The Sixers' Lack of Effort Continues to Show as They Sit at 20-32 on the Season

Corey Chmara

This past week was yet another disappointing one for the Sixers, as they went 1-3 despite Maxey, George, and Embiid all playing in two of the games.

Honestly, I don't even want to dive into each game this week—they were all bad performances, even the meager 118-116 win against the Dallas Mavericks.

Nic Antaya/Getty Images

The Sixers got Paul George and Joel Embiid back for Friday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, who were without their All-Star, Cade Cunningham. You’d think the Sixers would at least keep it close, if not win the game outright. But that clearly wasn’t the case, as they trailed by as many as 34 points and allowed 78 points in just the first half. It feels like the players believe that simply having big names and former All-Stars on the roster means they can just show up and win. Nick Nurse doesn't prepare these guys to actually compete and put in effort. Instead, he lets them play freelance basketball, which leads to poor shot selection and constant defensive breakdowns, leaving someone wide open on nearly every possession.

Following the 125-112 loss to the Pistons—a score that makes the game seem far closer than it actually was—the Sixers then faced the Milwaukee Bucks, who, like the Pistons, were missing their All-Star, Giannis Antetokounmpo. And just like the Pistons game, Maxey, George, and Embiid were all available. The first half was relatively competitive, but the Bucks pulled away, building a 12-point lead by the end of the third quarter. As a Sixers fan, it was honestly painful to watch. I get that Damian Lillard couldn't miss, but the lack of effort on defense, rebounding, and even basic offensive execution was almost laughable.

As for rebounding, I understand that Andre Drummond was out and has played just once since January 21st, but the lack of effort on the boards is evident in both the standings and the final scores. Nick Nurse deserves plenty of blame, but at the end of the day, these are grown men who should know what it takes to win basketball games.

On the bright side, two players have stood out in a positive way—Justin Edwards and newly acquired guard Quentin Grimes. Edwards has fit nicely into the Sixers’ rotation, playing at least 20 minutes per game since January 12th. While his scoring has been inconsistent, he’s been one of the few dependable players actually contributing on the court—something the Sixers desperately need. Grimes, meanwhile, has already proven himself to be a valuable role player, capable of scoring and defending. In just two games with the team, he’s averaged 12 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 33% from three in roughly 30 minutes per game. His versatility will be crucial down the stretch, especially considering the Sixers have little spark coming off the bench.

Jeff Haynes/Getty Images

I don’t even know how to put into words just how disappointing Paul George has been for the Sixers this season, but to put it mildly—it's been rough. He’s played in just 63% of games this season, and in the 33 games he has played, he’s scored 15 or more points only 17 times. It’s not even that he’s been shooting poorly; it’s the fact that half the time he’s on the court, he’s invisible. He’ll grab a few rebounds and dish out some assists, but it often feels like he’s just out there for cardio. I get that he’s dealing with a finger injury and has to wear a brace for the next six weeks, but if he can’t play at or near his best, then he should sit out. Right now, he’s doing more harm than good.

This week, the Sixers have just two games, with the entire NBA getting a few days off for All-Star Weekend. They’ll take on the Toronto Raptors (16-37) at home on Tuesday in the first leg of a back-to-back. On Wednesday, they’ll travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets, another struggling team with an 18-34 record. Both of these games must be wins—there’s no excuse. After these two matchups, they’ll have over a week off, and they need to get healthy and build at least some momentum heading into the All-Star break.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Sixers Finish March With a 3-14 Record, as They've Officially Been Eliminated From Playoff Contention

Image
Corey Chmara To put it lightly, the Sixers are eagerly waiting for this season to come to an end, sitting at an abysmal 23-52 record. Really, the only thing keeping Sixers fans optimistic is the possibility of landing a top-six pick in the 2025 NBA Draft— if the pick lands in the top six. Regardless, there are just seven games left in the season, with only two weeks remaining. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images Philly is currently riding an eight-game losing streak, which was at just four at the start of the week. On Monday, they took on the New Orleans Pelicans, who were legitimately without everyone—no Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and of course, Dejounte Murray. The Sixers were without Quentin Grimes, who was listed as out due to “rest.” It was a pretty rough game to play in and watch, as the Sixers fell 112-99, despite solid efforts from Jared Butler and Justin Edwards, who both scored 19 points. After a grueling six-game road trip, the Sixers finally returned...
Read more

The Sixers Pick Up Their 3rd Win This Season, Currently Sitting at a Record of 3-13

Image
Corey Chmara The Sixers picked up a win on Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets, which was the only legitimate positive from the week. The Sixers played four games this past week and finished with a record of 1-3. Last Monday, Philly faced Miami, where they got off to a strong start. They led by 19 points at one point in the second quarter, but that lead quickly shrank to just three by halftime. The Heat eventually pulled away and won 106-89. Following the game, the Sixers had a team meeting in which Tyrese Maxey told Joel Embiid he needs to stop being late "for everything" and how it impacts the entire organization, including the locker room, teammates, and coaching staff. This became a huge headline on Monday and Tuesday of last week, but it's being heavily blown out of proportion. Many players and coaches have similar conversations throughout the season, but it only becomes a big, problematic story when it involves the Sixers. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Instead of just...
Read more

Are the Sixers Finally Turning It Around?

Image
Corey Chmara This past week, the 76ers went 3-1 overall, and it looks like they finally have something positive going for them. Philadelphia currently sits at 7-15 on the season, but they’ve won four of their last five games and have Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Joel Embiid all healthy—at least, for now. On Tuesday, the Sixers took on the Charlotte Hornets and won, 110-104. The Sixers were in control for most of the game, but Charlotte kept hanging around and even took the lead with a minute and a half left. However, Tyrese Maxey scored 11 points in the final 90 seconds, helping the Sixers squeak out a win. This game marked Paul George’s best performance of the season, as he scored 29 points on 10-of-16 shooting, along with eight assists. Following the win over Charlotte, the Sixers faced the Orlando Magic at home in the second half of a back-to-back. Both Paul George and Joel Embiid were absent. While the game didn’t feature anything particularly memorable, rookie Jared McCain conti...
Read more