Category: 76ers

3 New Year’s resolutions for Sixers: Solve the Ben Simmons situation

With 2022 now here, we have some New Year’s resolutions for the Philadelphia 76ers to fulfill.

It is a brand new year in the NBA and for the Philadelphia 76ers–just like everybody else–there are some New Year’s resolutions for them to fulfill and go after.

The Sixers enter the 2022 portion of their schedule sitting at 19-16 and at the No. 6 seed in the East. They are just half a game ahead of the Charlotte Hornets to avoid the play-in tournament for the playoffs.

Of course, they have dealt with a ton of adversity. Namely, the ongoing Ben Simmons saga that is now seeping into the new year as he is still on their roster. The Sixers have got to figure out that situation and put the right piece next to Joel Embiid in order to properly contend for an NBA title.

Along with the Simmons issue, there are some other things they can do to improve in 2022. Here are three resolutions for Philadelphia to fulfill in 2022:

New mock trade has Sixers moving star guard Ben Simmons to Pacers

A new mock trade has the Philadelphia 76ers moving star guard Ben Simmons to the Indiana Pacers.

As the 2021-22 season continues, the Philadelphia 76ers must still resolve the Ben Simmons saga before they can truly contend for a title while Joel Embiid is in his prime.

Considering the Simmons saga and all of the other adversity thrown their way, the Sixers are sitting solidly at 19-16, but it’s clear that they need this Simmons situation resolved in order to contend. They either need to make peace with him and bring him back or they finally move him for a player who can help them win right now.

The Sixers have maintained they want a top-25 player in any Simmons trade to help Embiid get the job done in the playoffs. However, the idea of getting Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal might be out of the question, so the Sixers might have to move on to something else.

John Hollinger of The Athletic has a new mock trade that has the Sixers moving Simmons to the Indiana Pacers:

Let me throw another one out there (hat tip to my colleague Seth Partnow for noting this possibility): What about Domantas Sabonis, Chris Duarte and T.J. Warren to Philly for Simmons, Paul Reed and Isaiah Joe? The salaries match, and there’s a lot to like here for both teams.

Sabonis is a weird fit with Embiid, but he can actually throw an entry pass, unlike most of the other Sixers; he also would let the Sixers thrive in the non-Embiid minutes where they currently get trucked and would provide a store of value for future deals in the offseason. (Sabonis is 25, made two All-Star teams and is signed for two more years at a very reasonable $20 million a pop. He can be the nucleus of a deal for a bold-face name if and when one comes available.)

Warren, if healthy, would be a major upgrade for the Sixers’ bench whom they could re-sign with Bird rights (if they can withstand the withering luxury-tax bill that would result); that could position the team to eventually move off Tobias Harris’ deal. Duarte, meanwhile, is likely an upgrade on the iffy backup wing production the Sixers have had from other sources, although the Pacers would likely fight against including him (“May we interest you in a lightly used Goga Bitadze?”).

One can see where Hollinger is going here. Sabonis is an All-Star player and while the aforementioned fit would be questionable, at least he can play some on the perimeter and run a hi-low with Embiid. Sabonis would also help the Sixers with the rebounding problem they face, but the question would be spacing on the offensive end. He is a career 31.4% shooter from deep.

The Pacers may want to go younger by acquiring Joe who is two years younger than Duarte despite not being a rotation player yet. Warren would also be a nice help off the bench once he returns from his foot injury.

Verdict: At the end of the day, it is hard to see the Sixers pulling the trigger on this deal. The Sixers value Simmons highly and it’s hard to see them settling for anything less than a  big-time player to pair with Embiid to contend with the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Nets coach Steve Nash gives high praise for Sixers star Joel Embiid

Brooklyn Nets coach Steve Nash has high praise for Philadelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid.

Philadelphia 76ers superstar big man Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the NBA regardless of position, and he is still making subtle improvements in his game. He has continued to make strides and it’s why he is capturing respect around the league.

Before the Sixers took on the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, a game in which Embiid had 34 points in a road win for the Sixers, Nets coach Steve Nash was asked to compare Embiid to anybody he has seen before. Nash could not come up with a comparison for the big fella.

“He’s pretty unique,” Nash acknowledged. “You can make comparisons, but really his size, the way he plays, moves, and scores in the mid range is very unique and unique. He can dominate at both ends, and we’ve seen lots of dominant centers on both ends, but probably not a ton with his size, strength, mobility and shotmaking.”

This is pretty high praise coming from Nash who has played with great big men such as Dirk Nowitzki and Amar’e Stoudemire during his time in the NBA. Embiid continues to prove that he is one of a kind and he can continue to etch his name in NBA lore as long as he can stay healthy for Philadelphia moving forward.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Nets star James Harden impressed by Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey

Brooklyn Nets star James Harden was left feeling impressed with Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey.

For the Philadelphia 76ers to get the job done on Thursday in a win over the Brooklyn Nets, they needed to give Joel Embiid a little help. The big fella had 34 points and six rebounds as he continues to rack up accomplishments.

Tyrese Maxey stepped up to the challenge. He poured in 25 points, including knocking down a career-high five 3s. He made four of them after halftime, with two coming in the fourth quarter when the Sixers needed them most.

He also did so while tasked with defending Nets superstar James Harden and he caught the eye of Harden after the win.

“He knocked down some big-time shots,” said Harden. “A couple 3s — more than a couple — I think he hit three or four 3s in that fourth quarter. Pull up, he was being ultra-aggressive, which he’s been their starting point guard for the entire year, so he has that green light to attack the basket, to shoot a shot and he did that. He made some big shots for them and that was the game.”

Harden had a big game himself by going for 33 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. He got to the foul line 18 times. In short, he looked like himself in a season that has been a little weird for him on offense.

However, he committed six turnovers; Maxey did not back down from the challenge of defending him.

“The key that Doc (Rivers) has been stressing all year with Tyrese is make them work against pressure, make them work against bringing it up,” said acting head coach Dan Burke. “It doesn’t have to be a steal or anything, but turn them, make them use clock, it eliminates two more options maybe at the other end.”

Maxey fouled Harden while he took jumpers, but other than that, it wasn’t a bad night for him on the defensive end despite what Harden’s final stat line was.

“I thought you gotta quit fouling jump shooters, but the positive is James knows he’s there,” Burke added. “As long as Harden knows Tyrese is coming, we got a little bit of a chance. Not much, but we’ll play the odds on that.”

The Sixers head into 2022 and a matchup with the Houston Rockets on Monday.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Joel Embiid doing things on the road for Sixers not seen since Wilt Chamberlain

Superstar big man Joel Embiid joined Wilt Chamberlain in the record books of the Philadelphia 76ers.

As the Philadelphia 76ers wrapped up an impressive 3-0 road trip on Thursday with a 110-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets, they received another big performance from superstar Joel Embiid.

The big fella dropped 34 points, including 22 in the first half, and he was dominant all night long. The Sixers close the 2021 portion of their schedule with a 19-16 record despite all of the adversity surrounding the team.

In the process, Embiid joined franchise legend Wilt Chamberlain in the history books. He is averaging 36.3 points and 10.4 rebounds over his last seven road games. He joins Chamberlain as the only Sixers to average at least 30 and 10 over a seven-game road span.

“I need to do it at home and on the road,” said Embiid. “I’ve been pretty good, which is not usual. Usually, we are so good at home as a team, but this year, we haven’t been protecting home court the way we should so we need to do it at home and on the road.”

With the win on Thursday, the Sixers improved to 13-8 on the road. They are only 6-8 at home. So, to Embiid’s point, they have to find some consistency at home as well.

“We do it as a team,” said the big fella. “It’s good to win. The vibes are great so we need to keep on doing it.”

After the game, acting head coach Dan Burke indicated what helped Embiid get into a groove.

“He started trusting his teammates more,” said Burke. “Sometimes when you want to win it so badly, you try to do it by yourself. I thought he had a good mix, especially in that second half, and we know we have to play through him. I told him after the game, we’re OK with him calling plays, it doesn’t always have to be for him, but we know we gotta play through him.”

The Sixers start the 2022 portion of their schedule by playing host to the Houston Rockets on Monday.

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Sixers happy to see Andre Drummond return to the team in win over Nets

The Philadelphia 76ers were happy to have Andre Drummond rejoin the team in a win over the Brooklyn Nets.

On a day where the Philadelphia 76ers were hit with more bad news when it comes to the health and safety protocols, they were able to at least get some reinforcements on Thursday.

Andre Drummond returned from a 4-game absence from being in the protocols and he had a big impact in their 110-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The former 2-time All-Star had 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench in support of a big game from Joel Embiid and he was a plus-8 in 15:58 of playing time.

“Every time he’s played, he’s given us a lift,” said acting head coach Dan Burke of Drummond. “Just a simple fact that he runs the floor. The end of the third quarter, he runs the floor, and we’re thinking we’ve got a rough offensive unit, but when you run the floor, and make the extra pass, and get him in the paint, he’s always getting his hands on rebounds, and he protects the paint. He’s so agile. He’s got quick feet, quick hands, that was a huge lift for us.”

Drummond, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 19, was able to return to practice on Wednesday. With the team in need of some reinforcements, he stepped up in a really big way for them. He was anxious to get back out on the floor.

“It was great to come back,” he beamed. “Being on lockdown for 10 days is definitely no fun especially being away from my guys. Missing their energy and watching them from afar was definitely hard to do, but coming back out here tonight, my main goal was just to play hard and give it the best I had with whatever minutes I got. I didn’t know what they were gonna do with me being gone. I did what I was supposed to.”

The Sixers are a team that relies on everybody to step up and produce. They are not the type of team that will be able to just randomly turn it on. They need every to help and contribute and Drummond’s return was just what they needed against a very good Nets team.

“We do it as a team,” said Embiid. “We need everybody every single night. We’re not a team that’s gonna come out and play bad for three quarters and turn it up in the fourth quarter and win the game. We need everybody to contribute and it’s great to have him back. Whether it’s rebounding the ball, setting screens, and just getting extra possessions, and he’s a great passer.

Like I said, we need everybody. It’s good to have almost everybody back.”

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Sixers express happiness for Dan Burke after first career win over Nets

The Philadelphia 76ers give praise to Dan Burke for his first coaching win against the Brooklyn Nets.

Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Dan Burke was thrown into a tough spot on Thursday when he had to serve as the team’s head coach against the Brooklyn Nets. Coach Doc Rivers entered the health and safety protocols on Thursday morning and Burke had to take over coaching duties at that point.

In his third career game serving as head coach–he did it twice with the Indiana Pacers–Burke got his first career win 110-102 over the Nets on the road. It was an impressive win all-around as the Sixers had to get a win in tough circumstances.

“I’m just happy for those guys,” said Burke. “We’ve got four days or so before we play again. To get this win, build this momentum, and I don’t know what the protocols are gonna allow practice-wise, but this is something that I think we can all look at and say ‘We’re better when we’re like this vs. this’ and this is stronger and we just gotta build that. That’s what Doc has been building up to.”

While Burke will deflect the praise, he has his players tooting his horn for him. Joel Embiid gave credit to Burke while also recalling the time Burke said he hated Embiid for how many fouls he draws while he was with the Pacers.

“I always go back to before he was a part of our coaching staff, the way he used to hate me,” Embiid laughed. “The stuff that he used to say. It’s funny. That’s the same thing that kind of goes with fans too, when someone doesn’t play for your team, it’s easy to hate. When you’re on the same team, you appreciate it even more. I think that’s what I see with him.”

After the win, the Sixers did give Burke a bath. They doused him with a lot of water bottles to celebrate his first win as a coach.

“For him to step up and do what he did today on short notice was great,” said Andre Drummond. “It’s a testament to how great of a coach he really is despite him being an assistant and him stepping up to the plate and being able to run the show and give us the tools we need to be great. It was really good for us.”

Burke has been the defensive coordinator for Rivers during his time with Philadelphia and he has had a positive influence on the team. It’s clear that he has the respect of the Sixers despite Rivers obviously running the show there.

“He’s been great for our defense and just as a voice,” Embiid added. “He’s been in the NBA for a long time. We’re extremely happy for him.”

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Sixers give a lot of praise to Tyrese Maxey for big game in win vs. Nets

The Philadelphia 76ers give a lot of praise to young Tyrese Maxey after a win over the Brooklyn Nets.

The Philadelphia 76ers received a big game from Joel Embiid on the road on Thursday in order to knock off the Brooklyn Nets 110-102 and he will be the main story of this one. However, if it wasn’t for the effort of their 21-year old point guard, they probably don’t win this one.

Tyrese Maxey stepped up in a big way with 25 points and seven rebounds and he knocked down a career-high five triples in order to get the job done. He hit four triples after halftime and he knocked down two clutch ones in the corner in the fourth when Philadelphia really needed it.

When it was all over, Embiid was happy that Maxey took and made those shots. It is something that Embiid has been pleading for all season when it comes to his team on the offensive end of the floor.

“He needs to do it every night,” Embiid said. “He will tell you, I’ve been on him about not just shooting the open ones, just being aggressive and looking for his own shot all year. That’s what he did tonight. He took them and he made them. He needs to do it every night.”

Embiid, playfully, called Maxey “trash” after their win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday when Maxey shot only 2-for-11. He gave him some praise in this one.

“You were great today,” Embiid said to Maxey. “That’s how you respond to criticism.”

Maxey was able to get open for triples in the fourth due to the fact that the Nets were paying such close attention to Seth Curry and Embiid in the pick-and-roll game. Maxey’s defender was paying attention to Curry and Embiid so much that it allowed him to get open looks.

“We started running some plays for Seth and when I was cutting out,” Maxey explained. “I kinda realized that my guy was staying so I just started to loop around to the corner because my guy was staying and helping with the Joel and Seth pick-and-roll and I was just getting wide-open 3s. It’s just that simple.”

Maxey had to do all of this while also defending Nets star James Harden. It was an impressive performance for the young man on the road.

“Tyrese is not afraid and that’s huge,” said acting head coach Dan Burke. “He’s got a big heart and a lot of guts. He’s coming on.”

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant explain their trash talk at end of Sixers win over Nets

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant react to their trash talk towards the end of a Sixers win.

The Philadelphia 76ers were able to come away with an impressive 110-102 win over the Brooklyn Nets on the road on Thursday where Joel Embiid once again had a big game. The big fella poured in 34 points and it is the seventh straight road game where he has scored 30+ points in.

Toward the end of the contest, Embiid and Nets superstar Kevin Durant got into it a bit when Durant began going at Embiid with some trash talk. Of course, Embiid was going to back at him and they were hit with double technical fouls with Embiid yelling “go home” in the direction of Durant and the Nets.

This was due to the fact that Durant did the same thing to the Sixers towards the end of the Nets win back on Dec. 16. Embiid just wanted to return the favor while also respecting his friend, Durant.

“That’s the best team in the conference,” said Embiid. “Obviously, I respect them a lot. Judging by the way he was acting last time, that’s the same thing he told us. Basically, we returned the favor, but there’s a lot of respect. I always tell people, I think I can do everything on the basketball court. There’s not a lot of guys that are able to do it and if there was one player that I think is more talented than me, it’s definitely him. I have a lot of respect for him and admire his game.”

Durant echoed the same message when asked about it from the Brooklyn perspective.

“We’re just competitive,” Embiid added. “Wins matter. Every single one of them. It’s always good to beat the best in the conference.”

The Sixers will end the 2021 portion of their schedule at 19-16 with this win and they will now move on to 2022 when they host the Houston Rockets on Monday. This gives them an opportunity to build some momentum for the future.

This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Sixers player grades: Joel Embiid dominates again in win over Nets

Joel Embiid had himself another dominant game as the Philadelphia 76ers knocked off the Brooklyn Nets on the road.

The Philadelphia 76ers were down a couple of pieces as they were still without Danny Green as well as missing coach Doc Rivers, Tyler Johnson, and Myles Powell in the health and safety protocols as they prepared for the Brooklyn Nets. Looking to sweep this 3-game road trip, it would be an uphill battle against a Nets team that was getting healthy.

The Sixers knew this would be a challenge to get the job done, but with Joel Embiid continuing to play at such a high level, they were able to get the job done 110-102 on the road. The big fella had himself 22 points at the half alone on his way to 34 points and six rebounds to lead the Sixers in a terrific win while once again facing adversity. Assistant coach Dan Burke served as the acting head coach in place of Rivers.

Tyrese Maxey had 25 points and seven rebounds, Tobias Harris had nine points, six rebounds, and six assists, Seth Curry had 17 points and six assists, and Andre Drummond made his return by pouring in 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Here are the player grades following the win: