It was an intense battle in the Wells Fargo center on Friday as Paul George and the 76ers attempted to stave off the best team in the East (Cleveland Cavaliers). In a shocking twist, the 76ers (who started at 15-27) played arguably one of their best games of the season to defend home court and snap a 7-game losing streak.
The first signs of trouble for the Cavs began in the first quarter, which saw the Sixers go 8-11 from three. The Cavaliers responded with a 34-point second quarter and they led at halftime. In the end, however, despite a run from the Cavs in the final minutes, Philly survived to win the game by three (129-126).
The 76ers, who were without Joel Embiid, were led by star swingman Paul George, who finished with 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on 52.4% shooting. Tyrese Maxey was next on the scoreboard with 29 points (4-8 from three), 3 rebounds, and 7 assists in 40 minutes. Kelly Oubre Jr. made a huge impact on the game with 22 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.
Donovan Mitchell was the game’s top leading scorer with 37 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists on 7-15 shooting from three. His backcourt teammate, Darius Garland, totaled 26 points, 1 rebound, and 7 assists on 10-21 shooting. Meanwhile, Ty Jerome had a breakout game off the bench with 33 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists on 11-14 shooting.
For two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum, nobody thought the 76ers had a chance and many doubted the game was going to be close. But to Philly’s credit, they won the game in a very convincing fashion thanks to several key factors that played out on the court.
Maxey And George Are Finding Their Groove
As Joel Embiid continues to miss time, 76ers players must step up in his place to keep the team afloat. Tonight, we saw the remaining 76ers stars (George and Maxey) take on the load themselves and carry their team to victory.
By his standards, Paul George has been struggling this season but he did pretty good tonight as the anchor on both ends of the floor. In 36 minutes, he tallied 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists on 6-11 shooting from three.
For Maxey, the stat line was 29 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists on 9-18 shooting. As the team’s acting point guard, his playmaking and scoring were huge for the Sixers and gave the team a fighting chance to beat the best team in the East. So with both Maxey and George hitting their shots, the 76ers are a lot tougher to beat and a major threat to any team looking to rise in the Eastern Conference standings.
NBA Rookie Flashes His Potential
If there’s one saving grace to this miserable season for the 76ers it’s been the development of their young talent, and one particularly unproven prospect showed he may be ready for a bigger role.
In 26 minutes off the bench, Justin Edwards put up 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 block on 4-8 shooting (3-6 from three). Edwards went undrafted in 2014 before signing a two-way contract with the 76ers but he’s looked effective in 13 just games with the team this season.
For a team lacking in depth and firepower, any signs of life from the supporting cast is a welcome sight especially when it comes from a rookie with 13 games of experience. If he can sustain this play, some fans will push for him to be a starter.
53.8% From Three
More than most teams, the 76ers are dependent on their perimeter shooting to run the offense. Without Joel Embiid in the lineup, the three-pointer is even more valuable right now as the Sixers have no other means to reliably score.
Tonight’s game was arguably one of their best of the season regarding shooting. As a unit, the 76ers went 21-39 from three (53.8%) in the game thanks to open looks and consistent ball movement. The surprising results are now evidence to show how lethal the 76ers can be when just a few players are hitting their jumpers.
For the 76ers to reach the max of their potential, they’ll need to add more shooting or at the very least some players who can stretch the floor. The three-ball is everything in the modern NBA and the 76ers are clearly at their best when avoid clogging the paint.
It remains to be seen when Joel Embiid will return for the 76ers but they still have some time to go before he’s ready for action. In the meantime, the 76ers must do everything they can to keep the momentum going and prepare for a tough climb ahead.
The next game for Philly is tomorrow, January 25th, against the Chicago Bulls at 8:00 PM EST. They play the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, January 28th, at the Wells Fargo Center before a showdown against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, January 29th.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
