Sixers Finally Gaining Momentum, Narrowing Gap to Just Five Games Under .500

Corey Chmara 

The Sixers are starting to look more like the team many expected to see at the start of the season. With nine wins in their last 12 games, including a thrilling Christmas Day victory over the defending NBA champions, Philly is gaining momentum.

The Sixers kicked off last week with a home matchup against the San Antonio Spurs at the Wells Fargo Center. Despite a chaotic first half that saw Joel Embiid ejected after two technical fouls, the team held strong. Tyrese Maxey led the way with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Guerschon Yabusele added 17 points in over 30 minutes of play. In the final two and a half minutes, Maxey scored eight crucial points to secure a 111-106 victory for the Sixers.

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

After a day of rest, the Sixers took on the Boston Celtics in TD Garden, marking a statement win. Boston was without Jrue Holiday and lost Kristaps Porziņģis to injury during the game, but the Sixers were the better team throughout. Key contributions from Caleb Martin (23 points, 7-of-9 shooting from 3-point range) and Yabusele (12 points) helped Philly hold a double-digit lead for much of the game. Despite a late push by Boston, the Sixers held on for a 118-114 win, pulling off a major Christmas Day upset.

On Thursday, the Sixers faced a struggling Utah Jazz team who came into the contest with a record of 7-22. The game started poorly for Philly, with missed shots, turnovers, and defensive lapses allowing Utah to jump out to a 23-9 lead. However, behind the steady play of Embiid and Maxey, the Sixers chipped away at the deficit. In the final seconds, Embiid stole the ball from Drew Eubanks, securing a 114-111 win for Philly. While the performance wasn’t pretty, the Sixers’ resilience was key to the victory.

This week, the Sixers continue their West Coast swing, taking on the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, and the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. These games will serve as a tough test for the Sixers, who have struggled in the past on the road, against Western Conference teams.

After the West Coast trip, the Sixers will return to the East to face the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. While Brooklyn has been underperforming, the game still provides an opportunity for the Sixers to build on their recent success. There's not much to really dive deep into in this game, but I'd expect this to be a win, considering Brooklyn isn't really a good ball club.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Something to look for this week will obviously be health, first and foremost as you'd all expect. Another area of concern is the play of Paul George. While George’s presence on the floor helps create open shots for others, his recent offensive struggles are becoming harder to ignore. Over his last five games, George has failed to score more than 20 points in any of them and is shooting just over 30% from the field. If George doesn’t find his rhythm soon, the increased burden on Joel Embiid could lead to injury concerns, as we saw last season. The Sixers will need George to step up offensively if they hope to maintain their recent surge.

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