ORLANDO, Florida — The Philadelphia 76ers have been ready 3 1/2 weeks to get a full 33 minutes from Joel Embiid.
They lastly bought it Friday night time, nevertheless it resulted in a 98-86 loss to the Orlando Magic that dropped the 76ers to 2-10.
“Normally with me it takes me two, three or 4 video games to get myself collectively. Right now was a giant step in the correct route,” Embiid stated after ending with 20 factors and eight rebounds in a sport that bought away from the 76ers within the fourth quarter. “We’re a brand new group. We do not Have been simply not organized. I assumed our protection was good, however beginning with me we began working the ball offensively, we had been indecisive Stuff we are able to repair.
Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP who missed Philadelphia’s first 10 video games resulting from “knee administration” and a three-game suspension, had six turnovers and missed 10 of 15 pictures from the ground , together with his 5 3-point makes an attempt.
“Within the second half, my legs had been a bit of tight and it felt like each shot I shot was quick,” he stated.
“I suppose there was some fatigue,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse stated. “They had been doing a great job of both sending one physique (to Embiid) or bluffing by sending two. (We) bought a bit of indecisive, I feel, after which the shot clock ran out and we could not create something excellent.
Largely because of the absences of Embiid (10 video games), Paul George (seven video games) and Tyrese Maxey (5 video games), the 76ers are off to a horrible begin. Friday night time’s loss all however eradicated them from NBA Cup rivalry, for which Nurse referred to as it a “do or die sport.”
“It’s nonetheless an ongoing course of to determine this all out for everybody.” This isn’t an excuse. We now have to enhance,” George stated. “However I feel we are going to get to some extent the place we discover an id. It is a disgrace it is taking a short time. However the season is lengthy.
Lengthy sufficient to beat a 2-10 begin?
“When you’ve gotten the report that we have now, it might be onerous not to have a look at it,” Embiid acknowledged. “However we have had plenty of adversity up to now with the fellows being out. And I feel an important factor is we have now plenty of new guys. You possibly can see it on the ground: It’ll take some time to get everybody on the identical web page.
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