3 observations after Sixers get smoked by Clippers with out Embiid and George initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Philadelphia
The Sixers by no means flirted with incomes their first profitable streak of the season Sunday evening.
They as an alternative received smoked by the Clippers and fell to 3-13 with a 125-99 defeat at Wells Fargo Middle.
Jared McCain scored 18 factors and Tyrese Maxey had 17.
James Harden posted 23 factors and eight assists for the 11-7 Clippers. Derrick Jones Jr. added 18 factors and Ivica Zubac tallied 16 factors and 12 rebounds.
The Sixers had been nonetheless lacking Joel Embiid (left knee swelling), Paul George (left knee bone bruise) and Kyle Lowry (proper hip pressure). Lowry watched from the sidelines in a Philadelphia Eagles sweatshirt and jumbo-sized Eagles hat.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse stated pregame that each Embiid and George are “progressing.” He stated George was on the court docket Saturday and that the swelling in Embiid’s knee has decreased.
The Clippers had been down Kawhi Leonard (proper knee harm restoration) and Norman Powell (left hamstring pressure).
Subsequent up for the Sixers is a matchup with the 12-6 Rockets on Wednesday. Listed below are observations on their blowout loss to the Clippers:
Sixers instantly fall into main gap
The Sixers used the identical beginning lineup as of their win Friday evening over the Nets, taking part in Kelly Oubre Jr., Caleb Martin and Guerschon Yabusele with a Maxey-McCain backcourt.
They quickly discovered themselves taking part in catch-up. Put-back layups by Zubac and Jones prompted an early Nurse timeout. The Clippers racked up 9 second-chance factors within the first six minutes and the Sixers definitely appeared undersized.
A 1-for-9 begin from three-point vary worsened the Sixers’ troubles. Yabusele and Andre Drummond had been every whistled for unlawful ball screens within the first quarter, too.
On the opposite finish, the Clippers had no downside choosing aside the Sixers’ protection after they hedged and blitzed Harden within the pick-and-roll. Harden poured in a dozen first-quarter factors, together with a pull-up three that stretched the Clippers’ result in 32-13.
No encore for McCain and Maxey
The Maxey-McCain duo didn’t decide up the place it left off Friday. A lot of their manufacturing got here when the sport was out of attain within the second half.
McCain’s streak of video games with 20 factors or extra wound up ending at seven video games.
At occasions, McCain wasn’t in his regular mode of forcing the opposition to react, as an alternative hesitating and being a tad too deliberate towards rangy defenders. He additionally merely missed jumpers that he’s accustomed to hitting. McCain fell to 1 for 8 from the sphere within the second quarter with a three-point try that rattled across the rim and out.
Maxey was too peripheral throughout a scoreless first quarter and began 1 for five from the ground. He performed half-hour in his third sport since getting back from a proper hamstring pressure.
No scarcity of rubbish time
The Clippers missed a number of long-range photographs within the second quarter when the Sixers shifted to zone protection. Nevertheless, the Sixers couldn’t summon a severe run and entered halftime with a 12-point deficit.
Within the first minute of the third quarter, Maxey grabbed at his proper ankle after lacking a driving layup and touchdown awkwardly. The play appeared momentarily regarding — absolutely anything injury-related is true now for the Sixers — however Maxey stayed in and appeared advantageous bodily.
The Clippers had been vastly superior to the Sixers throughout the board to start the third quarter. Two of Harden’s 12 free throws prolonged L.A’s benefit to twenty factors. A Kris Dunn fast-break layup constructed the Clippers’ over 30 factors and a portion of the house crowd reacted with boos.
Maxey and McCain supplied some scoring late within the third and early within the fourth quarter, however the Clippers fairly clearly had a win utterly safe.
Adem Bona and two-way contract gamers Lester Quinones and Justin Edwards all performed within the fourth quarter. They not less than received one victory on Sunday — with the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats over the Westchester Knicks.
