season would be treated as a luxury more than a necessity. On this Sixers team, Jared McCain’s troubles have forced Grimes into being an essential piece of any path to piecing together 48 viable minutes at point guard. It is not the best way to use Grimes, who has largely been very good in his first full season with the Sixers but quietly could be one of the most significant beneficiaries of McCain eventually getting right, even if it cuts into his minutes.

    MORE: Jared McCain makes progress with Blue Coats: ‘I’m getting there’

    12.0

    Justin Edwards’ three-point attempts per 100 possessions.

    When a player shoots 8-for-9 from the field and 5-for-6 from three-point range on national television to swing a game against a rival in front of his hometown crowd, it to be expected that their confidence will skyrocket. Justin Edwards had looked jarringly timid to begin his second NBA season, but his signature performance last week might have unlocked something.

    During his rookie campaign, what made Edwards such a tantalizing prospect and a player head coach Nick Nurse rapidly grew so fond of was his ability to make quick decisions. Self-awareness is a tremendous skill, and Edwards immediately understood that he was not a player who should be dribbling a whole lot. When the ball swung his way, any decision – a shot, a swing pass or a drive – was made instantaneously, and more often than not Edwards was making prudent judgments as well.

    Early on this year, Edwards was in his head. It was clear when watching him hesitate on spot-up threes, fail to drive with force or get caught in between two different ideas and turning the ball over. But after Tuesday’s eruption against the Celtics, Edwards shot another six triples on Friday night in Detroit, connecting on three of them. Edwards’ season-long three-point shooting numbers suddenly look stellar, but actually watching the shots he took against the Pistons shows a massive difference from where he was just a week or so ago:

    After what happened at the end of the first half of Friday’s game, Edwards continuing to find his best self will be all the more important…

    MORE: Edwards stays ready, and ‘the work shows’ with late-game heroics vs. Celtics

    36.7

    Kelly Oubre Jr.’s minutes per game in 2025-26 before leaving Friday’s game early with a left knee hyperextension.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. has been an incredibly consistent piece for the Sixers this year; after a so-so performance on opening night he strung together eight consecutive quality outings before falling into a mini-slump of sorts. His constant availability and effort have been extraordinary; Oubre cares deeply about starting and had earned every bit of a job many suspected he would lose early in the season.

    The Sixers will have an injury report for Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers by Sunday evening, but left knee hyperextensions are typically not injuries players can suffer without missing any time:

    If Oubre does miss time, first of all, Paul George getting back on the floor would be particularly helpful. The slow nature of the nine-time All-Star’s return to game action has been painstaking for many Sixers fans, even as the team acknowledges that George is in the final steps of his recovery.

    Elsewhere, Edwards becomes especially important as someone whose defensive range is similar to that of Oubre’s. Edwards is a wing by trade, but Nurse likes putting him on guards and asking the 21-year-old to chase them around. Grimes sliding up to small forward in three-guard lineups alongside Maxey and Edgecombe even more often is the most obvious solution, but the aforementioned issue of their nonexistent guard depth behind those three would be exacerbated. Another option: Eric Gordon, who has rarely been used this season but remains the ultimate floor spacer and has Nurse’s trust guarding above his size. 

    MORE: Sixers falter offensively late, drop winnable NBA Cup game @ depleted Pistons

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Sixers falter offensively late, drop winnable NBA Cup game against depleted Pistons

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    Friday’s NBA Cup Group Play battle between the Sixers and Pistons in Detroit should have been a chance for the Sixers to bank a win against a team devastated by injuries. Instead, it will be remembered as a 114-105 loss and a significant missed opportunity.

    To be fair, the Sixers were far from at full strength themselves: Joel Embiid, Paul George and Jared McCain were all down for this game; the first two players are dealing with knee issues and the third is on assignment in the G League. But the Sixers had considerably more manpower available than Detroit, whose five starters in this game are earning a combined $32.9 million in 2025-26 – a figure about $5 million lower than Tyrese Maxey’s salary this season.

    But the Sixers learned the hard way just how tough-minded this Pistons team is, and a horrid offensive showing in the fourth quarter sunk them after a shockingly brilliant performance in the third quarter. It was a bizarre reversal of fortunes that initially appeared promising but later became crushing.

    Takeaways from a loss that the Sixers would like to have back – and one that all but eliminates them from contention for the NBA Cup Knockout Rounds:

    Dominick Barlow returns

    Barlow swung the Sixers’ season-opening game in their favor back on Oct. 22 as the starting power forward; he grabbed five offensive rebounds over the Boston Celtics and every single one of them led directly to points. He also had five assists in that game, and Barlow remained the team’s starting power forward for its home opener. But then, at halftime of the second game of the season, Barlow was ruled out with a right elbow laceration.

    An ailment the Sixers did not believe was all that serious at the time turned out to cost the two-way forward nine full games. Barlow had to undergo a procedure and then wear a brace that kept his arm completely straight so the wound would heal. Barlow, at least for now, has lost the starting power forward job to Trendon Watford, but either one of them would be a placeholder for George regardless. Barlow surges toward the top of a crowded field of rotation candidates in the frontcourt that also includes Justin Edwards and Jabari Walker.

    Barlow officially rejoined the action to begin the second quarter on Friday, and he immediately looked like himself. Barlow played six minutes and change before subbing out; he grabbed six rebounds with three of them coming on the offensive glass (one of them led directly to an Edwards triple). Barlow also knocked down a corner triple himself despite his suspect shooting mechanics being further derailed by his elbow:

    Shortly thereafter, Barlow recovered after a turnover to block athletic Pistons wing Ron Holland II on a transition dunk attempt. Barlow was whistled for a foul and immediately called for a review; head coach Nick Nurse obliged and the call was overturned.

    Barlow started the second half – more on this shortly – and the 22-year-old promptly assisted a Quentin Grimes triple, blocked a shot and then connected from beyond the arc again. He nearly threw down an emphatic put-back dunk, too, but the ball was just a bit too far away from the rim for even such an athletic big to pull it off. He flushed it and collected another two assists; he is beginning to show some serious chops in advantage situations. It was a stellar all-around showing for any player, let alone one returning from a prolonged absence.

    Exactly what Barlow’s role will look like with Watford fully integrated and George eventually back in the fold remains to be seen. He closed the Sixers’ opener at center and found success, perhaps he could upend Adem Bona there. But Barlow remains a tremendous asset, two-way contract or not.

    Did Nick Nurse find his fix for third quarters?

    Asked about his team’s constant struggles in third quarters earlier this week, Nurse hinted that he was considering a practice that he has been unafraid to utilize before: opening second halves of games with a different starting five than the one on the floor when games begin. It is a strategy that worked for Nurse when he coached the Toronto Raptors to an NBA Finals victory, when Danny Green opened games and Fred VanVleet replaced him in that unit to begin third quarters.

    On Friday, Nurse started Maxey, Edgecombe, Oubre, Watford and Andre Drummond. But with Oubre ruled out for the second half of action due to a left knee hyperextension, the veteran swingman was replaced by Grimes in the starting unit to open the second half. Barlow also took over for Watford, a sign of Nurse’s creativity finally taking over in a more serious way as he became desperate to solve the Sixers’ league-worst performance in third quarters.

    Well, this experiment can be considered a success. The Sixers did not just play what was far and away their best third quarter of the season on Friday, but they came out of intermission with one of their single best quarters of 2025-26, period. After allowing Detroit to control the game’s physicality in the first half, the Sixers finally became the aggressors on both ends of the floor. They swarmed everything and caused chaos defensively while playing with determination and force on the offensive end.

    The grouping of Maxey, Edgecombe, Grimes, Barlow and Drummond opened the second half on a 14-0 run that eventually extended to a 21-2 stretch. Barlow was all over the place during that stretch while Maxey shook off an inefficient first half to get going. Grimes knocked down some shots and had standout defensive plays, while Drummond flushed an embarrassing double-dribble violation on a 2-on-0 transition opportunity by knocking down two corner triples and stunning Pistons fans unfamiliar with that part of his game:

    The Sixers were outscored by 10 points in the final 3:30 of the frame when their offense stagnated and Detroit got hot – and made a half-court bank-shot – but it was still a very successful 36-25 third quarter. Nurse has joked that he would rather his group thrive in fourth quarters than third quarters; it was the fourth quarter in which the Sixers lost this game.

    Odds and ends

    Some additional notes: 

    • Drummond definitely appreciated the chance to flash his corner three-point shooting in front of Pistons fans. After the Sixers practiced on Thursday, the veteran center spoke glowingly of his relationship with Detroit and the Pistons.

    “I mean, that’s home,” Drummond said. “That’s where I started. That’s the team that took a chance on me, an 18-year-old from Middletown, Connecticut, gave me a chance to play the game I know and love at the highest level. So it’s always respect and love for the city of Detroit.”

    • After experiencing a brutal slump over his last handful of games, Edgecombe got off to a nice start in this one, connecting on two early triples and carrying 13 efficient points into halftime. But in the second half the rookie experienced major difficulty as a scorer, with Grimes superseding him in terms of on-ball responsibility. Edgecombe did once again knock down a crucial three in the fourth quarter despite his prior struggles, perhaps another sign of his strong mental makeup.

    Edgecombe’s fast start was particularly encouraging given his back ailment. But he is still looking to find the sort of groove he enjoyed early in the season.

    • Time will tell how Oubre recovers, but knee hyperextensions are never great. He struggled in this game and the one before it, but Oubre has been among the Sixers’ most consistent and valuable contributors this season. Their aforementioned crowded frontcourt picture is more valuable now that Oubre could miss time. Of course, George returning would be a major lift as well.

    Up next: The Sixers will have another two days off before returning to action on Monday night when they host the struggling Los Angeles Clippers.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Justin Edwards stays ready after struggles, and ‘the work shows’ for hometown hero in Sixers’ win vs. Celtics

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    PHILADELPHIA – It is very rare for someone to beat Tyrese Maxey to a basketball gym.

    In fact, Maxey’s close friend and new teammate Trendon Watford said on Tuesday morning that during the offseason, Maxey has often completed two or three workouts by the time Watford arrives at 9:00 a.m. to begin his day. Maxey’s work ethic has almost become legendary around these parts.

    On Tuesday morning, the Sixers held their typical 10:00 a.m. shootaround to finish preparing for their third contest against the Boston Celtics in as many weeks. Maxey was floored by what he saw when he stepped onto the court: another player getting shots up before him. It was Justin Edwards, the second-year wing desperate to submit a quality performance if his name was called.

    “He was up here at, like, 8:00,” Maxey said. “Those little mental things, they mean something. I was really proud of him for being there. He didn’t play last [game], in here early, 8:00 a.m., shot the ball well before shootaround… The work shows.”

    The work indeed showed on Tuesday night, as Edwards flushed a challenging 10-game stretch to begin the season and nearly posted a perfect shooting line. Edwards made his first eight shots against the Celtics, with five of those buckets coming from beyond the arc. On his lone miss, Kelly Oubre Jr. – one of Edwards’ most vocal supporters – grabbed an offensive rebound and scored the deciding basket of the game.

    “It didn’t feel good, but I shot it,” Edwards said. “Like I said, a game-winning miss… It all worked out in my favor, right?”

    MORE: Edwards’ heroics lead Sixers to dramatic win over Celtics

    Edwards unquestionably earned the right to have a teammate pick him up. He spent the entire game keeping his team afloat with the most well-rounded performance of his season, and quite possibly of his young NBA career. Edwards played tremendous defense across multiple positions, had a few key assists and rebounds… and made his first eight shot attempts. Edwards’ efforts were not limited to shooting, but everything looks better when shots go down:

    In general, Edwards is rather muted. His answers to questions from reporters are short and to the point. He is not nearly as gregarious in front of cameras and microphones as he is behind the scenes. On the court, even in his finest moments Edwards’ reactions have been tame.

    But after Edwards knocked down the third of three consecutive triples on Tuesday night to put his hometown team ahead of their rivals, the emotion poured out of the 21-year-old. He started screaming as the Celtics called timeout. He said he “low-key” got chills as he realized the reaction he had generated from fellow Philadelphians.

    In many ways, it seemed like an out-of-body experience for Edwards. But it turns out that was actually him in his natural form.

    “I actually kind of chilled out when I got to the NBA, honestly. I’ve aways been that type of guy,” Edwards said, before he pointed to a special guest in the back of the room. “You can ask my Momma, she’s standing right there.”

    What did Edwards say in that moment? Before he could answer, maternal instincts took over 15 feet away.

    “If he says it,” Ebony Twiggs, Edwards’ mother and a former professional basketball player said, “he’s going to get a beating.”

    Edwards 11.12.25 2Colleen Claggett/For PhillyVoice

    Edwards has a lot working in his favor. He has the natural talent that made him a five-star recruit. He has basketball in his blood. He has tremendous feel for the game and can make quick and prudent decisions in a way very few young players can. He has a sturdy wing frame. He has the requisite mobility to chase guards around the perimeter as he did for much of Tuesday’s game. He has composure. But perhaps the most important thing Edwards has is Sixers head coach Nick Nurse in his corner as a passionate advocate.

    Nurse has the utmost belief in Edwards. It has been clear since Edwards emerged as an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract and became one of the silver linings of a miserable 2024-25 season.

    That is why, after not playing him at all in the Sixers’ previous game, Nurse confidently called upon Edwards to check into Tuesday’s contest early on. Edwards’ season-long slump was just about meaningless to Nurse. Asked about Edwards’ ability to stay ready, Nurse provided one of the most flattering quotes a head coach has given about a player in recent memory.

    “I love him,” Nurse said. “I don’t worry about him. He works extremely hard. He really worked on his shooting. He goes out there and tries as hard as he can on defense every time. He’s not perfect, but he’s a really good, developing young player that I love. He has a bad game, it doesn’t even phase me, because I love him.”

    Edwards flashed a wide grin as Nurse’s comments were read back to him. He thought back to an early personal low during one of the Sixers’ first practices of the year. Edwards was already having trouble finding himself on the floor, but his coach lifted his spirits. Edwards was sitting on the sideline, he said, when Nurse walked over and said something to him.

    “I’m not worried about you,” Nurse told Edwards. “And you shouldn’t be worried about yourself, because it’s all going to work out.”

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Trendon Watford continues breakout by posting triple-double in first start as Sixers beat Raptors on debut throwback night

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    In need of their first momentum-shifting victory of the 2025-26 season, the Sixers whipped out their throwback black jerseys for the first time on Saturday night. Some good fortune came in tow.

    The Sixers defeated the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, 130-120, to improve to 6-3 on the season and avoid a three-game losing streak. While the stars were star-like – Tyrese Maxey managed 31 points to lead all scorers while Joel Embiid had the easiest 29 points of his season on 16 shots in 26 minutes – the story was Trendon Watford, who received his first start of the season and responded with a 20-17-10 line to mark the first triple-double by a Sixers player this season.

    With those three stellar showings, another strong performance from Kelly Oubre Jr. and helpful efforts from VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes, the Sixers had enough to overcome their disastrous defensive start, take control of the game and eventually land the knockout blow in the fourth quarter.

    Everything that stood out from a night that most will remember for the jerseys, the court and the return of an old friend:

    Trendon Watford keeps on getting better

    As if a three-game stretch averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists off the bench was not enough of a statement for Watford, the soon-to-be 25-year-old had the best game of his NBA career on Saturday in his first start as a member of the Sixers.

    Inserted into the starting five ahead of Jabari Walker, Watford had his fingerprints all over this game from the start. He followed up a surprisingly strong scoring performance on Wednesday night in Cleveland with an even better one on Saturday; 11 of his 20 points came in the opening frame. Watford knocked down an early triple once again. He is shooting accurately and confidently from beyond the arc, and even on low volume that will be a major help.

    “I’ve been putting in work all summer, all year on it,” Watford said after the Sixers held a practice on Friday morning. “…Obviously being able to do a lot of things on the court, I think that me shooting the ball at a high level can play to my advantage a lot. But I’ve got all the confidence in my shot, all the confidence in my game.”

    But even at 6-foot-9, everyone has learned that with Watford it is the passing and playmaking to really watch out for. He collected a career-high 10 assists; a staggering six of them went to his close friend Maxey. The two of them predictably have already put together some stellar two-man work:

    After a hamstring injury forced Watford to miss training camp and preseason, Watford has found a way to seamlessly fit into his new team’s offense despite a lack of familiarity and an unconventional style.

    Watford looks like a significant weapon moving forward, especially enticing on top of the Sixers’ terrific group of young guards. On Saturday, what was just as notable as Watford’s scoring and facilitating was another career-high: 17 rebounds, rounding out the first triple-double of his NBA career.

    Watford is generally not considered a particularly strong rebounder for a player of his size, but he certainly is one for a player with his level of ball skills. And time and time again, as he snares a defensive rebound and leads his team into transition offense, the value of having a jumbo-sized ball-handler is on display.

    The Sixers might have a new backup center

    It certainly feels like Andre Drummond has officially taken the Sixers’ primary backup center job from Adem Bona. Drummond has just been better early on in 2025-26; the veteran’s rebounding has been a stabilizing force for a team struggling to string together stops. On Friday, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse more or less acknowledged that things could be headed in this direction.

    “Yeah, I think so,” Nurse said. “…I think it’s always something we’re looking at. More than anything, I’m trying to put the guys on the floor than can best help us, period. If that moves around a little bit, it moves around, and it’ll probably move around again and all that kind of stuff. Ride the guys who are playing well, ride the better matchups.”

    Exhibit A: Saturday’s game. Bona checked in for Embiid halfway through the first quarter and the Sixers allowed Toronto to score 28 points in six minutes. Trailing 43-33 after one quarter, Nurse decided that once Embiid needed more rest it would become Drummond’s game. Drummond paid it off by going +8 in 18 minutes the rest of the way while Bona sat for the remainder of the action.

    Given Embiid’s constant availability issues, Drummond and Bona are both crucial pieces to this puzzle. And if Bona is demoted to the third-string center spot, it will still be the most important third-string center spot in the NBA. Embiid will sit on Sunday night against the Detroit Pistons, and Bona very well may start. But it is hard to imagine that Drummond has not clearly separated himself from the player he has taken under his wing.

    The Sixers have been better with Drummond manning the middle than Bona. It is not an inherent statement about their individual abilities; it is clear that Bona can hang in plenty of matchups in which Drummond’s lack of mobility makes him unplayable. But when Nurse has a chance to roll with his bruising big off the bench, for now that looks like the plan.

    Odds and ends

    Some additional notes:

    • Jared McCain was listed as available for the Sixers on Saturday, but ended up not playing. The guess here: Nurse planned on using McCain at the start of the second quarter, but after his team opened the game with a horrid defensive frame he opted to keep McCain on the bench in hopes of turning things around defensively and saving the 21-year-old guard for the second leg of this weekend’s back-to-back.

    • Drummond’s quality minutes were especially important because with McCain not in the mix, the Sixers were awfully thin. Drummond (16 minutes) and Grimes (28 minutes) were Nurse’s only reserves to reach double-digit minute totals. Justin Edwards played seven minutes and Jabari Walker logged five minutes in addition to Bona only playing eight minutes. That forced Maxey into a 43-minute night, with Watford, Edgecombe and Oubre all surpassing 36 minutes.

    • Edgecombe did not have a good scoring night; he is in a bit of a slump on that front. Edgecombe only made five of his 15 shot attempts in this game, but once again found other ways to leave his mark. Edgecombe grabbed seven rebounds, dished out four assists and nabbed three steals. Plus, he helped put the game away by finally finding some scoring juice and getting three consecutive buckets down the stretch.

    • Embiid’s scoring outburst felt casual in a familiar way. To be fair, perhaps Embiid should be expected to have a relatively easy time against a team like this one: Toronto started wing Scottie Barnes at center; their only true big in the rotation was Sandro Mamukelashvili, who logged 17 minutes off the bench. Embiid made the most of his size advantage on many occasions.

    Up next: The Sixers will get right back to work on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons – once again wearing their throwback jerseys. Embiid will be out of action, but McCain should be available.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Sixers fall to Cavaliers, lose both legs of second back-to-back

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    As they stepped onto a throwback court in Cleveland on Wednesday night, the Sixers were a team not even 24 hours removed from beginning a game in Chicago that had been fast-paced, physical, grueling and heartbreaking. There were signs of fatigue in Chicago, where all of the Sixers’ best players had either played significant minutes against the Bulls or already been ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Cavaliers.

    All of that was immediately evident on Wednesday night. With an energized arena behind the Cavaliers and star guard Darius Garland in his season debut, the Sixers blinked and found themselves trailing 17-4. It immediately seemed clear that it would be one of those nights.

    The Sixers, to their credit, refused to let go of the rope. They made some spirited pushes, particularly during a strong two-way effort in the second quarter. But by the time the final buzzer sounded with the Sixers on the wrong side of a 132-121 final score – and an explosion from Cavaliers superstar guard Donovan Mitchell – it was clear that chances to rest Thursday and Friday will be very helpful for an undermanned group with another back-to-back on the docket over the weekend.

    Notes and observations from Wednesday’s action in Cleveland:

    Sixers show some fight in loss

    Nobody would have been remotely caught off guard if the Sixers let Cleveland’s three-point barrage in the opening frame cause them to throw in the towel early and begin thinking about their flight home. But they really hung in there, and after being on the wrong side of a 41-27 deficit in the first quarter outscored the Cavaliers 40-29 in the second quarter. They had tied the game by the 10-minute mark of the third quarter, when Kelly Oubre Jr. knocked down a corner three right in front of Cleveland’s bench and blew several Cavaliers a kiss:

    That second quarter represented the best basketball the Sixers played on Wednesday by far, and it was a collaborative effort. Tyrese Maxey had his least impactful first quarter in recent memory, but then exploded in the final minutes of the half. His underwhelming half, in just a few moments, turned into an 18-point, four-assist, three-rebound line on excellent efficiency. Maxey continues to play tremendous basketball, but it was his close friend Trendon Watford who got the Sixers’ comeback effort started.

    Watford gave the Sixers a stellar jolt of offense in the first half, scoring 13 points on six shots. Watford’s ability to grab a rebound and immediately initiate offense – oftentimes in transition – has been a boon for the Sixers, who have been able to quickly integrate the 6-foot-9 point forward despite him missing all of training camp and preseason with a hamstring injury.

    Meanwhile, Andre Drummond fully surpassed Adem Bona on the center depth chart for at least one night. Bona had a brutal first stint on the floor to begin the game as the Sixers’ starting five, and it was Drummond on the floor during their strongest pushes. Drummond was one rebound away from recording a double-double off the bench in one half of play; he has reverted back to his previous historic rebounding numbers early on this year after merely being very good on that front last season. Best of all for Drummond, the veteran center knocked down a corner triple in the third quarter, minutes after Bona missed one.

    Things fell off the rails early in the third quarter for the Sixers; Oubre’s game-tying shot turned out to be somewhat of a last gasp. But the Sixers at least showed a level of resilience and determination that eluded them on many occasions last year, including in a 27-point blowout in Cleveland in December.

    Can Justin Edwards finally get settled in?

    Even with Paul George still sidelined by a knee injury, Edwards played himself out of the Sixers’ regular rotation with a brutal preseason after a disappointing Summer League. Edwards looked like such a stable wing presence as a rookie, a player capable of fitting into any lineup and one whose ability to impact winning was not reliant on having the ball. He was able to frequently manufacture chances to make positive plays.

    In 2025-26, that ability has nearly been entirely nonexistent. Edwards has received sporadic rotation chances, not just because Sixers head coach Nick Nurse is a big fan but because the Sixers have never been fully healthy in the frontcourt even without considering George’s absence. Far too often Edwards has just been out there, fading into the background without being noticeable in any way. Even if he is more well-rounded than someone like Trendon Watford or Jabari Walker, those players have clear traits they can hang their hats on; Edwards is still searching for a signature skill.

    Perhaps Wednesday can be a launching point for Edwards, who looked like his 2024-25 self early on in Cleveland. Edwards’ night was not perfect – he was defending Mitchell, who was able to draw three fouls on the 21-year-old. But Edwards crashed the glass and grabbed a timely offensive rebound to eventually net the Sixers an extra basket. Then he hit a spot-up three off a drive and kick from Maxey. Moments later, Edwards had Mitchell defending him and faked a cut so convincingly that Mitchell fell to the floor, creating an advantage for the Sixers. The ball ended up swinging to Edwards in the corner and he cashed another three.

    Such a stretch would have been commonplace last season, but it represented one of his finest moments of 2025-26 to date despite his fouling issues. Will this be a night Edwards can build on, or just a short-lived outlier?

    Odds and ends

    Some additional notes:

    • With an early triple, Oubre reached 1,000 made three-pointers in his NBA career:

    • Jabari Walker remained in his role as a low-minute starter in this one, opening each half at power forward. Walker appeared to hurt his back on a collision and ensuing fall early in the third quarter, but ended up returning for the final minute and change. Dominick Barlow, the Sixers’ other NBA-ready two-way forward, has missed six-plus games due to an elbow laceration.

    • This game was clearly over late in the third quarter, but Maxey and Oubre both played the entirety of the fourth quarter. Nurse is a proponent of riding his best players for as many minutes as possible, and in games that are close that will often swing contests in his team’s favor. But it is harder to do that successfully without being able to identify the right times to pull the plug. An opportunity to save his guys some minutes was staring Nurse in the face on Wednesday and he failed to take it.

    Up next: The Sixers will return home with a pair of days off before beginning another back-to-back. They will host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday while wearing their black throwback jerseys before welcoming the Detroit Pistons to town on Sunday.

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Kelly Oubre Jr.’s early explosion, more stellar guard play nets Sixers an easy victory in Brooklyn

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    NEW YORK – Sixers fans made most of the noise at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Sunday evening, and their team gave them good reason with a 129-105 pummeling of the lowly Nets.

    With Joel Embiid, Paul George, Jared McCain and Dominick Barlow sidelined, the Sixers sleepwalked through one decent quarter before taking complete control, wasting little time winning a game that did not deserve to cause anyone much stress.

    With most of his teammates lagging behind early, Kelly Oubre Jr. completely dominated the opening frame, and then the rest of the bunch came along. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe got loose, Quentin Grimes had his best playmaking game of the season and Trendon Watford had the most impressive performance of his young Sixers tenure. It all coalesced into a satisfactory win for a Sixers team that is now 5-1.

    Takeaways from the action in Brooklyn: 

    Kelly Oubre Jr. erupts early

    Many members of the Sixers started out a bit slow on Sunday evening. It is safe to say that Oubre was not one of them. The veteran wingman exploded in the first quarter, torching the Nets to the tune of 22 points on only 12 shots. Oubre made all seven of his shot attempts inside the arc; he connected from long range twice with three misses (one of which was an end-of-quarter heave of sorts).

    Hoping to control the Sixers’ lethal backcourt of Maxey and Edgecombe, the Nets were willing to let Oubre cook, and the 29-year-old obliged. Oubre opened the game being defended by Nets guard Cam Thomas, regarded as one of the least impactful defensive players in the NBA. He did not even have to directly attack Thomas to score; Oubre scored the bulk of his early points either in the natural flow of the Sixers’ offense or in transition. In the final minutes of the frame, Oubre’s teammates started making a concerted effort to get him the ball, and he paid it off:

    For nearly a decade, the Sixers have had star-laden rosters that generate game-long mismatches for role players. But the organization has generally surrounded its stars with supporting pieces specializing in off-ball offense, and so opposing defenses have been able to get away with hiding weak links on those players despite size disadvantages. Oubre is not a traditional role player on offense, and that does have some drawbacks.

    But Oubre, for better or worse, always has a score-first mentality. One of the benefits of that is he will be eager to punish those mismatches and play weak defenders off the floor. Oubre has enjoyed tremendous success to begin his third season with the Sixers.

    Tyrese Maxey’s casual brilliance

    It is impossible to say enough about the basketball Maxey is playing to begin his sixth NBA season. The ease with which he is reaching strong box-score lines night in and night out is something to marvel at. Even on a night like Sunday, when the Sixers finally did not need Maxey to provide a herculean effort, he was the stabilizing force for much of the game.

    Maxey was already a star-caliber offensive player, but in 2025-26 he looks like someone who has made a substantial leap in just about every facet of his game on that end of the floor.

    Maxey’s playmaking and facilitating have improved quite a bit, and he has made tremendous use of a supporting cast that is a whole lot better than it was around this time last year. He has empowered players like Edgecombe and Grimes to be assertive when the ball swings their way and has also created extra scoring chances for bigs.

    Meanwhile, Maxey remains a dynamic three-level scoring threat, and no player in the entire NBA can match Maxey’s combination of speed and pull-up shooting. There are a few faster players, but none of them can shoot as well as Maxey; there are some better shooters, but none of them are as fast as Maxey. It is truly a one-of-a-kind blend of abilities.

    Maxey’s most significant gains might have come in terms of his foul-drawing skills, which head coach Nick Nurse said on Friday adds “variety” to his scoring. It also provides a tremendous floor in terms of baseline offensive production: even the greatest scorers will have games where they struggle to knock down shots, but the ones adept at generating whistles can always rely on trips to the line for easy points.

    Odds and ends

    Some additional notes:

    • Nurse indicated before Sunday’s game that a formal update on Barlow (elbow) would come shortly. The two-way power forward has not played since halftime of the second game of the season after suffering an elbow laceration which required a procedure. Nurse said it is “nothing super serious,” but acknowledged that the injury is something “maybe more difficult than we thought.”

    • Hours before his third appearance as a member of the Sixers, Watford received praise from his last head coach during his time with the Brooklyn Nets.

    “He could post up, he could bring the ball [up], he could shoot the ball, he could pass, bigger body, he could guard multiple positions,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández said. “He’s an overall player.”

    Watford’s first doses of action with the Sixers have been hit or miss; he has at times looked the part of a player whose training camp and preseason were lost to a hamstring injury. But the vision for Watford’s fit as a 6-foot-9 ball-handler is clear. It will take time, but there is upside, and it was on display at times during Sunday’s game. Watford was particularly good during the second quarter, with his pass-first mentality paying dividends.

    • Nurse went with an eight-man regular rotation in this game, and that meant both Justin Edwards and Eric Gordon were out of the mix despite the team’s absences. Edwards has struggled enormously of late, and it is becoming more difficult to justify playing him. He ended up playing in the fourth quarter of this game because Oubre turned his ankle and needed a brief trip to the locker room. But it is hard to imagine Edwards’ playing time being bolstered at any point in the near future, as George is getting closer to making a return and should eat up a significant number of wing minutes.

    Up next: The Sixers’ road trip will continue with a back-to-back, as they will face the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night with a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers the following evening.

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Sixers mount another comeback but drop NBA Cup opener to Celtics

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    PHILADELPHIA – Maybe 82-0 was just a bit unrealistic.

    For the first time in 2025-26, the Sixers lost on Friday night, dropping the opener of their NBA Cup Group Play slate, 109-108, to the Boston Celtics. They fell to 4-1. 

    The Sixers attempted to stage yet another remarkable comeback, and they did completely erase a 24-point deficit at one point. But on Friday, their defense was not good enough to win without out-of-this-world offensive production, and they did not have another scoring masterclass in them. They fought until the very end – again – but this time, they did not have enough. They never led despite bringing themselves to one shot away from stealing it at the end.

    Takeaways from Friday night’s action:

    Sixers’ significant defensive struggles continue

    There is no way around it: the Sixers have fielded a competitive NBA-caliber defense in just a small number of quarters out of the 20 they have played in this season. For the most part, opposing offenses of varying calibers have been able to accomplish everything they want against this team. Boston initiated a three-point shooting barrage early in the game that might have taken place no matter how the Sixers defended, but on Friday night the Sixers’ lack of defensive aptitude in the first half sunk them. Boston scored 68 points in the first half, and the Sixers turned out to have dug themselves too deep of a hole. It was a continuation of everything they had already put on tape.

    Even after they improved to 4-0, it was clear that the Sixers were not doing enough guarding to keep winning at this pace. To some degree, it is a testament to how incredible their offense has been that the Sixers were even competitive in four consecutive games.

    “We’ve got some challenges, there’s no doubt about it,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said after the team’s practice on Thursday. “We’re trying to play to our strengths and cover up some of the challenges as best we can. I think there’s going to be a lot of room for improvement… We’re still learning about it. The games really help speed that learning process up. So there’s lots of tweaks, lots of polish, schematically, there’s lots of things we’re seeing we need to add and subtract as we go.”

    Among those key challenges is the team’s tendency to rely on undersized lineups. Three of the five best players on this team right now are guards; at full strength it will be four of the six best players who are suited for backcourt roles. And to be fair, three-guard lineups with Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes were outstanding in the team’s first four contests because there is so much offensive firepower within those units. But a balance is going to have to be struck, because scoring a lot of points does not mean all that much without getting stops.

    Of course, the eventual return of Paul George will help here, particularly as the Sixers look for infusions of size without disrupting their floor spacing. If the nine-time All-Star is willing to cede much of his responsibility as a scorer and ball-handler to the aforementioned guards (plus Jared McCain) and buy into a defensive-oriented mindset, he could be enormously valuable to this group, even if it restricts his ability to make a salary exceeding $50 million look all that wise.

    But ultimately, the Sixers have to maximize their talent level, and that is going to lead to a lot of smaller lineups. It is up to the players and coaches to find ways to make it a manageable fit on that end of the floor, because otherwise their tremendous offensive exploits will not be maximized.

    VJ Edgecombe finding so many ways to impact winning

    What is even more impressive than Edgecombe’s outstanding scoring production through five NBA games is how many ways he has proved capable of helping the Sixers outside of putting the ball in the basket. Edgecombe’s on-ball prowess has been such a revelation that perhaps many have forgotten that he came into the NBA expected to immediately help a team in other facets of the game. That has held true.

    Edgecombe’s passing is far more advanced than anticipated, and his absurd athletic capabilities have enabled him to soar in for critical rebounds time and time again. His rebounding numbers look good and still likely do not tell the full story; so many of his boards have been contested and in important moments. Edgecombe has been reliable as a spot-up three-point shooter, and his transition scoring has been tantalizing; this finish was a favorite of Friday’s crowd:

    He is an engaged, energetic defender and Nurse has had no qualms about putting him on some very good offensive players and asking him to turn the water off. Edgecombe turned in plenty of good defensive possessions on Friday night against each member of Boston’s excellent guard trio of Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Anfernee Simons.

    While it was jaw-dropping to watch Edgecombe dominate the ball and prove he has earned the right to do so early on, it is just as impressive for a 20-year-old rookie to immediately pivot to an off-ball role and show they have so many different pathways to impacting any given possession on either end of the floor.

    Odds and ends

    Some additional notes:

    • Jared McCain (thumb) was one of three Sixers sidelined in this game – George and Dominick Barlow were the others – but the 21-year-old guard continues to make strides in his recovery after his surgery about a month ago. The latest indication of progress: McCain went through an intense pregame warmup routine on Friday.

    • After 20 horrid minutes to begin this game – the Sixers’ offense was merely okay and their defense was dreadful – Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond provided some life. Edgecombe knocked down a triple and finished an acrobatic and-one layup in transition, Oubre converted multiple impressive rim finishes and Drummond knocked down a corner three, and a terrific four-minute burst to close the half enabled the Sixers to shrink the lead to 11 points at intermission. That run provided what was far and away the most excitement in the building during the first half.

    • It very much feels like Nurse’s plan at backup center when Embiid plays is to ride the hot hand. On basically any occasion in which Drummond or Adem Bona has started producing, Nurse has just opted to ride them for a while. Nurse has talked before about empowering his situational pieces when he can find the right spot for them to play for a prolonged stretch. It is part of the give and take that comes with players in roles that might limit their playing time.

    Up next: The Sixers will be back in action on the road on Sunday evening when they take on the lowly Brooklyn Nets.

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Sixers overcome dreadful defense and stage their greatest comeback yet to improve to 4-0

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    For six months, very few people would even entertain the prospect of the 2025-26 Sixers season being encouraging, enjoyable or successful. And yet the 2025-26 Philadelphia 76ers have found a way to win once again. They are 4-0.

    After three victories to begin the season ranging from thrilling to chaotic, the Sixers dug themselves a hole against a lowly Washington Wizards team but once again staged a double-digit turnaround, notching a 139-134 overtime victory on the road.

    Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid were brilliant right away, but their early barrage of baskets was met by a greater one from the Wizards. The Sixers had a strong offensive night behind Embiid’s best scoring performance of the season, but for much of the game their defense was so putrid that it did not matter. Then the comeback crew did it again, erasing what was a 13-point deficit inside of the five-minute mark of the final frame as Maxey got hot down the stretch again while Quentin Grimes posted an outstanding stretch of two-way play. Adem Bona closed the game with Embiid at his minutes limit and blocked shot after shot. The Sixers found a way to force overtime, found themselves on the wrong end of a five-point deficit right when it started and still had enough to mount another comeback and emerge victorious, with Bona’s shot-blocking and offensive rebounding taking center stage.

    This team just keeps one-upping itself. Takeaways from, amazingly, another winning night of Sixers basketball:

    Sixers’ horrid defense creates a hole, then Quentin Grimes and Adem Bona lead the final comeback

    Even during their wildly successful three-game stretch to begin the season, the Sixers did not defend well enough. They are undersized right now, and to some degree that will remain the case, but it is also not an excuse to struggle as much as they had been struggling. It is perhaps now the most important area where nine-time All-Star Paul George will help them.

    Embiid has been one of the best defenders in the NBA for several years, but at this juncture he is a burden on that end of the floor as he manages every movement closely. It is easier to understand the Sixers’ struggles on defense when he is in the game just because his mobility is so limited. When he is off the floor, they have been unable to contain drivers and it puts undue stress on whichever player is filling in as a rim protector.

    Many things can be pointed out here – that Washington made a ton of difficult shots; that the Wizards have so much youth and energy; that the Sixers were on the second leg of their first back-to-back of the year; that head coach Nick Nurse’s team was simply due for a rough night – but again, these defensive issues were not exclusive to Tuesday’s action. They just became so egregious that no talent advantage or individual scoring heaters could make up for their lack of cohesion.

    It was not for a lack of trying offensively. Embiid was outstanding in tandem with Maxey; the two cornerstones of this team went all-in on embracing their lethal two-man work early and often in this one. It took away from VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes and others’ chances to get shots up, but it was hard to argue with this:

    Offense was never the Sixers’ problem in this game; they played more than well enough to win on that end of the floor. Embiid posting season-highs in points (25) and minutes (23) was an important benchmark. But Sixers’ defense went from very bad to dreadful in this one. It will have to be addressed moving forward, because even in their victories the Sixers were not doing nearly enough to provide resistance toward opposing offenses. It places too large of an offensive burden on the team’s stars.

    Finally, down the stretch the Sixers started playing decent defense, with Bona’s five blocks at the center of it all. He also had the go-ahead basket, a jam off an offensive rebound:

    Bona provided jaw-dropping plays time and time again, with Grimes serving as the perfect two-way role player in the clutch. The Sixers’ marvelous offensive attack suddenly had a chance to lead the way, and it did just that. Maxey ended up with an enormous 39-point performance, but the value Grimes and Bona gave in the biggest minutes of this game cannot possibly be overstated.

    Trendon Watford makes his Sixers debut

    After missing all of training camp and the preseason, the Sixers finally got a look at their lone external addition to the team’s standard roster via free agency over the summer. Watford, the 6-foot-9 point forward with a unique set of skills, was available in a limited role off the bench after being sidelined for the team’s first three games in the regular season.

    Watford kicked off his Sixers career by bullying Wizards rookie Tre Johnson en route to an easy left-handed jump hook:

    The 24-year-old forward’s minutes were largely encouraging, particularly given his unusual style. Watford is not exactly an easy player to drop into a preexisting rotation; he does a lot of things that most players at his size are never asked to do when it comes to ball-handling. His first stint lasted about eight minutes, which was a pleasant surprise in itself.

    Watford moved a lot better than one would expect for a player who was returning from such a longstanding hamstring ailment, and even without a jaw-dropping box score line his overall utility on this roster was evident right away. Watford made plenty of nifty passes, and his very first possession with Embiid was a picture-perfect pick-and-pop resulting in an Embiid triple. The Sixers were looking for him as soon as they grabbed defensive rebounds so he could initiate transition offense.

    For Watford’s fit to not look particularly shaky right away is a major win for the Sixers, and it bodes well for his ability to carve out a niche within this offense moving forward.

    Odds and ends

    Some additional notes:

    • Nurse made a change to his starting lineup with Dominick Barlow (elbow) still sidelined. Instead of starting Jabari Walker at power forward, Nurse plugged in Justin Edwards as a small-ball four. Washington started two small guards, two wings and one big, so Nurse did not feel compelled to be as big against one of the tinier starting units in the NBA. Of course, the other change was Embiid starting over Bona.

    • Jabari Walker’s best stint as a member of the Sixers came in the first half on Tuesday; he scored eight points and grabbed three rebounds (two offensive) in a six-minute burst while also nabbing a steal. But he was not part of the rotation in the second half. Walker has some competition for frontcourt minutes moving forward; Watford has joined a mix that will once again include Barlow soon. George’s eventual return looms large as well.

    • This was Edgecombe’s quietest NBA game yet from an offensive perspective, yet the rookie still managed to convert two separate four-point plays. He really is fearless:

    Edgecombe handled the ball much less than usual, but was just as ambitious as a spot-up three-point shooter and had plenty of success, knocking down four triples. Clearly, the Sixers needed each one of them.

    Up next: The Sixers will have two days off before returning to action at home, where they will play host to the Boston Celtics in the opening game of NBA Cup Group Play.

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Finally, Sixers look like they have an identity without Joel Embiid – and a 3-0 record to show for it

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    PHILADELPHIA – For the first time in 2025-26, the Joel Embiid-less Sixers took the floor on Monday night, looking to upend the Orlando Magic without their franchise cornerstone. On the front end of a back-to-back, the Sixers opted to sit Embiid, while also missing starting power forward Dominick Barlow. They still felt they had enough to win.

    In terms of manpower, the Sixers were at a clear disadvantage against a very good Orlando team. But for the first time in Embiid’s career, when he sits the Sixers look like more than capable of maximizing their available personnel. So, the Sixers were right. They had enough. It is the complete opposite of how things have always been here, and it was on full display in a 136-124 win on Monday.

    Once again, No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe dominated in the opening frame, and his scoring was the headliner early on. Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes’ hot starts made up for a poor opening frame from Tyrese Maxey, but the sixth-year star guard erupted as soon as the second quarter began and was on a tear for the remainder of the game, flashing signs of superstardom as a scorer and facilitator. Maxey and Edgecombe combined to score 69 points, and filling in many of the gaps for a depleted frontcourt was Kelly Oubre Jr., whose all-around production was a total godsend. The Sixers held a healthy lead for much of the game and got a remarkable closing effort from Maxey in his second 40-plus-point night of the season. It was their first true wire-to-wire victory over the season.

    The Sixers, unbelievably, are 3-0. Observations from a wildly successful night of basketball in South Philadelphia:

    The Sixers finally look like they have an identity without Joel Embiid

    For the entirety of Embiid’s career, the Sixers have outperformed their talent level when he is on the floor and drastically underperformed it when he was not, whether that meant Embiid was resting during a game or sidelined for all 48 minutes. In the first three games of this season, the non-Embiid Sixers – both during his 28 minutes of rest in the opening two games and Monday’s complete contest – have displayed an ability to be more than the sum of their parts. Save for successful management of Embiid’s left knee, there is perhaps no greater revelation that the organization could experience.

    The Sixers have had more than enough talent to stay afloat without Embiid in the past, from stars like James Harden, Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons to players paid as stars like Tobias Harris. But each iteration of the Embiid-led Sixers has talked a big game about not needing Embiid to carry the load, and failed to prove that it was actually true.

    At its core, the issue was a lack of identity. The Sixers knew they could not throw the ball to Embiid in the post or at the nail, and they knew they could not anchor their defense. But they were constantly grasping at straws looking for alternatives. It was not Simmons and shooters; not even Harden and a rim-running center could truly stabilize the non-Embiid minutes.

    Now, there is a clear focus and identity here, and it revolves around pace. The Sixers have tremendous guard play, and they have devised a scheme that brings out all of the best qualities in players like Maxey, Edgecombe and Grimes. The team has been adamant since the offseason began than with the way NBA basketball is trending, having as many ball-handlers on the floor as possible is optimal. It is more than a theory; the Sixers’ optionality in terms of offensive initiation has given them an enormous amount of leverage.

    It is not just that the Sixers have guards out there. Last year Nurse used many three-guard lineups; the guards were not good so the units were also not good. But Nurse has clearly found something in terms of maximizing a roster that lacks balance. When they reach full health, four of the six best players on this team will be guards. Even with Jared McCain on the shelf due to a torn UCL in his right thumb, this guard rotation is humming, and it is hard to imagine a collective backcourt playing better team basketball.

    The best version of the Sixers will always include Embiid, as Nurse himself stated before Monday’s game. But for them to know who they are and what they are about when he is not on the floor is absolutely paramount. The Sixers, finally, seem to have a brand of basketball they can rely on when the going gets tough.

    Odds and ends

    Some additional notes:

    • Nurse said before Monday’s game that McCain, who was seen at the team’s morning shootaround with a much smaller brace on his right hand, is on his second day without the more restrictive cast, which means he is allowed to shoot normally now. McCain still has to be reintroduced to contact work, with many other steps still to come before his return to NBA action, but he is making progress. A more official update will likely be provided by the team in the next week or so. 

    • Nurse also said pregame that Bona needed to provide more rim protection and shot-blocking in an expanded role than he had during limited minutes behind Embiid in the first two games of his sophomore NBA campaign. Bona responded with two emphatic rejections in the first quarter, sandwiching one from Oubre. Bona’s first swat created a transition opportunity for Edgecombe. It was a promising sign and created a whole lot of buzz in the building:

    However, minutes later Bona picked up his second personal foul and had to check out of the game. It is the dichotomy of a player whose motor and risk-taking are hallmarks of his game, but has to find the right ways to maintain composure.

    • Nurse went with an eight-man rotation for much of the first half, then inserted veteran Eric Gordon, not a huge surprise. But seconds later, undrafted rookie two-way guard Hunter Sallis checked in, and that was a bit of a stunner. Sallis played less than a minute, checked out and then returned for a 33-second stint.

    • Oubre had a very good game on Saturday night against Charlotte. But he was on another level on Monday, and his early-season contributions should not go unnoticed. Oubre is shooting the three-pointer well right now, and if teams continue to respect him as a threat from beyond the arc he will only become a stronger driver. Oubre has never been much of a passer, but made some intriguing strides as a playmaker last season. He totaled four assists in the first half alone on Monday while also making himself a force on the glass. It was huge in a game in which he had to play small-ball power forward quite a bit out of necessity.

    Up next: The Sixers will be back in action on Tuesday in the nation’s capital, facing off against the young, 1-2 Washington Wizards. 

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Joel Embiid finds force as Sixers escape with win over Hornets in home opener

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    PHILADELPHIA – On the heels of Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe scoring 34 points in an electric NBA debut in Boston on Wednesday night, there was some extra juice at Xfinity Mobile Arena as the Sixers played host to the Charlotte Hornets in their 2025-26 home opener.

    After a brutal season debut, Joel Embiid looked substantially better against Charlotte and its makeshift center rotation, playing with considerably better energy and finding ways to consistently leave his mark on the action. He was aided by more tremendous guard play – Tyrese Maxey remained red-hot from three-point range and Quentin Grimes engaged in a heater of his own, while Edgecombe did a stellar job of filling in the gaps – but the Sixers’ lackluster defense and inability to find quality minutes from role players at both forward spots allowed a young Hornets team to remain in the game.

    Those defensive issues only got worse in the third quarter, as a 38-25 frame in Charlotte’s favor put the Sixers in a 10-point hole entering the final frame. The Sixers quickly made a push, but every time it felt as if they were closing in on mounting a comeback the Hornets responded with a timely basket. Finally, the major run came, and it was sparked by Andre Drummond of all people, whose rebounding and interior scoring made a massive difference. The Sixers and Hornets found themselves on a seesaw in the final minutes of the game, but Grimes – the Sixers’ best all-around player in this game – gave them the lead with a three. One stop later, the Sixers were 2-0.

    Everything that stood out from a 125-121 Sixers win that, while encouraging in some respects, probably could have been easier:

    Joel Embiid’s different demeanor, and perhaps a new focus

    Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said before the game that Embiid’s minutes restriction and plan would be “similar” to the one used in Boston, but the former NBA MVP’s early aggression was a whole lot different this time around. For the entirety of Embiid’s 20 minutes on opening night, he almost appeared shellshocked by the speed of the game and his inability to keep up. At first he was somewhat of an offensive decoy, but eventually even that title would have been a stretch.

    On the Sixers’ very first possession of Wednesday’s game, Dominick Barlow rebounded an Edgecombe miss and the ball swung to Embiid, who confidently stepped into a triple and knocked it down:

    Nobody has advocated for Embiid to notch his three-point volume up more than Nurse, and perhaps it is becoming more of a focus. Embiid quickly connected on another triple, then knocked one down from the top of the key early in the second quarter. He is a tremendous shooter for his size, and more reliance on perimeter shooting could help Embiid preserve his energy and avoid taking as many hits. It is also a hedge against Embiid’s limited mobility; he does not have to move all that well to get three-point shots up.

    “Just the simple fact that he’s such a good three-point shooter,” Nurse said after the game. “You want the guy that’s that good a shooter to get some volume attempts.”

    But, to be clear, Embiid was moving a whole lot better on Saturday than he did on Wednesday. It felt as if instead of trying to let the game come to him and instead watching it fly by, he was ensuring he had avenues to assert control over the action from the start. Embiid has often struggled to set the tone early in games in recent years, but many of his best performances have come after strong starts.

    Embiid’s stint in the second quarter included a scary fall, but Embiid got up relatively quickly and appeared unscathed. Now that he had asserted himself as a scoring threat, he become a much more successful playmaker. He helped Quentin Grimes drill back-to-back triples; the first came on a two-man action and the second was an and-one spot-up jumper generated by Embiid playing with legitimate force inside:

    Embiid played 15 minutes in the first half, which immediately indicated that either Nurse was not being entirely truthful about how many minutes his center could play or that the Sixers had decided to use more of Embiid’s minutes early in the game. It turned out to be the latter, as Embiid’s five-minute stint to open the third quarter ended up being his only playing time in the second half.

    If there is one word to describe the difference in Embiid’s play from opening night to the home opener, it would be that he was more forceful. It is obviously to his own benefit in an enormous way, but also does a whole lot for everybody else. The Sixers, clearly, are going to need more of it.

    Questionable frontcourt depth on display, but Andre Drummond swings the game

    Barlow has been a massive revelation so far, but the 22-year-old athletic big missed the second half of Saturday’s game due to an elbow laceration. And the Sixers’ clear reliance on a two-way player was jarring. Fellow two-way forward Jabari Walker started the second half in Barlow’s place, and while Walker had an impressive block to go with a few good defensive plays with his hands on the perimeter, he missed three wide open triples, with the first two misfires coming from the corner. Walker is a terrific rebounder and works tirelessly on defense, but much of his fate with the Sixers is going to come down to those open shots.

    Elsewhere, Adem Bona had his second consecutive game with a muted line in the box score. His effort remains there, but Bona will need to clean up some misses and finish plays on offense every now and then. With Embiid’s minutes limited, Drummond found himself being asked to play one short burst for the second game in a row. Drummond’s rebounding prowess turned out to be useful, and Nurse ended up riding him because it was more useful than anything Bona had provided. To his credit, Drummond was outstanding down the stretch of this game. He dominated the glass, finished a few shots inside and knocked down a critical free throw. Drummond had a nightmarish season last year, and the moment was clearly important for him, and the Sixers would not have won the game without his efforts.

    “My number was called, I was prepared, and we did great,” Drummond said. “…It was pretty cool to be a part of.”

    Even if Drummond is not seen as a regular rotation option, he will be an important piece of this when Embiid is sidelined.

    The other struggles, though, underscore the importance of getting nine-time All-Star Paul George back on the floor and keeping him there. George may never pay off the $200 million-plus investment the Sixers made in him, and he may not even look appreciably better than he did in a disappointing debut campaign with the team last year. But he is a multi-positional forward with defensive chops and excellent shot-making skill. His mere presence will provide some much-needed stability on both ends of the floor.

    Odds and ends

    A pair of additional notes:

    • Second-year wing Justin Edwards only played for a few seconds in Boston, logging one defensive possession and sitting for the remainder of the game. Edwards had an underwhelming Summer League and disappointing preseason, but Nurse reaffirmed his faith in the hometown product before Saturday’s game and said he was very much in play for rotation minutes.

    “I probably did not expect to not use him the other night, but just felt like as the game was going on and we were rotating guys around, we just didn’t quite get to him, so we shall see how it rolls out tonight,” Nurse said. “I like him. I think you guys know how much I like him. I really believe in him. I think that we need a player like him out there. And I can’t wait to give him that opportunity.”

    Ultimately, though, Nurse stuck with the same eight rotation regulars that he had in Boston. Edwards, who was listed as probable before the game due to rib soreness but got upgraded to available early in the afternoon, ended up watching this game from the bench. An opportunity is surely coming for him – and Nurse’s affection for Edwards’ game is genuine – but his preseason struggles have cost him, and it will only be tougher to crack the rotation once George is back in action. However, when Barlow missed the second half, it was only natural for Edwards to slide into the frontcourt mix, and that is exactly what happened. After a few timid minutes, Edwards knocked down an important three-point shot for his own confidence, then followed it up with another. Minutes later, a third triple went down for Edwards. It is a potential launching point.

    “That’s what they expect from me,” Edwards said, “and I was ready to go.”

    • As good as the Sixers’ assortment of young guards looks on paper, it has been even better in practice through a pair of games. On Wednesday, it was Maxey and Edgecombe going nuclear as scorers with Grimes scoring a few timely baskets and filling in a bunch of gaps. On Monday, Maxey and Grimes both knocked down four threes prior to intermission, while Edgecombe scored nine points and collected four assists as he focused more on playmaking. Grimes was their best guard on Saturday, and through two games his ability to adjust his role during each stint he plays is quite impressive.

    “It’s ideal if he can continue to do that,” Nurse said. “I see him as – I try to get him starter minutes off the bench… He was playing well and I know he had to get back in there at some point.”

    Up next: The Sixers will be back in action on Monday, when they play host to a strong Orlando Magic team. That game is the front end of their first back-to-back of the season.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: VJ Edgecombe’s historic debut, Tyrese Maxey’s dominance lead Sixers to thrilling win on opening night

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    It was not perfect… but how does 1-0 sound?

    The Sixers have officially generated more momentum than they could at any point last year. They beat the Celtics in Boston on Wednesday night, 117-116, to begin the 2025-26 regular season in the win column. VJ Edgecombe dominated in the first quarter, Tyrese Maxey did the same in the second and the Sixers entered intermission with a lead. Joel Embiid’s conspicuous silence and a disastrous third quarter looked like they would sink the Sixers, but Maxey and Edgecombe took turns taking over to keep them afloat.

    It was impossible to justify trying to complete the comeback with a hobbled version of Embiid, so Sixers head coach Nick Nurse did not try to do it. He relied on his starting guards and a makeshift frontcourt to cross the finish line, and his Sixers just kept on pushing. Finally, Kelly Oubre Jr. turned around his struggles and put them ahead with a corner triple, then immediately drew an offensive foul on the other end. Despite Embiid’s complete ineptitude, the Sixers found a way to escape with a win, capitalizing on Maxey’s 40-point night and Edgecombe’s historic showing – a 34-point, seven-rebound masterpiece.

    Everything that stood out from the Sixers’ thrilling, gutsy win to open the season:

    VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey steal the show

    Good lord.

    There is not much else to say in reaction to Edgecombe’s first quarter of NBA action. The rookie talks a big game about being fearless and embracing challenges head-on, and he backed it up immediately. Edgecombe did not look remotely hesitant in his first quarter of his NBA debut in front of a raucous crowd. Instead, he looked eager, but not in an overzealous sort of way.

    Edgecombe was completely under control as he diced up Boston’s defense, scoring 14 points in 11 minutes and change. He made a free throw for his first NBA point, and soon after scored 10 Sixers points in a row, beginning with a blazing drive to the basket and continuing with some impressive shot-making mixed in as well:

    Edgecombe’s confidence has always appeared genuine. But watching him take no prisoners against the Boston Celtics in his very first burst of NBA action was pretty breathtaking. It reinforced everything he has said over the last few months, and affirmed the Sixers’ beliefs about his special mental makeup.

    According to the NBA, Edgecombe’s 14 points are the most ever scored in the first quarter by a player making his NBA debut, surpassing the mark of 12 established by LeBron James in 2003.

    Maxey happily played in a supporting role while Edgecombe dominated, but when the second quarter started it was the sixth-year guard’s turn to take over. After the first Edgecombe heater in the NBA, Maxey staged one of his vintage heaters. And with Embiid almost completely silent prior to intermission, the Sixers needed every bit of it.

    Maxey scored 19 points in the second quarter alone, and he did it in all sorts of ways: Maxey hit some ridiculous jumpers, but also scored at the rim, the free throw line and the mid-range area. His finest moment came when he knocked down back-to-back threes, and the second one reduced Maxey to flashing his signature smile. He got Celtics wing Josh Minott with a nasty step-back:

    Only one player not named Maxey or Edgecombe made multiple field goals in the first half (starting power forward Dominick Barlow made two shots). Yet those two guards were so dynamic that the Sixers entered intermission with a 57-51 lead. The Sixers’ overall defense was not quite as crisp as the Celtics’ 51-point mark would indicate – Boston missed a few wide open threes enabled by defensive breakdowns – but it was largely very good. It was in the second half when Boston started knocking down shots and the Sixers’ breakdowns became even more frequent.

    Joel Embiid a shell of himself in first game of season

    Many components of the identity the Sixers are attempting to adopt – regardless of Embiid’s availability – were on full display on Wednesday. That is, in itself, a major positive.

    But the Sixers embracing pace will only take them so far without doses of Embiid’s methodical scoring. And on Wednesday, there were almost no signs of life from Embiid as a scorer. He just was not moving well enough to succeed, as a scorer or in any other capacity in an NBA game.

    Embiid’s stints on the floor were short, but those quick bursts did not lead to any sort of increased intensity. Embiid constantly looked like he was laboring out there, and the Sixers were clearly better off when they did not bother trying to work him into the action and instead dialed up the tempo as much as they could, with Maxey and Edgecombe at the helm.

    Boston opened the game with 6-foot-6 wing Jaylen Brown defending Embiid, and the seven-footer did nothing to take advantage of the mismatch. He only played the first five minutes of each of the first two quarters; the Sixers had to summon Andre Drummond to help finish the first half. In the fourth quarter, it became impossible for the Sixers to get stops because the Celtics ramped up their pace and Embiid simply could not keep up in any capacity.

    It is just one game, but all of this is obviously ominous to some degree. Nobody was expecting Embiid to return to MVP-caliber play on opening night, and most people have written off the idea of him ever reaching those heights again. But if Embiid’s availability will consistently be limited – both in terms of games and minutes – he must be able to achieve some sorts of high-end outcomes for this team to thrive. Otherwise, there will be too significant of a workload on the rest of the group.

    Odds and ends

    Some additional notes:

    • The opening frame belonged to Edgecombe, but the most impressive individual moment early on in this game belonged to Barlow. The Sixers have been praising his activity and rebounding for weeks, and Maxey said last week that he gets a lot of rebounds people do not expect him to grab. Barlow did just that, soaring out of nowhere to grab an Embiid miss and quickly assist a 28-foot Maxey triple for the star guard’s first basket of the season. He then missed a corner three, but emphatically swatted Derrick White in transition to force a jump ball. Barlow won that jump ball, immediately ran the floor and converted an and-one in transition:

    Ever since the start of training camp, Nurse and several Sixers players have raved about what Barlow has brought to their gym. Everything they described was on display immediately on Wednesday night, from Barlow’s five rebounds (three on the offensive glass) to his hustle on the defensive end. 

    • Justin Edwards was not in the Sixers’ regular rotation in this game. He played the last defensive possession of the first quarter, but otherwise the Sixers forward’s minutes went to Oubre, Barlow and fellow two-way signee Jabari Walker. It is a slight surprise given the Sixers’ absences at those positions, but not a stunner because Edwards has not played well since the end of last season.

    • The Sixers’ use of three-guard lineups should create advantageous perimeter matchups pretty regularly. On Wednesday, they had many chances to attack new Celtics guard Anfernee Simons, one of the weakest defenders in the NBA. Simons often found himself defending Grimes, a much taller and bigger player, but the Celtics got away with it the whole way. The Sixers should not feel compelled to completely disrupt their offensive flow for the sake of attacking mismatches, but sometimes it must be done.

    Up next: After a pair of days off, the Sixers will play their home opener against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Joel Embiid full participant in ‘heavy’ Sixers practice with opening night three days away

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    CAMDEN, N.J. – Joel Embiid was a full participant in the Sixers’ practice on Sunday morning, the team said, and head coach Nick Nurse later characterized it as “a pretty heavy day.”

    Embiid played in his first preseason game since 2023 on Friday night, logging about 20 minutes across four stints in three quarters. He was largely very good, scoring 14 points to go with eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals. However, it always felt that how Embiid’s troubled left knee responded to his first game action in nearly eight months was far more important than how he looked in that game itself. 

    The Sixers will begin the 2025-26 regular season in Boston on Wednesday night, with two days off in between that game against the Celtics and the team’s home opener against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday. Embiid appears on the verge of suiting up for opening night. While Paul George was also a full participant in Sunday’s practice, the nine-time All-Star being on the floor in Boston continues to sound unlikely.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe, ‘just out there having fun,’ stars in home debut: ‘I can’t wait for him to get started with his career’

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    PHILADELPHIA – VJ Edgecombe watches basketball… a lot.

    “I’m not even watching a Netflix show or nothing,” he said after posting a dominant two-way performance in the final game of his first NBA preseason. “I just need to go on YouTube to watch basketball… I just watch a lot of basketball.”

    Edgecombe has smiled as viewers react with surprise at his flashes of advanced feel as a ball-handler. He is a 20-year-old rookie, after all, and one of his supposed weaknesses entering the 2025 NBA Draft was his on-ball skill. Before the season could even begin, though, Edgecombe has proven so much to his team that it reacted by putting him on the ball frequently and moving All-Star Tyrese Maxey away from it. He believes it is the product of his obsession with watching basketball. However it happened, it has changed the team’s calculus.

    “I think we thought, ‘Okay, maybe he could play on the ball some,’ and we were talking about ‘Let’s do it at Summer League,’” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said after Friday’s exhibition win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. “But where we’re at, I think he’s way ahead of where we thought he might be being able to do that.”

    Edgecombe recorded 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals against the Timberwolves, shaking off a lackluster start and rapidly improving as the game went on, clearly looking like the best player on the floor as the game winded down.

    If there is anyone not surprised by what Edgecombe did when empowered to play with the ball, it is the player who was hastily given the ball five years ago and parlayed the opportunity into stardom and hundreds of millions of dollars. How impressed is Maxey by Edgecombe’s quick comfort against NBA defenders?

    “Extremely,” Maxey said. “…He makes good decisions, he doesn’t let people speed him up. I think he plays extremely mature for being a rookie. He’s good. He’s good at basketball.”

    Any unexpected skill development Edgecombe experiences – or any strides he makes as a decision-maker – will be bonuses on top of the tremendous foundation of tenacity and athleticism which makes it impossible to imagine the No. 3 overall pick failing to become an impact player at this level. He is a truly elite athlete whose motor never stops running. That alone can take him a lot of places that many players cannot reach. His blazing end-to-end speed is truly remarkable to witness in person; Edgecombe’s teammates have already gotten the memo to look for him as soon as a transition opportunity presents itself.

    Because of the infrastructure surrounding Edgecombe – Maxey is an established star, Jared McCain is as polished offensively as any 21-year-old can be and Quentin Grimes has a well-rounded skillset on both ends of the floor – there is not much pressure on the rookie’s shoulders in the short-term. But that does not mean he will not be thrown into the fire early. In fact, the opposite is true: Nurse plans to start Edgecombe when the Sixers begin the 2025-26 regular season on Wednesday night in Boston, and he is ready to embrace the inevitable bumps in the road.

    Nurse said the level of success Edgecombe attains as a rookie will be determined by how many minutes he logs. His goal is to help Edgecombe experience as much of the good and bad that comes with being in the NBA as he can because “that’s what playing in the league and gaining experience is all about.” But as early as the night the Sixers tabbed Edgecombe as their newest franchise pillar, it was clear that no fire intimidates Edgecombe. He displays an unwavering sense of self-belief. It is genuine. Asked about that fearlessness on Friday night, Edgecombe almost looked confused.

    “I mean, I know I worked hard to be in this position,” Edgecombe said. “…If I wasn’t ready for it, I wouldn’t have been here. I feel as though I just have a lot of confidence. My teammates instill confidence in me also. So, I won’t say it’s easy, but it’s basketball at the end of the day. I’m trying not to overthink it. I love the game so much… It just flows naturally, man. I’m just out there having fun.”

    Flowing naturally would be a good way to describe the Sixers’ guard play on Friday. Maxey dominated early, then moved away from the ball and Edgecombe got in a rhythm. In between their two heaters was one for Quentin Grimes. The three guards whose ages add up to 69 years combined to score 75 points. They all can threaten opposing defenses with or without the ball in their hands and play with a tremendous pace.

    “That’s the name of the game right now in the NBA: pushing the pace and getting up threes,” Grimes said. “We’ve got a lot of guys who play fast, push the pace, create opportunities for not just ourselves but our teammates. So I feel like if we keep pushing the pace, it’ll get the defense tired. And it might get us tired, too, but we’ll be alright in the long run.”

    For Maxey and Grimes, their off-ball scoring method is the traditional one: three-point shooting. Edgecombe has worked tirelessly to improve his jumper, specifically adding an arc to it so it is not flat like it was during his lone collegiate campaign at Baylor. He is a competent shooter right now, but probably not one who will be consistently reliable just yet.

    Edgecombe’s transition scoring will be a weapon right away, though, and he is seeking out other avenues to score. One of those is forcing turnovers; Edgecombe said his favorite part of Friday’s box score was his five steals. After Friday morning’s shootaround, Edgecombe spoke about the pride he takes in his defensive output and how extensive studying of the game’s elite defenders has helped him grow. Another one is cutting, as Edgecombe continues to beat defenders back-door, though his finishing will need to improve:

    On Friday night, there were a few highlight dunks, a pair of threes and some acrobatic finishes at the rim. But Edgecombe’s first basket came when his defender tagged a rolling Joel Embiid as a shot went up and Edgecombe filled the open lane for an easy put-back layup off the miss.

    Edgecombe knew he would get that offensive rebound, he said. The reason he provided: he just knows when he will get an offensive rebound.

    How?

    “It’s natural,” Edgecombe said.

    Edgecombe knows he has a chance to make an impact on the glass, a rarity for a guard of his size. But he has developed a strong understanding of how to read where misses will ricochet, another example of his strong basketball instincts. The absurd athleticism does not hurt, either.

    “And I jump pretty high,” Edgecombe said. “So I can just go up there sometimes, snag it when they’re not looking, disrespecting it.”

    Maybe for a player believed to not yet have a tight enough handle to play on the ball in the NBA, Edgecombe’s unabashed confidence is the perfect ingredient for a successful rookie season. If Friday’s showing was any indication, there are many ways he has a chance to impact winning for the Sixers.

    “Kudos to him, dude,” Maxey said. “The way he’s doing out here right now is good. I’m ready to see him in some real action, and I can’t wait for him to get started on his career.”

    MORE: Embiid’s return provides the Sixers some hope – and Embiid some relief

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Joel Embiid returns to action as Sixers stage dress rehearsal in preseason finale

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    PHILADELPHIA — Never has an exhibition carried more weight in the Sixers universe than Friday night’s preseason finale, a home contest against a Minnesota Timberwolves team sitting just about every key player.

    For the first time since Feb. 22, Joel Embiid has played in an NBA contest. While Minnesota was not suiting up many rotation players, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse led his team into a dress rehearsal, with a previously stated goal of having “main guys playing as long and as much together as we can.” Embiid was part of that, as were Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe. Paul George, Jared McCain, Trendon Watford and Kyle Lowry were the only players unavailable on Friday.

    Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe started in the backcourt for the Sixers, with Kelly Oubre Jr. filling in the last spot ahead of Embiid and Adem Bona, a massive surprise even after Nurse unveiled that two-big combination and expressed interest in using it last weekend at the Blue X White Scrimmage.

    Everything that stood out from Embiid’s performance, plus a tremendous showing from Edgecome and a batch of other notes regarding Nurse’s rotation in the Sixers’ 126-110 win over Minnesota: 

    Joel Embiid returns to action

    It was hard to do much complaining about Embiid’s first stint on the floor, which lasted just over six minutes. He scored three baskets, was noticeably active defensively – steals do not necessarily indicate this, but he did also have a pair of early steals – and each time he grabbed a rebound, Embiid was quickly looking to initiate a transition possession with a hit-ahead pass.

    Embiid scored the first basket of the game, and it was thanks to the two-man game he and Maxey have mastered over the years:

    Maxey is not the only player with a chance to develop that sort of rapport with Embiid. McCain is the most obvious candidate, but Grimes has more than enough ball-handling and pull-up shooting chops to be dynamic in those actions. Defenses have to pay close attention to Grimes, and that much was evident the first time he and Embiid flowed into a two-man action. A roaring success here:

    Above all else, it was clear from the outset just how impactful Embiid’s presence is. When 10 eyeballs are always focused on one offensive player, all of their teammates’ lives become a whole lot easier. Everyone experienced it, from Maxey on down. But Embiid also seeks out chances to utilize the leverage he has for his teammates’ collective benefit. He looks bought-in as far as scaling down his scoring workload to conserve his energy and provide some additional energy to his teammates in the form of chances with the ball.

    Embiid’s second stint, the first three minutes of the second quarter, was less inspiring. He did not move nearly as well and struggled to establish positioning against 18-year-old rookie, Joan Beringer. It led to a few Sixers turnovers. Embiid hit the bench, but was set to return for the final three minutes of the half and redeemed himself then.

    Closing the half, Embiid’s movement was much better – specifically going from end to end – and he continued to create scoring chances for his teammates. Embiid totaled seven assists in his 13 minutes prior to intermission to go with nine points, five rebounds and three steals.

    The most interesting aspect of Embiid’s offensive usage in the first half was probably his work as an inbound passer. The Sixers scored off of sideline out-of-bounds passes by Embiid three times prior to intermission; one of those came from Embiid himself, when he threw the ball to Maxey and quickly came off screens for a triple:

    Nurse said before the game that he expected Embiid’s minutes to extend into the second half, and he indeed played the first six minutes or so of the third quarter – but not without a scare. Embiid barreled into the paint and was whistled for a charge. He took a hard fall in traffic, with all sorts of limbs flying in different directions. It was the exact play that has given Sixers fans hundreds of scares during Embiid’s career. 

    After about five seconds on the ground, Embiid shot up and made a point to hustle down to the other end of the floor and show he was fine. He played for another minute or so before his fourth and final stint came to a close, ending his night at just under 20 minutes with 14 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and three assists to his name.

    No matter how Embiid looked on the floor, the following was going to be true: the absolute most important part of Embiid’s appearance on Friday night will be how he feels when he wakes up Saturday morning. There is little doubt that even a limited version of Embiid can impact winning at the NBA level; where skepticism exists is whether or not Embiid’s knee is strong enough to handle the rigors of NBA action. Last year, it was not.

    Other rotation notes

    While all of the focus was understandably on Embiid, this game also offered plenty of hints into what Nurse’s rotation might look like when the Sixers open their 2025-26 regular season in Boston on Wednesday. Some takeaways:

    • The combination of Embiid and Bona starting was a shock, and it was jarring to see a Sixers team that was forced to play so small last season absolutely tower over Minnesota’s undersized starting five, featuring a tiny point guard, the aforementioned 18-year-old center and three wings in between. Nurse is enthusiastic about the idea of being able to punish opposing teams with force and power; this arrangement gives him the chance to do that.

    • However, Nurse did not start three guards as a result. That forced Grimes, clearly a starting-caliber player, to the bench. Grimes is a better player than Edgecombe right now, but developing Edgecombe figures to be a higher organizational priority. Grimes provides much more ball-handling than Edgecombe, whose ball skills are very much a work in progress. Bringing Grimes off the bench does make it easier to stagger him with Maxey and ensure there is always ball-handling on the floor, but nobody should be surprised if Nurse eventually opts to start the 25-year-old alongside Maxey and Edgecombe. Grimes would be the small forward in that scenario.

    • Bona’s opening stint alongside Embiid only lasted three minutes, and then Nurse gave two-way signee Dominick Barlow a chance to play a more traditional power forward. If Bona does not start on opening night and Nurse keeps Grimes on the bench, Barlow would be the favorite to help Embiid out in the frontcourt. It is a remarkable rise for a player whose training camp has turned a whole lot of heads. It is worth noting that Barlow opened the second half next to Embiid with Bona on the bench.

    • Edgecombe has started in all three of his preseason appearances, and Nurse acknowledged before Friday’s game that it is fair to assume he will keep that spot for Wednesday night’s season opener. He appears willing to embrace the bumps in the road that come with throwing a rookie into the fire. He said a successful season for Edgecombe would be one in which he logs plenty of minutes. “That’s what playing in the league and gaining experience is all about,” Nurse said.

    Interestingly, a ton of the Maxey-plus-Edgecombe minutes early on featured the rookie handling the ball and Maxey being used away from it. Weaponizing Maxey off the ball is a clear priority for Nurse, but Edgecombe is going to have to show major strides as a ball-handler relative to where he was at during his lone collegiate season at Baylor. Edgecombe got a whole lot better as the game went on, and by the fourth quarter the 20-year-old looked like the best player on the floor. It was a tremendous home debut for Edgecombe, whose final line was stellar: 34 minutes, 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals while making 10 of his 18 shots.

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    Adam Aaronson

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