The Philadelphia 76ers have strategically bolstered their lineup this offseason to contend strongly in the Eastern Conference. With the addition of Paul George, the dynamic within the team shifts, allowing Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to maximize …
The Philadelphia 76ers have strategically bolstered their lineup this offseason to contend strongly in the Eastern Conference. With the addition of Paul George, the dynamic within the team shifts, allowing Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to maximize their roles, with George serving as a crucial third scoring option. This restructuring aims to optimize Embiid’s performance, particularly in the postseason.
By managing Maxey’s contract extension to maintain a lower cap hit, the team successfully signed impactful players like George and Caleb Martin, and brought back Andre Drummond. Martin’s four-year, $32 million deal underscores his value as a versatile role player, while Drummond provides a strong rebounding presence. Veteran Eric Gordon, acquired on a minimum deal, adds depth to the lineup, complementing the re-signings of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry, which solidify the bench.
This season, the Sixers are poised not just to compete, but to challenge for the top, especially if Embiid and George stay healthy.
Dekker has spent the last three seasons overseas after spending part of the 2021 season with the Toronto Raptors. He only spent parts of five campaigns in the NBA after being selected as the No. 18 overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft.
The majority of his career has been split between the VTB United League in Russia (2019-2020), the Turkish Basketball Super League in Turkey (2020-2021, 2021-2022) and the British Basketball League in England (2022-present).
Dekker’s most recent stop has been by far his most successful. The Wisconsin great led the London Lions to the 2023 British Basketball League Cup championship, earning league and finals MVP honors in the process. His season stat line included 20.8 minutes, 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals on 53% shooting.
After NBA tryouts with Philly, Golden State and Milwaukee, Sam Dekker is looking to show clubs that 'I still play above the rim, I love running the court and I think my age would help a team trying to win now.' Here's more on the 30-year-old former Badger: https://t.co/W4Tyy2CWMo
It appears Dekker has finally recaptured the form that helped him lead the Wisconsin Badgers to two Final Four appearances and one trip to the national championship game.
Given the clear interest showed by some of the league’s top contenders, it appears that the 6-foot, 9-inch small forward is well on his way toward taking his refound game back to the best basketball league in the world.
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Goooood morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thank you for rocking with us today. We appreciate you for giving us a bit of your time today.
One thing about me is that I’ll always admit when I’m wrong.
I love coming here and telling everyone when I’m right. I don’t do it often, but it is one of my favorite things to do. I just did it with the Suns on Monday.
If I’m going to do that, then it’s only right that I do the same when I’m wrong about something. Especially when I’m so terribly wrong about something like I was about Tyrese Maxey.
Was he great? That’s always been the question. And I’ve always believed the answer was no.
Until last night, anyway.
It’s not even that Maxey dropped 46 points to save the 76ers season when nobody had it in them. The dude is an All-Star. That’s what All-Stars do. I’m not surprised by that.
What did shock me, though, was Maxey scoring 7 points on two shots in the final 25 seconds of the game to tie the game and send it into overtime. That was insane. That was legendary. That was the moment I knew.
As if drawing a 4-point play in the clutch wasn’t shocking enough, the dude followed it up by draining a logo 3-pointer with the season on the line to send the game into overtime.
The audacity to pull that off in Madison Square Garden when you’re down by three points with your playoff lives on the line. It simply does not compute. It literally broke Jon Stewart.
Tyrese Maxey is here, man. This dude has arrived. He’s a star with a bigger playoff moment than some of the best players in the world that we know, and he’s only 23 years old.
The spotlight is yours, Tyrese. I see that now. I’m sorry I ever doubted it.
Not again, Mike Trout
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The first chapter of the Mike Trout career post-mortem (whenever that comes along) should be that he was the best baseball player of his generation. I don’t care that the playoff success isn’t there. That’s never been on Trout. He’s always been incredible.
If the first chapter is about his greatness, the second will probably be about his injuries. Trout just hasn’t been able to stay healthy, man.
This is so unfortunate. Injuries keep taking away from Trout’s greatness. He’s only played in 237 of 486 possible games since 2021, according to CBS Sports. That’s not a great ratio.
Hopefully, Trout will be back and healthy soon enough.
The Pacers missed a big opportunity on Tuesday night and may end up paying dearly for it.
Indiana lost 112-95 to an extremely shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks team. Both Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokoumpo missed the game with their various injuries.
With Giannis and Damian Lillard out, the Bucks become the first team EVER to win a playoff game without their top-2 scorers from the regular season. H/t @StatsWilliams
Now, by extending the series, Milwaukee has given their best players a chance to come back potentially. Doc Rivers said they’re both “very close” to making a return, according to ESPN.
Tough luck, Indy. We’ll see how things develop from here.
Quick hits: Lakers head coaching candidates … BEEF … and more
The former Warrior wing notched 14 points in the Sixers’ thrilling win over the Knicks in Game 5 of their first round playoff series.
While Kevin Durant’s season came to an end after the Phoenix Suns were swept in the first round of the playoffs against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, another former member of the Golden State Warriors is still alive in a thrilling first-round series in the postseason.
Despite the New York Knicks holding a 3-1 lead the Philadelphia 76ers in front of a fiery crowd at Madison Square Garden, a heroic effort from Tyrese Maxey helped the Sixers extend the series.
The former Kentucky guard drilled a ridiculous 3-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime against the Knicks. In overtime, the Sixers pulled away to secure a much-needed 112-106 win to put the series at 3-2.
Jalen Brunson continued his impressive postseason with 40 points on 15-of-32 shooting from the field with six assists and three boards in 51 minutes. Maxey countered with 46 points on 17-of-30 shooting from the field with nine assists and five rebounds in 52 minutes.
Former Warrior Kelly Oubre Jr. tacked on 14 points on 6-of-13 shooting from the field with four rebounds in 39 minutes during the Sixers win on Tuesday evening in New York City.
The series will now shift back to Philadelphia for Game 5 on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT.
Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to Joel Embiid going off for 70 points vs. the Spurs.
Joel Embiid went off for a franchise Philadelphia 76ers record, 70 points in the team’s win over the San Antonio Spurs. He also added 18 rebounds and five assists.
Embiid became the latest NBA player to score 70+ after Damian Lillard. Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to Embiid’s historical milestone.
Embiid has been unstoppable throughout December. However, his performances over the past seven days clearly set him apart. Embiid averaged 40.7 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists in the three games between Dec. 18 and 24. He shot 58.1% from the field and 44.4% from 3-point range. Embiid helped the Sixers climb to third in the Eastern Conference after 29 games, and the franchise looks like legitimate contenders.
Nick Nurse has implemented a faster-paced, egalitarian system that appears to be getting the best out of his roster. Embiid is producing at an elite level and has quickly developed a seemingly unstoppable two-man game with Tyrese Maxey. Despite the flourishing partnership, Philadelphia has committed to getting everybody involved on both ends of the floor, leading to a unified roster that’s all pulling in the same direction.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 9 of the 2023-24 season (Dec. 18-24). pic.twitter.com/Gf4ro7FKVg
If Embiid keeps up his level of production, he will undoubtedly earn more player of the week honors and potentially a second straight MVP trophy. The Sixers are back in action on Wednesday when they face the Orlando Magic in Florida.
BOO! Good morning, folks. Happy Halloween. I hope you’re well. I’m certainly not.
I don’t drink coffee. I never have. The first sip of coffee I ever had was smuggled out of my grandmother’s mug years ago and it’s still the blackest brew I’ve ever seen in my life. I couldn’t have been more than seven years old. Ever since I’ve sworn off the stuff.
Today, I am considering drinking a cup of coffee. Because I have no business being this tired.
It’s not my fault. As you’ve probably seen by now, James Harden has been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for a hodgepodge of players on expiring contracts, an unprotected 2028 draft pick and a 2026 draft swap.
I’m not here to talk about any of that — not here, anyway. I am simply too tired to do so. Why? Because news about this trade broke at 2 a.m. ET. TWO. AYE. EM. And I was awake. Why? Because I needed to know what was going on.
Yes, stupid, I know. I should’ve been wearing clown makeup while I lay there tucked under my blanket staring at the blue light from my phone through my glossy red eyes.
I know some of you are with me. I’ve seen the complaints. But I don’t blame Woj like some of you do. As my colleague Charles Curtis points out, he was simply doing the job.
Nah, man. This is on Daryl Morey. This is on Lawrence Frank. This is on James Harden.
Y’all couldn’t wait another eight hours to get this done? This couldn’t have happened at a decent hour? We’ve only known this trade was coming for *checks the calendar* four months now. Nobody else was getting in on this. It’s not even a great deal. I don’t like this for either team, honestly.
I think we could’ve waited to iron out the details on this one, fellas. I assure you. Now look at us. Y’all got me and everybody else out here at work looking like were going up in the club on a Monday.
I’m not built for that life. I’m not built for the 2 a.m. Woj bomb anymore, either. I’ve learned my lesson, though. Never again.
Corey Seager saves the day — again
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The World Series is still far from over. The Rangers have a 2-1 lead on the Diamondbacks, but there’s still plenty of baseball left to be played.
But if the Rangers do win it all? I’d bet money that it’s because of Corey Seager. He’s saved the Rangers more times than I can count this postseason, including twice already in this World Series.
Each Seager homer feels so meaningful. Game 3 he does this. Game 1 he knocks one out of the park in the 9th to tie the game at 5-5. Bally Sports’ Jared Sandler pointed out how clutch each of Seager’s homers have been.
We’ll have to see how this series turns out, but it looks like Seager might be on his way to another World Series MVP.
Jaylon Johnson is the prize
(AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
It’s Halloween, but it’s also trade deadline day in the NFL. And it seems like there could be a ton of player movement happening out there.
Bears corner Jaylon Johnson is hoping he’s part of that movement. The corner reportedly demanded a trade from Chicago, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Contract talks fell apart and now the Bears are telling him he can find a new home.
#Bears corner Jaylon Johnson has requested a trade, per source. Chicago granted permission to search for a new home before today’s trade deadline. The player and team negotiated a new contract last week but couldn’t come close to a deal. So, a talented corner is now available. pic.twitter.com/XCU5EsZqF2
He’s on an expiring contract, but he’s also just 24 years old and a very good corner. This is one of those players that there will be a pretty robust market for. Chicago is in a good position to bring home more draft equity on top of what it already has, which looks like it could be two top-5 draft picks.
If you’re looking for a big trade deadline deal today, Johnson’s will probably be the one.
Quick hits: Trade deadline shenanigans … A fiery Dabo Swinney … and more
Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to the Los Angeles Clippers trading for James Harden.
James Harden has been traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, per multiple reports.
The Sixers are acquiring Marcus Morris, Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, KJ Martin, multiple draft picks and a pick swap for James Harden, PJ Tucker and Filip Petrusev.
Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to the latest big trade in the Association.
