The Sixers hold the NBA’s second-worst record at 2-10, only one game ahead of the Raptors for last place in the league. They rank last in the league in scoring, rebounding, assists and shooting. Amid the early season struggles, they’ve had some bright spots like rookie Jared McCain‘s strong play and Guerschon Yabusele‘s return to the league.
This version of the Sixers wasn’t built on silver linings. They were built to contend this offseason when they cleared their books in order to sign wing Paul George, re-sign guard Tyrese Maxey, and add several role players like Caleb Martin and Andre Drummond. Still, it’s impossible to overlook the difficult hand they’ve been dealt with injuries. Each of their three stars – Joel Embiid, Maxey and George – has dealt with a multi-week injury and the trio has yet to suit up in the same game this season.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer ponders whether the injuries are truly the only thing to blame for Philadelphia’s start or if there’s more going on.
“We’ve really got to get serious about the execution side of the offense, right?” coach Nick Nurse said. “… It’s not easy with a whole bunch of new guys and guys coming in and out, obviously. But that’s what we are. So we got to get to work on it for sure.”
There are areas for concern even at full health, Pompey opines. Maxey needs to regain his shooting touch from last year, as he’s only made 28.6% of his three-point attempts. George’s averages are also down from last season — he has scored 16.5 points per game on 39.8% shooting from the field (down from 22.6 PPG on 47.1% shooting last year). Embiid is also averaging 16.5 PPG on 26.9% shooting in two games. For my money, these are all small sample sizes and the raw numbers seem likely to balance out when the trio plays more together. Still, it’s a trend worth monitoring.
Pompey also adds that late-game struggles are an issue that needs fixing. After taking an eight-point lead on Friday against Orlando, the 76ers surrendered a 16-0 run and ended up losing.
“It seems like it’s every game,” Embiid said. “We have a very good 30 minutes. … [then fall apart] … especially, because we’re not at full strength and [I’m] not myself yet. So it feels like you don’t have a lot of margin for error.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Things likely won’t get any easier for the Sixers on Monday against the Heat. Embiid is listed as doubtful for the tilt in Miami due to an illness, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). If he’s ruled out, it would mark Embiid’s 11th game missed due to injury, illness, or suspension this fall.
- Drummond only logged four first-half minutes on Friday against Orlando after missing last Wednesday’s loss to Cleveland while dealing with an illness. Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that the Sixers‘ backup center looked “a lot bouncier and fresher” in Sunday’s practice, per Nurse. Yabusele logged backup center minutes against Orlando. Rookie second-round pick Adem Bona was assigned to the Delaware Blue Coats on Sunday but was quickly recalled on Monday, per PHLY Sports’ Derek Bodner (Twitter link) signaling Philadelphia’s lack of healthy frontcourt options.
- Celtics center/forward Kristaps Porzingis has reached the next phase of his recovery process, per a release from the team. As part of his rehab process, he and Xavier Tillman were assigned to the G League’s Maine Celtics for a practice on Monday afternoon. After this practice, the pair will be recalled to Boston where Porzingis will continue to ramp up his workload. No further updates on a timeline are available. Porzingis hasn’t yet made his 2024 debut after undergoing offseason leg surgery. Tillman isn’t injured but was a DNP-CD in Boston’s last game and is averaging 1.5 points on 26.1% shooting this season.
- The Knicks are undefeated this season when Karl-Anthony Towns has at least four assists, and Ian Begley of SNY writes that the team believes his passing has reached a new level. “He’s always been unselfish. He’s always been a team-first guy. But now I think he really sees things,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He understands what the defense is trying to do. He knows if there is overhelp. He’s seeing the whole floor now. Initially, like most young guys, the vision was more narrow. It may have been on one guy. But now he sees more than one guy. He sees the defense, he knows where everyone is. (He knows) if there’s overhelp, I can fake here and throw there. That goes a long way.”
As a sixers fan, I’m not real worried…if we can get healthy I am pretty sure we will be a top 30 team by the end of the year.
You should be tho,
When Nurse joined Philly from Toronto I recall asking another Raps fan something along the lines of “How long until he runs Embiid and Harden into the ground?”. Turns out the answer was less than a year.
76ers First 50 games Assumption
21-29
How many games should Embiid and George play each for the final 32 games?
It’s about injury management?
I would love it if the sixers really were this bad, but it is way too early and the bottom half of the east is way too weak for me to believe the sixers won’t make the playoffs.
Nick Nurse Sucks!!!
They (The Sixers) got more production out of Doc Rivers and maybe ….dare I say it…Brett Brown
The Sixers are complete Dumpster Fire
Doc is not having much more luck in Milwaukee, he would not be improvement. I do expect more from Nurse and won’t defend him even if I am not quite as down on him as you are.
I mean, how much is really his fault when the roster is this poorly constructed and shallow? After Embiid/Maxey (and now George), they haven’t really had much to work with. That’s on Morey.
McCain is pretty good and pleasant surprise, but the whole Nurse System sucks
Again, I’m not really sure that’s Nurse’s fault. He designed a system to work with the three best players on the team, and none of them have been available, plus the reserves aside from McCain and Drummond (maybe Yabusele) are ass. It’s like having a sniper with a perfect rifle and then telling him he can only shoot wearing a blindfold and earplugs using this air rifle they scavenged from the trash.
This whole Load Management is a Load of Bull
The Sixers just don’t look sharp at all
“[I’m] not myself yet.“ – Joel Embiid
Pretty sure this is exactly who you are and have been.
You can’t trash a team when their best players are hurt. You can’t see their real team. There is no finished product here. A team specifically a contending team. Needs time to jell, build chemistry. The only thing you can do here. Is give your bench time to grow. And play your young guys. To give them real mins. So hopefully you can develop this group. So when you are healthy. Theoretically you will have a better bench. And a group better prepared to support your top players. Still too early to give up on Sixers or Bucks.
It’s all about making the playoffs for a vet team.
68 Celtics were left for dead after winning all those titles. Yet they made the playoffs as the last seed. And wound up beating Knicks in East Finals. And a powerful Lakers team in NBA Finals.
Not saying Bucks and Sixers are winners like that Celtics team. But both have their core of vets. Who understand it’s all about the playoffs.
I give them till all star break ……
Agree with regular season patience and they will be a playoff team because East is so bad. But nothing in his career playoff profile with multiple coaches and teammates indicates that this year will be any different for embiid. Not a winner.
Heat 106 —- Sixers 89 …….