Tag: dave joerger

Montrezl Harrell blown away by Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey’s development

Montrezl Harrell is left feeling blown away by Philadelphia 76ers rising star Tyrese Maxey.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are going to go as far as Joel Embiid and James Harden take them, but they are also going to need Tyrese Maxey to help the star duo take the team to the next level.

Maxey shined in a big way in Wednesday’s 113-112 preseason win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. He had 21 points on 9-for-11 shooting, and he knocked down all three 3s he took in 15:22 of playing time. He has been terrific to begin the preseason: He had 20 points on 6-for-8 shooting in the preseason opener.

As Maxey gets set for his third season, one can see the obvious work he puts in on the floor and he has caught the eye of veteran teammate Montrezl Harrell.

“Honestly, it’s a great testament to Maxey, man,” said Harrell. “That kid is a helluva player, man. He works his tail off in the offseason and it’s really carried over to his game and you can see it. So really, he’s just playing freely, enjoying himself, still learning as a young player, but when you’re out there with Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tobias Harris, you draw a lot of attention, man. So he’s able to just go out there and play freely and just be himself.”

Maxey is known for constantly being in the gym and wanting to better himself on a daily basis. As he continues to grow in this league, there are still some things he has to learn, but it’s obvious that he has the work ethic and the will to learn and grow in this league.

“We all know what a joy he is to be around so when he has success, it’s such a cool feeling because he’s so humble and he’s so giving, but his ability to make shots has so much improved,” added acting head coach Dave Joerger. “He’s put in so much work as is well reported so very happy with the work he’s put in and the ball to go in for him and he still knows he’s gonna continue to improve and that ability is gonna let him be in the lane and that’s the next level. People are gonna have to run at him and then find other people. So very impressive.”

Harrell has a lot of faith in Maxey’s game, as does the rest of the Sixers, because the kid just continues to work hard and has a want to improve and get better.

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“Be able to wreak havoc on the defensive end of the floor and create with his speed and the many different things he brings to the floor for the other guys, but at the same time, he can do it himself,” Harrell added of Maxey. “So you really see a guy who’s worked on his game, gotten better, and really carried it over into his next year, really.”

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Multiple Sixers feeling presence of PJ Tucker despite him not scoring

The Philadelphia 76ers are already feeling the presence of PJ Tucker despite him not scoring the ball.

PHILADELPHIA — When one looks at the box score for Philadelphia 76ers forward PJ Tucker from Wednesday’s 113-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, it will not blow you away.

He didn’t score.

He took only one shot.

And he grabbed only four rebounds.

However, one could feel the presence of Tucker out there despite the box score not being flashy. He was setting screens to get teammates open. He was creating possessions for his team, and he contributed to the win despite what the box score said.

After the win, Tucker’s teammates praised him as they clearly felt him out on the floor as the NBA champion the roster has the attention of this roster as they move forward with their title quest.

Sixers assess James Harden’s play after preseason win over Cavaliers

The Philadelphia 76ers assess the play of James Harden in their preseason win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers took on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at home, and they walked away with a 113-112 preseason win thanks to Montrezl Harrell’s late efforts.

The play of Harrell was good and the win was meaningless. The focus in this one was James Harden.

The Beard made his preseason debut. He had nine points on 3-for-9 shooting, and he added five assists. It wasn’t the prettiest game as efficiency continues to be an issue, but the positive sign was he began looking like himself again with his explosion to the basket and his playmaking skills.

“Good, good,” said acting coach Dave Joerger of Harden. “Picking and choosing his spots when he’s aggressive, when he has a matchup he can isolate, when to get Joel involved, or find shots for other guys. I think it’s the time spent. There’s nothing like doing it in a game and spending the time on it.”

Harden isn’t going to get it all back in just one preseason game. This is going to take some time as Philadelphia moves forward, but the good thing is, the passing is still there and he is looking like himself a bit out there on the floor.

“He’s a playmaker,” said Danuel House Jr. “Playmakers can make a play or score for themselves. So he’s a playmaker. It’s gonna be easy and he’s making the right reads and then he’s trusting the other guys. Tyrese (Maxey), Tobias (Harris), me, D-Melton (De’Anthony Melton), we’re gonna knock it in. We’ve been putting in work.”

Harden and the Sixers continue the preseason on Monday with a rematch with the Cavaliers.

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Sixers coach Doc Rivers out vs. Cavaliers; Dave Joerger to coach in his place

Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers is out against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dave Joerger will start in his place.

The Philadelphia 76ers continue their preseason schedule on Wednesday when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first of a preseason home-and-home with the Cavs. The Sixers will be without their head coach for the preseason’s second game.

Doc Rivers is under the weather, and he will miss the game with the Cavaliers from the Wells Fargo Center. In his place, Philadelphia will turn to Dave Joerger, who has head coaching experience under his belt with the Sacramento Kings and the Memphis Grizzlies.

He coached the Sixers in the 2020-21 season when Rivers had to miss time, so this isn’t the first time Joerger has taken control in Philadelphia.

Considering the Sixers sat three starters in the preseason opener, one has to wonder who will sit and who will play on Wednesday. Philadelphia is in a spot where it pretty much knows who’s going to play and how they want to play, but they also want to get a few tune-ups in with the new faces.

The tip with the Cavaliers is set for 7 p.m. EDT.

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Have you had any instances where …

Have you had any instances where somebody sent you a message that was really meaningful to you about you coaching in the NBA? Kristi Tollver: No doubt about it. I get that a lot. But one I would say that I remember very clearly was my first year with the Wizards when [then-]Sacramento head coach Dave Joerger came up to me. He said that he has a young daughter. And he came up to me and was like, ‘My daughter has seen me coaching forever. But I just wanted you to know that it is really, really cool that there is someone special that my daughter can see that looks like you on the sidelines.’ When I hear chirps like that, it keeps me mindful of what I am doing. I just love what I’m doing and what it represents. So, it’s not just about me and my experience, but it’s about the bigger picture.

Sixers owner Josh Harris, co-owner …

The donation was inspired by the …

The donation was inspired by the treatment Sixers assistant coach Dave Joerger received at the center after he was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in October. Joerger went through seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy and returned to the Sixers in early February.

Dave Joerger left the Philadelphia …

Dave Joerger left the Philadelphia 76ers in mid-November to focus on battling cancer. At that time, Joerger shared he had “head and neck” cancer. Because of early detection, Joerger said he had over a 90% chance of beating the cancer. Now, in early-February, Joerger is returning to the Sixers bench on a full-time basis. In a statement, Joerger expressed his thanks for the support he’s received, as well as his excitement to be back.

“Words can’t describe how grateful I am …

“Words can’t describe how grateful I am to be back around this basketball team. The last several months have been some of the most challenging of my life, but I am so lucky to have the support of Josh Harris, David Blitzer, Doc Rivers, Daryl Morey, Elton Brand and the entire 76ers organization. Their support, along with my wife Kimberly, and my loving family, has been unwavering. Lastly, I may not be here today if it weren’t for the incredible medical team at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. For now, I’m energized by the trajectory of this 76ers team and am looking forward to helping our group reach the ultimate goal of an NBA championship.”

Sixers happy to have Dave Joerger return after battle with cancer

The Philadelphia 76ers are happy to have Dave Joerger return after a battle with cancer.

Back in November, the Philadelphia 76ers received some tough news when they found out that assistant coach Dave Joerger would be out to undergo cancer treatment. It was a tough moment for everybody as Joerger is a beloved part of this team and the team expressed their support for him.

On Wednesday, Joerger will make his return to the team’s bench on a full-time basis and that is something that excites coach Doc Rivers and the rest of the team. They have missed his presence.

“He’s been back for two games, kind of,” said Rivers. “He’s gone through a lot, like, far more than anyone knows and the fact that he’s coaching this year is a miracle. I’d say four weeks ago, there was no way he was going to be coaching this year, six weeks ago, and the fact that he’s doing it is just really good, great. It was good to have him.”

“Last game at our shootaround, he walks out on the floor unassuming, like Dave is and guys, like, that’s Dave Joerger!” Rivers added. “It was really cool watching the players’ reaction to it. So it’s good.”

This has been a tough battle for Joerger as there was a stretch where he couldn’t even speak. So the fact that he is here with the team is something of a spirit lifter for a team that has been playing some terrific basketball as of late.

“There was a period where literally, he couldn’t communicate,” said Rivers. “I mean, I’m telling you, it was he was struggling for a while, and, like literally couldn’t communicate. So that was tough. He would write me emails, but the fact that he couldn’t use his voice was very difficult.”

The reaction from the players was a big example of how much this team enjoys being around each other. The chemistry with this group has been very helpful for their success.

“This team likes each other and he’s part of that team, that group,” Rivers finished. “For all our young guys, I always think things like this, obviously, you don’t want them to ever happen, but it just did give them a dose of reality like we still are living in a real world. Not in the bubble of the NBA.”

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

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