3 observations after Embiid makes a rusty comeback, Sixers fall to Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Joel Embiid’s season debut didn’t suddenly unlock the best version of the Sixers.
In their opening game of NBA Cup playthe Sixers fell to a 111-99 loss Tuesday night to the Knicks at Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers dipped to 2-8 overall and New York moved to 5-5.
Embiid played 26 minutes and had 13 points on 2-for-11 shooting, five assists and three rebounds. He missed the Sixers’ opening nine games, first due to “Management of left knee injury”, then because of NBA suspension he received for pushing Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes into the locker room.
Paul George put up 29 points and 10 rebounds.
OG Anunoby was the leading scorer of the Knicks with 24 points. Karl-Anthony Towns posted 21 points and 13 rebounds. Josh Hart recorded a triple-double with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Sixers were still down Tyrese Maxey (right hamstring strain). Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said pregame that Maxey had recently progressed to “light” on-field activities.
On Wednesday night, the Sixers will host the 12-0 Cavs. Their second game of the NBA Cup will be on Friday in Orlando against the Magic.
Here are observations about the team’s loss to New York:
Embiid shaking off the rust
The Sixers’ execution was sweet on the first play of the night. They got the ball to Embiid at the right elbow and had George make a flex cut down the left baseline with a Kyle Lowry screening. Embiid fed George for an easy layup.
Towns then immediately showed off his stretch five skills, swinging three-pointers on the Knicks’ first two shots.
Embiid couldn’t hit two early jumpers and didn’t score until a pair of foul shots at the 1:40 mark of the first quarter. He exhibited classic signs of rust with moments of deliberate, hesitant decision-making. Embiid had a futile post-up against Towns when he drove baseline but chose not to squeeze out a shot, instead passing to the perimeter. The Sixers committed a shot clock violation on the play.
Embiid’s shifts were expectedly shorter than usual. Overall, his movement and ability to handle contact both seemed sloppy. He took eight first-half free throws and made every one.
The Sixers’ entry into Embiid was problematic at times. They struggled to find good corners when New York faced the seven-time All-Star, giving Embiid few opportunities to use his power inside against smaller defenders. With more game reps, that particular issue should presumably improve.
A little more than a week after George’s return from a left knee bone bruise, his minutes are not completely unlimited yet either. He played 32 on Tuesday. Along with that game-opening play, there were still small flashes of the potential two-person chemistry of the George-Embiid duo. Embiid nodded approvingly to George after setting a drag screen that let him sink a pull-up three late in the second quarter.
Whenever he’s on the floor, Embiid is guaranteed to attract considerable attention. The Sixers ran a nice Horns set early in the third quarter that started with Embiid bringing the ball and using a Lowry back screen. The Knicks’ concern about Embiid allowed Caleb Martin to dish to George for a wing three.
Of course, the Sixers ultimately expect Embiid to be a much better jump shooter and offensive center than he was on Tuesday. Health permitting, his history strongly suggests that he will return to that standard.
George keeps Sixers competitive
George was by far the Sixers’ best player in the first half.
He knocked down an Anunoby layup attempt, started 3 for 3 from the floor and scored nine of the Sixers’ first 11 points.
Both George and Martin were very effective on Knicks star guard Jalen Brunson, who was scoreless in the first quarter and missed his first five field goals on Tuesday. Martin caught a Brunson pass in the closing seconds of the first period and coasted forward for a slam that cut the Knicks’ lead to 27-25.
The Martin-George couple has created a lot of turnovers recently. Martin has eight steals over his last two games and George has grabbed five.
For a second straight game, the Sixers were collectively ice cold early from long range. The team was 3 for 15 from three-point range when George (unintentionally) banked in a deep jumper.
The Sixers avoided a double-digit deficit thanks in large part to George and a huge first-half advantage at the foul line. They were 11 for 11 on free throws when New York finally attempted its first foul shot late in the second quarter.
Even as he works his way back into top gear, Embiid is reliably helpful in that department. He drew Towns’ third foul with 2:28 left in the second quarter.
Sixers can’t capitalize on a subpar Brunson night
Brunson exited just 13 seconds into the third quarter after appearing to injure his right ankle.
Although a Martin layup soon after tied the game at 54-all, the Sixers failed to seize momentum. The Knicks went up 68-60 on a Miles McBride three and Brunson finally returned to the action with 4:14 left in the third quarter.
From the bench of the Sixers, Guerschon Yabusele played 19 minutes. Nurse used Yabusele mainly at forward, although the 28-year-old Frenchman got some central minutes in the third quarter. Jeff Dowtin Jr. and Jared McCain remained in the rotation of the Sixers. Eric Gordon did not.
Yabusele could not duplicate his outstanding performance inside Sunday night’s overtime win over the Hornetsshooting 1 for 7 from the field.
McCain followed up his 27-point night with a 23-point outing on 7-for-16 shooting. He remained tough, quick-twitch and ultra-aggressive across the board. After two McCain foul shots and an Embiid layup late in the third quarter, the Sixers’ deficit was 76-75.
Embiid rejected a Brunson interception early in the fourth quarter, dropping him to 2 for 10 from the floor. The Sixers seemed well-positioned to surge up front, but their offense went cold. They got stuck in 75 points and got none of Embiid’s typical run-stopping production.
Meanwhile, the Knicks kept up the scoring, expanding their lead to 14 points and cashing in when the Sixers’ transition defense slipped. Embiid went down about halfway through the fourth quarter and watched the final minutes from the sidelines.
