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  • Instant observations: Sixers fly high in preseason victory over Nets

    Instant observations: Sixers fly high in preseason victory over Nets

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    In their penultimate preseason exhibition, the Sixers played host to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night. Joel Embiid and Paul George were out of commission, as Embiid continues to work on the management of his left knee and George begins recovering from his left knee bone bruise. Kyle Lowry was in street clothes as well, as the veteran point guard was given the night off. For Brooklyn, Ben Simmons rested as well.

    Here is what jumped out from the Sixers’ 117-95 win/loss in their second and final home preseason game on Wednesday night:

    First Quarter

    • After making a change to his starting lineup before Monday night’s game, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said he would alter his opening five again — and replacing George was KJ Martin, playing alongside Tyrese Maxey, Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond.

    Once again, Nurse is signaling that he prefers to use wing Caleb Martin — who was expected to start at power forward for the Sixers — in a bench role. Caleb Martin often thrived as a reserve during his successful three-year stint with the Miami Heat, and Nurse believes he provides what the Sixers need in their second unit.

    “[Caleb Martin] is going to give us some energy off the bench, which I thought we lacked in the previous games, so we’re trying to solve that equation a little bit,” Nurse said after Tuesday’s practice. “It splits up Kyle [Lowry] and Eric [Gordon], which is also part of the plan. Just kind of maneuvering through different looks. And I think it’ll be pretty fluid as we go for a while.”

    Ultimately, how many minutes each player receives — and which ones are on the floor at the ends of close games — are far more important issues than which ones start. Expect the situation to evolve throughout the season.

    • Speaking of Gordon, it is becoming extremely apparent why Nurse likes the idea of the veteran sharpshooter being in his starting five. Gordon is one of the most accomplished three-point shooters of all time, and his reputation as a willing launcher carries serious weight when opposing defenses gameplan for any team he is part of. Gordon knocked down a pair of triples within five minutes and change of tip-off, and what stood out on each one was his complete lack of hesitation. Unlike many players who boast similar shooting skills, Gordon is perfectly happy to fire away every time down the floor if the opportunities present themselves.

    Moments later, Gordon read Nets guard Cam Thomas’ eyes perfectly and stole what Thomas thought would be a simple pass. Gordon ignited a transition possession and finished at the rim.

    •  The best highlight of the first quarter on Wednesday: Maxey throwing a transition lob so appetizing that Oubre and KJ Martin both went up looking to hammer home an alley-oop dunk. Oubre ended up the winner, and essentially dunked on his own teammate. Brooklyn called timeout, and Oubre and the rest of KJ Martin’s teammates playfully mocked him for getting posterized.

    Moments later, though, KJ Martin was able to get in on the fun, throwing down an alley-oop pass from Maxey in a half-court setting. He caught Thomas sleeping and took off in the direction of the basket. Maxey found him instantly:

    KJ Martin is a remarkable athlete, and during his minutes with the Sixers last season his abilities to display that were limited. Asked about Nurse placing an emphasis on playing at a fast pace in the 2024-25 season after the team’s shootaround on Wednesday morning, the fifth-year forward lit up.

    “It’s fun for me,” Martin said. “I love running down the floor and being able to jump… Especially with Tyrese in the game, we talk a lot, trying to bring the pace of the game up.”

    MORE: Sixers player preview: Is KJ Martin more than a trade chip?

    Second Quarter

    • Oubre’s three-point stroke came and went for much of his first season in Philadelphia, as his accuracy from beyond the arc fluctuated wildly. His most reliable skill on that end of the floor is his ability to pressure the rim. His finishing once he gets near the basket is imperfect, but he is terrific at getting a downhill start towards the restricted area. That was on full display Wednesday, as Oubre attempted seven free throws in the first half. He had everything working offensively, and it all stems from his driving ability. After establishing that he could get to the rim at will, Oubre knocked down a pair of pull-up triple when a Brooklyn defender felt the need to sag off in preparation for a drive. 

    • Guerschon Yabusele has impressed in the preseason, but the overwhelming majority of his minutes have come at center. Yabusele said after Tuesday’s practice that playing the five was not part of the role the Sixers had pitched to him when he signed with the team, but that he was comfortable playing anywhere. Nurse admitted before Wednesday’s game that the arrangement has largely been used out of necessity, as Embiid has not appeared in the preseason (and will not do so). 

    Nurse said that while he has seen more than enough to be comfortable using Yabusele as a small-ball center, he wishes he had more of a sample using the French Olympic standout at power forward, his natural position. Nurse indicated that Yabusele would see time at the four on Wednesday, and he did spend just over two minutes playing alongside Drummond near the end of the first half.

    Yabusele ended the first half on a high note, intercepting an inbounds pass from under the Sixers’ basket and driving to the rim for a two-handed slam that just barely beat the buzzer.

    MORE: Sixers player preview: Can Guerschon Yabusele leave a mark in his second NBA opportunity?

    • An interesting note: Brooklyn attempted 31 three-pointers in the first half, a gargantuan total. In the 2023-24 regular season, the Celtics led all NBA teams with 42.5 three-point attempts per game. 

    Third Quarter

    • It felt as if the Sixers left some meat on the bone in terms of attempting corner threes last season, but they did knock down a pair of corner triples early in the third quarter. On the team’s first offensive possession of the second half, Yabusele freed himself up in transition and drilled a shot from the right corner. A few moments later, Ricky Council IV connected from the opposite corner off of an assist from Jared McCain.

    After a strong preseason debut, Council has struggled as far as impressing during these exhibitions. It seems far-fetched that the second-year wing will be in Nurse’s regular rotation to begin the season, but the potential that exists with the fan favorite remains obvious. 

    • Speaking of McCain, the rookie first-round pick received first quarter minutes on Wednesday — and given Gordon’s apparent status as a starter, if George misses any time in the regular season, McCain being part of Nurse’s second unit seems increasingly likely. It does not sound like George is at risk of missing a considerable amount of games to begin the season, but he certainly is not a lock to be on the floor on Oct. 23 when the Milwaukee Bucks come to town.

    MORE: Sixers say Paul George has bone bruise but no structural damage, will be re-evaluated in approximately one week

    • Two-way guard Jeff Dowtin Jr. entered to open the second half and had a few strong flashes of self-creation. 

    Dowtin is a serviceable shooter, not a great one, and only has okay burst, but manages to thrive in isolation opportunities thanks to an interesting mix of dribble moves and changes of pace. 

    Fourth Quarter

    • McCain returned to the game to begin its final frame with an opportunity to serve as the Sixers’ primary ball-handler. He knocked down a picture-perfect triple, and on the next possession drove to the basket and kicked it out to two-way guard Lester Quinones for a three of his own.

    • Far and away the best highlight of the second half came a few minutes into the fourth quarter. McCain got beat off the dribble, but his draft classmate Adem Bona came to his aid with a stellar block of veteran point guard Dennis Schröder. Dowtin led the Sixers in transition and dished out a gorgeous no-look dime to rookie two-way wing Justin Edwards for an easy slam. It was about as exciting of a play as you will find in the fourth quarter of a preseason game.

    • All in all, this was a strong showing for much of the Sixers’ roster — including depth pieces like Dowtin, Quinones, Edwards and Bona outperforming many of Brooklyn’s regular rotation players who remained in the game down the stretch. But the night ended on a bit of a sour note, when McCain took a hard fall and appeared to be in an immense amount of pain. After a moment, McCain was able to sit up, and after another minute he was on his feet being helped to the locker room.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Rankings the Last 6 Sixers’ Opening Day Rosters – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Rankings the Last 6 Sixers’ Opening Day Rosters – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    After Jimmy Butler left, the Sixers have had a tough time building a roster worth of a championship. Between striking out on free agents to players holding out, there has not been much luck coming their way. Let’s take a look at how the opening day rosters stack up against each other after Butler’s departure.

    6.

    2021-2022

    Record: 51-31, 4th in East

    Roster: Danny Green, Seth Curry, Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Andre Drummond, Georges Niang, Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, Charles Bassey, Jaden Springer, Paul Reed, Isaiah Joe

    This was a disappointing, yet inevitable, beginning to the season. After such a terrible loss to the Hawks, where Ben Simmons passes up an easy bucket against Trae Young, Simmons received so much hate from fans and media, that he couldn’t play for the team anymore. He decided to hold out for a trade.

    Since Simmons held out, that really hurt the Sixers roster to start the year. They lost their all-star point guard and had to turn over the reigns to a second-year player with much to prove: Tyrese Maxey. This nonsense helped Tyrese Maxey’s growth tremendously by giving him so much playing time.

    Nevertheless, Maxey was nowhere near the player he is today, and the Sixers just didn’t have enough firepower from players other than Embiid to play that well to start the season. Tobias Harris never stepped up during his career here and no other player had the talent to help out Embiid.

    5.

    2023-2024

    Record: 47-35, 7th in East

    Roster: P.J. Tucker, Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid, De’Anthony Melton, Tyrese Maxey, Danny Green, Patrick Beverly, Kelly Oubre, Jaden Springer, Paul Reed

    Last year, the Sixers had to go through yet another season of conflict and strife. After just a year and a half removed from the Ben Simmons debacle, James Harden decided to hold out from the team too. This caused a lot of disdain from fans to organization and many people started to really lose interest (if they hadn’t already).

    Had James Harden stayed, the Sixers would have had a pretty good supporting cast for Joel Embiid. Even though he didn’t, they played well without him, going 22-10 from October to December. Unfortunately, disaster struck in this season later when Embiid tore his meniscus.

    Everyone knew they needed to get something in a trade to do damage in the playoffs, but the market did not have a big move in store for them which forced the Sixers to be compensated with draft picks and minor players. This season was over before it started just like when Ben Simmons held out.

    4.

    2019-2020

    Record: 43-30, 6th in East

    Roster: Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Joel Embiid, Al Horford, Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, Shake Milton, Mike Scott, Kyle O’Quinn, James Ennis , Raul Neto, Furkan Korkmaz

    Going into this season, the Sixers had high expectations. They have a solid core with an exciting young player in Josh Richardson to go along side of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Tobias Harris. Additionally, they just acquired Joel Embiid’s kryptonite (at the time). With Al Horford, Sixers fans imagined a dominant front court where no guard could come and score with two big men capable of scoring inside and outside of the three point line. Unfortunately, this team did not live up to expectations.

    After just a few months of play, everyone realized this team didn’t fit right. They lacked perimeter scoring more than anything. Horford and Embiid took away from each other much more than they built each other up. Because of these issues, the team was forced to make many moves during the season to bolster their depleted bench and lack of scoring.

    It’s important to note that this was the COVID year, but that doesn’t excuse the fact that this team had major holes and would end up getting swept by the Celtics in the playoffs.

    3.

    2020-21

    Record: 49-23, First in East

    Roster: Danny Green, Seth Curry, Tobias Harris, Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Dwight Howard, Mike Scott, Furkan Korkmaz, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, Tyrese Maxey

    After a year with lackluster shooting from the outside, the Sixers corrected that issue by signing Seth Curry and Danny Green – two players who shoot the three better than anyone they had the last year. These two can also hold their own on defense since they were only ever asked to guard the worst player. With defensive stars in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, it made playing defense much easier for the rest of the team. They had the 2nd best defensive rating in the league that year.

    The Sixers were also excited to have offloaded Al Horford from the team and replace him with a backup-only center. He would strictly play minutes where Embiid wasn’t on the floor. While Howard boosted the teams worst trait (rebounding), he didn’t contribute much else. The Sixers rely on their centers to score, and he couldn’t do that well at all.

    For the first time in a while, the Sixers finished the regular season with the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference  (this was a shortened season because of COVID as well). This gave the city some very high expectation to go deep into the playoffs.

    The talent was there for this team, but mentally, Ben Simmons destroyed this team and would never be the same player again after the catastrophe in the 7-game loss to the Hawks in the postseason.

    2.

    2022-2023

    Record: 54-28, Third in East

    Record: P.J. Tucker, James Harden, Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Montrezl Harrell, Danuel House, Georges Niang, Matisse Thybulle, De’Anthony Melton.

    The Sixers finally got a star guard with MVP style play. James Harden was acquired by the team the year before via trade for Ben Simmons and the city yearned for a championship after so many years of disappointment – this finally seemed like the team.

    James Harden and Joel Embiid built chemistry through the latter half of the previous season and were expected to shine bright together as a dominant duo. They played very well together, but Harden’s ball dominant style presented some problems with Embiid’s incompatible similarity in his style.

    Luckily, Harden invested in his relationship with Tyrese Maxey which helped Maxey develop into a better version of himself. In his third year, Maxey started developing into a very solid player. This team also had talent to get the job done, but ended up falling short yet again.

    1.

    Current

    Record: TBD

    Roster: Ricky Council IV, Andre Drummond, Joel Embiid, Paul George, Eric Gordon, Reggie Jackson, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, KJ Martin, Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Kelly Oubre, Guerschon Yabusele

    Now, Tyrese Maxey is a bona fide star in the league. He and Embiid have great chemistry with each other and perfectly understand how to play along side the other. These two have grown so much together as a duo and have emerged as one of the best duos in the league.

    Then, finally, after waiting so long for a free agent star signing, the Sixers signed Paul George to accompany Embiid and Maxey on their quest to a championship. Many teams add stars just to add a star, but in this case, Paul George also happens to fit perfectly with these two. Their play styles compliment each other very well.

    The front office wasn’t finished after George, though. They also signed a power forward that will bring fire and intensity to the team. Caleb Martin will fit right into this city. He elevates his game when it matters, and plays with heart.

    Also, Andre Drummond is returning to Philly, where he served as Embiid’s best backup just a few years ago. By signing him and bringing Lowry and Oubre back, the Sixers have some continuity from years past. These players have played together before which will only help their chances of winning this year.

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • Taking a Look at the Sixers’ Futures Bets – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Taking a Look at the Sixers’ Futures Bets – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The NBA season is just a month and a half away and all the teams (for the most part) have their rosters set. That being said, the sportsbooks have their futures bets pretty much all set for the year. Let’s take a look at the big ones for the Sixers.

    NBA Champion

    Fanduel

    has the Sixers tied for third best odds to win the championship with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks at +900. Ahead of them are the Celtics (+300) and Oklahoma City (+700).

    Every year, people usually put the Sixers in the top echelon of the Eastern conference, and each of those years, they have fallen short. Having Joel Embiid will always give a team a chance to win the championship. If Embiid can stay healthy in the playoffs for the first time in his career, then that’s good news for the Sixers championship odds. Seems like a solid bet for anybody riding high for the Sixers.

    Wins

    The Sixers are sitting at 52.5 o/u for their wins season total. Last year, the Sixers were on pace for way more than 52 wins before Embiid had his meniscus surgery. After losing him for 2 months, they finished with just 47 wins and stuck in the play-in tournament. The Celtics finished first with 64 wins, blowing away second place by 14 games.

    It’s obvious that the Sixers are better than last year. They added Paul George to take more weight off of Embiid to keep him healthier into the playoffs. Most believe they will battle the Celtics for the number 1 seed in the east, which would definitely put them above 52 wins. If the Sixers live up to expectations, then their win total will be well above 52.5. Bet the over.

    Points Leaders

    Joel Embiid trails only Luka Doncic in the race for the regular season scoring champion. At +300, most people know that Embiid will continue his scoring dominance next year. Last year he scored more points than had minutes played, so he would be a safe bet for scoring champion.

    More intriguing to see is Tyrese Maxey way down the list with +35000 odds for scoring champion. In every year of his career, Tyrese Maxey has improved his offensive game by a lot. He went from a high 20’s three point shooter to one of the best in the league in just one year. Last year he finished 15th in scoring. If he continues to get better like he has, then he could end up being a top 7-10 scorer in the league. He won’t win the scoring title, but it’s interesting to see how underrated he is around the league. He could become a top-10 player in the league this year.

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • How Does This Sixers Team Compare to Last Year’s? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    How Does This Sixers Team Compare to Last Year’s? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The Sixers have made the most noise in free agency this year than any other team. This has been the free agency that Sixers fans have waited on for many years. Now that the bulk of the moves are completed, how does this year’s team stack up to last year’s?

    Point Guard

    2023:

    • Kyle Lowry
    • Cam Payne
    • Patrick Beverly

    2024:

    • Kyle Lowry
    • Reggie Jackson
    • Jeff Dowtin Jr.

    As of now, the point guard position looks about the same caliber of last year. With the talent at other positions, the Sixers need veterans that can distribute the ball and not turn the ball over at the point guard position. With Kyle Lowry and Reggie Jackson, they should get that style of play. Jeff Dowtin Jr. is on a two-way contract, so he probably won’t see the floor too much unless there are some injuries.

    Some consider Tyrese Maxey a point guard, but with the addition of Reggie Jackson, him and Kyle Lowry should be taking the point, allowing Maxey to play at SG, his natural and more effective position.

    The PG position should remain very similar to last year.

    Shooting Guard

    2023:

    • Tyrese Maxey
    • Buddy Hield
    • Ricky Council IV
    • De’Anthony Melton
    • Jaden Springer

    2024:

    • Tyrese Maxey
    • Jared McCain
    • Eric Gordon
    • Ricky Council IV

    The Sixers revamped their SG position with a new young player (McCain) and a new vet (Gordon). Tyrese Maxey will take most of the minutes at this position and could improve even more since last year. If Maxey gets better – like he has in every season of his career – then this could be the Sixers’ strongest position on the team. He already won most improved player in his 4th year and now has bulked up quite a bit in the offseason. Maxey will be the Sixers’ X-factor.

    The Sixers also drafted Jared McCain this year. He is another undersized guard, but will have time to learn the game with Maxey ahead of him. There is no pressure for him to shine in the beginning of his NBA career which could help him grow.

    In the summer league, Ricky Council IV looked very good. He obviously belongs in a league above the G-league and could start making some plays in the NBA. He could become a good player for the Sixers or they could use him as a trade piece if he excels this year.

    Overall, the shooting guard position should look pretty good this year. If Maxey plays as well as last year (or better), then this will be a strong position for them and better than last year.

    Small Forward

    2023:

    • Robert Covington
    • Danuel House Jr.
    • KJ Martin
    • Kelly Oubre Jr.
    • Tobias Harris

    2024:

    • Kelly Oubre Jr.
    • Paul George
    • KJ Martin

    The biggest upgrade of the offseason came at this position with the acquisition of Paul George. Not many teams have a player with Paul George’s combination of scoring and defensive versatility. Paul George would upgrade the SF position on most of the teams in the NBA.

    Not only does Paul George add a ton of skill, but it may be even more noteworthy that Tobias Harris is gone. Tobias was a non-factor in the majority of games that he played in. Losing him and his near-max contract is addition by subtraction. That allowed the Sixers to go out and make big moves in the free agent market.

    Kelly Oubre could start for the Sixers, but it’s also possible that he may come off the bench. Kelly Oubre’s skill and energy off the bench will certainly provide scoring and defense for the team. We will have to wait and see what Nick Nurse decides the starting lineup will be.

    Power Forward

    2023:

    • Nicolas Batum
    • Marcus Morris
    • PJ Tucker

    2024:

    Losing Nicolas Batum is a bummer, but nobody should ever rely on a player with his skillset and age anyway. He had great defensive instincts, entry passes for Embiid, and could shoot the ball well. He will be missed, but the additions in other areas should make up for his loss.

    There’s not much depth at this position right now, but Paul George can move over to the PF if needed. Depending on the lineups, expect to see George at the 4 throughout the season at different times.

    Caleb Martin is a very underrated signing by the Sixers. He’s a hustle player that doesn’t need to score in volume and will provide solid defense and peskiness. Not only that, but he has historically raised his game in the playoffs which will come in handy for a team that lacks the mentality in the postseason. He’s undersized for his position, but having a strong defensive anchor like Embiid will help cancel that out.

    With Martin and George sharing responsibilities at the PF spot, the Sixers should look improved in this position.

    Center

    2023:

    • Joel Embiid
    • Mo Bamba
    • Paul Reed

    2024:

    • Joel Embiid
    • Andre Drummond
    • Adem Bona

    If Embiid’s healthy, then the Sixers never have to worry about this position and they will have the best player, but that doesn’t happen. Recently, the Sixers have not prioritized the backup center position. This positional value is higher for the Sixers because of Embiid’s injury history. Signing Andre Drummond should help the defense stay strong while Embiid is off the floor while also helping with rebounding. Paul Reed isn’t a bad player, but he wasn’t cutting it for the Sixers. Drummond should be able to keep the Sixers even with opponents while Embiid rests instead of going negative every time.

    Also, in the past the Sixers didn’t have any consistent offense coming from another position without Embiid. With Maxey’s improvements and now Paul George, they will not have to rely on a center to score points. The offense should be able to hold it down while Embiid rests.

    Conclusion

    Overall, the Sixers team looks a lot better on paper than it did last year. They’ve added a lot of pieces that look like they will fit with this team well. Obviously it comes down to whether they can get out of the second round of the playoffs, but for now we can look at a much improved team than last year. Adding Paul George should make this season a lot more fun to watch.

     

     

    Picture from Kyle Ross

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • Sixers Make Moves in First Two Days of Free Agency – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Sixers Make Moves in First Two Days of Free Agency – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    After years of hoping, wishing, and wanting, the Sixers finally got the best player available in free agency – and they didn’t even have to trade for him! Most people woke up to surprising good news on Monday morning when they heard the Sixers signed Paul George. Daryl Morey could finally make something happen when given cap space heading into an offseason.

    The Case for Paul George

    Let’s start with the bad side.

    Some people had and still do have skepticism about signing Paul George. He has played 14 seasons in the NBA already and recently turned 34. Not ancient, but definitely not young for NBA standards. Those concerns hold weight – especially given his injury history. In the last 5 years, he has only played 60 games in one of them. Luckily, that one season was last season, which gives hope to his health heading into this year. It’s no coincidence that he has his healthiest year once they found somebody else (James Harden) to dominate the ball and distribute.

    Enough with the bad, there is a lot more good to talk about with him.

    First off, he finished top 5 in 3-pointers made while shooting 41.3% and 45.4% on catch-and-shoot 3-point opportunities. This kind of ability from beyond the arc will tremendously help the Sixers and Joel Embiid. Sending help off of Paul George will not happen, and if it does, all Embiid needs to do is find him and watch 3 points go up on the board.

    Secondly, as mentioned before, Paul George had his healthiest year last year when the Clippers acquired James Harden to primarily handle the ball. This allowed George to stay healthier throughout the year. He doesn’t have Harden anymore, but he has Maxey and Embiid as the first and second options which allows him to stay as option number 3. Hopefully this keeps him as healthy as possible throughout the year.

    Also, Paul George plays great defense. He might not do it as well as he used to, but he still averaged a steal and a half last year on the season. He’s 6’8″ with a 6’11” wingspan. Not many people have this gift of size matched with athleticism. He can guard all positions and will most likely take on the responsibility of guarding players like Tatum, Luka, Lebron, etc.

    In addition to defense, his size also allows him to create his own shot off the dribble. Maxey can do that, but has trouble in congested areas. Embiid can, but as a center it’s harder for him to quickly get a shot off and create space. With George’s quickness and size, he can create shots in crowded areas when he needs to.

    While Paul George is not the same player he used to be a few years ago, he is still a fantastic third option on a contending basketball team. Lots of people knock him for never winning, which is fair, he has never had a player like Embiid on his team. Not to mention what could happen if Maxey continues to improve.

    Returning Sixers

    Tyrese Maxey will return in a Sixers uniform for the next 5 years after signing a well deserved maximum extension worth $205 million. The Sixers’ 21st pick in the 2020 draft has panned out better than anyone could have hoped. Imagine how much better Maxey will continue to improve in the coming years. He has the brightest future out of any player on the Sixers.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. will also return to the Sixers on a 2-year 16.3 million dollar deal. It’s nice to see a player like Oubre stick around after bouncing around the league for a lot of his career. He just needs to stop riding his bike in the streets and everything will be ok.

    After getting traded away to the Nets, then playing in Chicago, Andre Drummond signs a 2-year $10 million deal to come back to Philly. Most consider Drummond one of Embiid’s best backups during his career, so it’s good to see him return. His knack for rebounding and clogging up the defensive lane should help the Sixers during the Embiid-less minutes. His offense is limited, but Paul George and Tyrese Maxey hold all the responsibility now on offense without Embiid. Drummond’s game plan needs to stick with setting screens and dunking the ball.

    New Sixers

    So far, only one player comes to Philly brand new this offseason: Eric Gordon. He signed a veterans minimum for one year. He’s a classic vet who enters his 18th season this year. He’s a consistent 37% career 3-point shooter who you’d expect to see play less minutes this year than last (27). He’ll give us a few threes a night and play decent defense.

    The Job’s Not Done

    Currently, the Sixers only have 8 players signed, plus their two draft picks.

    Joel Embiid, C

    Andre Drummond, C

    Paul Reed, PF/C

    Paul George, SF

    Kelly Oubre Jr., SF

    Ricky Council IV, SF

    Tyrese Maxey, PG

    Eric Gordon, SG

    With the only PG on the team being Maxey, expect the Sixers to aggressively pursue a PG in the coming days. Maybe they go after Kyle Lowry and resign him, but they could go after other options like Tyus Jones, Delon Wright, or (hear me out) Markelle Fultz.

    I would love to see Tyus Jones sign with the Sixers. He averaged over 7 APG on the Wizards which is impressive given the option he has to pass to on that team.

    Markelle Fultz is a very interesting candidate. He will most likely resign with the Magic, but I would welcome him back to Philly since plays well and can really help a team with his shot creating abilities. He has become a good NBA player, but not what we expected when he went #1 in the 2017 draft.

    The Sixers also need to sign a true PF. They have plenty of SF’s, but they need a bigger body down there, and preferably one that can rebound well. Paul Reed could transition to PF, but in all likelihood, his time has come to an end here.

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • NBA free agency: Is Paul George the Sixers’ missing piece?

    NBA free agency: Is Paul George the Sixers’ missing piece?

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    Since the beginning of the 2023-24 Sixers season, reporting, on-the-record quotes and contextual clues have all told the same story: President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has his sights set on adding another star-caliber player to the team’s All-Star duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey this summer. With the constant player movement that has helped define this era of NBA basketball, it may be impossible to guess who that third key cog will be for the Sixers.

    Let’s evaluate the likelihood as well as the pros and cons of the Sixers adding Paul George this summer.

    George, who turned 34 years old earlier this month, is expected to decline his player option with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2024-25 season and become an unrestricted free agent. While there appears to be considerable interest from both George and the Clippers in a long-term reunion, the sides appear to be far apart in contract negotiations that have been going on since the beginning of this season. George’s co-star, Kawhi Leonard — who was also set to have the opportunity to become a free agent at the end of the 2023-24 season — inked a three-year extension with the Clippers in January. George was expected to follow suit, but never agreed to terms with the team.

    MORE: Paul George is ‘Plan A’ for Sixers this summer

    George has become known as one of the great two-way wings of his era, a career 20.8-point per game scorer with four All-Defensive Team honors to his name.

    George has become one of the sport’s most consistent and highest-volume three-point shooters. Over the last nine NBA seasons, George has made 39.2 percent of his shots from beyond the arc while taking nearly 4,500 total three-point attempts. With the ability to shoot off the catch and off the dribble at 6-foot-8 with a high release point, he is one of the best in NBA history at getting three-point shots up at a high rate. But George has also used his very impressive frame to earn a reputation as one of the league’s best wing defenders, particularly among high-usage offensive players.

    For all of these reasons, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported Monday morning that signing George is considered to be the Sixers’ primary objective this summer.

    This makes sense: George’s on-court fit with Embiid and Maxey is pristine, the Sixers are aiming to win a championship next season and he may be the single best player attainable for the team this offseason.

    In theory, George is the absolute perfect third star to play in between Maxey and Embiid: he should be able to play alongside either or both of them and take over the team’s offense in spurts when necessary while also bolstering the team’s wing defense. The key words: in theory.

    As clean as the fit seems on paper for George in Philadelphia, there are some significant reasons to be worried about whether signing him to a massive, long-term contract is a viable long-term solution to the Sixers’ current issues, as it might create new problems down the line.

    Let’s start with the drawbacks of George as a player: in the last four NBA seasons, he has played an average of 53.7 games per regular season. Once an iron man of sorts, he has developed a lengthy injury history in recent seasons that has damaged his durability. Meanwhile, George’s production as a defender lags far behind his reputation at this point — he does not expend nearly as much energy as he used to on that end of the floor (which is to be expected as he grapples with the aging process and a long list of injuries, but is still a cause for concern).

    There is no doubt that George is still a tremendous offensive talent: he has averaged 24.1 points per game over the last six regular seasons with an impressive 58.8 true shooting percentage, is a true three-level scoring threat, and has even improved his passing — once considered a bit of a hole in his game.

    But, for what it is worth, George has developed a reputation as a player who shies away from the moment when the playoffs come around. Not dissimilar to Embiid, he has still been a good player in those moments, but has clearly not reached his full potential. His efficiency takes a dip in the postseason most years (not too uncommon, in a general sense), and he has been part of several ugly, disappointing playoff exits.

    On the day the Clippers were eliminated from the first round of the NBA Playoffs earlier this month at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks — a game in which George shot 6-18 from the field — Robert Flom, who covers the team for 213Hoops, summed up concerns about George’s playoff production as they relate to the Sixers succinctly:

    “Sixers fans who want their max players to be aggressive in key moments are in for a world of disappointment if PG does end up there.”

    Speaking of a maximum contract, the price of adding George is another significant factor here that could lead the Sixers to be nervous. In order to pry George away from his home state of California and the Clippers, the Sixers will likely have to offer him the most they possibly can — and not a single penny below it.

    While the Clippers have the advantage of being able to offer George a five-year deal, it seems nearly impossible that they would go to those lengths given George’s age and injury history. Leonard’s three-year deal may have been an attempt at setting a precedent for George’s future deal with the team — if one is to actually come to fruition.

    If the Clippers stick to that timeline, the Sixers have a chance to usurp them by offering George the longest deal they are allowed to, a four-year pact. Because George has more than 10 years of NBA service, his maximum contract starts at 35 percent of the salary cap. If he signs with the Sixers, he can receive raises of up to five percent each season. Here is what George’s maximum contract would look like if he came to Philadelphia:

    Season (George age) Salary
    2024-25 (34) $49,350,000
    2025-26 (35) $51,817,500
    2026-27 (36) $54,285,000
    2027-28 (37) $56,752,500

    That comes out to four years and $212,205,000 — a staggering number, even for a player with George’s track record.

    To create the requisite salary cap space to sign this deal, the Sixers would need to gut their roster by renouncing the vast majority of their free agents. Letting go of Tobias Harris will not hurt; watching Buddy Hield walk would not be a crushing blow either. But signing George might make it impossible for the team to bring back someone like De’Anthony Melton, who could potentially be signed to another deal below his market value after dealing with two years of back injuries.

    Of course, in a vacuum, swapping Melton for George while letting two high-priced disappointments in Harris and Hield sign elsewhere is a promising proposition. But if the Sixers renounce nearly all of their free agents to sign George, they will have very limited resources to fill out the rest of their roster.

    The best the Sixers could do in terms of keeping their own free agents in-house after a theoretical deal George addition would be keeping their rights to Maxey — who is primed to sign a five-year contract of his own worth $204,450,000 this summer — as well as two of their players who were on veteran’s minimums this season (likely Kelly Oubre Jr. and either Cam Payne or KJ Martin). That would mean they lose their ability to go over the cap to sign whichever of Payne and Martin they do not retain, as well as Melton, Nic Batum, Kyle Lowry and others — all of these players would only be able to sign with the Sixers for their minuscule remaining cap space, a salary cap exception or a veteran’s minimum deal.

    Spending nearly $50 million on a player next season will be well worth it for the Sixers if that player genuinely elevates them into championship status. But the idea of paying George over $56.7 million in 2027-28, when he will be 38 years old by the time the playoffs end, is daunting.

    On paper, George could not be a better fit alongside Embiid and Maxey to form a dominant trio in Philadelphia which could compete with anybody in the Eastern Conference and the NBA. But, like most matters with the Sixers, it is just never quite that simple. While the upside of inking George to the four-year deal he would likely command from the team is palpable, so are the massive risks that come with such a move.

    MORE: Sixers offseason FAQ

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam

    Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • The Maxey Miracle Extends Sixers’ Season! – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Maxey Miracle Extends Sixers’ Season! – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Tyrese Maxey stepped up on the biggest stage at the biggest time. After what looked like another disappointing ending to the season, Maxey miraculously scores seven points in the last 30 seconds of the game to force the Knicks into OT where the Sixers pulled out on top to steal a game in New York.

    Deja Vu?

    All Sixers fans probably felt the same way entering the last minute of the Sixers game. When Mcbride hit the free throw line jumper with 30 seconds left, plenty of Sixers fans probably turned their TV’s off and reflected on another early exit from the playoffs with another uninspired performance from Joel Embiid.

    This game felt the same as many other games the Sixers have played before – battle back and forth all game just to come up short in the end. Tyrese Maxey had other plans. He converted a rare and-one 3-pointer and nailed a logo length 3 to tie things up which brought them into overtime where they sealed the deal. Maxey made a lot of noise in the sports world with his incredible play.

    The Script is Flipped… for now

    The Sixers did the usual “try to lose the game” thing that they usually do in these situation, but luckily the Knicks decided to do the same thing. Although he had triple double, Embiid tallied a whopping 9 turnovers in his 47 minutes played. It seemed that every time the momentum seemed to switch, Embiid would try too hard to make something happen, a pass would slip the fingers of Tobias Harris, or somebody would miss a wide open 3. Fortunately for the Sixers, the Knicks also committed timely turnovers to keep them in the game.

    Even with the help of sloppy play, the Sixers found themselves in a much too similar situation: trailing in the final stages of an elimination game. Queue Tyrese Maxey-Superman mode. Not many Sixers players in previous years had the capability to turn things on when they needed to most – Embiid tends to rely on others too much to set him up for baskets, Ben Simmons would shrink in crucial moments, and James Harden would fade away while trying to do it all. The Sixers finally have a player in Tyrese Maxey with a combination of shot creating and limitless range that can bring a team back from the dead.

    When called upon, Maxey delivered to bring hope to Philadelphia for at least one more game. Obviously they still have to do it two more times, but something about this team seems different than years past. Games that feel like losses turn into wins more than they used to. They need to capitalize on momentum swings like this.

    Embiid Needs to Answer Back

    Maxey stole the show today and has the capability to do it again, but that doesn’t mean Embiid can be OK with his quality of play tonight. I get that he missed shootaround with a migraine that could definitely be a symptom of Bell’s Palsy and is still recovering from a knee surgery, but that’s no excuse for his lackadaisical passing leading to a multitude of turnovers throughout the game. He needs to be better. He cannot expect to pull away with a win after another performance like that. The Sixers simply cannot afford it.

    He Wasn’t All Bad

    I still can’t hate on the big guy too much. I love him and so should everybody in Philadelphia.

    Even though he only scored 19 points on 7-19 shooting, he grabbed 16 rebounds and dished out 10 assists. Obviously the game wasn’t coming to him tonight, but he did just enough to get the job done. He noticeably boxed out the Knicks more aggressively and made the right reads a lot of the time to get open shots for his teammates. He helped limit the Knicks offensive rebounds which helped the Sixers outrebound the Knicks by 6 today. That made a big impact whether anybody wants to acknowledge it or not.

    Can they do it again and again?

    No matter how magical tonight was, they need to do it twice more. The team stepped up and pulled it out in a subpar performance from Embiid, so just imagine what they can do if everyone is firing on all cylinders for once. Even Tobias had a good game today. They need to step it up and win this game at home to really put the pressure on the Knicks for game 7.

     

     

     

    Picture from Marca.com

     

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • Instant observations: Tyrese Maxey’s unbelievable late-game heroics save Sixers season in Game 5

    Instant observations: Tyrese Maxey’s unbelievable late-game heroics save Sixers season in Game 5

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    NEW YORK, NY — In an all-time clash, the Sixers somehow emerged victorious in Game 5 Tuesday night, 112-106, because of all-time shot-making from Tyrese Maxey. Their season remains alive with the series returning to Philadelphia. 

    Here is what stood out from a thrilling Sixers-Knicks Game 5:

    Sixers open fourth quarter with a bang

    Let’s start in the guts of the game. With a dozen minutes of play left to decide their season, the Sixers came out strong: they opened the fourth quarter with Maxey sinking a long two-point jumper, then got a stop and extended their newfound lead to four thanks to a corner triple by Nico Batum. 

    Within 41 seconds, the score had swung by five crucial points, and a furious Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau called timeout once again. 

    Fatigue plagues Embiid down the stretch as turnovers pile up, and Nurse makes a tough call

    Joel Embiid was sloppy for a lot of this game, but it became uncontrollable in the fourth quarter. By the time Embiid had thrown away his eighth turnover of the game nearly halfway through the fourth quarter, Nick Nurse called timeout, and after the break Embiid was not on the floor. Nurse opted to not play Embiid for the entirety of the second half after it did not work out for the Sixers in Game 3. With or without Embiid, the Sixers had a lot of ground to cover. 

    Embiid’s rest only lasted for 72 seconds of play before a Jalen Brunson and-one extended their lead to six points.

    Tyrese Maxey saves the season

    Miles McBride made a free throw line jumper to extend the Knicks’ lead to six with fewer than 30 seconds left. 

    Then Tyrese Maxey did something unforgettable.

    First, Maxey converted an absurd four-point play to trim the lead to two points. Josh Hart split two free throws, and Maxey came down, pulled up from the logo and saved the Sixers’ season with the most brilliant shot of his four-year NBA career. 

    What can you say about this guy anymore? The Sixers’ 23 year-old guard is special, and the five-year maximum contract extension he is set to sign this summer is much-deserved. With Embiid a shell of himself for much of this game (and significant portions of the series), it is the fourth-year player in his first full season as a point guard who rose to the occasion time and time again. He is not a star, not an All-Star, but a superstar in the making.

    Embiid and Maxey deliver in overtime and the Sixers find a way remain alive

    Embiid was flat-out terrible for 48 minutes. Maxey made several crucial mistakes down the stretch. But after Maxey’s herculean effort forced overtime, the Sixers’ duo of 2023-24 All-Stars refused to let the Sixers head home empty-handed. Maxey continued to hit big shot after big shot, and Embiid finally began to come through with timely baskets while simultaneously obliterating the Knicks’ offense as a rim protector.

    After a true instant classic, the Sixers are going to return home and play more basketball. Game 6 is Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

    Sixers defense comes to play early… even if their offense did not

    It took four minutes and 24 seconds of play before the Knicks got on the board in this one. Tobias Harris (of all people!) scored the first five points of the game — first on a corner triple and then a mid-range jumper — before Isaiah Hartenstein knocked down two free throws for the Knicks. Tyrese Maxey followed that up with a 5-0 run of his own, and more than five minutes into the game, Thibodeau called timeout with his team trailing 10-2. The Knicks entered that timeout shooting 0-8 from the field and 0-3 from beyond the arc.

    The Sixers missed some great looks early on, squandering an opportunity to jump out to a massive early lead, but Harris and Maxey did just enough to get the Sixers out in front in the opening minutes.

    Sixers win first quarter 26-17 despite unusual Embiid performance

    Embiid made only one of his five field goal attempts in the first quarter of this one, inciting quite a bit of pleasure from the New York City crowd. But the other parts of his game were on-point early on: his rim protection was characteristically outstanding, his grabbed six rebounds and also dished out three assists. 

    It is fair to wonder if the Sixers could have really blown things open early had Embiid been effective as a scorer, but regardless of his shooting struggles, the reigning NBA MVP did find a way to impact the game in a positive manner early.

    Knicks make significant second-quarter push amid continued Embiid struggles

    In the three minutes and 57 seconds in which Embiid rested — between the final minute or so of the first quarter and the opening pair of minutes in the second quarter — the Sixers’ five-point lead was predictably extinguished. But when Embiid returned to the floor, his struggles as a scorer only escalated, and suddenly New York took control of the game.

    Robinson once again performed excellently as Embiid’s primary defender, and New York’s once-dormant offense got going. Miles McBride scored five straight points, Brunson began to knock down jumpers, Robinson threw down a powerful alley-oop dunk and the Knicks were able to build a formidable deficit for the Sixers to overcome.

    Maxey’s scoring saves Sixers’ chances, but team enters halftime trailing 49-43

    The Sixers were brutalized by the Knicks in the second quarter, as New York outscored them 32-17 in those 12 minutes. The Sixers’ only saving grace was Maxey, who’s at least able to halt the Knicks’ momentum a few times, including with an impressive buzzer-beating layup that trimmed the deficit to six before the teams headed to their locker rooms.

    Of course, the onus is always on an entire team to rise to the occasion in a big game, but everybody knows that things start and end with a team’s best player. Embiid’s offensive showing in the first half — a 3-10 shooting line from the field with three turnovers — was just not good enough. 

    Sixers respond with a run to open third quarter

    The Sixers were likely doomed if they did not throw a haymaker at the Knicks to open the second half, and perhaps that is exactly what Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told his team in the locker room. The Sixers took a punch from the Knicks and were able to connect back.

    The Sixers’ opening act in the third quarter was strong enough that Thibodeau called a timeout on two different occasions before even four minutes of time has passed. They outscored New York 10-2 in the first three minutes and 51 seconds of the quarter, allowing them to first tie the game and then take the lead. Once again, the key cog in their turnaround was Maxey, who punctuated the run with a gorgeous finish at the rim.

    Sixers enter fourth quarter trailing by one

    The Sixers won the third quarter, 26-21, but left some points on the table with missed open threes. All in all, Nurse and co. will take what they got over the course of those 12 minutes, though: repeated good looks on the offensive end, fueled by mostly-crisp passing, and cohesive defense. 

    A (relatively) clean bill of health for the Sixers

    Aside from Robert Covington, who remains out with a bone bruise in his left knee, the Sixers had two players listed on their injury report, and they were both starters. 

    Joel Embiid has been listed as questionable before just about every game the Sixers have played since he returned from his two-plus month absence due to a meniscus injury in his left knee, and that did not change, but his designation did: rather than just being listed as dealing with “left knee injury recovery,” Embiid was also listed as having a migraine — which Embiid said last week was the first symptom he experienced before being diagnosed with a case of Bell’s palsy. Embiid missed the team’s shootaround Tuesday morning, but was never expected to miss a do-or-die game.

    Kelly Oubre Jr. also missed Tuesday morning’s shootaround after the team told reporters that the swingman “did not feel well,” and Oubre was later listed as probable with an illness. However, he, too was ultimately made available and put in the starting lineup.

    The injury gods giveth and the injury gods taketh away for New York

    The Knicks, who have battled injuries all season long, relied on seven players to notch a Game 4 victory: Robinson, who excelled for the first two and a half games of the series before missing the second half of Game 3 with an ankle injury, was ruled out a half-hour prior to tip-off on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, Bogdanovic — who knocked down three triples in each of the first two games of the series and helps New York space the floor in a major way — went down with an ankle injury 71 seconds after checking into the game. Bogdanovic, who was already dealing with a severe wrist injury, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to his pair of injuries that will likely both require surgery.

    Robinson returned for the Knicks in Game 5 despite still dealing with the aforementioned ankle ailment — the same injury that held him out for more than three months in the regular season. With Bogdanovic out, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau decided not to call upon the services of Precious Achiuwa — his backup center to open Game 4 who ultimately helped swing the game in New York’s favor with his infectious energy and tremendous athleticism at the power forward position — in a role resembling the one he thrived in during the prior contest. Instead, the Knicks used a seven-man rotation. That is considered a rarity this early in the playoffs, generally speaking, but clearly nothing can be put past Thibodeau.

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam

    Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Late-game collapse sinks Sixers, who trail Knicks 2-0 in first round series

    Instant observations: Late-game collapse sinks Sixers, who trail Knicks 2-0 in first round series

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    NEW YORK — About 46 hours after their valiant effort resulted in a heart-breaking Game 1 loss at the hands of the New York Knicks, the Sixers returned to Madison Square Garden for a rematch: on Monday night was Game 2, as the Sixers looked to even the series at 1-1 before it headed to Philadelphia.

    But in those 46 hours or so, a lot has happened and been discussed. The most noteworthy point of discourse has been the state of reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid’s left knee. Embiid suffered an extreme injury scare to the already-damaged knee on Saturday evening, when for a few moments it looked like his season was going to be over due to an injury to the same knee which kept him out for more than two months before his return April 1. Embiid ended up only missing a few moments of game time due to the injury, but was far from the best version of himself after returning.

    Then came another cause for concern: on Monday morning, the Sixers suddenly listed their other All-Star, point guard Tyrese Maxey, as questionable for Game 2 with an illness. Maxey went on to miss the team’s shootaround.

    Between the uncertain statuses of the two best players on the team and the reeling nature of some of the duo’s critical supporting pieces, the feeling around the team was understandably anxious.

    Embiid was not his best self — again — while Maxey dazzled. But brutal late-game errors sent the Sixers packing with a 2-0 series deficit staring them in the faces.

    Here is what jumped out from Game 2 of Sixers-Knicks:

    Embiid and Maxey play

    Per the usual, De’Anthony Melton and Robert Covington were ruled out prior to tip-off: Melton’s status for the remainder of the series and playoffs remains unknown, while Covington appears to be out for the remainder of the season.

    The only other Sixers listed on the injury report were the aforementioned stars, Embiid and Maxey, but each was made available after going through their pregame routines.

    Maxey’s opening heater

    In Game 1, Embiid set the tone with an early 9-0 run after the Knicks had taken a 2-0 lead. In Game 2, Maxey similarly put his foot on the gas early, but he didn’t wait for the Knicks to score first. Maxey opened the scoring in this one by knocking down a three… and then another three… and then another three.

    Maxey put together a personal 9-0 run of his own that was — fittingly — very fast. It gave the Sixers a whole lot of juice early, not to mention a healthy lead in the game’s opening minutes.

    Of course, any run within a playoff game is enormous, let alone one that opens the game. It certainly does not hurt to get one from the guy who was supposed to be a game-time decision.

    Embiid’s up-and-down, but mostly positive, first quarter

    Once again, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse played Embiid for the entirety of the first quarter — as he did for most of the regular season prior to Embiid suffering his meniscus injury. Embiid did not shoot the ball particularly well in the opening dozen minutes, but was extremely active: he made four of his 10 field goal attempts — including two of his three tries from beyond the arc — and split four free throws. But Embiid also grabbed eight rebounds — four of them coming on the offensive glass, in a fortunate change of pace — and collected a pair of assists. He committed a turnover in the first minute or two of the game, but after that played a clean quarter of mistake-free basketball.

    Embiid’s rim protection, as expected, was also tremendous.

    Early returns on rebounding adjustments

    The biggest reason the Sixers lost Game 1 was because they were brutalized on the rebounds, particularly as they allowed an almost-comical 23 Knicks offensive rebounds. Nurse and several Sixers rotation players entered Game 2 having spoken at length about the need to shore up their team rebounding efforts.

    The Knicks grabbed an offensive rebound on their first possession of the game, and it momentarily felt as if the Sixers were going to be eviscerated on the boards. But it took more than 10 minutes for them to allow another offensive rebound, a play that gave the Knicks their only two second-chance points of the entire quarter.

    Rebounding is a team effort under all circumstances, so all Sixers rotation players deserve joint credit for their improved performance in that department, but it is hard to ignore the way Embiid set the tone on the glass with constant energy and effort that was not there in Game 1.

    Sixers survive early stretch without Embiid

    Despite Paul Reed giving the Sixers strong minutes for most of Game 1, they were pummeled when he manned the middle in Embiid’s place, getting outscored by 21 points in just 11 minutes.

    In Game 1, Embiid helped the Sixers build a nine-point lead by the end of the first quarter, and after five minutes of Embiid sitting on the bench, the game was tied.

    In this one, Embiid helped create a seven-point Sixers lead by the time for the first quarter ended. He rested for the same amount of time as he did on Saturday, but this time when he returned the Sixers still led by seven: they broke even without their best player, which in the playoffs is an enormous feat. For all of Embiid’s struggles in Game 1, they would have won if they were even outplayed by a modest amount when he sat rather than being obliterated.

    Part of succeeding when Embiid rests is successfully running the offense through Maxey, and the Sixers were able to that. Maxey led all scorers in the first half with 20 points, shooting 7-11 from the field, 4-7 from beyond the arc and 2-2 from the free throw line. Maxey also dished out five assists and grabbed three rebounds in before intermission.

    The Tobias Harris revival

    Harris struggled from the field to open the game, making just two of his first six shot attempts, including missing the mark on two wide open triples. But his energy to open the game was outstanding: he was active on the glass, both in terms of grabbing rebounds on his own and by simply preventing the Knicks from doing so with effective box-outs. He also ran down an offensive rebound that led to an easy layup for Buddy Hield (and nobody needed to see the ball go in more than Hield) and won a jump ball against a seven-footer, Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein.

    Two made threes later, Harris entered halftime with a stellar line: in a team-leading 21 minutes, he scored 10 points on 4-8 shooting (including 2-4 from beyond the arc), six rebounds, two assists, a steal, a block and zero turnovers.

    The outpouring of frustration with Harris in recent days — which has been even more furious than usual — was mostly warranted considering his performance. But given the way he was playing and the way he was being lambasted, regardless of whether or not the criticism was deserved, it is impressive that he was able to collect himself and reward Nurse’s trust in him with such a strong first half.

    In the fourth quarter, the Knicks repeatedly targeted Harris as a defender, forcing him into switches against their leading offensive option, Jalen Brunson, and Harris just got stops against the scoring aficionado over and over. In Harris’ five-plus years as a Sixer, he has never put together such a marvelous defensive showing,.

    Josh Hart at it again

    I wrote before this series kicked off that Hart, who was the Knicks’ star in Game 1, had the potential to reach levels of annoyance that the Sixers and their fans have not experienced stemming from the performance a role player in the playoffs in several years. But even this is a bit beyond what I expected.

    Hart’s 22 points, 13 rebounds and four threes made him the player folks will remember from Saturday night. And on Monday, he picked up right where he left off: Hart had 19 points, 10 rebounds and another four threes… in the first half.

    Nurse spoke in his media availability before Game 2 about the team’s commitment to limiting Brunson, and how that necessitates leaving a subpar three-point shooter like Hart open. Hart is not a good enough shooter to commit a defender to him at all times, but clearly he is good enough that he can make a defense pay for leaving him open at any given moment. So far in this series, the Villanova product has done exactly that.

    Maxey’s Most Improved Player case, exemplified

    Maxey was named a nominee for the NBA’s 2023-24 Most Improved Player Award on Sunday night, and many expect the fourth-year guard to take home what would be the first full-season individual honor of his NBA career. One crucial stretch early in the third perfectly illustrated two of the underrated ways in which he has progressed as a player in the last year.

    Maxey’s case to win the award stems from his significant scoring uptick, but he has also made massive strides as a playmaker and passer in his first full regular season as a point guard. Maxey’s passing was excellent in this game, and perhaps none of his dishes were better than an impressive skip pass he threw that created a made three for Kyle Lowry, who had been silent as a scorer up until that point.

    On the other end of the floor, the Knicks set up Maxey to defend their own first-time All-Star guard in Brunson. Brunson is not an easy cover for anyone, but particularly someone like Maxey because Brunson boasts such a massive strength advantage over Maxey. But Maxey stood his ground against the NBA’s fourth-leading per-game scorer in the regular season and forced a stop. Forget last year, Maxey may not have been able to make that play last month. His defensive improvement over the last handful of games alone has been staggering.

    Knicks finally take control during Embiid’s second half rest

    Embiid did not play the entire third quarter, as Nurse appeared to deviate from his typical substitution patterns. Instead, he rested for four of the final five minutes of the quarter. In that time, the Knicks outscored the Sixers by six as they finally captured their first lead of the game and created a modicum of separation.

    That run that continued into the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, when the Knicks’ lead expanded to as wide as eight.

    Intense fourth quarter ends with Sixers falling short again after late mistakes

    The Sixers led by five with fewer than 30 seconds on the clock in Game 2. Then a Brunson desperation three took a wild bounce in, the Sixers turned the ball over in the backcourt — not using a timeout that they had remaining — and Donte DiVincenzo hit his fourth three of the game to give the Knicks the lead. One Maxey miss, two OG Anunoby free throws and an Embiid missed desperation three later, the Knicks had won.

    An all-time, epic disaster for the Sixers, who had Game 2 and a tied series in hand. They head home with a tall task at hand: win four of the next five, or go home.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • What to make of the Sixers-Knicks regular season series ahead of playoff matchup

    What to make of the Sixers-Knicks regular season series ahead of playoff matchup

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    In several recent seasons, the Sixers dominated the New York Knicks in the regular season. There was a multi-year span in which the Knicks failed to notch a single victory over the Sixers. Things changed in 2024, though, when the new-look Knicks took three out of four contests against the Sixers, with two of those wins coming in Philadelphia and all three of them occurring in blowout fashion. This past regular season was the first in which the Knicks won the season series over the Sixers since the 2015-16 campaign in which the Sixers finished 10-72.

    Season series results are often not emphatic indicators of playoff series outcomes, and this is an example of that: Sixers superstar center Joel Embiid only played in one of the four games these two teams faced off in this season. But across the four games, spanning from the beginning of January to the second week of March, there are some lessons we can learn.

    Just so you would not have to, I spent my Thursday afternoon and evening rewatching all four Sixers-Knicks contests looking for any sorts of tells that may indicate how the playoff series will turn out. Here is what I found:

    Tyrese Maxey will see a lot of different looks — but one more than most

    Like the Sixers and the Miami Heat team they just defeated, the Knicks have faced a tremendous amount of adversity this season, mostly in the form of injuries, and they have faced that adversity better than the Sixers or Heat all year long. Even now, as the dust settles before the playoffs begin, the Knicks will be without three-time All-Star forward Julius Randle, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury.

    There are many obvious negatives to dealing with a massive amount of injuries, but there are some silver linings. One of those is that it enables many players to prepare to fill several different roles throughout a season, so that no matter what challenges are thrown their way in the postseason, they do not have to enter uncharted territory. 

    The Knicks’ All-Star point guard, rising superstar scorer Jalen Brunson, finished this regular season 10th in the NBA in total minutes played. But two Knicks actually played in more contests than Brunson: fellow Villanova products, workhorses Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, who each logged 81 games. Hart is one of the game’s best rebounders; DiVincenzo is one of the game’s best three-point shooters. But both are tried and true defensive forces. Hart uses his incredible strength to take on bigger assignments, while DiVincenzo is more reliable against guards.

    The Knicks, however, swung a significant trade at the end of December, acquiring wing OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors. Because of his late arrival and ensuing injuries, Anunoby has only played 23 games in blue and orange — but when he has suited up, the Knicks have been dominant: New York went 20-3 in the regular season when the two-way threat was available. Part of the reason why was that he immediately stepped in as one of head coach Tom Thibodeau’s most trusted perimeter defenders. 

    At 6-foot-7 and 232 pounds, Anunoby can guard big wings and even some big-men. But because of his tremendous athleticism and foot speed, he may profile as the Knicks’ best chance to slow down Maxey, the Sixers’ first-time All-Star guard who may be in line to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award after averaging 25.9 points per game — 11th-best in the NBA — in his fourth professional season.

    Anunoby only played in two of the four Sixers-Knicks games this season — though Sixers head coach and former Toronto shot-caller Nick Nurse’s former trusted wing did play against the Sixers twice in the early portion of the season as a member of the Raptors. But when Anunoby did suit up for New York against the Sixers, he was often Thibodeau’s first choice to defend Maxey. When one glances at Maxey and notices his frame, they would not expect someone who looks like Anunoby to be his primary defender over the course of a playoff series. But the Knicks’ starting wing figures to draw the assignment more than any of his teammates.

    This is where we must circle back to the Knicks’ bumpy journey, though. Because they have had to live life without Anunoby on plenty of occasions, the Knicks have both Hart and DiVincenzo more than prepared to take on the Maxey assignment at any given moment. Anunoby’s superior speed likely makes him Thibodeau’s choice to open things, but if either of Hart or DiVincenzo need to step into that role, they can. The Knicks’ rotation also features an x-factor of sorts: 23-year-old guard Miles “Deuce” McBride, whose ability to defend his position at a high level while also knocking down 41 percent of his three-point attempts on significant volume has made him a fan favorite in New York. 

    Things did not go perfectly for Maxey against Miami. Unfortunately for him, they are not going to get much easier against New York. The time for him to step up is now.

    The Sixers do stand a chance against Brunson

    Brunson is, as Maxey referred to him after Wednesday night’s Play-In Tournament victory, New York’s “head of the snake.” The Villanova product who was born in New Brunswick, NJ put together an absolutely stellar season featuring yet another massive leap. Brunson received his first All-Star nod in the first half of the season and only got better from there, ultimately averaging 28.7 points per game — the fourth-highest average in the NBA over the course of the season.

    As you have probably heard by now, Sixers veteran wing Nico Batum had the game of his life to save the Sixers’ season Wednesday night: he scored more points (20) than he had in any game in over a calendar year, put on a defensive clinic and came through in every single important spot. 

    The Sixers did a good job limiting Brunson as a scorer across their four contests against the Knicks this season, holding him to 22.3 points per game on subpar efficiency (Brunson posted a true shooting percentage of 53.6). One of the primary reasons was Batum, who by my eye spent more time defending Brunson than any other Sixer. Batum may continue to come off the bench in this series — the Sixers’ starting lineup of Maxey, Kyle Lowry, Kelly Oubre Jr., Tobias Harris and Embiid has generally been quite successful since Embiid’s return from injury, and starting lineup changes this time of year are rare. But Batum’s ability to not just pressure Brunson, but do so across all 94 feet of the floor, make it easy to pencil him in as an integral part of the Sixers’ rotation in this series, perhaps even more than usual.

    But, like the Knicks, the Sixers have plenty of trustworthy defensive options on the perimeter as well. Lowry and Oubre were both stellar on that end of the floor against Miami, and will both see some of Brunson (Oubre would be my pick to open games defending him). Maxey lacks the physicality to counter the immense strength that helps make Brunson so lethal, but his defensive strides in recent weeks have been noticeable, culminating in an impressive outing in that department against the Heat. He can take on difficult assignments these days, even if for brief spurts of time. Harris is not the ideal defender against a point guard, but has enough reps in similar matchups that he would not be a terrible option against Brunson if needed.

    Slowing down Brunson may be even more challenging for the Sixers than slowing down Maxey will be for the Knicks. But in addition to the strategic advantages that come with having a coach as creative as Nurse, the Sixers do have the requisite personnel to make the fellow first-time All-Star guard’s life difficult.

    Hart attacks are on the way to Philadelphia

    By the end of any good playoff series, each fanbase has a newfound hatred for a player on the opposing team who they simply did not realize would frustrate them so much. Heat fans may never forget The Nico Batum Game. One reason the Sixers won that game is because Miami was without renowned Sixers Killer Terry Rozier. 

    Hart’s exploits have always been respected because he played at a high-profile school and won a national championship. His abilities have become even more appreciated in recent months as he stars in a significant role for one of the league’s flagship teams in one of its largest markets. He is even a viral podcaster these days. But at his core, Hart is simply a killer who will always find a way to torture his opponents and their fans.

    I do not say this lightly: Hart has the chance to frustrate Sixers fans more than any opposing role player has since Marcus Smart’s peak of annoyance with the Boston Celtics.

    First of all, the way the Sixers play on defense and their tendency to attempt to suffocate stars allow capable but imperfect three-point shooters to take big shots. One of the reasons they beat Miami is that someone like former Sixers developmental project Haywood Highsmith missed all four of his three-point tries. Hart fits the exact profile: he is not a good enough shooter that the Sixers will always stick to him when Brunson drives — Hart made just 31 percent of his three-point tries this season — but as a 34.4 percent three-point shooter for his career and a genuine big-game player, he has more than enough ability to knock down a crucial shot in a pivotal situation.

    Then there is the defense. Hart will likely get some cracks at Maxey; as a 6-foot-4 player that is the kind of matchup one might expect him to take on. But he will also see a lot of time — perhaps the majority of his minutes — against wings. Hart is extremely physical, enough to hang with guys who may have much better frames like Batum or superior athleticism like Oubre. 

    But Hart is also cerebral. There will absolutely be times when he goads Harris into making avoidable blunders. His timing on double-teams against Embiid will be pristine, and he will likely force the reigning NBA MVP to commit some turnovers that look like head-scratchers. Hell, he and Thibodeau are both so maniacal that he could end up guarding Embiid one-on-one at certain junctures. That is the kind of versatile athlete the Sixers will have to deal with here.

    This is perhaps all without mentioning the part of Hart’s game that will anger Sixers fans the most: his uncanny rebounding ability. Despite that 6-foot-4 listed height, Hart averaged 8.3 rebounds per game this season. He finished the season 16th in the NBA in total rebounds, an absolutely ridiculous feat for someone of his size. What is as impressive as Hart’s rebounding ability is the timeliness of his rebounds. He seems to come up with every single 50-50 ball, will revive possessions with offensive rebounds at crucial junctures of games, and is simply able to come away with the ball on occasions when he has absolutely no business doing so. 

    Prepare for at least one Knicks win in this series where Hart makes a defining play or has a signature moment or performance. It feels inevitable.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • The Sixers’ 2024 Playoff Picture – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Sixers’ 2024 Playoff Picture – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    With the regular season over, the Sixers’ road to the Finals starts this Wednesday against the Heat in the play-in tournament.

    Since Embiid’s return, the Sixers have gone 8-0, including two games without Embiid.

    It’s no secret that he brings a boost to this team. As long as he can stay healthy, they have a shot at making a serious run.

    How’s the Knee?

    In a game against the Orlando Magic a few days ago, all Sixers fans had a scare. After driving to the basket and getting his own rebound, Embiid, wincing in pain, asked for a timeout and immediately headed to the locker room. Everyone watching probably had the same thought: here we go again. 

    To everyone’s surprise, Embiid returned to the game in the second half and continued doing his thing. Afterward, when Nick Nurse was asked about the status of Embiid’s knee, he said the knee “responded well.” So take that for what you will, but it was a good sign seeing Embiid return in the second half.

    Two Possible Matchups

    After they take care of business tomorrow against the Heat, they will match up against the Knicks. The Knicks went 3-1 against the Sixers this year, but they are both very different teams now than they were before. 

    Similarly, these two teams lost a star player in the latter half of the season, but the Knicks handled it much better. We all know what happened when Embiid went down, but the Knicks catapulted to the 2-seed in the absence of Julius Randle. Some may say the Knicks have a better chance without him, but not against the Sixers. Julius Randle has a rare combo of weight and speed that has caused trouble for the Sixers in the past. They do have some players more suitable to guard him now than last year, but I like our chances better without him.

    The Boston Celtics

    If the Sixers have Finals aspirations, then the Celtics shouldn’t scare them, but it’s more complicated than that. Lots of people are choosing the Celtics to not only win the East, but win the Finals as well. They are a great team and hold the NBA’s best record this year – by far. Normally, I’d say bring on the Celtics; we have to get them out of the way eventually, but not with the team chemistry we have now. When Embiid went down the team changed a lot, and teams need to be firing on all cylinders to beat the Celtics.

    The Celtics already beat the Sixers in 7 last year, and now they’re better. Now, they have Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday providing extra offensive threats. With two big men that can shoot (Porzingis and Horford), Embiid won’t have the privilege of camping down in the paint, anchoring the defense.

    With their other two stars, Tatum and Brown, the Celtics match up well against every team in the league. Not many teams have the athleticism, length, and interior defense to handle the caliber of players that the Celtics have. I think with the new additions of Oubre, Batum, and Lowry, the Sixers can beat this team in a tough series, but they need a few series to figure things out and build chemistry.

    What’s Different for the Sixers this year?

    First: Nick Nurse and not that scrub Glen Rivers (we already have two “Docs” in Philly. He’s not one of them). Nick Nurse is a great head coach with recent playoff experience that doesn’t involve choking leads. Watching Nurse’s offense for five minutes shows me how much of an upgrade we have at head coach. Rivers was stubborn. He wouldn’t change his defenses up or strategize his offensive scheme to expose weaker players. Nurse adapts. He switches his defense, targets other players, feeds the hot hands, and lets the players play to their strengths. He will help a lot, especially in a playoff series.

    Second: Joel Embiid has fresh(ish) legs. He just had surgery on his meniscus, but he obviously took rehab seriously to work on what he could. His shot is falling; he added a floater for a few games, and his defense hasn’t changed. As long as there are no more freak injuries like a broken face, torn thumb, another knee injury, etc., we’re in good shape and can beat any team in the league.

    Not one player in the NBA can hold Embiid down.
    It’s his time to build his legacy.

    Photo: Yong Kim

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • The Embiid Effect – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Embiid Effect – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Everybody knows the Sixers’ hype died down after Embiid suffered a meniscus injury.
    Everyone also had a lot of doubts about when he would return: Would he be healthy? In shape? Will he get injured again? etc.’

    While we can’t overlook some of those doubts, he has already proven he can still be at the top of his game even after missing an extended period of time.

    The team already looks brand new after just a few games back.

    Biggest Beneficiaries

    First off, the whole team obviously has a confidence boost after seeing Embiid take the floor and return to his dominant form.

    There’s no question that any team would have their spirits lifted tremendously when the reigning MVP returns to action, but certain players will improve more than others upon his return.

    Tyrese Maxey

    Maxey reaps the greatest rewards out of anybody else on the team. Although they’ve played just two games back together again, you can’t help but see the freedom that Embiid gives Maxey. It’s no secret that speed is Maxey’s greatest weapon, and when teams can constantly double-team him, it is hard for him to get moving – especially for a player his size.

    With Embiid back, the defensive focus instantly shifts. Teams can no longer afford to double-team Maxey because they are busily double-teaming (sometimes triple-teaming) Embiid. Now, Maxey can scream through the lane for easy buckets or use his lethal step-back move to hit 3s, demoralizing other teams.

    Maxey is easily Embiid’s best number two in his whole career. They complement each other so well.

    Kelly Oubre Jr.

    In his last four games, Oubre Jr. has averaged 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3 assists, all significantly more than his season averages. When Embiid gets doubled, Oubre Jr. does well, placing himself in the dunker’s spot, where Embiid can quickly fire a pass over to him for an easy dunk.

    Other than Ben Simmons (who would pass on that shot), the Sixers haven’t had a player who could get quick elevation for intimidating dunks like Oubre Jr. in a long time. He has a way of switching the momentum and sparking runs with his explosive play.

    The Fans

    Whether it’s on the radio, TV, or talking with friends/family, nobody has cared about the Sixers recently. The home games have been subdued, and nobody wants to discuss them. Now, the juice is back. Embiid is the Luke Skywalker to the Sixers: our only hope. With him back, all balance can be restored to the process, and the Sixers could possibly win their first title in over 40 years.

    Playoff Picture

    With just three games left on the schedule, the Sixers find themselves one game behind the Pacers for the 6-seed and .5 games ahead of the Heat, holding down the 7-seed. The Sixers do not hold any of the tie-breakers with either team, so they need to finish a full game ahead of each team to lock in their spot.

    The two most likely opponents in the first round (after the play-in because that doesn’t count as a round in my book) are the Bucks or the Magic. Either one of those teams can end up as the second seed, and there is no reason the Sixers should lose the play-in game, putting them in the 2 vs. 7 seed game.

    Neither of those teams should scare anybody. The Bucks were 30-13 when they fired Adrian Griffin and then hired the incompetent coach, Glenn Rivers, to take his place. He has gone 15-17 in his tenure as Bucks Head coach. I really hope we get to play the Bucks.

    The Magic are a good team, but they are led by a second-year star, Paolo Banchero. Young teams typically struggle in the playoffs—especially against good, experienced teams like the Sixers. For the record, the Sixers went 2-0 against the Magic this year.

    The Sixers are a nightmare matchup for any of the higher-seeded teams.

    The Play-in

    A lot of people want to avoid the play-in, but why? If this Sixers team is good enough to make a run, then nobody should worry about any of the 8-10-seeded teams, and if they can’t handle a game against those teams, they have no business in the playoffs. It could give them some needed momentum and added time to gain chemistry before playing the better teams.

    Legacy Building

    Embiid could retire today and enter the NBA Hall of Fame, but that’s not what he wants. Right now, he’s an all-time Sixers great, but he could become one of the top five Philly athletes ever with a championship under his belt.

    Nobody would be angry with him about his injuries anymore.

    He is finally 100% healthy coming into the playoffs, and he’s rested. He needs to put it all together to make a run.
    The pieces are set around him to succeed this year—a good combination of veteran and young players, as well as a coach with championship experience.
    Let’s see what you can do, big man.

    Photo: Matt Slocum

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • Maxey Propels Sixers to 6-Seed – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Maxey Propels Sixers to 6-Seed – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    After a few disappointing games, the Sixers rebounded against a bad Charlotte team which catapulted them to a victory over the Miami Heat. This game had huge playoff implications, with the Heat now at the 8 seed – one game behind the Sixers.

    Maxey’s Big Games

    After a sad performance against the Knicks, Maxey came back strong with 30 points in each of the last 3 games, with last night’s game against the Heat as his best. He tallied 10 assists to give him a double-double, while approaching a triple double with 8 rebounds. Maxey continues to grow and succeed while Embiid isn’t playing.

    Against the Bucks on Thursday, when the rest of the team failed to compete, Maxey kept the Sixers within reach up until the final minutes of the game. Nobody would have thought the Sixers could contend with the Bucks without Embiid, but Maxey is becoming such a special player that could possibly take the leap to superstar status within the next few years.

    After the Bucks, other Sixers players stepped up and brought energy to the Sixers so Maxey’s efforts would not be in vain.

    How can the Sixers win?

    Defense.

    The Sixers can’t replace 35 ppg with Embiid missing time, so they can only win if they keep the other team from scoring a lot. This team is not built to win shootouts without their best player, scoring approximately 13 points less per game without their big man.

    When holding their opponent to less than 100 points, the Sixers are undefeated this season. Players like Oubre, Batum, Lowry, Bamba, and Reed won’t light up the scoreboard much, but they have the tools to play some stifling defense.

    Batum’s Impact

    Nico Batum never has a flashy stat line, but when watching him, you can’t help but notice the impact he makes on the team. He’s never flustered and doesn’t make stupid plays. He knows where to be and how to deliver the ball cleanly to open teammates. He’s also long, which help him disrupt the opposing offense even if he’s not getting a steal or block.

    Just yesterday, against the Heat, Batum had a great block in the final minutes of the first half which led to a long outlet pass for a Kyle Lowry and-1. This gave the Sixers some good momentum going into the half.

    He only finished with 2 points, but his veteran impact is extremely invaluable to this young squad.

    Looking Forward

    The main goal is to stay out of the play-in tournament. Without Embiid, this team is obviously not playoff-caliber, but they need to remain competitive to make sure they don’t have extra games before the real playoffs begin, and they will give themselves an easier matchup against the Cavs or the Knicks.

    The rest of the schedule is not the easiest, with only five of the remaining 14 games at home. Their strength of schedule is right in the middle of the pack, but they always struggle on long road trips, especially on the west coast.

    Hopefully Embiid can come back soon and get in shape before the playoffs start. If he plays, there is still hope to do some damage and become the first 5, 7, or 8 seed to win the finals.

     

     

    Picture from NBA.com

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • Instant observations: Tobias Harris breaks out of slump, Sixers defeat Hornets

    Instant observations: Tobias Harris breaks out of slump, Sixers defeat Hornets

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    The Sixers made a quick stop at home Friday night for a matchup against the struggling Charlotte Hornets. It was a timely opponent for a Sixers team desperate for a win, and they took care of business, defeating the Hornets 121-114. Here is what jumped out from the victory:

    Nick Nurse makes big changes

    With Joel Embiid, De’Anthony Melton and Kelly Oubre Jr. all out for this contest, the Sixers’ head coach took the opportunity to get creative and change up his starting five. Nurse made some radical adjustments: he started Kyle Lowry alongside Tyrese Maxey, slid Buddy Hield up to the three, and replaced Paul Reed in the starting lineup with Mo Bamba. The Sixers’ starting unit in this one — Maxey, Lowry, Hield, Tobias Harris and Bamba — had never spent one single possession on the floor together before this one tipped off.

    Nurse has remained adamant that Nic Batum would be a long-term starter, as his several talents are tailor-made for someone who is rounding out a star-centric unit. But Batum returned to the bench Friday night. It is unclear how much of this is performance-based — Batum has struggled to leave a lasting impact on games since returning from another lengthy absence due to injury — and how much of this is about protecting him from missing time down the line. But it is certainly notable that Batum, who at one point seemed like a lock to start for the remainder of the season, has been returned to the bench after a period of regression.

    For as long as Embiid is out, Nurse is justified in experimenting with his lineups, because nothing has stuck since the reigning NBA MVP went down with his left meniscus injury. As the Sixers focus on maintaining their standing in the Eastern Conference’s top six seeds — and bypassing the NBA’s Play-In Tournament — Nurse must figure out how to maximize the capabilities of his injury-ridden roster.

    First Quarter

    • Harris got off to a nice start in this one, giving the Sixers a solid first eight minutes or so. He scored eight points, grabbed two rebounds and collected an assist, including knocking down two of his four attempts from beyond the arc, before checking back in and the end of the period and scoring twice more, including a buzzer beater three, to get to 13 points in the first 12 minutes. The Sixers have been desperate for Harris to break out of what has been possibly his single worst slump in five-plus years as a member of the team. With Embiid out, they have needed their veteran wing scorer to step up. Instead, he has been largely disastrous. The Sixers hope his nice start to this one can help him escape the struggles that have been plaguing him for weeks.

    • The most impressive aspect of Buddy Hield’s tremendous opening to his Sixers tenure was his playmaking. Just as much as he was knocking down tough shots, he was creating looks for others consistently — something he had never done very well in the NBA. Just as his shooting percentages have dipped in recent games, his assist numbers have gone down. Well, in the first quarter of this game he dished out four assists. His ability to leverage the attention defenses pay him because of his threatening nature as a three-point shooter into better looks for his teammates has been impressive.

    Second Quarter

    • After a solid defensive quarter in the first, the Sixers’ defense fell off a cliff in the opening minutes of the second period. First against a small-ball lineup with Harris and Batum manning the middle, and then against a lineup with Bamba at the five, the Hornets were getting to the rim with little deterrence and finishing there just as easily. For all of his flaws, the Embiid-less Sixers are at their best on the defensive end of the floor when Reed is in the game.

    • Ricky Council IV is clearly a ridiculous athlete, so much that just about every time he checks into the game he seems to make at least one play that impresses. In this one, he finally got the poster dunk he was longing for: Council duped a defender with a pass fake, opened up a driving lane and threw down an absolutely massive slam over Grant Williams. Council’s leaping ability is absolutely outrageous: 

    • After going down due to their poor interior defense and a hot shooting stretch from the Hornets, the Sixers put together an impressive run, led by Hield and punctuated by a three from Lowry. It was a much-needed spurt, as the Sixers were down by as many as a dozen in the middle of the quarter.

    • Before the trade deadline, it felt like the Sixers could really use another heady player who makes good decisions. Fast forward, and they have Lowry, simply a brilliant basketball mind who is leaving a significant impact on every game with both his play and his mind. It is more apparent than ever just how much the Sixers needed someone like him. A funny anecdote: as he was being replaced by Cam Payne in the final minutes of the first half, Lowry refused to leave the floor until each of his teammates on the floor had acknowledged the play he had called — a “Horns” set that the team frequents. Lowry finally stepped to the bench and continue to direct traffic on the possession from across the floor — and, yes, the Sixers did score on the possession.

    Third Quarter

    • It was more of the same from Harris early in the second half, a fantastic sign. He was able to continue scoring efficiently in a variety of ways, whether it be from beyond the arc, at the rim or in the intermediate area. At this point, even a half-decent game from Harris would have been an encouraging sign. Instead, he went above and beyond, truly leaving his mark on the game for the vast majority of the contest. The Sixers surely hope this performance can serve as a turning point of sorts for their $180 million man.

    • When you think about great shooters in the NBA, you think about the catch-and-shoot triples first and foremost. Maybe, if you are lucky, your best shooter can run around a bunch of screens and fire away while on the move. And then there are the truly great launchers: guys who can create their own shots from beyond the arc all on their own. And while Hield has never been thought of as an on-ball generator of offense, in addition to the aforementioned shot creation for others, he has displayed the ability to knock down off-the-dribble threes. Hield truly is an elite three-point shooter in every possible fashion.

    Fourth Quarter

    • Maxey received some rest in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, and it was clear that these minutes would be pivotal. The Sixers went to a lineup led by Lowry and Payne as ball-handlers, with Harris and Batum on the wing and Reed in the middle. That grouping gave Nurse excellent minutes: Harris and Lowry created timely offense, Batum knocked down his first three of the game and Reed was a stalwart at the rim. Those minutes could have easily sunk the Sixers. Instead, they propelled them.

    • Given Batum’s recent struggles, it was a significant encouraging sign to see him give the Sixers solid minutes, particularly in the second half. Batum did a little bit of everything, as he does when at the top of his game. It remains to be seen whether he will be a starter long-term or if he will be relegated to a bench role, but either way he figures to be a significant piece of the Sixers’ puzzle for the remainder of the season.

    • Reed has similarly not been himself of late, and so maybe there is something to him having his best game in recent memory Friday night after being returned to the bench. What matters much more than who starts a game is who logs the most minutes. Anecdotally, it feels as if Reed consistently gives the Sixers better minutes when coming off the bench. One thing is for sure: for as long as Embiid is unavailable, it remains crucial that Reed gives the Sixers quality production at the center position. On Friday night he did, and it was a major reason the Sixers were able to nab a victory. 

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • The Sixers have a Chemistry Problem – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Sixers have a Chemistry Problem – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The Sixers don’t know how to play basketball without Joel Embiid. Granted, he’s a great player, but they look dysfunctional and disorganized without him. They’ve only won 7 out of 23 games. This situation gave players an opportunity to get some extra playing time to prove themselves and get aggressive on offense, but some have squandered this opportunity.

    Biggest Woe

    Tobias Harris remains the biggest problem on the Sixers. Imagine the difference his $184 million could have made on legitimately any other player or players in the league. He wastes space on the floor and continually kills the team with his inconsistency and lack of aggression on offense. This time without Embiid should have opened up more opportunities for him to score and get into a rhythm, but he accomplished quite the opposite.

    Many words can describe Harris’ performance against the Bucks and the Knicks, but disgraceful seems to do the job best. In both games he scored less than 10 points and had at least a -11 +/-. For a guy that should be the second option with Embiid out, he sure does not live up to it. It really is a shame.

    Chemistry Issues

    Not that this should come as a surprise to anyone, but the Sixers have not looked like a unit with the big man continuing his rehab. Not only did the Sixers lose the player with the highest usage percentage in the NBA (unofficially because he does not meet the minutes restriction), they also slightly revamped their roster.

    Buddy Hield has had a very good start with the Sixers, but that hasn’t translated into a winning formula so far. He’s had relatively high usage at 20.9%. Even with a good player, that will no doubt provide chemistry issues with any team. This isn’t necessarily a negative thing, but it isn’t a glaring positive at the moment. I have no worry that he will really help this team moving forward, but in the meantime, they need to figure things out.

    Another new trade acquisition, Cam Payne, also has a high usage percentage with the team at 21.8%. This brings the same chemistry issues. He has provided a spark off the bench here and there, but nothing earth-shattering. He doesn’t turn the ball over much, but any point guard with a new team needs time to gel.

    Moving Forward

    Ideally, the Sixers can build chemistry and keep themselves out of the play-in game while Embiid nurses himself to full health. The team can’t afford to rush Embiid back before he’s fully healthy, so they need to hold down the fort in the meantime.

    Hopefully, when Embiid returns, he can plug right in and boost the team back into championship contention with the new pieces around him. It would devastate the team and their playoff hopes if he comes back and the chemistry resets. Embiid is such a talent so playing with him shouldn’t be too hard, but not many teams can win it all with plug and play players that don’t have chemistry.

    Hield’s fit with Embiid

    During this time of “hanging in there,” Nick Nurse should evaluate the play styles of his new players which hopefully he can use to game plan for Embiid’s return. Obviously he’s familiar with Embiid’s game and Lowry’s as well, but Hield could prove a fantastic fit with Embiid.

    With Hield’s incredible catch-and-shoot ability, a formulated two-man game between him and Embiid could prove to be lethal against any team they play against. Mix that in with Maxey and they could become the new three headed monster that we all hoped we had with Simmons, Fultz, and Embiid.

    Obviously, this fully revolves around Embiid’s availability and his fitness level. We will have to eagerly wait for the next Embiid update to decide if we can start to hope for the playoffs or expect another disappointing ending.

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • Instant observations: Sixers nab critical victory over Cavaliers

    Instant observations: Sixers nab critical victory over Cavaliers

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    Looking to rebound after Thursday night’s home loss to the New York Knicks, the Sixers returned to their floor Friday night for a national television matchup against the Eastern Conference’s second seed, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were without All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. After a back-and-forth contest, the Sixers were able to do just enough to come away with a victory, 104-97. Here is what stood out most from the win:

    First Quarter

    • De’Anthony Melton, who had not played since Jan. 12, missed 18 consecutive games before returning to action in this one. Melton’s minutes were monitored as he came off the bench, and Sixers head coach Nick Nurse indicated that Melton’s role — not just whether he starts or comes off the bench long-term, but also what functions he performs on each end of the floor — is up in the air, as Nurse identifies new combinations and permutations with which this adjusted roster can succeed. 

    • Meanwhile, however, Kyle Lowry missed this game — the second leg of the back-to-back — as he continued to ramp up his conditioning after not playing for an extended period of time in between being traded to and bought out by the Charlotte Hornets. Nurse implied Lowry’s usage would likely be normal moving forward, but he was unavailable in this one after impressing in his Sixers debut.

    • Nurse opted to once again roll with Mo Bamba as his backup center Friday night, despite receiving some less-than-ideal production from the big-man in recent weeks. Bamba was able to have one of his better stints in recent memory in the first quarter. Bamba blocked a pair of shots, finished a bucket around the rim and dished out a couple of assists. It was nothing special, but certainly a step in the right direction for a player who desperately needed some sort of positive momentum.

    • After KJ Martin picked up two early fouls, two-way wing Ricky Council IV was reinserted into Nurse’s rotation — and Council was immediately thrown into the fire, being assigned the difficult task of tailing Cavaliers star point guard Darius Garland. It remains to be seen whether or not Council’s contract will be converted to a standard NBA deal, but it does say something about the team’s view of him as a defender that they already rely on him to take on difficult matchups like this one.

    Second Quarter

    • Cam Payne — back in the rotation due to Lowry’s absence — knocked down a trio of early triples in this one, giving the Sixers some much-needed juice on the offensive end of the floor. One would imagine that Payne is facing an uphill battle in his fight for consistent playing time with Tyrese Maxey and Lowry cemented in the rotation, but given Lowry’s ability to defend above his height and above his weight class, Nurse suggested it is possible for the team to run some unorthodox, small lineups featuring three guards as a vehicle to keep Payne in the rotation. 

    • Tobias Harris continued his recent struggles early on in this one, missing six of his first eight looks, playing with increasing levels of frustration. Those recent struggles certainly seem like they have him pressing a bit, and the consistent murmurs and boos in the crowd are only getting louder. The Sixers need Harris to get right, and they need it to happen sooner rather than later.

    • Martin had a solid second quarter stint, finishing around the rim with his left hand twice on as many attempts and pulling five rebounds. What his exact role playing consistently on a very good team would be remains in question, but his athleticism allows him to make plays that most guys simply cannot make, and that alone continues to make him intriguing.

    Third Quarter

    • The Sixers were able to build some separation early in the third quarter — thanks to triples from Harris, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Buddy Hield — but after Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff called a timeout, his squad quickly brought the deficit back down to just a few points. It was the story of much of this game: neither team was able to pull ahead by more than a few points for more than a minute or two at a time. 

    • Nic Batum was declared available for this matchup after being listed as questionable pregame. But despite being dressed, the veteran never played in this one, clearly only actually being available in case of an emergency. His absence allowed for extended minutes for Martin and Payne, among others.

    • The Sixers shot very few free throws in this one, but found themselves the beneficiaries of trips to the line because the Cavaliers simply could not convert from the charity stripe. Cleveland might have been able to take control of the game if they knocked down a regular amount of their tries from the free throw line. Instead, they were generous to a Philadelphia crowd which ambitions to redeem free chicken nuggets.

    Fourth Quarter

    • Rebounding has been one of the Sixers’ biggest weaknesses since Joel Embiid went down, and they were able to rectify that at least in part tonight with a stronger effort on the boards. Paul Reed in particular did a better job on the glass, which the Sixers are going to need on a consistent basis moving forward. Beyond that, it was a collective effort, with Harris, Oubre, Bamba and Martin all chipping in.

    • This one predictably went right down to the wire, with the Sixers ultimately pulling away in the final moments thanks to crucial shots from Maxey and Hield. It marks their second recent victory over a tremendous Cavaliers team — and while they were without Mitchell in this one, the Sixers were, of course, missing an even more significant piece in Embiid. Even a short-handed Cleveland team is a good one, and the Sixers are desperate to “pick off” wins, as Nurse has put it, against any sort of competition.

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Instant observations: Sixers blown out at home by Warriors

    Instant observations: Sixers blown out at home by Warriors

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    Looking to “pick off” a win despite being severely short-handed, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse’s team played host to the similarly-struggling Golden State Warriors Wednesday night, and once again the Sixers were dominated on their own home floor, 127-104. Here is what jumped out from another resounding loss:

    Jaden Springer gets the start

    With Joel Embiid, De’Anthony Melton, Nic Batum, Danuel House Jr., Marcus Morris Sr. and Robert Covington all unavailable in this one, Nurse was forced to give many more minutes than he typically would to a few fringe rotation pieces. One of them, Springer, actually drew a start — and was tasked with the Stephen Curry assignment on the defensive end of the floor. 

    Springer’s NBA existence is a peculiar one — he oftentimes is forced to sit, but when he does get in the game, he is given the most difficult of assignments. 

    Springer held Curry to a scoreless first quarter, in which the former MVP shot 0-4 from the field and 0-3 from beyond the arc. Curry hit what was originally scored a four-point play opportunity over Springer, but Nurse issued a rare first quarter challenge which was successful, overturning the Curry three and Springer foul into an offensive foul by Curry.

    Curry only scored two points in the entire first half — both on free throws. He did not register a single field goal attempt in the second quarter. 

    A defensive masterclass in the first quarter

    Springer was far from the only Sixer who stepped up on the defensive end of the floor early on in this one. The entire team was in lockstep, forming a cohesive unit which shut down just about everything Golden State’s once-potent offense tried to do. 

    The Warriors scored just 15 points in the entire first frame, shooting 5-22 from the field and 1-7 from beyond the arc. Golden State missed a few good looks, but their brutal output was largely the product of a stifling Sixers defense. Paul Reed, who blocked two shots in the period, did an excellent job protecting the rim to help lead the team’s defense alongside Springer and others.

    KJ Martin produces

    Martin was another fringe rotation player Nurse was forced to rely on, but the fourth-year athletic wing gave the Sixers solid minutes in the first half. Martin scored seven points on 3-3 shooting — two buckets inside and a corner triple. As trade talks linger and escalate over the next handful of hours, it will be interesting to see how much value Martin may hold league-wide — particularly among young, rebuilding teams.

    Tyrese Maxey, offense struggle mightily in first half

    Despite their terrific defensive effort in the first 24 minutes of the game, the Sixers entered halftime trailing — all because their offense was mostly inept. Tobias Harris led the team in scoring in the first half, posting nine points on as many shot attempts. The team was a combined 19-46 (41.3 percent) from the field, while making only two of their 14 attempts from beyond the arc.

    Tyrese Maxey, who is, of course, supposed to be the engine that keeps this vehicle moving while Embiid is out, continued to struggle against blitzes out of pick-and-roll offense. There is no doubt that the first-time All-Star is a brilliant offensive player, capable of doing tremendous things as a scorer. But with Embiid off the floor, he is quickly learning how difficult it is to be the primary focus of an opposing defense. Playing alongside perhaps the most dominant force in the NBA makes things a whole lot easier for a guard like Maxey. 

    Maxey should, in theory, see more shots with Embiid out, and that should translate to more points. But first, Maxey and the Sixers have to prove they are able to consistently defeat the kind of aggressive coverages they have been seeing frequently since Embiid went down.

    More difficulties for Kelly Oubre Jr.

    Oubre has not looked like his best self in quite a while now — his three-point shots have stopped falling, and his finishing around the rim has been extremely suspect. Oubre is locked into a starting spot because of how many players are injured. But if this team ever gets fully healthy again, it must hope Oubre looks a lot more like he did early on in the season, because he has been overexposed in this role.

    Sixers dominated and put away in third quarter

    The Sixers’ third quarter performance in this one was so rough that not only did it axe any chances they had of winning the game, but it was legitimately uncomfortable to watch at times. On one end of the floor, the Warriors got hot — Andrew Wiggins, in particular, lit up the Sixers in the period with his shooting and scoring. Warriors youngster Jonathan Kuminga also took advantage of a Sixers defense that looked far less cohesive and communicative than it did in the first half.

    On the other end of the floor, the only Sixer who could pull off anything of note was Martin, who knocked down another triple and used his athleticism to generate a few chances to score at the rim. Maxey’s struggles continued, Oubre’s finishing looked even worse, Furkan Korkmaz looked unplayable, Patrick Beverley’s tricks were not working, and the entire team cratered as a result.

    In all, the Sixers were outscored by 20 — 43-23 — in the third quarter. It was a period which tanked their chances and was emblematic of all of their issues that have emerged in the absence of Embiid and the others who were unavailable. 

    The elephant in the room

    With Thursday afternoon’s NBA Trade Deadline looming, one must ask: will Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey look to be especially aggressive over the next handful of hours in giving Nurse more useful pieces to use while the team is so drastically undermanned, or — with his team plummeting in the standings and no certainty about Embiid’s return — will he play things conservatively? We will find out soon.

    Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam

    Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice



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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Tyrese Maxey’s career-high 51 points lead Sixers to win over Jazz

    Tyrese Maxey’s career-high 51 points lead Sixers to win over Jazz

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    In an eventful day for the Sixers — one in which Joel Embiid was diagnosed with a meniscus injury and Tyrese Maxey was named an Eastern Conference All-Star — the team took on the Utah Jazz in the final leg of their five-game road trip. The short-handed Sixers were able to fend off the young Jazz, winning 127-124. Here is what jumped out from this one:

    First Quarter

    • Maxey returned after a three-game absence due to an ankle sprain, and it is safe to say he was ready to go. Maxey scored the Sixers’ first 10 points, all in about three minutes, ultimately scoring 18 points in the first quarter alone, all while attempting nine shots. Typically, Embiid dominates in the first quarter and Maxey takes over later on. But with the reigning MVP sidelined, Maxey took on the role of the early star. He was absolutely brilliant from the outset, the best he has looked since his 50-point showing back in early November.

    • Tobias Harris was matched up with former All-Star Lauri Markkanen on both ends of the floor, and got the better of the matchup early on. Harris gives up a few inches of height against Markkanen, but has the considerable advantage as far as foot speed goes. He was able to break down Markkanen early with quick moves towards his preferred spots on the floor. Maxey and Harris combined to score all of the Sixers’ first 26 points.

    • With the Sixers missing not just Embiid, but also De’Anthony Melton, Nic Batum, Marcus Morris Sr. and Robert Covington, the team was without any sort of frontcourt depth. That meant some challenging assignments for spot-starter Danuel House Jr., who was excellent in the opening frame. House is not always able to bring his best, but when he does, he looks like a game-changer. He was outstanding on both ends of the floor early on in this one, helping the Sixers set the tone.

    Second Quarter

    • Upon checking in, Maxey got right back to work in the second quarter, scoring eight quick points. Included among those points were two triples, which — like most of the ones he hit in the first quarter — came from far beyond the three-point line. Maxey has said throughout the season that Sixers assistant coach Rico Hines has gotten on him about launching from even deeper than he usually would. That advice combined with Maxey’s excellent execution has added another dimension to his game — and on this night in particular, it enabled Maxey to finish the first half with 32 points, the most Maxey has ever scored in one half in his NBA career.

    • Sixers head coach Nick Nurse went small for the opening minutes of the second quarter, and Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy countered by using two bigs — Kelly Olynyk and Walker Kessler — who were able to capitalize on the Sixers’ lack of depth in the frontcourt. There are oftentimes advantages to going small, but coaches must also inherit the risks that come with it, particularly on the glass, where the Sixers were manhandled for a brief period of this one.

    • A Markkanen triple with 3:31 left in the first half trimmed the Sixers’ lead to one point. But over the next 271 seconds, the Sixers outscored the Jazz 13-4, thanks to some shot-making and incredibly cohesive team defense. This was a huge stretch for the Sixers, as they were able to once again establish control of the game.

    Third Quarter

    • Kelly Oubre Jr. has not shot the ball well from beyond the arc in recent weeks, though he has continued to play with the right mindset: attack the rim relentlessly and look to fill in the gaps. Oubre did a great job defensively in this one, particularly as an off-ball playmaker. When Oubre is locked in and fully engaged as a defender, he can be extremely disruptive. He deserves credit for continuing to come through on that end of the floor despite some offensive struggles.

    • It was not just a hot start for Harris — he sustained tremendous offense for most of this game, giving the Sixers plenty of timely buckets.  Harris has been terrific of late, and the Sixers are going to need nights like this from him on a regular basis while Embiid is absent.

    • The Sixers made an important run to end the third quarter as well. The run was spurred by Maxey, who scored the team’s final nine points of the period, and by Jaden Springer, who repeatedly got key stops against former Sixth Man of the Year winner Jordan Clarkson. Aside from one bad foul on the last play of the quarter, it was a strong stint for Springer. Springer took his defense to another level against Clarkson early in the fourth, quickly frustrating the veteran scoring aficionado.

    Fourth Quarter

    • Perhaps the only plus of Tuesday night’s loss in Golden State was the play of Furkan Korkmaz, who scored 19 points. Korkmaz gave them a massive lift in that game, and in the fourth quarter of this one he hit an incredibly difficult three to beat the shot clock buzzer, and then went to his patented reverse jam in transition a moment later. 

    • Because Korkmaz was in a groove, Springer was dominating Clarkson and all of the Sixers’ bigs were not playing well, Nurse went super small, going to Harris at the five with Oubre, Korkmaz, Springer and Maxey. It was a fascinating experiment that largely yielded positive results.

    • Oubre was finally able to get going from beyond the arc in the fourth, knocking down back-to-back timely triples to keep the Sixers in front, and then hitting another key shot from beyond the arc later in the quarter. He entered this game shooting just 20 percent from beyond the arc on 3.6 attempts per game over his last 10 contests. Him giving the Sixers the kind of three-point shooting that they saw from him early in the season would change things for the team’s offense.

    • Close games often come down to shot-making. And down the stretch, it was the Jazz who were able to knock down the biggest shots, not the Sixers. And so, despite having the best player on the floor and controlling most of the game, the Sixers seemed primed for yet another tough loss. But the Sixers just kept pushing. Maxey hit yet another 30-footer to tie the game with a minute and change remaining. And then Patrick Beverley, quiet for most of the night as a scorer, took a corner three with a chance take the lead with 40 seconds left in the game. And… cash. After that came clutch free throws from Harris and Maxey. Ballgame.

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    Adam Aaronson

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  • Sixers Flirting with Dangerous Territory – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Sixers Flirting with Dangerous Territory – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Don’t get me wrong, the Sixers are having a great season. It has been incredibly fun to watch after the less than optimal start to the season. Nick Nurse has been refreshing, and Embiid has played so well that I almost forgot James Harden was on the team this year; however, they still only sit at the third seed in the east with the Knicks close behind.

    History of NBA Champions’ Seeding

    Teams that finish the regular season with the 1 seed are the obvious favorites to win the NBA Finals. Teams with the 1 seed have made the finals 89 times, the 2 seed – 39 times, 3 seed – 16 times, 4 seed – 5 times, and the 5-8 seeds combined have made it 5 times.

    So, historically, teams that fall out of the top 3 have a very tough time getting to the NBA finals. The Sixers are finding themselves falling into that territory right now. Between the rocky start with new players and a new coach, and Embiid missing his usual lot of games, they could find themselves as the road team in the second round of the playoffs if they aren’t careful.

    What’s Gone Wrong So Far?

    As usual, Joel Embiid has missed a ton of games so far this season. 12 to be exact. If he misses 5 more games, he will be ineligible to receive MVP even though he has dominated the league more than anyone has in years. This isn’t a “bash Embiid” session, but the big man needs to find a way to stay healthy. Home court advantage gives teams major advantages in the playoffs – as seen above.

    Oubre and Melton have also missed 14 and 12 games respectively. These two should contribute heavily to this team, but with them missing so much time it has forced Nick Nurse to give more minutes to Korkmaz, Springer, and Martin, who will most certainly not see much time in the playoffs. These guys need to stay healthy to develop the chemistry needed for the playoffs and to give the team a boost to get better seeding before April 20th comes around.

    A handful of others players have also missed a few games including Maxey, Tobias, Batum, and Beverly. Hopefully the team is getting the injury bug over with earlier so they can dominate down the road.

    What’s Gone Right?

    The Centers

    First off: Paul Reed.

    Out of all the injuries the Sixers have had, Reed has not missed a game. I don’t know why Glen Rivers hated this guy so much, but now that he has firmly taken the backup center position, he has done a great job. He is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, blocks, and assists this year. It is nice to see him get a real chance.

    Also, even though it was a loss, he had a career night against Jokic, scoring 30 points and 13 rebounds with no Embiid, Maxey, Tobias, or Melton. Having games like that against a premier player like Jokic could get him a starting gig somewhere around the league.

    This goes without saying, but Embiid has been the other shining positive this year. He has just been so dominant in every game he’s played. By the way, he still has more points than minutes on the season. He is well on his way to be the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to do so, AND he is averaging more points per minute than Wilt did in 1961. What a phenomenal player.

    We’ll Have to Wait and See

    We can look at the history of the NBA seeding and talk about Embiid’s playoff woes all we want, but none of it means this will not be Embiid’s year. Continuing to play at this level will cause a lot of problems for teams in the playoffs. He will have to stay healthy, but the future looks bright for Embiid and the Sixers this year.

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    Collin Benjamin

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  • Instant observations: Sixers’ defense falls flat in loss to Pacers

    Instant observations: Sixers’ defense falls flat in loss to Pacers

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    As the hysteria surrounding Joel Embiid’s epic 70-point performance on Monday night finally began to die down, the Sixers kickstarted a lengthy road trip Thursday night with a contest in Indiana against the new-look Pacers — minus superstar point guard Tyrese Halliburton. The Sixers dropped this one due to some significant defensive struggles, falling by a score of 134-122. Here is what stood out from the opener of the roadie:

    Sixers go small in Tobias Harris’ absence, enter short-handed

    Harris missed this one due to an illness, and with Marcus Morris Sr. also sidelined due to a foot injury, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse opted to go small with Patrick Beverley starting alongside Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Nic Batum and Embiid. This allowed Maxey to spend a bit more time playing off the ball and being weaponized as a movement shooter, which can never hurt — though Maxey ultimately did not end up shooting the ball particularly well in this one. Additionally, the team’s lack of depth at the four allowed KJ Martin to receive extensive playing time.

    Nurse embraced the team’s lack of a traditional power forward against a team which just acquired an All-Star-caliber player — Pascal Siakam — at that position. He was able to do that because Embiid and Batum are both more than viable options to defend a player like Siakam. Embiid has an extensive history of defending him admirably, and Nurse trusts Batum to take on just about any assignment. Even though the Sixers’ defense was ineffective for much of this contest, the thought process behind the decisions was sound.

    Harris and Morris were not the only Sixers missing, though. De’Anthony Melton, Robert Covington and Mo Bamba all missed this one as well. That meant regular run for not just Martin, but fellow rotation outsider Jaden Springer, who has not seen consistent playing time since the very early portion of the regular season. Danuel House Jr., who briefly found himself out of the rotation just a few weeks ago, has recently been receiving as much playing time off the bench as anybody. That trend continued in this one.

    Scouting a potential trade target

    Despite the exciting season they are having, the Pacers remain expected to listen carefully to any and all trade offers for sharpshooter Buddy Hield, whose contract is expiring. Hield and the Pacers have routinely seemed to be far apart in contract negotiations, making it appear as if this will be his final season in Indiana.

    The name of Hield’s game remains three-point shooting. But it goes beyond that: Hield is not just a very good three-point shooter — he is, statistically speaking, one of the very best shooters from beyond the arc in the history of the NBA. For his career, Hield is shooting over 40 percent on triples, and he is doing so on massive volume: 7.7 three-point tries per game. Hield’s volume has been as high as north of 10 attempts per game in the past. His blend of accuracy and versatility as a shooter is only matched by the Stephen Currys and Klay Thompsons of the world.

    Hield would give the Sixers a massive boost on offense, of course, even if he does not contribute much on the defensive end of the floor. But beyond the raw value of his shots, he would allow Nurse to unlock previously-unused sections of his offensive playbook. Nurse could utilize Hield’s outstanding skill when it comes to shooting on the move, as well as what would surely be a dominant two-man game between Hield and Embiid. 

    If the Pacers really do go through with moving on from Hield in the next two weeks, the Sixers should be working the phones to see if they can add the sniper extraordinaire.

    Sixers struggle to defend in transition

    The short-handed Sixers struggled all night long to defend Indiana’s high-powered offense, which is even formidable without its floor general in Haliburton being available. The Pacers turn every game into the ultimate track meet, pushing the pace and playing with as fast of a tempo as they can. Several times during a game, it generates easy transition baskets — even following opposing makes.

    One of the beautiful parts of Tyrese Maxey’s game is that as soon as he has the ball, the defense must act as if they are defending in transition. The Pacers’ collective psyche as an offense forces the same situation onto opposing defenses. As soon as they have the ball — again, even after made shots — they pose a major threat. The Sixers struggled to internalize that on a possession-by-possession basis.

    Three-point shooting difference burns Sixers

    The Pacers entered this contest top five in the NBA in team three-point percentage, and that figure will only go up after this one. They were consistently generating great looks from beyond the arc and knocking down those shots at an impressive rate. The Sixers did not necessarily fail to create good looks for themselves, but they simply could not knock anything down. The most noteworthy struggles belonged to Maxey, whose three-point shooting in recent games has been excellent aside from one tough showing.

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    Adam Aaronson

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