Tag: PJ Tucker

Doc Rivers provides injury update on PJ Tucker after Sixers beat Rockets

Doc Rivers provides an injury update after the Philadelphia 76ers knock off the Houston Rockets at home.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers lost one of their starters in Monday’s 123-104 win over the Houston Rockets. PJ Tucker left after playing only seven minutes due to right calf tightness.

They cruised to a rather easy win over the Rockets, but losing a veteran leader is a concern because he does so many little things that contribute to this team winning.

However, coach Doc Rivers isn’t concerned by the injury.

“Nothing alarming,” said Rivers. “Just calf got tight. When you hear that word ‘calf,’ you stop immediately. He’s fine. He could’ve played, wanted to play, but we said no”

When asked if this will be a long-term injury for Tucker, Rivers was confident that it wouldn’t be.

The Sixers look to pick up a win on Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers to go into the All-Star break on a high note.

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Player grades: Joel Embiid, Sixers knock off Rockets for 3rd straight win

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers knock off the Houston Rockets for their 3rd straight victory.

PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers are looking to end their pre-All-Star break schedule strong as they played host to the Houston Rockets on Monday. They were looking to continue to build off their previous two wins and continue to grow as a team and the Rockets offered that opportunity.

Houston entered the contest with the worst overall record in the league as well as the worst road record in the league so this was a tailor-made opponent for the Sixers to continue their growth. They still had some rebounding issues as well as some perimeter defensive problems, but the Sixers were able to win rather comfortably 123-104.

Joel Embiid had 23 points, six rebounds, and four assists for Philadelphia, James Harden had 28 points and 10 assists, and Tyrese Maxey had 26, six assists, and five rebounds in a big night off the bench. Tobias Harris added 11 points and five rebounds and Jalen McDaniels had eight and five rebounds.

Here are the player grades following the win:

PJ Tucker out for the remainder of Sixers vs. Rockets due to calf issue

PJ Tucker will not return for the Philadelphia 76ers in their matchup with the Houston Rockets due to a calf issue.

PHILADELPHIA–As the Philadelphia 76ers continue to battle the Houston Rockets, they will have to do so without their veteran leader and starting power forward against a pesky Rockets team.

After just seven minutes of playing time, PJ Tucker headed to the locker room and the Sixers then determined that he cannot return to this one due to what was originally thought left calf tightness, but the team then corrected themselves and said it was the right calf that has tightness. He did not record a stat and he fouled Rockets guard Jalen Green on a triple try.

Without Tucker, the Sixers will likely have to rely on Georges Niang and Jalen McDaniels in his place in order to come away with a win on Monday.

Tucker doesn’t get the love and respect he deserves in Philadelphia for the things he does on the floor. His numbers aren’t impressive by any stretch of the imagination, but he makes a lot of winning plays, and the Sixers will have to find a way without him.

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Player grades: Joel Embiid, James Harden carry past Sixers past Nets

Joel Embiid and James Harden carry the Philadelphia 76ers past the Brooklyn Nets on the road.

NEW YORK–The Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night looking to start a winning streak after knocking off the New York Knicks on Friday at home. The Nets are a much different-looking bunch with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant no longer in tow, but that doesn’t mean they were going to lie down.

The Nets played smart team basketball and led by as many as 12 as their new additions, Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, made big impacts in their Nets debuts. However, Joel Embiid and James Harden refused to let the Sixers go down in this one as Philadelphia prevailed 101-98 after Spencer Dinwiddie made a 3 at the buzzer that was then overturned after review as it was late leaving his hands. Embiid had 37 points and 13 rebounds and Harden added 29 points and six assists with six rebounds.

Tyrese Maxey had 12 off the bench, Georges Niang added five, and Tobias Harris had three on 1-for-9 shooting. Jalen McDaniels made his Sixers debut and had five points and four rebounds.

Here are the player grades following the win:

Player grades: Joel Embiid, Sixers bounce back with win over Knicks

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are able to bounce back with a home win over the New York Knicks.

PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers returned home on Friday to host the New York Knicks following a 1-2 road trip. They fell to the Knicks and the Boston Celtics to end the trip and they were looking to put a halt to the two-game skid back at home.

It was a rough start for the Sixers as they were unable to contain Jalen Brunson and the other Knicks guards out on the perimeter. However, Philadelphia was able to make a push back and they eventually tied the game, and after withstanding another Knicks run, they battled back and earned a 119-108 victory. Joel Embiid led the way with 35 points and 11 rebounds with six assists on the night.

James Harden had 20 points and 12 assists with eight rebounds, Tyrese Maxey was terrific and had 27 points, and Tobias Harris added 12 points. PJ Tucker added five points and six rebounds and Georges Niang chipped in with 13.

Here are the player grades following the win at home:

Player grades: Jayson Tatum, Celtics knock off Sixers in prime-time matchup

Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics knock off the Philadelphia 76ers at home in a rivalry matchup.

BOSTON–The Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the rival Boston Celtics on Wednesday night in a big rivalry matchup on the night before the trade deadline and to also end a three-game road trip. This game offered a bit of a litmus test for the Sixers considering the Celtics are the No. 1 seed in the East.

Philadelphia started the game off well, but the Celtics battled back and eventually wore the Sixers down to win it 106-99. Jayson Tatum scored 12 points with nine assists and eight rebounds for Boston and they received a huge lift from Blake Griffin who had 15 points while making five triples.

Joel Embiid had 28 points and seven rebounds to lead the Sixers, James Harden added 26 points and 10 assists while De’Anthony Melton had 12. PJ Tucker added eight points while Tobias Harris had a rough night with four and four boards and Georges Niang had eight.

Here are the player grades following the loss:

Doc Rivers assesses how PJ Tucker makes an impact on offensive end

Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers assesses how PJ Tucker helps the team on the offensive end of the floor.

CAMDEN, N.J.–Philadelphia 76ers veteran forward PJ Tucker is not a player one can judge based on stats alone. If one looks at Tucker’s season averages of 3.3 points and 3.9 rebounds, the judgment would be that he isn’t worth the 3-year $33 million deal he received from the Sixers in the offseason.

However, Tucker continues to make an impact without scoring. He has been a leader in the locker room and he has been helpful on defense. He also does the little things on offense to ensure his teammates get looks. Tucker’s movement off the ball allows Joel Embiid, James Harden, and the rest of the offense to flow.

After Tucker scored 10 points in Sunday’s loss to the New York Knicks, he discussed his own impact within the offense. On Tuesday back at practice, coach Doc Rivers gave out his expectations of the forward on that end.

“Just make shots when you get them, set picks, be a good spacer,” Rivers stated. “We want PJ to be what he’s been everywhere else. We know he shoots to 3. In his heyday, he shot the hell out of the 3. He got three a game. We don’t want to overdo it.”

When Tucker was with the Houston Rockets, he averaged 4.0 3-point attempts per game. In Philadelphia, he’s only averaging 1.7 as the offense flows through Embiid and Harden, but he’s still shooting 38.1% from deep when he gets the opportunity.

“We’re not upset with PJ at all,” Rivers finished. “We just want him to keep playing the way he plays and I think his value will still come more later than it is now. We all know that and that’s why we’re not panicked about PJ. We love what he’s bringing to this team. This team needs toughness. This team needs defensive knowledge and talk. PJ provides all that for us.”

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PJ Tucker details how he makes an impact on offensive end for Sixers

PJ Tucker details his offensive impact to help the Philadelphia 76ers succeed.

NEW YORK–Philadelphia 76ers veteran PJ Tucker is not one who scores a ton of points. In his first season with the Sixers, he’s only averaging 3.3 points and he’s shooting 38.1% from deep.

In Sunday’s loss to the New York Knicks, Tucker had 10 points and he knocked down two triples. However, that isn’t what he’s worried about. He’s worried about his cutting and movement without the ball in order to free up his star teammates.

There were a few instances on Sunday when Tucker’s movement off the ball allowed Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris some open looks because the Knicks had to pay attention to Tucker off the ball.

“When I cut, I’m taking somebody out,” Tucker explained. “So now, if he does what we score, it’s a 1-on-1. So I’m doing the selfless thing of not getting the ball and not scoring, but I’m taking somebody out.”

When Tucker is on his way to the basket and trying to free himself open, defenses have to shade toward him the closer he gets to the basket. That then leaves fewer defenders to stay in front of Embiid, James Harden, Harris, or Tyrese Maxey.

“Somebody’s gotta guard me,” Tucker continued. “I take somebody and now it’s one guy left in the rotation because they’re doubling. I know I’m not gonna get it, but I’m taking a guy now offensive rebound, doing what I do for us to get an open shot. For somebody else to get an open shot.”

Ultimately, Tucker just wants to win. In order for he and the Sixers to do so, they will need Embiid to carry this team as far as he can take them. It doesn’t matter how many shots Tucker gets within the offense.

“Some games you’re gonna get shots, some games you’re not,” he added. “It don’t matter. Just the team winning and the progression of our team is only thing that really matters and give ourselves a chance to be able to play for a championship at the end of the year.”

The Sixers will have a big test on Wednesday when they take on the Boston Celtics to finish their road trip.

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Sixers discuss their lack of maturity after latest loss to Knicks

The Philadelphia 76ers believe they have a lack of maturity after a loss to the New York Knicks.

NEW YORK — After the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the second round of the 2022 playoffs, the buzzwords were mental toughness. That was pointed out by the players after the Heat went into Philadelphia and eliminated the Sixers.

To win in the NBA, teams have to withstand adversity and battle through nights when circumstances aren’t going their way to win. While the offseason efforts and much of this season focused on developing that mental toughness, the Sixers acknowledged they still have some work to do after blowing a 21-point lead in a loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday.

This is the second time in less than a week the Sixers blew a 21-point lead and lost. They fell to the Orlando Magic in a similar fashion on Jan. 30.

“I think, for one, it’s kind of like human nature sometimes to just think that you can coast at times when you have a lead a little bit, but for us as a group, we can’t think that way,” Tobias Harris said. “I think we have a mature group, but it’s basketball maturity as well of understanding we’re up 20, we should win by 35. We should dominate.”

The bench unit struggled in Sunday’s win. Coach Doc Rivers believed the group thought it would be easy to enter the game and repeat the same success the starting unit had. That turned out not to be the case.

“It happens,” said Rivers. “They’re watching the first group score every time. We were getting layups, wide-open shots, and I think they came in and thought that’s the way they were gonna play. You can tell when your group comes in and thinks offense and I thought that’s what we did. So you lose the game when that happens and they know that. I just told them emotionally and mentally, that’s our next step as a team.”

As part of the offseason moves to increase their mental toughness, Sixers brought in PJ Tucker. He offered his own take on the issue.

“I don’t know if it’s a certain thing you can do to actually — like if that was the case, everybody would do it,” Tucker said. “It’s just you got it; you don’t. Working on it is working on yourself. At times where you’re not getting shots and you’re not, scoring and doing stuff for the stat sheets, it’s taking some guys off the glass, or offensive rebounds or taking them off. ‘I’m not gonna get the board, but he’s not.’ That type of thing. It’s the most selfless thing ever. Which is selfish and selfless at the same time, but it’s for the team and it’s got to be more than that.”

A game like Sunday’s is one the Sixers will see in the playoffs; they will have deal with adversity and handle teams’ runs.

“Those are big-time games, meaningful games, and those are things that we need as a group because we know we’re going to face that type of adversity come playoffs and true, real basketball,” Harris added. “So learning lesson for us, but that doesn’t happen overnight, and we know we have a long way to go for that.”

For the Sixers, they need to hold each other accountable, which is also something that was focused on after the loss to the Heat.

“We can get there and we’re gonna get there and it’s gonna take some time and it’s just going to take us really understanding how great we can be as a collective team and trusting one another and just picking each other up, night after night,” Harris finished. “We got to hold each other accountable as a whole collective group and we’ll be fine.”

The Sixers have still won 22 of their last 28. They have been playing excellent basketball. They just have to figure out this toughness factor.

“We’re doing most things right, but the next step to be a real winner is that growth, and when things aren’t going well or someone is not getting shots or—you just keep hanging in there and pulling for each other, and you figure it out,” Rivers added. “That’s our next step as a group. We’ll make that step I can almost guarantee you we’ll make that step, but we’re just not there yet.”

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Multiple Sixers discuss the lack of physicality in road loss to Knicks

The Philadelphia 76ers discuss their lack of physicality as they blew a 21-point lead in a loss to the New York Knicks.

NEW YORK–The Philadelphia 76ers got off to a hot start in their road matchup with the New York Knicks on Sunday. They were moving the ball, they were playing with pace, and they were playing excellent defense as they built a 21-point lead in the second quarter.

Then, things went sideways. The all-bench unit struggled, the starters couldn’t find their rhythm when they re-entered the game, and it led to a disappointing 108-97 loss to the Knicks.

The Knicks grabbed six offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter and they got a big lift from Isaiah Hartenstein who hopped off the bench and pulled down 14 rebounds on the night with five coming in the fourth quarter. Three of those were on offensive rebounding.