Looking for any sort of source of positivity after the ominous news that Joel Embiid would be shut down for at least a week due to increased swelling in his troubled left knee — after Embiid's mysterious left foot sprain had apparently healed after the injury cost the former NBA MVP six consecutive games — the Sixers took the Indianapolis hardwood for a Saturday night matchup against the red-hot Pacers, who of late have looked much more like the team which made a surprise run to last season's Eastern Conference Finals.
Embiid was far from the only Sixer sidelined: Caleb Martin, KJ Martin, Paul George, Kyle Lowry and Guerschon Yabusele (his missed his first game of the season).
The Sixers got off to a surprisingly hot start in the opening minutes of this game, but the Pacers quickly made a run of their own and pulled ahead. Indiana was in cruise control for a while, but eventually the unlikeliest of players sparked a Sixers run which trimmed the deficit to two points at intermission. After a brief spurt put the Sixers ahead to begin the second half and another in the last few minutes of the fourth, the Pacers held on to put the undermanned Sixers away in the final frame, solidifying a 115-102 victory.
Here are three takeaways from the Sixers' fifth consecutive loss:
The next few weeks could be auditions for Sixers veterans
After their hellish start to a season which has been riddled with injuries, controversies and all sorts of bad breaks, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Sixers to right the ship in short order. But with Embiid's latest setback causing significantly more doubt regarding whether or not he will be able to be consistently available — plus an absolutely brutal slate of games over the next month — it is going to be far more challenging to overcome these circumstances than even a 3-14 record.
With the NBA's Feb. 6 trade deadline looming — as well as Sixers' 2025 first-round pick belonging to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it does not fall within the first six spots — the idea of the team focusing on next season and taking trade calls on some of their veteran players is becoming more realistic.
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That could make the next few weeks an audition of sorts for some of the Sixers' older players. For instance, a trade of Gordon might be more complicated than one would anticipate based on his easy fit for most teams and veteran's minimum contract. Gordon has a player option for next season worth a hair under $3.5 million.
Teams may be hesitant to risk making a multi-year commitment to the 36-year-old after his lengthy struggles early this season. But if he keeps knocking down 33-footers? Maybe a few teams will warm up to the idea.
the Indiana native with the splash 🏀 pic.twitter.com/P4xkWWuPLC
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 19, 2025
The returning Drummond could also do a lot to help his trade value in the next few weeks, and he will have ample opportunity to do so. Understandably, though, the veteran center failed to leave much of a mark in his first game back. However, the rookie backing him up did just fine…
Bona shows flashes of his possible future
Indiana took their largest lead of the first half with three minutes and change remaining in the second quarter. They held a 12-point lead and appeared on the verge of breaking things open. But with the help of Maxey, who totaled a game-high 15 points prior to intermission, Bona helped bring the Sixers back with a terrific close to the half. The Sixers trailed Indiana by just two points at halftime, with Bona's infectious energy a major factor.
In 12 minutes in the first half, Bona scored a career-high 11 points. He grabbed six rebounds, and four of them came on the offensive glass. Bona's energy inside was remarkable; his motor truly is second to none. Bona made all five of his shot attempts, and three of them were rim-rocking slams.
One came when Bona faked a dribble hand-off to Maxey before darting toward the rim for a two-handed jam:
Why bother passing it off when you can just slam it home yourself?
Great play here by Adem Bona 🔽 pic.twitter.com/s51MK3pGUC— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) January 19, 2025
As Bona does when his teammates make standout plays, the rookie's highlight plays were punctuated by his teammates' elated reactions on the bench. The entire group was on its feet when he threw down another jam to finish off the best stretch of his season:
ADEM BONA!!
career-high 11 points and counting… pic.twitter.com/uF8FCeTX53— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 19, 2025
Bona, the No. 41 pick in last year's draft, could see more opportunities moving forward if the Sixers do shift their focus to future seasons.
The Reggie Jackson signing looks like a miss
Jackson started at point guard when the Sixers had nearly half of their roster sidelined against the juggernaut Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, and Dowtin ended up being the far more reliable floor general. After another subpar performance, Nurse removed Jackson from the rotation on Wednesday despite his affinity for two-guard lineups with Maxey out and Lowry also unavailable.
That Nurse chose to stay away from Jackson again on Saturday — voluntarily opting for an eight-man rotation — speaks volumes about where the team is at with the 34-year-old veteran. And while expectations should never be high for minimum signings, adding Jackson to team with Lowry, Gordon and Dowtin on board, poor frontcourt depth and the desire to keep a roster spot open during the season was a bit of a head-scratcher at the time.
The Sixers signed Jackson hoping he could provide scoring jolts from time to time, but in 23 games he has only scored double-digit points one time.
Jackson seems to be a hit in the locker room, which is valuable during a dark season. But the Sixers have suffered tremendously due to their poor depth, and this signing exacerbated that issue.
Up next: The Sixers will be right back to work on Sunday night for the second leg of their road back-to-back when they face the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time since the opening game of the season.
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