Well, the Sixers keep finding new ways to lose. The Raptors' Scottie Barnes absolutely torched the Sixers by putting up 33 points and 10 rebounds, he's been looking better and better this season. For the Sixers, this time of all players to not show up, it was Tyrese Maxey. I really did not see that coming as he has been probably the most consistent scorer on the team all season long. Tyrese scored FIVE points last night. He didn't score a point that wasn't a free throw shot until literally roughly two minutes left in the game. Unbelievable. Tyrese Maxey, five points. Typing that feels so foreign that it almost feels like I'm speaking a different language. I guess he was due for a bad game but yikes.
I've been whining about Embiid so much that, Maxey's performance completely caught me off guard. Embiid had a very strong stat line last night (27 points, 12 rebounds) and even played practically 40 minutes! I must be dreaming. I am still at a loss with Embiid though. He puts up the numbers but it's often as if that's the only box that he checks, as I've said for months now. Embiid puts up awesome numbers on nights he actually plays, but his leadership and demeanor just doesn't seem up to par with what you would want from a franchise player.
I won't whine about Embiid as much this time, I kind of know what to expect from him at this point, and also I'll give the guy a break. He's talented, but just super confusing.
The big picture here I suppose is well, the Sixers keep losing and as pessimistic as I've been for the most part, I am absolutely not alone. I've consumed a lot of Sixers content and yeah, a lot of us fans are really just baffled at how this season has turned out.
The Sixers have now lost four straight and are thirteen games below .500 at 20-33. After tonight's game ends, the season will be pretty much 2/3 of the way done. Somehow the Bulls keep losing nearly as often as the Sixers which is just sheer luck.
I don't know how else to slice it man. Just a lot of bad basketball. Newcomers Jared Butler and Quentin Grimes have shown some nice promise. That's a positive.
The Sixers play another fellow struggling team in the Nets tonight. The Nets can actually match the Sixers' record with a win tonight which would be so depressing. Holding off the Nets would not be impressive but it would be, something not horrible. HA. I would take it. No Embiid so let's see what happens. The Sixers seem to play faster without Embiid.
After tonight, the Sixers have eight days off due to the All-Star break. The Sixers didn't have a single All-Star for the first time since 2017 so, the whole roster will get a chance to rest. Maybe this will be good for them.
Anyway, game starts soon. It would be genuinely nice to see a win before eight days of no basketball.
#GOSIXERS
