Joel Embiid, Paul George and the rest of the Sixers returned to action on Friday night, facing an Orlando Magic team finding its footing in the wake of All-Star Paolo Banchero's extended absence. While Tyrese Maxey remained sidelined, Embiid and George each suited up after sitting out the second leg of the team's back-to-back earlier this week, a close loss to the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers.
30 minutes prior to tip-off, the Sixers announced their starting lineup. It included rookie Jared McCain, who has done nothing but obliterate expectations in recent games. Clearly, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse had seen enough to go with McCain in his starting unit over veteran wing Kelly Oubre Jr.
In their second game of Group Play in the NBA Cup, the Sixers looked like a good team for about 33 minutes. For the next 15, they completely cratered — with Embiid at the center of the collapse. The Sixers are now 2-10. Here is what stood out from their 98-86 loss:
McCain sticks in starting five, Oubre moves to bench
The calls for McCain to remain in Nurse's starting unit were loud after the rookie exploded for 34 points and 10 assists in his first NBA start against Cleveland on Wednesday. In a bit of a surprise, Nurse immediately adhered to those urges on Friday, going with McCain in the starting lineup alongside Embiid, George, Kyle Lowry and Caleb Martin.
This forced Kelly Oubre Jr. to the bench after 37 consecutive starts with the Sixers and a strong 20-point showing against the Cavaliers. Oubre has long profiled as someone who is a much stronger reserve than starter, but has given the Sixers plenty of quality outings as a starter since joining the team last season.
What made this a bit surprising — beyond the quickness with which Nurse adjusted — is that Oubre is far and away at his best when sharing the floor with Embiid, and starting Oubre is an easy way to begin maximizing the amount of time he spends on the court with the former NBA MVP.
MORE: McCain, Nurse on rookie's dominant showing vs. Cavs
Nurse makes a few more rotation tweaks, sparking a run after slow start
Andre Drummond missed Wednesday's game with an illness, and after reportedly being absent at the team's shootaround on Friday, he was made a game-time decision for this game but ultimately was made active. However, when Embiid checked out for the first time, it was Guerschon Yabusele who replaced him at center. Drummond did not check in until midway through the second quarter, after Yabusele had logged a lengthy stint which started at the five before he slid down to the four to share the court with Embiid. Drummond did not play at all in the second half.
This begs the question: was Drummond merely limited due to his illness, or has Yabusele surged ahead of the veteran within the team's center depth chart?
Going with two-way point guard Jeff Dowtin Jr. paid off for Nurse in a major way during the team's thrilling victory over the Charlotte Hornets, but after Dowtin struggled on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks and missed three shots in the first quarter on Wednesday, Nurse went to veteran Reggie Jackson and got the exact spark he was looking for. In a bit of a surprise, Nurse went back to Dowtin in Orlando, but that was not the only player who logged backup point guard minutes behind Lowry.
McCain's second stint of action came at point guard, and the Sixers surged. The Sixers went on a 14-0 run between the final moments of the first quarter and the first few minutes of the second quarter, and 10 of their points during that stretch came with McCain at point guard alongside Eric Gordon, Oubre, Yabusele and Embiid.
McCain showed off some passing chops with this transition feed to Yabsuele:
Jared to Yabu pipeline >>> pic.twitter.com/LpY7tvOxBS
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 16, 2024
Maxey joined Kate Scott and Alaa Abdelnaby on the television broadcast for part of the second quarter, and had a priceless reaction to McCain throwing down a transition slam:
McCain Madness! 🤯
"YES! YES! FINALLY!" – @TyreseMaxey on the call pic.twitter.com/tE7eIA9Bom— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 16, 2024
Sixers show improvements getting Embiid paint touches
Embiid looked rusty against New York — Embiid himself used that word to describe his first game of the season — but the Sixers also routinely failed to get him the ball in good positioning. Embiid had to settle for far too many distant jumpers, a function of the Sixers' lack of quality passers.
It was clear that finding opportunities to get Embiid the ball closer to the basket was a priority for Nurse's team, and early on they did a far better job of it — with George and McCain in particular executing very well when Embiid posted up or camped out in the restricted area.
Along with everything else, Jared McCain might already be the Sixers' best post entry passer pic.twitter.com/RGuJtb7Q7T
— Dan Olinger (@dan_olinger) November 16, 2024
As Embiid continues to work himself back into feeling like the most dominant version of himself, it is imperative for his teammates to make his life easier whenever they can.
George struggles from field in first half, but continues developing two-man game with Embiid
It took nine shot attempts for George to get on the board in this game, but when Embiid drew the attention of Orlando's defense in the post and swung the ball to an open George on the wing, the nine-time All-Star wing knocked down an above-the-break triple.
George finished the half with only those three points on 1-of-9 shooting from the field — and even missed a technical free throw — but did find other ways to contribute, with three rebounds, assists and steals. One of those assists — a transition dime to McCain across the court for a long spot-up three — was awfully impressive:
money McCain. 🤑 pic.twitter.com/jao2Sifhv4
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 16, 2024
By far the most encouraging part of the half from an offensive perspective, though, was that two-man actions between George and Embiid consistently generated quality looks. The Sixers failed to convert a decent number of those opportunities, and Embiid's four turnovers before intermission did not help, but the makings of a dynamic two-man game clearly exist between George and Embiid (who already has an excellent on-court rapport with Maxey).
A note for the X's and O's nerds out there: it seems the Sixers are going with empty pick-and-rolls as much as they can with George and Embiid, but are particularly insistent on getting George going downhill to his left.
The Sixers carried a 45-43 lead into the third quarter.
McCain leads Sixers push to open third quarter
The Sixers got off to an excellent start in the second half, and it was once again the rookie who paved the way for an expansion of their lead. He scored eight consecutive points, as he knocked down a triple, grabbed an offensive rebound and converted a layup, then connected from beyond the arc again — and the second three turned into a combined four-point play with Embiid, who was fouled down low:
Admin will never shut up about Jared McCain and will not be apologizing for it.
Eight consecutive Sixers' points from the rookie 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sQUrcxxVq2— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 16, 2024
Moments later, McCain — who admittedly seemed to get away with a carry — knocked down yet another triple thanks to heady relocation. McCain's savvy spacial awareness has become a major asset:
Jared McCain is special pic.twitter.com/B03gmcSSbv
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) November 16, 2024
It is hard to comprehend how good of an offensive player McCain is as a 20-year-old with a dozen games of NBA experience. But he is earning an enormous amount of trust and faith from Nurse, and it is justified. If he continues on this path, everyone will have to rethink the entire composition of these Sixers in the short- and long-term.
Magic retake control in disastrous final moments of third quarter
The Sixers had a 69-60 lead with fewer than four minutes remaining in the third quarter. They entered the fourth quarter trailing, 73-72.
They were on the wrong end of a 13-3 Magic run, and it was largely self-inflicted. Embiid completely lost control and played brutally sloppy minutes, while the Sixers continued to foul Magic players. Seven of Orlando's 13 points during this spurt came at the free throw line.
Sixers continue to flounder in fourth quarter
Oftentimes, a team which has a poor close to a quarter will use a break to regroup before emerging a better unit. That is not what the Sixers did on Friday night in Orlando, where all of their issues became even more pronounced.
It took the Sixers about six minutes between the final moments of the third quarter and midway through the fourth quarter to score a point, and it came on a technical free throw made by Embiid when Banchero got called for a technical while in street clothes. It took two more minutes for McCain, who missed his first three shot attempts in the quarter, to knock down a triple and give the Sixers their first basket in about eight minutes.
McCain followed it up with an incredibly difficult rim finish, and George knocked down a mid-range jumper to trim the lead to four. Unfortunately for the Sixers and their prized rookie, Orlando star wing Franz Wagner got McCain on a switch and drew McCain's sixth personal foul, disqualifying him from the remainder of the game. Nurse challenged the call, but his bid was unsuccessful.
Jared McCain tonight:
31 minutes, 29 points, 10-17 FG, 5-10 3P, 4-4 FT, +13.— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) November 16, 2024
The Sixers attempted to mount a comeback with a lineup of Lowry, George, Martin, Yabusele and Embiid, but were playing at a clear disadvantage. Nurse tried replacing Yabusele with Gordon, but it was too late, and once again, McCain's heroics were all for naught.
Embiid and George each had extended stretches of absolutely pitiful play, and the Sixers simply cannot beat good teams when that happens — nor can any 2-9 team win when their effort, focus and execution all subside as soon as they finally play a decent extended stretch.
Up next: The Sixers will have the weekend off before returning to action when they face the Miami Heat on Monday night. That will be the second contest during a three-game road trip, and Miami star Jimmy Butler's availability is in doubt as he deals with an ankle injury.
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