3 observations after Sixers succumb to a big Magic run, waste another great McCain game originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
ORLANDO, Fla. — Even with Joel Embiid and Paul George in action Friday night, the Sixers dropped to a dismal 0-10 this season in regulation games.
A dozen games in, the team still has just two overtime wins. They fell to a 98-86 loss to the Magic in the NBA Cup, falling to 0-2 in that competition.
The Magic improved to 8-6 overall and 7-0 in the Kia Center. Franz Wagner led Orlando with 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
The Sixers wasted another great performance from rookie guard Jared McCain. He topped 20 points for a fourth consecutive game, scoring 29 on 10-for-17 shooting.
Embiid had 20 points on 5-for-15 shooting and eight rebounds.
Tyrese Maxey, who joined the Sixers for their three-game road trip, remained out with a right hamstring strain. A Sixers official said Maxey has resumed on-court work and will be reevaluated early next week.
Paolo Banchero (torn right oblique) and Wendell Carter Jr. (left foot plantar fasciitis) was off for Orlando.
The Sixers will travel to Miami and play the Heat on Wednesday night. Here are observations about their loss to the Magic:
Embiid back on his play in the first half
In their first game, the Sixers got George the ball on an Iverson cut and immediately had their two available stars working together. George fed a rolling Embiid and the big man drained two free throws.
Embiid made more field goals in the first quarter than he had his entire season debut Tuesday against the Knicks. His self-assessment of “extremely rusty” no longer applied. The seven-time All-Star sank a slick fadeaway jumper to put the Sixers up 4-0.
Orlando double-teamed Embiid in basically every touch after he started his move. The Sixers’ spacing and cutting around him wasn’t great in the early going, but the team had success using Embiid at the elbow and top of the key. As is often the case, he looked threatening almost anywhere on the floor.
Embiid went under and Guerschon Yabusele checked in with 6:25 to go in the first quarter. (Andre Drummond later entered during the second quarter and ended up playing just four minutes to Yabusele’s 24.) With Embiid sitting in the first quarter, Orlando went on a 9-0 run, taking a 24-15 lead after a Franz Wagner three-pointer. and Mo Wagner arrangement.
When Yabusele played alongside Embiid late in the first and early in the second quarter, the Sixers surged right back. Embiid anchored the defense well and Yabusele had outstanding energy on both ends. He blocked an Anthony Black jumper, leading to a bench-pleasing McCain slam that capped a 14-0 Sixers run.
McCain train keeps rolling
McCain got another deserved start after his 34-point, 10-assist game Wednesday night in the The loss of Sixers to the Cavs.
Kelly Oubre Jr. came off the bench for the first time since March 6. He started brightly, throwing down a near-instant slam after cutting a smart George drive. He drained a first-quarter three, too.
Both teams struggled early with their jumpers, though. Until McCain swished a transition triple in the second quarter, the Sixers were 1 for 9 from long range. Orlando started 3 for 17.
McCain once again struck a mature balance between pace, attack-minded play and sound decision-making in a zero-transition outing. He also showed an intuitive understanding of how to play off of Embiid as a spot-up shooter, pick-and-roll ball handler and dribble transfer weapon. His sense of how opponents defend Embiid and where the superstar center works best should only grow with time. In two games, he made everything look very simple.
McCain was also solid defensively on Magic guard Jalen Suggs, who went 1 for 8 from three-point range. The Sixers clearly knew Orlando had the NBA’s worst three-point shooting percentage (30.6 percent before Friday’s game). They made few obvious game plan-related mistakes on defense and forced 18 Magic turnovers.
No answer for a massive Magic run
The number 2 star of the Sixers was much less productive than Embiid in the first half. George missed his first eight field goals, including multiple layups, and didn’t score until the final minute of the second quarter. His final stat line was 13 points on 4-for-15 shooting, five assists and four rebounds.
Embiid was similarly quiet in the second half, scoring just one point in the third quarter and three in the fourth. Late in the third, Black swung the ball away from him on a sneaky double team and went the other way for a layup. On next down, Embiid fired a tightly contested air ball.
The Sixers’ miscues quickly snowballed. Yabusele didn’t realize the shot clock was low on a sideline play out of bounds and the Sixers committed a 24-second violation. Soon after, Oubre couldn’t find an open teammate from the sideline and was whistled for a five-second violation. The Sixers’ half-court offense was tormented and worked. McCain missed a fast-break rally. Embiid kept coming up empty. He is 1 for 10 from three-point range since his return.
In the end, the Magic put together a 16-0 run and seized an 80-72 lead. The Sixers did not score between the 2:12 mark of the third quarter and the 7:54 mark of the fourth.
They found some stability before the game was out of reach. McCain created a delicate step for himself and George hit a jumper that cut the deficit of the Sixers to 84-80.
However, with just under five minutes left, McCain fumbled. Embiid came in for his final stint of a 33-minute night.
His presence did not drastically change the tide. Franz Wagner and Suggs drilled threes, Embiid missed a jumper late in the shot clock and Jonathan Isaac slammed in a putback dunk. The Sixers didn’t right the ship Friday. As for their season, they have 70 games to do so.
