Just as they hit their lowest point of the year, the Sixers have shown why it’s hard for them to pack it in
So much for coming up with a plan.
The Sixers undid their 9-3 month of December as they started the New Year 2-10, capped off with a seven-game losing streak — a streak that coincided with more unfortunate news about Joel Embiid’s health.
After missing six straight games with a foot sprain, Joel Embiid was ruled out for an additional 7-10 days after suffering another bout of swelling in his left knee. With Embiid having to be shut down three different times this season because of the swelling while only playing in 13 games so far, many felt that was the final nail in the coffin for this season.
On the day that news broke, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported that the team may “pivot toward maximizing the team’s chances of keeping its top-six protected first-round pick in this year’s draft.” That pick will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it does not end up in the top-six.
Just when everyone had thrown the towel in on the season, the Sixers had one of, if not their best performance of the season. They beat the Eastern Conference’s best Cleveland Cavaliers 132-129 in a thrilling shootout. The next night they went to Chicago and knocked off the Bulls 109-97. Those same Bulls are the team Philadelphia is chasing right now as they are one game behind them for the final Play-In tournament spot. The Sixers are tied in the loss and column and have two fewer wins.
While just about everybody has written this season off, the Sixers themselves haven’t. Before knocking off the Los Angeles Lakers for their third win in a row, Nick Nurse was asked how often he’s checking the standings, and what his expectations are for the rest of the year now that they’ve reached the halfway point.
Unsurprisingly, the coach’s focus remains on winning games as opposed to draft pick protections.
“I guess all I really am concerned about is trying to get into the top 10 somehow,” he said. “What I do want to do is keep fighting to get in the thing.”
He was also asked in Chicago if that matchup had any extra importance, given that’s who they’re chasing. He confirmed as much, saying “there’s a lot on the line” when catching the team in front of you.
Whether that Bulls win is a real turning point is yet to be seen, but it was the first time they swept a back-to-back all season. Both Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. referenced a speech given by Kyle Lowry before the game.
“Kyle said it’s a must-win,” Maxey said. “We’re fighting for our lives right now, so every game is important and this game was extremely important.”
After the Sixers just missed the top-six seeds in last year’s playoffs due to tiebreakers, that’s something Maxey continues to be in-tune with as they chase a Play-In spot this season.
“Last year we had a tiebreaker with one team, a tiebreaker with another team,” he said. “It’s the difference between being fourth and 10th, you know what I mean? We don’t know where we’re going to fall in the standings, we don’t know how it’s going to end up, but I think right now it’s just about getting better every single day and keep winning games.”
Maxey bouncing back in January is the biggest reason they can still fight. He’s now scored at least 25 points in 11 straight games, and has scored at least 30 points five times in the month.
It also seems that reaching their lowest point of the year pushed them towards a renewed effort.
That low point was a 35-point loss to the Denver Nuggets on national television that saw some more postgame fireworks.
“We just got our ass kicked against Denver,” Oubre said after the Lakers win, “and we realized we don’t want to get our ass kicked anymore.”
He also spoke to a renewed effort and focus in Chicago, something the team needed to pull off their second win in as many days.
“I mean, that’s everything. It’s just energy and effort,” he said. “Kyle said it before the game that back-to-backs, it’s more mental than physical.”
While the results haven’t always been there, they do feel like they’ve finally put together decent stretches of basketball.
“I’m more happy about the way our team has played the last three weeks,” Maxey said after the Lakers win. “We haven’t won every game of course, but it’s finally coming together and guys are going out there and having fun.”
He told a story about Justin Edwards apologizing for not playing better against the Lakers, saying he was excited going up against LeBron James.
“And that’s how it should feel,” he said, “you should be happy, you should be excited, and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
Even in a three-game win streak, they’ve still had to go throw adversity. Paul George suffered a finger injury against the Bulls. He’s considered day-to-day but will undergo multiple evaluations to determine the best course of action.
Health will remain the biggest factor for what happens to this team, both this year and the outlook for the next couple. The Sixers who are able to suit up though, are still giving it their all.