Observations after Sixers get crushed by 41 points and injury list grows

Observations after Sixers get crushed by 41 points and injury list grows originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

By an enormous margin, the shorthanded Sixers fell to their worst loss so far this season on Tuesday night.

Advertisement

Going into their meeting with the Magic, the Sixers†largest margin of defeat was 11 points. They trailed by as many as 46 against Orlando and lost by a 144-103 score.

The 9-8 Sixers†top scorer was Tyrese Maxey with 20 points. Anthony Black scored a career-high 31 for the 11-8 Magic.

The Sixers were missing the following players:

• Joel Embiid (right knee injury management)

• Paul George (right ankle sprain)

• VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness)

• Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain)

• Adem. Bona (right ankle sprain)

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame that Embiid had been “trending toward playing†Tuesday and participated in some of the teamâ€s morning shootaround, but heâ€s “not quite there yet.â€

Nurse said Edgecombeâ€s calf is “improving†and that George reported ankle soreness after the Sixers†loss Sunday to the Heat. He was unsure whether the 35-year-old forward would need to be sidelined for multiple games.

Advertisement

Tuesdayâ€s game was an NBA Cup contest. The Sixers are now 0-3 in East Group B and Orlando is 3-0.

The Sixers†final Cup game will be Friday night in Brooklyn against the Nets. Here are observations on their blowout loss to the Magic:

Sixers†injury list grows

The Sixers went to their bench early, bringing in Jared McCain and Trendon Watford to replace Justin Edwards and Dominick Barlow.

Both Watford and McCain were strong in their first stint. McCain nailed a catch-and-shoot three-pointer on his first shot. Watford had a couple of driving baskets around the midpoint of the first quarter. He also drew and made four free throws later in the period.

Advertisement

McCain celebrated with Maxey and Watford after drilling another long-range jumper in transition, giving the Sixers a 21-17 edge and prompting an Orlando timeout. As a duo, McCain and Watford posted 15 points in the first quarter on 4-for-4 shooting.

Unfortunately for Watford, his night ended abruptly in the second quarter.

While he was handling the ball on a fast break, Watford fell awkwardly to the floor. He was helped back to the locker room with 4:07 left in the second and ruled out at halftime with a left adductor strain.

Justin Edwards also went to the locker room at the 10:24 mark of the third quarter. Whatever Edwards†issue, he got the green light to return to the game late in the third.

Advertisement

Woeful defensive night

The Sixers turned to a zone defense early in the first quarter. Orlando was unable to knock down jumpers in the opening minutes, starting 0 for 8 from three-point range, which allowed the Sixers to sit in the zone for an extended stretch.

Finally, the Magic saw a few deep shots drop late in the first quarter. A Tyus Jones three with 2.5 seconds left in the first tied the game up at 35 apiece.

Defensive rebounding was a predictable, major challenge for the Sixers in their zone. The Magic scored 15 second-chance points in the first half to the Sixers†zero.

Orlandoâ€s offense stayed hot to begin the second quarter and the Sixers†relative lack of size became a more glaring problem. Multiple Sixers also had very porous moments individually, allowing just about everyone on the Magic to coast to the rim.

Advertisement

Black was a giant standout off of Orlandoâ€s bench. His second straight corner three extended the Magicâ€s lead to 57-43. In animated fashion, Maxey appeared to ask Andre Drummond why he hadnâ€t closed out on the player torching the Sixers. Fair question.

The Sixers†deficit ballooned to 80-54 on a Wendell Carter Jr. alley-oop slam late in the second quarter and they heard boos from the home crowd.

Black scored 27 points in the first half. Before Tuesday, his career high for a game was 23.

Dust-up adds a bit of drama

Drummond was at the center of a dust-up in the final minute of the first half.

He fouled Carter on the perimeter and then squared up to the Magic big man with a boxing-style stance. Drummond didnâ€t throw any punches, but the situation escalated when Jalen Suggs shoved him. Jabari Walker joined the fray, too.

Advertisement

After the dust settled, officials assessed technical fouls to Drummond, Carter, Desmond Bane and Walker. Suggs received two technicals, which resulted in his ejection.

Nothing about the second half was nearly as interesting. Johni Broome checked in with 5:09 to go in the third quarter and finished with four points on 2-for-9 shooting and six rebounds. Fellow rookie Hunter Sallis played most of the fourth quarter.

Kyle Lowry was the one active Sixer who didnâ€t see any action, although “We want Kyle†chants popped up. Maxey logged a season-low 32 minutes and watched the whole fourth.

Source link