3 observations after Sixers wrestle in Recreation 1, shedding to Bucks with out Embiid and George initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia
No star trio, no victory on opening night time on the Wells Fargo Heart for the 2024-25 Sixers.
Down the 2 Joel Embiid (left knee damage administration) and Paul George (left knee bone bruise)The Sixers misplaced their first sport of the season on Wednesday, shedding 124-109 to the Bucks.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 factors, 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Damian Lillard had 30 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists.
Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 25 factors. He went simply 10 for 31 from the sector. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 21 factors.
Listed here are some observations from the Sixers’ loss to the Bucks:
Fortune-telling compositions for opening
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse’s opening night time 5 starters had been Maxey, Eric Gordon, Oubre, KJ Martin and Andre Drummond.
Nurse had loved Caleb Martin’s vitality off the bench through the preseason and caught with him as a full substitute within the first sport, taking part in in opposition to the 29-year-old ahead for 37 minutes.
To begin the second half, Nurse referred to as on Caleb Martin (12 factors, 9 rebounds) to switch KJ Martin within the Sixers lineup.
“I simply thought the most important drawback within the sport for us was offensively,” Nurse stated. “The protection was most likely under common as properly, however I simply thought possibly he may spur us on somewhat extra offensively than KJ.
“It’s robust as a result of it places you in a very dangerous measurement drawback in opposition to a very large workforce, proper? That places Caleb Martin over Giannis, and that is a fairly important measurement benefit. He fought like hell. … He fought fairly arduous, he simply made a number of fouls and all that sort of stuff.
Maxey scored the Sixers’ first hoop of the season on a three-pointer late within the shot clock. He missed a number of point-blank seems within the first quarter and began 2-for-10 from the ground, though he completed the primary one easily with a tough buzzer-beating layup.
Regardless of their offensive struggles, the Sixers nonetheless managed to construct a modest early lead. There wasn’t a lot to love in regards to the Sixers’ offense within the first quarter — little fluidity or the vigorous, decided tempo that Nurse had emphasised within the preseason — however their function gamers typically did a good job .
The Sixers performed strong workforce protection, dedicated no turnovers within the first half and began robust on the offensive glass. Drummond and KJ Martin made put-back layups. Caleb Martin dove to select up an offensive board shortly after changing KJ Martin, who, unsurprisingly, dedicated two fouls in his first 5 minutes guarding Antetokounmpo.
A ton on Maxey’s shoulders
Maxey began brightly within the second quarter, hitting a floater and a mid-range jumper.
Nonetheless, he was frequently pissed off by the shortage of fouls in his practices. Final season’s Most Improved Participant made 18 subject objectives earlier than making a free throw.
Kyle Lowry (13 factors, six assists) was the Sixers’ lone second-unit guard Wednesday. Caleb Martin and Guerschon Yabusele had been the one two different bench gamers utilized by Nurse till Ricky Council IV entered within the third quarter with the Sixers trailing by 18 factors. Jared McCain made his NBA debut with the sport out of attain late within the fourth and bought two buckets with a mid-range jumper and layup. Adem Bona additionally transformed a primary layup.
Yabusele drained a nook three on his first shot as a Sixer.
When Drummond was changed and Yabusele slid to middle, rim safety and defensive rebounding turned far more tough for the Sixers. The 6-foot-8 Yabusele is bodily sturdy, however he is not a real backline defender.
“We’re sort of pressured to play it at 5 proper now,” Nurse stated. “He has a 4. He isn’t a 3 and he is most likely not likely a 5, however we’re sort of pushing him up there as a result of that is what we expect we have now there with Joel out.
The Sixers’ quick rotation meant they wanted high quality minutes from all of their starters. Oubre did not present that in a tough stretch halfway by way of the second quarter. Bobby Portis stole his informal dribble handoff try and went for a layup. Taurean Prince’s back-to-back threes prolonged Milwaukee’s result in 51-39.
As a workforce, the Sixers missed 18 of their first 21 three-point makes an attempt. With Maxey properly under his commonplace in effectivity and no different stars accessible, the Sixers definitely wanted higher leads to that division.
No good solutions for Bucks star energy
A number of Sixers rapidly piled up fouls of their efforts to include Antetokounmpo. Drummond and Yabusele had been each whistled for his or her fifth private play early within the fourth quarter. Yabusele lastly made a mistake.
Though the Sixers have been efficient once in a while when doubling Antetokounmpo from the publish or thwarting his drives with a number of our bodies, he’s extraordinarily tough for any particular person defender to deal with. And the Bucks did not even must depend on Antetokounmpo as a lot as their lead grew within the third quarter. Milwaukee’s drive-and-kick sport began cooking. So did Lillard, who made 4 three-pointers within the third.
The Sixers seemed deflated and their degree of play was dropping on each ends – rushed half-court possessions with minimal ball motion, apparent defensive breakdowns, and many others.
To their credit score, the Sixers rallied early within the fourth quarter. They hustled on protection, pressured turnovers, scored in transition and lower the Bucks’ benefit to 107-95. Nonetheless, Milwaukee rapidly reestablished a snug lead.
Three stars appear to be a luxurious on paper, however the Sixers will nonetheless want to come back away with wins this season with Embiid and George on the sidelines. They’ll strive their luck Friday night time in Toronto in opposition to the Raptors.
“We have now to go on the market and execute what we’ve been engaged on,” Maxey stated. “We’re successful, it could’t simply be due to Joel Embiid. It is merely not doable. … We have now to make pictures and we have now to proceed to play the suitable method.
“We will likely be higher. I’ll undoubtedly be higher, so I will not fear about that.
