Category: 76ers

Joel Embiid explains his big offensive night in Sixers win over Mavs

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid explains his dominant night in a win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Philadelphia 76ers superstar big man is still working his way back from a knee injury that sidelined him for 10 games in March into early April, but on Monday, he took another step forward in his recovery.

The big fella had 36 points on 10-for-17 shooting and he was 14-for-15 on free throws in a 113-95 win over the Dallas Mavericks to finish up the road trip. Despite wearing a balky knee brace that has bothered him a bit, he was able to power through it and have his usual dominant game.

“I’m still not there,” said Embiid after the game. “Still not smooth enough. In the first half, I missed a couple shots that before, it was all going in without a problem. Just because it’s still not as smooth as it was before, but I’m just getting used to it.”

Embiid did admit that the knee brace is bothering him a bit after Saturday’s win, but this was one of those classic Embiid MVP performances. If it really did bother him, nobody noticed at all. He was knocking down every shot as if it was practice and he was getting to the foul line at his usual high pace.

He drew three fouls each on Maxi Kleber and Boban Marjanovic and then Dallas had to turn to Willie Cauley-Stein to defend Embiid. He then drew two fouls on him all in the first half. He was going at these guys and he made it look easy.

“Just being aggressive,” the big fella explained. “They doubled in  New Orleans. They doubled, but I just kept shooting jumpers. In OKC and tonight, they doubled even harder than they did in New Orleans, but I just kept attacking going through the doubles, shooting over the double teams, and getting to the free-throw line.”

It was clear that this was a different Embiid than before. He was much more involved in the game and he seemed to play with a different urgency than he did earlier on the road trip.

“I thought he played in attack mode all night, didn’t settle,” said coach Doc Rivers. “He felt like last couple of games, he’s been settling. When you have something on you, you tend to do that so I thought he was phenomenal in how aggressive he was.”

On top of his big offensive night and making the right decisions was his play on the defensive end. Embiid did not block any shots, but his mere presence made the Mavericks think twice constantly about going inside against him. It was a different atmosphere with him in the paint and guarding the basket.

“He made the right plays,” Rivers finished. “He made some great plays out of the double teams, then they didn’t want to double team which, with Joel, he got what he wanted. really thought as good as he was a defense, overall, just our team defense tonight was was really impressive.”

The Sixers will now finally return home for four straight games after finishing up a stretch of 10 of 12 games on the road.

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

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3 observations: Joel Embiid dominates, Sixers beat Mavs on the road

Joel Embiid had himself another dominant game to lead the Philadelphia 76ers past the Dallas Mavericks on the road.

The Philadelphia 76ers had a chance to reclaim sole possession of the top spot in the East on Monday if they could knock off the Dallas Mavericks on the road. Led by their superstar big man, they were able to get the job done and put a cherry on top of their 4-game road trip.

Joel Embiid was absolutely terrific all night long and he dropped 36 points on 10-for-17 shooting with seven rebounds in a 113-95 win over the Mavs to finish the trip at 3-1. On top of being so efficient, Embiid shot 14-for-15 from the foul line as he lived there all night long.

In support of Embiid’s big game, Furkan Korkmaz added 20 points, Tobias Harris had 10 points, Ben Simmons had eight, seven assists, and six rebounds, Shake Milton had 10 and five assists, and Seth Curry had eight.

Here are the three observations from a win in Dallas:

Sixers guard Seth Curry discusses return to Dallas since trade from Mavs

Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry discusses his return to Dallas after the trade.

When a player returns to a former home, there is always something to look forward to. It is a return to where a player spent time, made friends and memories. The return always brings a little something extra to the table.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry played for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2019-20 season before being sent to Philadelphia in a draft night trade in November in exchange for Josh Richardson. The Sixers have reaped the benefit of having Curry on their roster to space the floor for the offense to flow a bit better.

As he makes his return to Dallas on Monday, Curry is excited to see some of those faces he grew to know during his time there.

“It’ll be a fun game,” he said. “Good matchup, two good teams. I don’t know how many fans they have or whatever, but it’s always good to be back and see some familiar faces and just try to get another win.”

The Sixers and the Mavericks matched up in Philadelphia on Feb. 25. Curry scored 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting, and he knocked down all three of his 3s in the win.

Afterward, he threw shade at the Mavericks saying they made a “bad business decision” by letting him go to Philadelphia, but all of that is done with now. It’s just basketball at this point.

“Nothing special, just basketball,” Curry finished.

Tipoff from American Airlines Center is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT.

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

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Seth Curry discusses his up and down season for Sixers, updates health

Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry discusses his up and down season on the floor on offense.

Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry got off to a terrific start in his first season in the City of Brotherly Love. The veteran out of Duke was shooting 59.5% from deep over the first seven games before he tested positive for COVID back on Jan. 7.

Since returning on Jan. 22, he is shooting only 35.8% from deep over 34 games. Not only has he been dealing with his recovery from the virus, but he has also dealt with nagging injuries, including to his ankle, that have caused him to miss games. That is a lot to deal with for any player.

Overall, he is shooting 40.7% from deep with the Sixers, which is still a very good percentage, but considering his hot start and his nagging issues, it can be concerning he continues to have off nights from deep.

“I’ve had some setbacks all throughout the year,” said Curry. “It’s been a weird season for me, personally, but I’m trying to contribute every time I step on the floor and give my all no matter what that is, and play whatever role is needed out there on a specific night.”

Curry has had some good games recently. He shot 4-for-8 from deep against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 25 and he shot 5-for-10 from deep against the Cleveland Cavaliers on April 1. But he then shot 0-for-7 from the floor overall in the loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.

“Seth has been playing well the last couple games. He had a tough one tonight,” said coach Doc Rivers on Friday. “I’m not going to draw up new stuff or anything like that. I believe in shooters. Guys don’t forget how to shoot. They’ll have a bad game here and there, everybody will. It’s human nature.”

Curry followed that game by going for 11 points, including shooting 1-for-5 from deep against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. He did shoot 5-for-11 overall, though.

“I’ve had some different things, some have been documented, some haven’t, but it is what it is,” Curry added. “You got to keep chugging along and keep getting better as a team and as a player, and hopefully, be your best at the end of the season.”

The important thing to watch throughout the rest of the season and heading into the playoffs is making sure he is in a groove, and he is healthy for when it matters most. The Sixers brought in Curry to space the floor for them and make sure the offense flows. When he is knocking down open looks, it makes that a lot easier for them to do.

“Everybody has stepped up at different times throughout the season,” he said. “Personally, I feel like I’m hanging in there and trying to get better as much as I can, try to take care of my body for the long run, try to be healthy towards the end of the season, and come playoff time.”

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

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Joel Embiid, Sixers slide to No. 4 on ESPN’s latest Power Rankings

The Philadelphia 76ers slide to number 4 in ESPN’s Power Rankings.

The Philadelphia 76ers have had an interesting week. They went 2-1 as they began a four-game road trip, and they welcomed Joel Embiid back to the lineup after he missed 10 games with a bone bruise in his left knee. But the one loss they took seemed frustrating.

The Sixers did not come out with the right energy against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday and it seemed to have cost them in the power rankings.

In ESPN’s latest power rankings, the Sixers fell from No. 3 to No. 4. They had been in the top 3 for two straight weeks:

There might not be a bigger game left in this regular season than Nets-Sixers in Philadelphia on Wednesday night. The teams are tied for first place in the East and have split the first two meetings — meaning Wednesday’s winner will hold the tiebreaker. But this is a huge week for Philly, which also plays in Dallas on Monday, before hosting the Clippers on Friday.

The Sixers begin a huge seven-game stretch in which they take on those three teams before also taking on the Golden State Warriors, the Phoenix Suns and two straight games with the Milwaukee Bucks on the road. This will be a make-or-break stretch for Philadelphia and it will have to be at its best or it could lose the top seed in the standings.

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

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Doc Rivers explains Mike Scott’s shooting success lately for Sixers

Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers explains Mke Scott’s recent shooting success.

Philadelphia 76ers veteran Mike Scott has had an up and down season shooting the basketball, but he is a veteran who has been in the league long enough to understand that these things come and go. Right now, he is on a hot streak.

After shooting 3-for-6 from deep in Saturday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, Scott is shooting 42.9% from deep over his previous seven games. He is getting into a bit of a groove, and that is what coach Doc Rivers expects from him night in and night out.

“I think he’s getting his rhythm,” said Rivers. “I got on him in the first quarter, I think, because he had a wide-open shot that he passed off. I told him, that’s not what we want, be ready to shoot.”

Scott agreed with his coach that he should have shot the ball. He is not a guy who is normally short on confidence. He just has to let it fly, and he is doing that much more recently after a cold streak.

“He was right,” said Scott. “It was a two for one opportunity and I definitely should have shot it off the Dwight offensive rebound, but it feels good. He has a confidence in me I just gotta take advantage of the opportunity.”

Scott is a proven shooter, and he brings a lot of energy and confidence off the bench. There is a reason Rivers continues to turn to him to help the team. The Sixers are in need of his play every night, and he is an important part of their success and the bench unit.

“When Mike is set, with balance, he’s a terrific shooter, and I thought (Saturday) tonight was the first time in a while where he played with balance,” said Rivers. “We need him to do that more.”

Philadelphia will finish the road trip on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks looking to take three of the four games on the trip.

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

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Furkan Korkmaz opens up on how Danny Green helps him, Sixers succeed

Philadelphia 76ers guard Furkan Korkmaz praises Danny Green for his and the team’s success.

The Philadelphia 76ers brought in Danny Green in the offseason because he is a proven shooter and can help space the floor on offense. However, other things Green brings to this team cannot be put into numbers.

Green is a 3-time champion, so he has been through playoff wars and he has experience winning at the highest level. The Sixers really need a guy like that who can help the team win right now.

He also is a proven leader, and he has helped younger guys such as Furkan Korkmaz understand how to get better and improve their games. Korkmaz had a career-high five steals in Saturday’s win and he credits Green for helping him on that end.

“To be honest, I like Danny’s mentality on defense,” said Korkmaz. “He’s trying to lead the first unit with Ben and Jo. Overall, he’s trying to be a team defense player and an individual really good defensive player. That’s what I learned from Danny.”

Korkmaz is known for his offense. He hops off the bench and fires a bunch of 3-pointers to help spread the floor. However, he has to contribute more consistently on the defensive end, and he is learning that from Green.

He is learning defense is just as important as the offense and when everybody is on the same page, it makes it tough to be scored on.

“He’s trying to do a team mentality,” Korkmaz explained of Green. “He’s trying to play team defense well. Then you’re good because you’re on the same page. All the five guys when you’re on the same page, you can guard anybody.”

It is not just Korkmaz either. Green is pulling so many players aside and giving them words of wisdom in order to help them and the team succeed. The players just need to be willing to listen.

“Not just defensively, offensively, too,” said Korkmaz. “He likes to talk. Danny likes to talk so he’s really helpful. I think it’s a good thing to have him around. He’s got rings, he’s got experience, we all got to be hungry to listen.”

The Sixers will look to finish the road trip strong on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks.

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

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Joel Embiid puts Sixers winning above all individual awards, goals

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid is putting team success above all else right now.

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid has made it known he wants to win Defensive Player of the Year and he wants to be involved in the MVP conversations as well as the All-NBA Teams. But he understands you have to win to be in those conversations.

The Sixers have done a lot of that in the 2020-21 season. They are tied for first in the East with the formidable Brooklyn Nets, and that is mostly due to the play of Embiid, who is in the MVP running right now. The big man out of Kansas has been absolutely incredible on the court for the majority of the season, and he needs to keep it going.

“I always say that, if we win, everybody wins,” said Embiid. “When you talk about individual accolades, like MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA, or the All-Defensive Teams, it’s not going to happen unless you win. That’s always my main focus. Just to go out there and win every single game, and, obviously, our goal is to finish first.”

There is talk about Embiid falling out of the MVP race after he missed 10 games due to a bone bruise in his left knee. The team went 7-3 in those games, but the big fella believes he is still in that conversation. He has been terrific all season and he should be in the race for the top individual award.

“When it comes to the MVP stuff, I feel like I’m still right there,” he stated. “When I’m on the floor, I feel like I’ve been the best all season. Just doing my thing and just dominating with the help of my teammates and the coaches putting me in the right positions to succeed. I still think I’m right there. I think I’m the MVP. I’ve been dominant all season.”

He is certainly not wrong about that. He is averaging 29.4 points and 11.1 rebounds while shooting 51.8% from the floor and 37.5% from deep. He has made it all look so easy at times, and the Sixers have flourished because of Embiid wanting to destroy everybody in front of him.

The bigger goal for this team is winning a title, and he knows the team needs him to be at his healthiest heading into the postseason.

“I’m not going to stop, but the bigger goal obviously is just to get to the playoffs healthy,” he finished. “To be able to compete for the whole thing.”

The big fella had 27 points and nine rebounds in Saturday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Sixers will finish the trip on Monday against the Dallas Mavericks.

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

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Sixers discuss star Ben Simmons’ aggressiveness on the offensive end

The Philadelphia 76ers discuss Ben Simmons’ aggressiveness on the offensive end of the floor.

All-Star Ben Simmons does a lot of things for the Philadelphia 76ers on both ends of the floor. On defense, he is an elite lockdown defender who takes on some of the best scorers in the game on a nightly basis. On offense, he creates so many open looks for his teammates, and he is a barometer for their play at times.

However, he is so skilled and he has great size that it feels like he should be putting up more points with ease.

Simmons started the game aggressively on Saturday in Philadelphia’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder scoring 10 points in the first quarter. He was bullying his way to the basket for easy points and he even knocked down two mid-range jumpers. It was a good start, but he only had three points the rest of the way.

With his fast start, the Thunder began keying on him a bit and it made a difference, but the Sixers could use more of that fast start from Simmons throughout the game.

“I tell him all the time,” said teammate Joel Embiid. “First of all, I want them to be aggressive versus every single team, whether it’s make plays or whether it’s to look for his shot, he’s got to be aggressive. He’s got to make guys on the other team guard him.”

“I was really excited when he made those two shots,” said Embiid. “He’s starting to be comfortable, and he’s getting back to where he was right before All-Star, so he’s got to keep on doing it.”

For the most part, Simmons is a playmaker. His role on the offensive end is to make sure that his teammates get open looks and the offense runs smoothly. As long as he is getting into the paint, he is doing what is asked of him even if it isn’t for himself.

“I want him to be aggressive, but I think you think of aggressiveness as him aggressive scoring,” said coach Doc Rivers. “I think him aggressive with him getting into the paint, creating plays. He can have an aggressive game for me where he doesn’t shoot a lot, but he was aggressive and he used his speed. That’s what we want.”

On the flip side, if he is looking for his own offense, that adds another weapon on the floor. He is a guy who can get to the basket and score with ease if he truly wanted to. While his first responsibility is being a playmaker, there will be some nights, particularly in the playoffs, when he will have to score.

“The first thing, he’s a playmaker,” Embiid added. “He wants to be a playmaker, and he wants to get everybody involved, but at times, he also needs to be aggressive and make the other guys on other teams guard him.”

Either way, as long as Simmons is consistently getting into the paint the way he was on Saturday, that makes the offense flow a bit more. He attracts so much attention that it creates open looks for his teammates. That is the focus of the coaching staff.

“We need him to create either straight-line drives to the basket for himself or to create traffic,” Rivers finished. “That’s what we really want. As much traffic as he can get and then he can dish it out. We’re good either way, but when he does that, we’re a better team.”

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

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Doc Rivers praises Furkan Korkmaz for all-around game in Sixers win

Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers praises Furkan Korkmaz for his efforts in the win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Philadelphia 76ers entered their matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday a bit shorthanded. They were down two starters in Danny Green and Tobias Harris and they needed others to step up in their absence.

Coach Doc Rivers turned to Furkan Korkmaz to start and the fourth-year guard out of Turkey did not disappoint. He had 20 points while shooting 7-for-13 from the floor and he had a career-high five steals in a 117-93 win over the Thunder on the road.

It was a good performance for Korkmaz and his offensive game was important in helping Philadelphia come away with a win.

“Furk made some shots, which was great,” said Rivers. “Moving Ben (Simmons) to the 4, I thought created some matchups for us. I thought that’s what really got Furk open because they’re trying to match a 4 on Furk a lot and they lost him in transition. It was a good win for us. A good professional win. We came in, these guys are down on guys, they’re playing a bunch of young guys, We needed to take care of our business and we did that.”

What was most impressive was the fact that Korkmaz came up with the five steals. He is not known as a guy who plays well on the defensive end of the floor, but as a starter in this one, he had to change up his attitude and his priorities a bit.

“I was trying to be aggressive on the defensive side,” he explained. “Especially at the beginning of the game, when you are a starter, you’re trying to set a tone. I got a couple of steals and I got my confidence back.”

A good defensive effort can lead to better offense on most nights and that rang true for Korkmaz on Saturday. On a couple of those steals, he was able to get out in transition for easy buckets which is essential for him. He is mainly an offensive contributor and when he can get a couple of easy buckets, that changes everything for him on that end.

“It motivates me a lot,” he finished. “Sometimes when I get in the game, I’m trying to get into the game with the offense, but Doc says every time, we got to start with the defense. When you get a steal, when you good defense, that affects your offense too. That also motivates me.”

Korkmaz will continue to have his game grow a bit more as he gains more confidence on that end of the floor. If he can become more consistent with his defensive effort and the production, that will be a huge plus for the Sixers come playoff time.

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

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