RSS 76ers Team Notes

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers open NBA Cup play against Boston

Only a little over one week has passed since the Philadephia 76ers opened the 2025-26 regular season in Boston. It has been a wild ride since then, with VJ Edgecombe making history, Tyrese Maxey taking another leap, the Sixers executing thrilling fourth-quarter comebacks, and an overtime game to boot. Now the Sixers return home to face the same Celtics with something much more important at stake than turning around the vibes of a tortured fan base: the NBA Cup!

That’s right, folks. NBA Cup group stage play begins tonight, stealing Halloween’s thunder with its sheer magnitude of importance. The Sixers and Celtics are part of East Group B, along with the Nets, Pistons and Magic. The winner of each of the six groups will advance to the knockout round, along with one wild card from each conference, based upon the best record in group stage games. We are just six wins away from the Sixers hoisting the Cup in Las Vegas, a moment every Philadelphia fan has dreamed about since they were a child. Lakers and Bucks fans still gather around and wax poetic about past Cup title runs. (In all seriousness, the Cup action has been very fun to watch once it hits the knockout stage.)

For the Sixers, it will be the same group available tonight as the win earlier this week in Washington, D.C., with three players unavailable:

Injur report for tomorrow against the Celtics:

OUT: Jared McCain (right hand surgery recovery), Paul George (left knee surgery recovery), Dominick Barlow (right elbow laceration) #Sixers

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) October 30, 2025

Everyone but Barlow participated in practice on Thursday, so we could soon be looking at the rarest of events for the Sixers: a clean injury report.

Meanhile, Boston is now 2-3 on the season, defeating New Orleans and Cleveland this week after dropping their first three contests. One lineup shift has been Josh Minott moving into the starting lineup, which coincided with the two Celtics victories. Minott recorded 15 points and nine rebounds against the Pelicans, and 11 points and 14 rebounds against the Cavaliers. The Celtics’ injury report for tonight only has the one big name:

Injury Report for tomorrow at PHI:

Jayson Tatum (right achilles repair) – OUT

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 30, 2025

Boston let an 11-point fourth quarter lead slip away in the season opener. Maxey’s 40 points in that win were a sign of things to come, with his currently leading the NBA in scoring at 37.5 points per game. VJ Edgecombe scored 34 points, the most in any NBA rookie debut since Wilt Chamberlain; he has since overtaken Cooper Flagg as the Rookie of the Year favorite. Although Dominick Barlow was available for that previous meeting and will be missing the action tonight, the Sixers will have Trendon Watford, who played 18 minutes in his Sixers debut against the Wizards. As of this writing, the Sixers are 3-point favorites over the Celtics, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

As a reminder, the Sixers’ court tonight will be all dressed up for Halloween (and the Cup):

our @NBA Cup court. pic.twitter.com/oETe2g10cK

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 24, 2025

Happy Halloween, everyone! Hopefully the Sixers have more treats than tricks in store for us tonight.

Game Details​

When: Friday, October 31, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: Prime Video
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-game-previews/79907/sixers-open-nba-cup-play-against-boston

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers scare Celtics, but comeback falls short

2025-2026 Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 2

VJ Edgecombe – 1

Adem Bona – 1

---

The Philadelphia 76ers once again had their opponent frightened in the final minutes, yet their comeback against the Boston Celtics Friday fell just short.

Quickly into the their first NBA Cup matchup, it appeared as if the Sixers fan dream of an undefeated season was coming to an ugly end. That was far from the case.

The first quarter saw a Celtics team that was firing on all cylinders, and a Sixers team that looked a step slow. Shots were not falling, rebounds not bouncing the Sixers’ way, and the Celtics uncharacteristically torching them from the midrange.

The second quarter began the same — the Sixers could not buy a bucket offensively nor get stops on defense to run in transition.

Then everything flipped after a few plays from the Sixers’ star guards. They would go on a 20-8 run to cut the Celtics lead to 11 at halftime, a feat that felt impossible just seven minutes prior.

Despite a strong start to the second half for the Sixers, the Celtics got back out to a double-digit lead. They attacked the paint on offense and benefitted from poor stretches by Andre Drummond and Justin Edwards. Another Sixers run at the end of the quarter brought Boston’s lead back down to seven. The Sixers would win the third quarter for the first time this year, outscoring Boston 25-21.

The Sixers entered the game as the best fourth-quarter team, and it showed once again. They gave Boston the same nightmare that struck them on opening night, but the Sixers’ turnovers and panic on the final play let the Celtics escape with just a scare.

Now to Bell Ringer.

Tyrese Maxey: 26 points, 14 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Maxey’s five turnovers, including one late where he dribbled the ball off of his foot out of bounds, is worth noting in a one-point loss. But his value to this team as a leader when the shots aren’t falling, like in this game, is immeasurable.

Tyrese Maxey goes to work with the spin move and smooth finish pic.twitter.com/nWxz5vOrgy

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) October 31, 2025

Both times the Sixers looked like they needed a buoy offensively, Maxey was there to hit a deep logo three. In the second quarter, his logo three helped spark the crowd, and perhaps some confidence in the team that the offense will be there, they just had to get some stops defensively. They would go on a 20-8 run to finish the half.

Late in the third quarter, after the Celtics went on a 10-0 run to give them a 12-point lead, Maxey hit a 28-foot three which stopped the run. The very next possession Quentin Grimes stole the ball from Anfernee Simons and converts two free throws on the other end for a huge five-point swing to close the third quarter.

His ability to tell when the Sixers need a bucket and to hit said bucket will keep them in games the rest of the season.

ONE POINT GAME… pic.twitter.com/fr9aHrFHPc

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 1, 2025

He did a great job of finding his teammates when doubled in the halfcourt or in transition, leading to the high assist total. If he can get the turnovers down, the Sixers will be in tremendous shape.

Joel Embiid: 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks

Without Joel Embiid, this game could have been even uglier early on. He scored eight of the Sixers’ first 10 points and assisted on the other two (a nice pass to Jabari Walker out of a double-team). He provided consistent offense when Maxey and Edgecombe were cold, and continues to be one of the best screen setters in the NBA.

Joel Embiid-Tyrese Maxey two-man game for the triple pic.twitter.com/177Pi5jlkr

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) October 31, 2025

He hit a couple tough shots to begin the third, and had a nice chase down block to send back a Derrick White layup attempt. It was one of the first flashes of Embiid’s rim protection prowess we have seen this season. In the fourth, he got Hugo Gonzalez to foul him on a three, where he would convert at the line. And he had a nice pass out of a double-team to Edgecombe for a huge three late. He even gave the last second grenade, given to him by Quentin Grimes, a good chance to go in (it was ruled after the buzzer).

He took a some blows, including one from White to the face, and fell down his fair share, but he came away unscathed.

VJ Edgecombe: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 7-of-11 FG, 2-of-4 3PT

There’s nothing more you could ask for from Edgecombe in this game, except more. He was pivotal in the Sixers’ second-quarter run, nailing a crossover three on Payton Pritchard, then converting an and-one transition layup. He showed confidence from the midrange and three-point range in the halfcourt, and had a nice cutting dunk in transition to stop a Celtics run in third. He is playing very well off Maxey, and their chemistry on the fastbreak is a thing of beauty.

VJ Edgecombe. A ROOKIE! pic.twitter.com/iuNMXMMihd

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 1, 2025

In the fourth, his 1-on-1 defense on Anfernee Simons gave a glimpse of how lockdown this kid can be, but as of right now, larger guards like Jaylen Brown can give him some problems.

With efficient shooting like tonight, he should be seeing more volume moving forward. Will he be seeing another Bell Ringer?

Kelly Oubre Jr.: 17 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 6-of-12 FG, 3-of-7 3PT

Oubre continues to be a crucial piece for the Sixers and he displayed it tonight. His ability to mesh into whatever the Sixers need at the given time offensively shows itself in many ways.

In the second-quarter run, Oubre Jr. converted a transition layup and a tough finish to beat the first half buzzer. In the second half, he hit multiple threes to help the Sixers remain in the game, and was fighting for rebounds even after the Celtics got multiple chances. His energy has been contagious and is worthy of Bell Ringer consideration.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...celtics-tyrese-maxey-joel-embiid-vj-edgecombe

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Cardiac Sixers can’t complete the comeback, drop a thriller to Celtics for first loss

Despite the fight shown, the Sixers were not able to rise up for the cup. At least they helped their point differential.

Kicking off group play, the Sixers dropped their first game of the season in a 109-108 nail biter to the Boston Celtics Friday night.

Still on a minutes restriction, Joel Embiid played his most minutes of the year, finishing with 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting, but missed a potential game-winning three. He added six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 25 minutes of play.

Tyrese Maxey had his quietest game as a scorer. He still led the Sixers with 24, but could not get the game-winning floater to go. He also finished with 14 assists. VJ Edgecombe had his rookie moments but still had some big baskets, finishing with 17, five and five on 7-of-11 shooting. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 32.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter​

• It was a solid, if not slightly odd start for Embiid, who was responsible for the Sixers’ first 10 points of the game. He’s thrown some really nice passes this year, and started off tonight with a post entry to Jabari Walker for a layup. He looked good trying to slow things down, able to bully his way into some early free throws. He tried to get more aggressive and move faster and that’s when he got into a bit of trouble. One drive he took too many steps and ended up getting his layup blocked. Another he just was trying to go too quickly and left the ball behind him.

The foul, the bucket, and the chop from Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/PH0znrzTyM

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) October 31, 2025

• The Sixers’ defense looked shaky again to start. This time it was certainly more about containing the perimeter rather than rim protection. Payton Pritchard and Brown hunted their midrange jumpers and didn’t have a hard time beating Edgecombe and Kelly Oubre Jr. more often than not to get them. The two Celtics combined to start the game 11-of-14 from the floor.
• It’s hard to say if the Sixers’ offense was sloppier than normal, or if they just did not hit threes at the insane clip they have to start the season. There were a few dropped passes and choppy dribbles, but four turnovers isn’t insanely high for a quarter. They shot 3-of-9 from beyond the arc while Boston made three in the final two minutes of the quarter. That discrepancy helped the Sixers fall into a 13-point hole after one.

Second Quarter​

• Despite the first unit mostly being on the floor, the Sixers couldn’t get their offense out of that rut, allowing the Celtics lead to keep growing quickly. Trendon Watford drove for a nice open layup on one of his first touches but even that didn’t fall. Quentin Grimes gave a big fist pump when he finally got a jumper to fall after missing his first four shots of the night.
• If there was one positive to be found in this disaster of a half, it looked like there were a couple moments Embiid looked more confident in his movements. He was finally able to step out and deny someone’s shot. A few moments later he lost the ball on the drive again, but was ready to throw it down and still jumped and hung on the rim. That didn’t stop the Celtics though from running up and down the floor to push their lead to 20.
• The Sixers did have a spark in them, and who would else would it come from but their first-round rookie. Edgecombe had a six-point sequence when he shook Pritchard for a stepback three, then had a very exciting and-1 in transition. Andre Drummond, who came on in place of Adem Bona in the second, hit a corner three despite the crowd’s dismay. A couple successful drives from Oubre and the Sixers had cut the lead to 11 at the break.

VJ Edgecombe heating up here with a silky smooth triple and a three-point play on the following possession pic.twitter.com/6b2QyOcZ36

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 1, 2025

Third Quarter​

• The Sixers came out of the half looking drastically different again, but this time it was a good thing. Embiid continued to look more comfortable, getting all the way to the basket for a drive. It was also maybe the most he tested himself on blocks. He got all the way back for a chase down block on Derrick White. A few moments later he got up to block a Neemias Queta dunk, but Queta was able to get around him and lay it in. Their perimeter defense looked better as well, with Maxey and Oubre flying around creating deflections for fast breaks.
• It was also refreshing to see Embiid be able to use different speeds. He hit Queta with a euro step that looked like slow motion, and drew an and-1 in the process. Maxey tied the game soon after with a floater. While he hasn’t quite hit 25 minutes in a game, it seems like the team is comfortable letting him go more than 20. That or Nick Nurse was just riding the hot hand as he played six and a half minutes to start the half. Again it was Drummond who relieved him rather than Bona.

JOEL EMBIID. pic.twitter.com/A46IZpTgAF

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 1, 2025

• Eventually the bench had to shuffle in for the Sixers, and unlike the starters they did not appear to shake off a rough first half. Grimes was less involved after many unsuccessful iso attempts in the first half. Justin Edwards couldn’t buy a basket, starting the game 1-of-5, and couldn’t seem to keep the ball moving either way. He had a pair of nervous turnovers, just trying to move too fast without an end in mind. Boston was able to get back up by seven at the end of the third.

Fourth Quarter​

• Funny enough, it felt like most of the Sixers’ blocks on the night came on jumpers. Maxey had a couple big ones earlier, and his buddy Watford had one to help them start the fourth on the right note. Bona checked back in at the start of the quarter too, and it didn’t take long for him to pick up a couple more traditional blocks. Their sloppiness continued though, and a couple turnovers made sure that the offense couldn’t take advantage.

ADEM BONA, OH MY GOODNESS. pic.twitter.com/OGs56Rz2M7

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 1, 2025

• The full boundaries of that restriction were pushed as Embiid checked back in with seven and a half minutes to go, already having played 17 and a half minutes. Even the most well-oiled parts of this team weren’t free from mistakes as Maxey missed a pocket pass to Embiid which sailed out of bounds, and the Sixers were unable to make any progress on Boston’s lead.
• With the Celtics looking to put it away, Maxey, Grimes and Oubre all hit threes to pull the game back within two possessions. Edgecombe hit one with 51 seconds remaining to pull it within two. Brown drew a foul on the following possession, but split his pair. Maxey went for a layup to make it a one-point game.
• In the process of trying to take time off the clock, Brown picked up an offensive foul with 11 seconds left. The Sixers went to Maxey in the backcourt, who tried to get down for a quick floater that didn’t fall. Josh Minnot was fouled with 3.8 seconds left and missed both, Embiid securing the rebound. With one more chance, the Sixers went to Grimes who got into trouble quickly. He was able to swing it to Embiid, somehow with time left, but the long three didn’t fall, and the Sixers will not in fact, go undefeated.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...s-recap-tyrese-maxey-joel-embiid-vj-edgecombe

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers head to Brooklyn looking to bounce back from first loss

The Philadelphia 76ers lost their first game of the season Friday night against the Boston Celtics, but you can’t say this team has any quit in them. They almost completed yet another fourth-quarter comeback, having two cracks at a game-winning bucket in the one-point defeat. Now, the Sixers have about as good of a bounceback spot as you could ask for, making the short trip to Brooklyn to face an 0-5 Nets team firmly in a rebuilding season even just two weeks into the campaign.

If there’s one fly in the ointment for Philadelphia, it’s that Joel Embiid will not take the court tonight, having a planned rest day to join the three guys who missed the Boston game on the sidelines.

The Sixers have an injury report for tomorrow’s game @ Brooklyn:

OUT: Joel Embiid (L knee injury recovery), Dominick Barlow (elbow), Jared McCain (thumb), Paul George (knee).

I am told this is a planned rest for Embiid, not a reaction to any new issues with his knee.

— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) November 1, 2025

Still, as 5.5-point favorites per FanDuel, the Sixers should be able to dodge their first two-game losing streak of the season. Among their five losses, the Nets have dropped contests by 19 points to Charlotte and 28 points to Houston. They drafted and kept five players in the first round of the 2025 NBA draft in a full-on youth movement. Altogether, the Nets have 11 players on the roster 24 years old or younger, and not a single 30-year-old in sight. One of those 2025 first rounders, 27th overall pick Danny Wolf, is out tonight due to an ankle injury, joining veteran Haywood Highsmith (knee) on the injury report.

After a restricted free agent saga that, like Quentin Grimes’ offseason, ended in signing the qualifying offer, Cam Thomas is leading Brooklyn in scoring at 23.4 points per game. Following an offseason trade with the Nuggets that saw Cam Johnson sent to Denver, Michael Porter Jr. is second on the team with a 21.6 points-per-game average. Brooklyn’s offense has been fine to start the season (mid-pack at 15th in the NBA in offensive rating per NBA.com), but their defense has been absolutely abysmal. The Nets’ league-worst 129.1 defensive rating is as far from the 29th-place Pelicans as the Pelicans are from the 12th-place Rockets. It’s certainly understandable with as many young pieces learning the NBA game as the Nets have, but it’s an area the Sixers should be able to exploit. Behind their scorching hot backcourt, the Sixers have the second-best offensive rating in the league, only trailing the Rockets. Seeing Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe go to work against an extremely gettable defense is reason enough to tune in tonight.

Philadelphia has established an identity as a club that will keep fighting and work their way back from second-half deficits. With no rest disadvantage and against a Nets team where they should be able to control the action, let’s see if the Sixers can play the role of frontrunners for a change. Thrilling, last-minute victories make for high drama and good content here on the interwebs, but let’s see if Nick Nurse’s club can pull off an old-fashioned double-digit win in the largest of the five boroughs.

Game Details​

When: Sunday, November 2, 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ooklyn-looking-to-bounce-back-from-first-loss

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Grimes’ playmaking, Oubre’s scoring combine in dominant win vs. Nets

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

2025-2026 Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 3

VJ Edgecombe – 1

Adem Bona – 1

---

The Philadelphia 76ers improved to 5-1 to begin their season on Sunday evening with a dominant 129-105 victory visiting the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are 0-6 to begin their campaign.

The Sixers were without Joel Embiid (injury management) with Jared McCain (thumb), Paul George (knee) and Dominick Barlow (elbow) still sidelined as well. It didn’t matter much tonight, fortunately. Stellar performances from the likes of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes with the usual contributions from Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined for a commanding win over Brooklyn to start this three-game road trip for the Sixers.

If you’re looking for a game recap, you can check that out at this link. Here, we have a lot of Bell Ringer candidates to go through, so let’s dive right in. One of the names here might even surprise you, if you didn’t get to watch the game…

Let’s get to the Bell Ringer.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: 29 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block

Oubre has been fantastic to start this season, averaging 17.6 points per game going into Sunday’s contest against the Nets. He’s not trying to do more than he can, but he’s simply doing everything he can at an extremely-high level.

Tonight, especially in the first period, he was at his absolute best. Oubre had a career-best opening frame with 22 points, shooting 9-for-12 from the floor with two triples. He was also looking like a monster defensively, disrupting the Nets’ offense without committing fouls. Don’t take my word for it, though, just watch below.

Kelly Oubre Jr. with a career-best Q1: 22 points (9-12 FG, 2 3PT) and a steal in the opening frame tonight vs. Nets!

Here's all the Oubre Q1 highlights! #Sixers pic.twitter.com/nvGAmhhxyC

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) November 2, 2025

Oubre headed to the locker room at the end of the third period after appearing to roll his right ankle, limping afterwards. Fortunately, Oubre was seen back out on the bench shortly after, and his services on the court were no longer needed at that point with the Sixers up 20+ points.

Oubre finished the evening leading Philadelphia with 29 points on 12-for-21 (57.1%) field goal shooting, hitting 3-of-9 (33.3%) from long range. He went 2-for-2 from the foul line, had three rebounds and added a block and a steal in his 33:17 on the floor.

That’ll do.

VJ Edgecombe: 16 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals

I know it’s only been six games… but I cannot believe the Sixers got this kid. The 2025 No. 3 overall pick has been living up to the hype (and more, if you ask me) and that didn’t stop on Sunday.

After a relatively quiet first period in Brooklyn, Edgecombe got into the groove with a dozen points in the second. Despite starting a little cold from beyond the arc, Edgecombe kept shooting, sinking back-to-back triples and expanding the Sixers’ lead as the game approached halftime. He actually attempted a third three after those two, hitting off back iron — Trendon Watford was there for the offensive board and set VJ up to make up for it immediately with an aggressive slam.

VJ… EDGECOMBE! pic.twitter.com/8L8ofgkZe6

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 3, 2025

Goodness, this kid is fun to watch.

Edgecombe continues to have the awareness of when to utilize his speed and athleticism to blow by competitors that, like the Nets tonight, really don’t stand a chance keeping up with him (especially in transition). He also continues to be an absolute menace on defense, with lockdown defensive skills and just overall game awareness seemingly far beyond his years already.

The rookie finished Sunday’s contest with 16 points (6-for-12 field goal shooting, 2-for-6 from long range) with two rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Tyrese Maxey: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal

It’s funny, but this felt like a “quiet” night from Maxey. I say that because the contest simply didn’t call for him to have to put the team completely on his back or having to hit a bunch of circus shots — it must have been a nice break for him! Even still, it was a great night from Maxey, who was contributing all over the floor but especially on the offensive end, per usual, with 26 points tonight. Only Oubre, with 29, scored more for Philadelphia tonight.

Maxey continued to shoot the ball well as he has every game to start this season, especially from the beyond the arc. He hit 4-of-9 from downtown against the Nets, meaning he’s now hit at least three triples in all six games to start the season. He’s had four or more in five of those contests.

Maxey continues to be the one to get and keep the Sixers’ offense in rhythm no matter who is on the floor alongside him. He is consistently scoring, grabbing boards, making plays for his teammates and has even been decent on defense. Not much more you can ask for!

Overall, Maxey put up 26 points on Sunday evening with six rebounds, seven assists and a steal.

Tyrese Maxey gets things started with a quick side-step three. pic.twitter.com/sbu3qLtCqG

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 2, 2025

Quentin Grimes: 22 points, 7 rebounds, 13 assists (career-high), 1 steal, 1 block

Quentin Grimes got a bit of (understandable) criticism for his poor decision making on the last play of the Sixers’ loss to the Boston Celtics last Friday. Just as he deserved some questioning then, Grimes equally deserves his flowers now for how he played Sunday evening.

Grimes put up a career-high 13 assists against the Nets, and a lot of them were absolutely beautiful finds that were just perfectly executed. Grimes had an amazing view of the floor and his teammates seemingly all night and it paid off time and time again. Here’s all 13 of his dimes.

Just a STELLAR night from Quentin Grimes with the double-double — 22 points and a career-high 13 assists!

The scoring is great, of course, but the playmaking was the real star from Grimes tonight. Here are all 13 dimes pic.twitter.com/ezEebA2iXJ

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) November 3, 2025

Grimes also scored 22 points of his own, for good measure. He hit 7-for-13 (53.8%) from the floor and 4-for-8 (50.0%) from long range. We’ll always take that sort of scoring efficiency and burst off the bench, of course, but the real gem for Grimes tonight was his playmaking. I could continue yapping about it all, but I really think the video above speaks for itself.

Overall, this was just a stellar game from Grimes, especially after how the last one ended. To wrap it up in a nice statline bow, Grimes had 22 points, seven rebounds, 13 assists, a steal and a block — and he did it all in 31:42 off the bench.

Trendon Watford: 16 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists

I think Trendon Watford enjoyed playing against his old team…

On Sunday evening, Watford showed glimpses of how he could end up being a very impactful member of the Sixers squad. With Philadelphia up big, Watford got some solid minutes of play in the fourth period and made the most of them, showing off how he can utilize his size and strength to get what he wants. In 9:18 during the final frame, the 6-foot-8 24-year-old went 4-for-5 from the floor for 10 points. He pulled a number of tricks out of his bag in this stint, from bully ball into a hook shot, to hitting a pull-up triple, to showing the ability to finish smoothly at the rim with momentum behind him.

QUENTIN GRIMES GOES BEHIND THE BACK FOR HIS (CAREER-HIGH) 11TH ASSIST! pic.twitter.com/tCQSwy6y9x

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 3, 2025

He also grabbed five rebounds (two on the offensive end) and had three assists.

It’s a small sample size against a struggling team, but Watford showed off a lot of promising aspects to his game within this Sixers team on Sunday evening.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...uentin-grimes-trendon-watford-maxey-edgecombe

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Kelly Oubre Jr. is playing his best ball amidst Sixers’ youth movement

After a rough first quarter derailed them in their first loss against the Boston Celtics, the Sixers were looking to wash that taste out of their mouth.

“We just didn’t want to have another slow start like last game,” said Kelly Oubre Jr. after the Sixers routed the Brooklyn Nets 129-105 to improve to 5-1 on the season.

Against a lowly Nets squad still looking for its first win, Oubre made that very easy to do. He dropped 22 of his game-high 29 points in the first quarter, setting the tone for Philly’s first easy win of the season.

Tyrese Maxey knew he was fairly productive in the opening quarter, but was still surprised to hear just how many points he put up.

“How many did he have in the first quarter? 20? 22. Dang, yeah, he was really good,” Maxey said, “[He] shot the ball well, was really decisive on his drives, got to the paint, scored, did a good a job, played good defense too so that was amazing.”

In classic coach fashion, defense was the first thing Nick Nurse credited when asked about Oubre’s offensive explosion.

“The first thing to say about Kelly is that he had [Michael] Porter [Jr.] and held him to two points in the first half coming off a huge game,” Nurse said, “so he set the tone big time.”

Nurse is a big believer that effort given on that end can impact production on the other, and he certainly saw so in a positive way with his starting small forward.

“I really believe this to be true when you start the game super focused on D that normally translates to the other end too, it really does.”

Porter would go on to finish with 17 points, but it would take a 7-of-23 shooting performance, including going 1-of-12 from three-point range, to get there.

Oubre’s defense is something he’s always taken pride in, and he certainly subscribes to his coach’s philosophy that it can translate to offense as well.

“That is my bread and butter, I would say”Oubre said. “Ever since Kansas, Coach [Bill] Self did a good job of instilling that in me, but you know, I just wanted to be the best that I can be on both ends of the court. I had a tough matchup for somebody who can score the ball at a high clip so I just wanted to make sure I was really locked in on that end, disrupting his flow, and I think it worked out.”

That’s not to downplay what Oubre did offensively — both in this game and through the first six games on the whole. After that performance he’s now averaging 19.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, doing so with a 41.7% three-point percentage and a 62.2% effective field goal percentage.

At media day, Oubre referred to a lingering hand injury that goes back three seasons now to when he was on the Charlotte Hornets. He was hopeful that the treatment he got on that hand this offseason would help him improve from last year as a shooter. The way-too-early returns on that have been very good so far.

Oubre’s outside shooting has been a big help for the Sixers’ offense so far, but the consistency on which he’s shot from inside the arc has been one of the team’s most consistent sources of scoring so far in this young season.

After going 9-of-12 from inside the arc against the Nets, Oubre is now shooting a blistering 61.9% on two-pointers this season. An adjustment to jump stop in the lane and use both feet to get his shot off has really made him an effective driver. It’s a shot he’s been working on his entire basketball life.

“Those are the spots that you kind of get to, and it’s just either a floater or a runner, but [it’s] just getting my feet under me,” he said. “I definitely work on that a lot, but just getting to the spots is the main part, right? Because the defenses are different, but if it’s open, you know, just create some contact and shoot it.”

Oubre’s style of play is as aggressive and colorful as his dyed hair. That can often inject life into his team, but it can get him in trouble for being too out of control as well. Coming into this season, he was looking to maintain that intensity and passion while not letting the negative consequences impact his game.

“It’s just letting the game slow down, letting it come to me, not going out there and forcing things and not having any preconceived notions,” he said.

Especially in such an early part of the season, there is obviously a long way to go and plenty more to prove, but in Oubre’s own words, “it works.”

The newfound excitement around this team has largely centered on the new potential franchise cornerstones, but what Oubre’s been able to do so far has played as big a part in their 5-1 start.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...ng-his-best-ball-amidst-sixers-youth-movement

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Jared McCain probable to make season debut Tuesday

Jared McCain has officially been upgraded to probable for the Sixers’ Tuesday night matchup against the Bulls in Chicago.

McCain has been recovering from a torn ligament in his right thumb he suffered in September early on in training camp.

Last year’s rookie campaign was unfortunately cut short after 23 games due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. He was averaging 15.3 points per contest with an effective field goal percentage of 55.3%. He was one of the few bright spots for the Sixers lost season in 2024-25.

Jared McCain officially probable for tomorrow’s game against the Chicago Bulls…

Demon time pic.twitter.com/Hoprqpx4be

— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) November 3, 2025

His season debut could be coming at a perfect time, as the Sixers backcourt has been logging serious minutes. Tyrese Maxey (42.5), VJ Edgecombe (39.0) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (38.0) entered Monday as the three league leaders in minutes per game.

Relief is coming in the form of McCain. The shot creation and playmaking ability will help open up the Sixers’ offense even more in the halfcourt, and he will always be lurking for a trailing transition three. It is intriguing to see what sort of minutes limit is placed on him, if any.

Paul George and Dominick Barlow remain out for the Sixers. Coby White (calf) and Zach Collins (scaphold fracture) have yet to make their 2025-26 debuts for the Bulls. Guard Ayo Dosunmu, who’s been a big part of Chicago’s early-season success, is questionable with a left quad contusion.

The Sixers and the Bulls are both 5-1 on the young season and will be fighting for the top seed in the Eastern Conference tomorrow night.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-mccain-probable-to-make-season-debut-tuesday

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

The sky remains the limit for Tyrese Maxey as he reaches his 25th birthday

Where would the Sixers be without the 2020 bubble heroics of Mike Muscala? A couple of seemingly irrelevant threes in a game that August for Muscala’s Thunder in a win against the Heat allowed the Sixers to keep their first-round pick in that year’s draft. With the 21st pick, the Sixers landed Kentucky guard Tyrese Maxey.

For all the high picks the Process years lent the Sixers, they finally hit on a perimeter player with a pick not just outside the top three, but outside the lottery all together. If the NCAA Men’s Tournament proceeded as usual that spring instead of being canceled due to the pandemic, Maxey’s clutch shot-making and clutch playmaking ability would’ve been on display for the whole country to see. He didn’t get enough opportunities at UK on the biggest of stages to showcase the player he truly is, tumbling down the draft board. Now? He’d go top three in a redraft alongside Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton.

On Tuesday, Maxey turned 25 years old. Scoring nearly 34 points per game on this young season, he looks primed to make his first All-NBA team this season and eventually establish himself as one of the greatest guards to ever play for this franchise.

Maxey has already been an All-Star and has a pair of seasons where he’s averaged 26 points per night. He possesses an unparalleled combination of speed and shooting prowess. As he ages and his basketball IQ and leadership skills match up with those on-court tools, anything could happen for the Sixers’ franchise guard.

There’s nothing that would surprise me about the way Maxey’s career turns out other than it being a disappointment. Maybe he wins a couple scoring titles. Maybe he helps lead the Sixers to the NBA Finals for the first time in decades as the franchise’s 1A or 1B player. Maybe he’s even hoisting the Michael Jordan Trophy come one spring.

Over the course of the last dozen years where endless promise hasn’t even resulted in a Conference Finals appearance, I understand any Sixers fan that is reluctant to let their imagination run wild when it comes to the team and its players. Believe me, I get it. At one point in time, I put all my faith in Markelle Fultz being a superstar guard for the Sixers only for that to evaporate in front of all of our faces. It’s wild that Maxey has turned into the player Fultz was supposed to be for this franchise and maybe even more, a running mate for Joel Embiid and the guy to guide the franchise into its next era.

I had grown to be a Sixers curmudgeon over the last couple of seasons, but I’ve found myself gladly letting my guard down the last two weeks when it comes to this specific team and Maxey, along with rookie standout VJ Edgecombe, is driving that. As the film Rudy once said, “Having dreams is what makes life tolerable.”

I want to believe. With Maxey doing what he’s doing for the next half-decade in Sixers red, white and blue (and black throwbacks…), I’ll continue to dream of the Sixers reaching heights they haven’t hit in over 40 years.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-tyrese-maxey-as-he-reaches-his-25th-birthday

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers blow 24-point lead in ugly loss to Bulls

2025-2026 Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 3

Adem Bona – 1

VJ Edgecombe – 1

Quentin Grimes – 1

Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1

---

The Sixers traveled to the Windy City on Tuesday night for an Eastern Conference clash vs. the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.

The Sixers came into this one riding a high coming off a dominant win over the weekend vs. the Brooklyn Nets. This was a battle for first place in the East as both teams came into this matchup at 5-1 and tied for first place. Tonight’s game also marked the return of Sixers sophomore sensation Jared McCain, who missed the last 59 games of last year with a torn meniscus, and missed the first six games of this year’s campaign with a thumb injury. The Sixers are still awaiting the season debut of Paul George, who is expected back very soon from his offseason knee scope. Dominick Barlow remained sidelined with an elbow laceration. Joel Embiid returned to the Sixers’ lineup after missing Sunday’s game as part of his season long load management plan. The Bulls would be without Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Zach Collins.

Now for the game!

tonight’s first

@TyreseMaxey
@vj_edgecombe
@JoelEmbiid
@KELLYOUBREJR
@JabariWalker pic.twitter.com/02aQ0k6cnz

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 5, 2025

tip-off @GoHealthyPaws pic.twitter.com/WkAXyJ1vix

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 5, 2025

The Sixers got off to a scorching start in this one, knocking down 8-of-11 from beyond the arc in the first quarter. Maxey led the way with 12 first-quarter points courtesy of four three-pointers. The Sixers had 12 assist on 16 made field goals, to propel them to their highest scoring quarter of the season, and a 45-27 led after one.

.@TyreseMaxey has four threes so far.

and we're still in the first quarter. https://t.co/8tKje2yxME pic.twitter.com/EbGbYBvKxK

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 5, 2025

Tyrese Maxey looks flat out unstoppable, especially beyond the arc, where his footwork and space creation has popped even more than in previous years

He’s making a blistering 46.3% of his 9.3 3PA/g so far this season pic.twitter.com/7RIAQAN3ur

— Point Made Basketball (@pointmadebball) November 5, 2025

The Sixers continued their stellar play in the second period. They scored a season-high 75 points in the first half, led by a game-high 22 points from Tyrese Maxey, who continued to flash his early-season brilliance. Eighteen points in just 13 minutes from Joel Embiid helped aid the Sixers to a 19-point lead at the break, as the Sixers went to the locker room with a 75-56 advantage.

halfway there. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/CpRy3YZAul

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 5, 2025

vintage Biid. he's up to 16 points! pic.twitter.com/JPkHftS0AL

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 5, 2025

The Bulls fought back hard in the third period cutting the deficit to single digits on multiple occasions. A Maxey left-handed scoop layup put the Sixers back up 11 headed to the fourth quarter. Josh Giddey had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assist after three quarters of play to pace the Bulls’ attack. The Sixers would take a 95-84 lead into the final period.

quarter to play. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/b5b2oqb5Lt

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 5, 2025

defense offense pic.twitter.com/fLHx0b1cDb

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 5, 2025

The Sixers lead that was once at 24 in this game evaporated in the fourth. The Sixers did not score a basket for the final 6:26 of the game, a complete and utter meltdown. The Sixers fell to the Bulls 113-111. The Sixers will travel to Cleveland tomorrow for the second game of a back-to-back.

final. @cryptocom pic.twitter.com/8RyDwHsnG6

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 5, 2025

The Bell Ringer for tonight goes to Tyrese Maxey

Tyrese Maxey: 39 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 blocks, 14-of-26 from the field

Tyrese Maxey got it going early in this one with four three-pointers in the opening period. Maxey carried the Sixers’ offense for large chunks of this game before running out of gas down the stretch, leading all scorers at the half with 22 and finishing with 39. Maxey has been the Sixers best player by far to this point of the season and one of the best guards in all of basketball.

If you believe another player is worthy, feel free to let us know in the comments.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...xers-blow-24-point-lead-in-ugly-loss-to-bulls

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers visit strengthening Cavaliers to close back-to-back after absymal loss to Bulls

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76ers have a busy November with 14 total games on the month’s schedule. On Wednesday evening, they’ll visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second leg of a back-to-back — their first of three this month.

The Sixers are coming off a horrendous loss to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night. After leading by as much as 19 late in the third period, Philadelphia’s offense completely stagnated. Failing to hit a single field goal in the last 6:26 of the game and scoring just two points in that time from the free throw line, the Sixers allowed the Bulls to come all the way back and take their first lead of the game with three seconds to play — it was the only lead that mattered. The Sixers fell 113-111.

It wasn’t pretty.

The Sixers went 0-11 FG in the last 6:26 of loss vs. Bulls. They managed just 2 points, both from the free throw line, in that stint.

Here is every Sixers possession from it — note the complete lack of movement off the ball, terrible Joel Embiid iso, wild shot selection, etc. pic.twitter.com/zcYMRacY6v

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) November 5, 2025

And there’s no rest for the weary this month. This being a back-to-back, it would make the most sense to expect Joel Embiid to be unavailable tonight for injury management. Embiid played 25:33 in the Sixers’ Tuesday contest, and it was a mixed bag for sure. The big fella looked pretty damn good in the first half — arguably the most agile and comfortable he’s looked to start this season. The second half… not so great offensively, shooting just 1-for-10 from the floor for just two points and relying way too heavily on isolation ball down the stretch.

The loss was a far cry from falling solely on the shoulders of Embiid. The second half, especially the final frame, was a complete team failure, from head coach Nick Nurse’s decisions to the players on the floor not performing at all to close it out.

Tuesday’s contest also featured the return of Sixers’ 2024 No. 16 overall pick Jared McCain. It was his first contest since Dec. 13, 2024, when his rookie season was cut short due to a meniscus tear. Just before the start of this season, McCain was forced to delay his return to game action after suffering a UCL tear in his thumb at a team workout.

McCain didn’t score against the Bulls, going 0-for-4 from the floor with a rebound and two assists in 15 minutes. He was clearly (and understandably) catching up a bit on conditioning and getting back to game speed, which one could imagine might take a few contests after nearly a year away. A back-to-back might be a lot to ask of him in his first days back, but we will keep you posted on the game status for McCain and the rest of the squad when it becomes available.

The Cavaliers, by comparison, are not coming into this one on a back-to-back. In fact, they have enjoyed two days rest since their last contest — a 117-109 win over the Atlanta Hawks this past Sunday.

Donovan Mitchell leads the Cavs as the seventh-highest scorer at the time of writing to start this season, averaging 29.5 points on 55.0% field goal shooting and 43.6% shooting from long range in six games. He has scored +35 points in three of those contests.

The only break the Sixers might catch in this one is that the injury bug has a possibility of affecting the Cavaliers in a big way. Jarrett Allen (finger), averaging 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds across four games, is questionable. Sam Merrill (hip), averaging 17.3 points on 51.4% long range shooting in four games so far this season, is also questionable.

On the flip side, the Sixers may suffer from the possible return of Darius Garland (toe), who has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday. Garland has been sidelined so far this season as he recovers from a surgery performed on his big toe following an All-Star season averaging 20.6 points per game in 2024-25.

Max Strus (foot) remains out for Cleveland as he continues to recover from foot surgery.

This is going to be a tough one for Philadelphia, especially on a back-to-back coming off a truly demoralizing loss. Frankly, it was going to be a hard one even if they had held on to win last night. The Cavaliers are returning to full strength as the Sixers are coming back down to earth a bit after a 4-0 start to the season. This one could get ugly…

The Sixers and Cavaliers tip off at 7 p.m. ET.

Game Details

When: Wednesday, November 5, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...s-joel-embiid-donovan-mitchell-darius-garland

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers show a little fight but fall short in Cleveland

2025-2026 Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 3

Adem Bona – 1

VJ Edgecombe – 1

Quentin Grimes – 1

Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1

---

The Sixers put up a valiant effort in their 132- 121 defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, the second night of a road back to back.

Early on in the first quarter you could tell the Sixers were feeling the wear and tear, as the Cavaliers jumped out to a 17-5 lead. From that moment on, the two teams would exchange runs, bringing the Sixers close to taking the lead, but then the Cavaliers reorganizing to expand their lead on the undermanned opponent.

The Sixers entered the game without the services of Joel Embiid (rest), Jared McCain (rest), Paul George (knee) and Dominick Barlow (elbow). The Cavaliers entered the game without De’Andre Hunter (illness) and Max Strus (foot).

Let’s see who stood out in the Sixers’ second straight loss.

Tyrese Maxey: 27 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, 1 steal. 10-of-20 FG, 2-of-5 3PT

Maxey came into Wednesday’s matchup against the Cavaliers on the heels of a 39-point night in Chicago. He appeared fatigued out of the gate, leaving shots short and missing free throw attempts.

After the Sixers’ reserves provided some energy in his absence, Maxey came off the bench rejuvenated in his second stint. He was able to get downhill and drive the paint effectively, and his shots started falling from downtown. He was responsible for 16 of the last 18 points the team scored in the half, bringing the Cavaliers deficit down to just three at halftime.

Maxey is up to 16 points after this long triple and the Sixers have clawed their way right back into this one! pic.twitter.com/Jz8dQ7Nqfc

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 6, 2025

Unfortunately, the tank may have ran dry for the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, as he shot 2-of-7 in the third quarter and took only two shot attempts in the fourth.

Andre Drummond: 13 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 steal, 1 assist

Drummond was critical in slowing down Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in the first quarter with his size and rebounding prowess. His veteran experience in the paint aided the Sixers in keeping the game competitive in the first half. His paint presence and active hands helped disrupt interior opportunities the Cavaliers were getting extremely easily early on.

He was felt on the boards on both sides, but was emphasized by a put-back slam off of a Oubre Jr. miss. His back-to-back defensive plays in the paint early on in the third quarter were crucial in preventing a disastrous third quarter from being even uglier. He was rewarded with a corner three, which he drained.

ANDRE DRUMMOND THREE-POINTER ALERT pic.twitter.com/bNbUO2p285

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 6, 2025

Trendon Watford: 16 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals

Watford was the lifeline the Sixers were looking for in the second quarter, providing instant energy and offense when the starters looked cold to start. He filled it up offensively in the quarter, making four of his six attempts and dropping three dimes.

Trendon Watford is hoopin! pic.twitter.com/YKDz4zprg8

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 6, 2025

His defense was very solid as he nabbed a couple steals, but it was worth noting he appeared a little bit fatigued in the third quarter. This was only his fifth game after missing the first three contests of the season.

Quentin Grimes: 27 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 9-of-15 FG, 1-of-5 3PT

Grimes’ offensive night was relatively quiet, as he did not make a three until the fourth quarter. But he was there every time the Sixers needed a bucket to break a Cavaliers run, or to inch back in the game.

Quentin Grimes with the strong finish at the rim to try to tamp down the Cavs Q3 run. pic.twitter.com/la5oMoMsmA

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 6, 2025

His effective shooting in the second half provided the Sixers one last chance late, as they cut the Cleveland lead down to nine with a minute left.

His effort and efficiency tonight were the embodiment of the energy we have seen from the Sixers guards so far this season, and it was refreshing to see in a game that felt over on multiple occasions.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-ringer-strong-fight-falls-short-in-cleveland

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Paul George needs to be more than an expensive role player when he returns

As frustrating as Tuesday night might have been for Sixers fans, and as disappointing as it is to drop both games of a back-to-back, Philly is off to about as good a start as fans could have asked for. The Sixers return home at 5-3, with a couple of those wins coming over Boston and Orlando, playoff teams from last season.

While we don’t have an official return date for Paul George, the veteran wing seems to be progressing well and could be back as soon as the weekend when the team returns to Xfinity Mobile Arena for a back-to-back against Toronto and Detroit. A narrative appears to be emerging that while the youth movement has certainly given fans reason to be optimistic, George can still help the team in a smaller role.

I’m not writing this to disagree with that sentiment. There’s certainly a world in which George plays a 3-and-D role well enough for Nick Nurse to start him on a regular basis and for the Sixers to continue winning games with George playing that role. But I am writing this to implore every Sixers fan not to treat that kind of season from George as a success. Are we really about to stoop to the level of treating Paul George the same as Rockets fans probably treated Trevor Ariza while they were contending a decade ago?

That’s not to say George should look like an All-NBA performer during his season debut. It will take time for him to integrate into what the Sixers are doing and to get right physically. But once he’s up to speed, the franchise and fanbase should demand more of him than being a role player.

George is 35 years old and turns 36 in early May, a time when we’d all love for the Sixers to still be playing basketball. As you all know by now, George remains under contract in Philadelphia for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons. His contract figures to be difficult to move. When George signed in Philadelphia, the thought process seemed to be that the Sixers had no choice but to pursue George, the best free agent of a bad crop in the summer of 2024, to walk right into the cap space vacated by the expiring contract of Tobias Harris.

Anytime you operate out of desperation, which is essentially the spot Daryl Morey and company were in entering the 2024 season with few max-level alternatives to George, you’re probably going to be a ripe target for agents. Sure enough, George’s representatives secured one last big contract for him and he is now signed into his late 30s. Once George put pen to paper, most Sixers fans were probably realistically hoping for two more All-Star caliber seasons from George and, had that happened, they’d be willing to live with him deteriorating in the final two seasons of the four-year deal.

I’m not sure what to call 2024-25 for George, but it certainly wasn’t an All-Star caliber season. So, now, just because the Sixers have some exciting young players who appear to be maturing and giving some hope for this season, we’re going to recalibrate our expectations for George when he does step on the floor?

The only way anyone should be happy with George taking on a lesser role this season is if he’s willing to give about 65% of his salary for the season back to the Sixers. When that doesn’t happen, just realize that you’re willfully accepting George becoming one of the most expensive role players in NBA history. In a sports town as intense and hard on its stars as Philly is, that doesn’t seem to be a hallmark of the fanbase’s identity.

Even in the event that George does have success in whatever role is there for him this season, everyone is likely going to be hoping the team can shed the final two years of his contract next summer — and rightfully so. When you’re on the contract George is on, it’s not OK to experience a wide range of performance outcomes. If Kelly Oubre is the best player on the floor for Philadelphia one night and then goes 0-for-8 from three the next night, that’s one thing. On some nights, Adem Bona will look like a tenacious defensive anchor and rack up the blocks, and on other nights, Bona will look like a G-Leaguer. This is acceptable for these kinds of players given the financial commitment being made to them.

There is not a similar acceptable performance from George this season. The standard should be just as high as it was when he showed up in Philly. If that’s not met in 2025-26, this season will simply be another negative mark on an already ugly era for Paul George as a Philadelphia 76er.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...than-an-expensive-role-player-when-he-returns

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

After missed opportunity in Chicago, Sixers get crushed by Cavs

Yeah, really needed to win the one the day before.

The Sixers, on the second night of a back to back, fell 132-121 to a Cleveland Cavaliers team that had all four stars available for the first time this season Wednesday night.

Tyrese Maxey had some brilliant moments that briefly made this game close, and finished with 27 on 10-of-20 shooting — and somehow still playing well into the fourth quarter despite a 20-point deficit. Quentin Grimes got going late in the game to finish with 27 as well, going 9-of-15 from the field.

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VJ Edgecombe had his toughest game to date, finishing with four points going 2-of-13 from the floor along with four rebounds and four assists.

Trendon Watford had 16 while Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 46.

Here are some thoughts mostly before the buzzer.

First Quarter​

• Here’s just a summary of the Sixers turnovers in the opening minutes of the game: Adem Bona didn’t see a quick pass coming to him on the block and just let it hit off his chest. Then he and Maxey were a little too careless crossing half-court and caused a backcourt violation. Capping things off was another sloppy outlet giving the ball up right in front of their own basket. Cleveland was able to jump out to a double-digit lead in no time.
• It also wasn’t a good sign to see them give up three offensive rebounds on the same possession while sitting in a 2-3 zone. For as much as the Cavs shot that zone to death, making seven threes in the quarter, it was somehow an improvement with Andre Drummond able to swat away a couple of drivers.
• Outgunning the Cavs was a tall task, and the Sixers were able to match the output of just Evan Mobley and Mitchell in the quarter. Even Maxey went uncharacteristically 2-of-4 from the free throw line. They looked short on most of their threes, going 2-of-8 from deep, and trailed by 14 at the end of one.

Kelly Oubre Jr. with his 1,000th career triple! pic.twitter.com/78fI70W2FX

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 6, 2025

Second Quarter​

• Some solid possessions were strung together offensively, led by Trendon Watford, who was able to get to the basket, the line, and knock down a three. They would have made a serious run if they were just able to knock down some free throws, but they were able to briefly get the lead into single digits. Bona struggled the most in that department, unable to take advantage of a transition take foul or a potential four-point play a few possessions later.

Trendon Watford hits from long range after some two-man game with Quentin Grimes pic.twitter.com/JSLTRgzDQO

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 6, 2025

• This wasn’t as timid of a half from Edgecombe as he’s had recently, but there was probably opportunity for him to attack the basket more, as daunting a front court as Cleveland has. He had two nice drives start the game but his attacks became sporadic and unsuccessful. In fairness his three-point shot actually had some legs under it but he still missed all three of his attempts.
• It was hard for anyone to stay in a groove with a replay review happening every three minutes, but the Sixers were able to continually chip away at the lead. Maxey seemed inspired by his close friend’s play, starting with a couple successful drives before hitting some absurd three-pointers from well behind the arc. Thanks in large part to 27 points in the quarter from Watford and Maxey, the Sixers were only down by three at the break.

Third Quarter​

• Just as quickly as the Sixers tied the game up in the second half the Cavs erased it with a 15-0 run. They were again so reliant on Maxey in isolation that they could get keyed in on. The rest of the starting lineup was shooting 6-of-23 from the field. To be fair, both active centers attempted threes. but only one got it to go.

ANDRE DRUMMOND THREE-POINTER ALERT pic.twitter.com/bNbUO2p285

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 6, 2025

• This has made them a higher turnover team as well when so many of the passes are hot potatoes. They picked up their 12th turnover after having at least 15 in each of their last three games. Somehow their overtime thriller in Washington was the lowest of the four with 14.
• Nearly everyone has been able to cook the Sixers off the perimeter this year so it’s no surprise Donovan Mitchell was able to do so on a short rested squad. He picked up his 36th point of the night to put the Cavs up 20 at the end of the third.

Fourth Quarter​

• Somehow Grimes was able to score 18 points before hitting his first three-pointer of the night. For however bad he looked on some field goal attempts he was able to get to the line nine times. It was so little enough to stop the Cavs onslaught though that even Kate and Alaa were wondering how long Maxey would still be in the game on the broadcast.
• It increasingly turned into a sour night for Edgecombe. He was increasingly flummoxed challenging the Cavs’ bigs. So much standing around on offense though does make it hard to get to the basket, but he certainly looked liked a rookie in this one.
• Even though they cut the lead to single digits briefly, it was not worth playing all the starters for almost the entirety of the quarter. Funny enough, it was only after the Cavs got right up by 10 that the bench was empty. It is still really early in the season for some of these guys to look as tired as they do.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...cap-tyrese-maxey-vj-edgecombe-trendon-watford

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Paul George meeting doctors this weekend for ‘last hurdle’ in surgery recovery, says Nurse

(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76ers told reporters at practice on Friday that Paul George would be meeting with doctors over this upcoming weekend to assess his recovery and that the next steps for the forward would be determined from there. George has been sidelined to start the 2025-26 season after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee back in July to treat an injury suffered during a workout in the offseason.

Paul George is meeting with doctors over the weekend to assess his recovery and next steps will be determined from there, per Sixers

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) November 7, 2025

Now, this post in itself caused a bit of panic online. Fairly enough, I should add, as the “next steps will be determined from there” initially made it sound like there was maybe shift away from plans towards a return in the very near future. George had returned 5-on-5 at practice back on Oct. 16 and has been a full participant in practices since, so many fans were taken aback by the idea of the next steps still needing to be determined for him.

But rest assured, this is a medical team that George has been working closely with regularly throughout his rehab and recovery from the surgery. It’s nothing as new or developing as it initially sounded.

In fact, it sounds much more like a positive step rather than any indication of a bump in the road, as head coach Nick Nurse added that the meeting with his medical team this weekend was a “last hurdle” for George to clear towards making a return to play.

Nurse says that this meeting is "the last hurdle" for Paul George to clear, so it sounds like if things go well, George could be back soon. https://t.co/FUVqOio8I9

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) November 7, 2025

Last season, George played 41 games, averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.8 steals in 32.5 minutes per game after signing a four-year deal worth over $211 million. From the outset, PG was dealing with injuries, beginning with a knee hyperextension suffered preseason. The rest of the season was interspersed with an array of injuries (for George and the rest of the Sixers’ roster, really) that made any level of consistency impossible.

The Sixers are 5-3 to begin the 2025-26 season without George. He will be out for at least this weekend’s back-to-back for Philadelphia, but we will keep you posted as more information on his eventual return becomes available.

Until then, feel encouraged that it seems things are still on track for PG in terms of his recovery. In fact, he’s even out on the court after practice beating Jared McCain in shooting competitions.

McCain and George just made a friendly (i believe $1000) wager on a post practice shooting competition — McCain made 5 of these shots in a minute

The DJ put Not Like Us on for Paul and he coasted to victory pic.twitter.com/FaIwkh0PUT

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) November 7, 2025

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...philadelphia-sixers-paul-geroge-injury-return

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Nick Nurse is courting disaster with the Sixers’ minutes distribution

Through the first two-plus weeks of the 2025-26 NBA season, here are the current leaders in minutes per game:

1. Tyrese Maxey (PHI): 41.3 MPG
2. VJ Edgecombe (PHI): 38.6 MPG
3. Austin Reaves (LAL): 37.9 MPG
4. Kelly Oubre Jr. (PHI), 37.4 MPG
5. Lauri Markkanen (UTA): 37.1 MPG

This isn’t an aberration for a Nick Nurse-led team, either.

In 2019-20, Kyle Lowry was fourth in the league in minutes per game (36.2), Fred VanVleet was eighth (35.7) and Pascal Siakam was 12th (36.2). In 2020-21, VanVleet was second (36.5) and Siakam was sixth (35.8). In 2021-22, Siakam and VanVleet were tied for the league lead at 37.9, while Scottie Barnes was tied for eighth at 35.4. And in 2022-23, Nurse’s final year in Toronto, Siakam led the league at 37.4, VanVleet was fifth at 36.7 and OG Anunoby was 16th at 35.6.

Someone said Canadian thibs pic.twitter.com/L5YaRD1sao

— Subscribe to the You Know Ball Patreon (@TrillBroDude) January 5, 2023

Once Jared McCain gets back up to speed and Paul George makes his season debut, Maxey and Edgecombe’s minutes figure to tick down accordingly. After all, Nurse emphasized at media day how the Sixers “should be able to keep energy up with some shorter stints just because of the sheer numbers” in their new-look backcourt.

Then again, it’s fairly clear that three-guard lineups will be a staple for the Sixers this year. Nurse is a believer in getting the best players on the floor, positions be damned, and four of the Sixers’ seven best players are all guards. They’d be doing themselves a disservice by playing McCain and Quentin Grimes sparingly behind Maxey and Edgecombe.

The Sixers need to find a healthy balance between leaning on their backcourt and preserving their key guys throughout the grind of the 82-game regular season. The debacle that was their 2024-25 campaign should be fresh in their minds, after all.

With both George and Joel Embiid sidelined at the start of last season, Maxey averaged 41.0 minutes per game across his first six outings. In the seventh game of the year, he suffered a hamstring strain that sidelined him for two weeks. By the time he returned, the Sixers were in a 2-11 hole that they’d never climb their way out of.

Maxey was sensational over those first six games last year, averaging 30.2 points, 4.3 assists, 3.5 three-pointers, 3.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals, although he shot only 40.8 percent overall and 29.6 percent from deep. He has leveled up this season with a league-best 33.5 points, 8.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 4.3 made threes while shooting 47.8 percent overall and 47.9 percent from distance.

Edgecombe, Oubre and Grimes are also off to strong starts this season, but the Sixers’ house of cards would be at major risk of crumbling if Maxey got injured. You’d never know that by how Nurse handled the fourth quarter of the loss to Cleveland on Wednesday.

The short-handed Sixers were only down three at halftime, but Maxey sputtered in the third quarter, finishing with only five points on 2-of-8 shooting. Edgecombe replaced him with three minutes left in the third quarter, but Maxey was right back on the floor at the start of the fourth even though the Sixers were down 107-87. The Sixers only got within single digits with 1:21 remaining in the game, but Maxey stayed in for the first 11 minutes of the fourth quarter regardless. This was the second night of a road back-to-back in which Maxey played 39 minutes the previous night against the Chicago Bulls, too.

Maxey’s workload is setting off the biggest alarm bells, but Edgecombe’s is a close second. While Edgecombe has been an absolute revelation early in the year, he’s also playing the most minutes of any rookie since Michael Jordan, according to Liberty Ballers’ TrillBroDude. At this rate, he might hit the rookie wall by early December.

The Sixers have another back-to-back Saturday against the Raptors and Sunday against the Detroit Pistons, although they have a two-day gap between their games against the Boston Celtics (Nov. 11), Pistons (Nov. 14) and Los Angeles Clippers (Nov. 17). That should give the gassed-out Sixers some well-deserved rest after a brutal early-season schedule.

They just need to make it to those games in one piece. Nurse’s current minutes distribution won’t help them with that goal.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Salary Swish and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...inutes-distribution-tyrese-maxey-vj-edgecombe

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Two days off, two days on for Sixers hosting Raptors to open back-to-back (in black jerseys!)

(Photo by Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76ers are back in action on Saturday evening hosting the Toronto Raptors after two much-needed days off.

And, of course, it’s the start of a back-to-back. This is already the Sixers’ third back-to-back of the 2025-26 campaign — they have 16 total across the season. After taking on the Raptors on Saturday, they will face the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. At least both games are home for this one…

It’s also the first game the Sixers will be wearing the black, 2000-01 era jerseys! So at the very least, the team and the court should look good.

The last few days of respite came at a good time for the Sixers, who are coming off two losses this past Tuesday (at the Chicago Bulls) and Wednesday (visiting the Cleveland Cavaliers). The first looked extremely promising for Philadelphia at the beginning, with the Sixers amassing a 24-point lead at one point. A second-half collapse punctuated by zero field goals scored in the last 6:26 to play, however, let the Bulls steal that one away. The second contest of the week, visiting the Cavaliers, was more of a blowout defeat. Cleveland decimated Philadelphia 132-121 (which makes it sound like a closer contest than it really ever was) on Wednesday, greatly benefitting from having Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley all available for the first time this season.

That Wednesday loss was also, notably, VJ Edgecombe’s first truly rough game of his young career. The rookie scored just seven points — his first single-digit scoring game — on 3-for-14 (21.4%) field goal shooting and 0-for-5 from long range. That one game in itself is less important, in my opinion, than how he could bounce back on Saturday. He has been playing an incredible amount of time on the floor (38.5 minutes per game, trailing only Tyrese Maxey’s 41.3 for the Sixers), so hopefully the small break did him some good.

Now, we move on to the Raptors. Toronto is coming into South Philadelphia less than 24 hours removed from defeating the Atlanta Hawks 109-97 on Friday night in a NBA Cup group play game. The Raptors are red-hot right now, riding a four-game win streak after a rough 1-4 start to open their season. The Hawks actually had the advantage for most of last night’s game before the Raptors bit back in the final frame, outscoring Atlanta 36-20 to take over the lead and the victory.

Toronto have widespread ability across their youthful roster — they have just one player 30 or older, with center Jakob Poeltl having turned 30 just a few weeks ago. Three players are currently neck-and-neck to lead the team for scoring through their first nine contests: Brandon Ingram (21.0 points per game), RJ Barrett (20.6) and Scottie Barnes (20.1). Immanuel Quickley is the squad’s leading playmaker averaging 6.3 assists in addition to his 13.6 points and 1.6 steals per game.

Overall, this Raptors team is resilient in the face of deficits, shooting the ball incredibly well and riding the momentum of turning around the start of their season. It’s a dangerous combination that the Sixers will have to try to contain.

The Sixers’ injury report has Jared McCain (injury management) listed as available for Saturday’s game, though he remains on a minutes restriction, head coach Nick Nurse told reporters at practice on Friday. Joel Embiid’s name did not appear at all on the report. Of course nothing is certain until the team takes the floor, but it sounds like Philadelphia plan to use Embiid for the Raptors rather than for the Pistons on Sunday, assuming they stick to the plan of not having him feature in both games of back-to-backs.

Otherwise, Paul George (knee surgery recovery) and Dominick Barlow (elbow laceration) both remain out.

The Raptors injury report will not be available until Saturday afternoon. For what it’s worth, the Raptors did not rest anyone in their starting five (Barrett, Ingram, Poeltl, Barnes, Quickley) in either game of a previous back-to-back this season. We will let you know their official availabilities, though, when that information is released.

The Sixers and Raptors tip off at 7:30 p.m ET.

Game Details

When: Saturday, November 8, 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...raptors-joel-embiid-jared-mccain-vj-edgecombe

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers-Cavaliers: Second Half Thread

Game Details​

When: Wednesday, November 5, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...d-cavaliers-nba-discussion-thread-second-half

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers pay proper homage to 2000-01 team with win over Toronto

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 4
Adem Bona – 1
Andre Drummond – 1
VJ Edgecombe – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1

---

Donning the 25-year anniversary black retro jerseys, the Sixers channeled the 2001 playoffs in dispatching the Toronto Raptors in South Philadelphia, 130-120. It was a team-wide effort that saw six players finish in double figures in scoring, including all five starters. Having snapped a two-game skid to move up to 6-3 on the season, Philadelphia will be right back in action tomorrow night against Detroit. I don’t know what the tail end of the back-to-back will hold, but let’s celebrate a fun win from the Sixers tonight, one in which they were dressed to kill. Bell Ringer awaits.

Trendon Watford: 20 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover

In his first start as a Sixer, Watford recorded career-highs in rebounds and assists on the way to his first career triple-double. He started at power forward, played some backup point guard, and did a little bit of everything in between. Watford’s inclusion helps shore up a lot of prior weaknesses for the Sixers. He’s a hugely positive force on the glass, and his ability to handle the rock allows Tyrese Maxey to run more off ball stuff where he’s extremely dangerous. The fact that the Sixers have Watford on a minimum deal for not only this season, but next year as well is a Daryl Morey masterclass. It also doesn’t hurt one bit that he and Maxey are such good friends to help ramp up the vibes to their current ‘immaculate’ level. Incredible performance from Trendon tonight, and shoutout to Kate Scott for the ‘Trendon makes, the world takes’ line.

TRENDON WATFORD. FEELING IT.

AND A TRENTON BRIDGE PUN FROM KATE SCOTT. pic.twitter.com/VPv83PleHD

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 9, 2025

Tyrese Maxey: 31 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1 turnover

It’s nice that Maxey doesn’t have to be the be-all, end-all for this current iteration of the Sixers, as he needed to be for large stretches of last year when the burden became too great. In tonight’s win, plenty of other guys stepped up, and even someone like VJ Edgecombe who struggled for much of the night, then became the closer in the fourth quarter. But let’s not discount what was a very solid performance from Tyrese. His shooting gravity sets up so much for the Sixers, and he still has the ability to use the combination of blazing speed and hesitation dribbles to get to the bucket at will. Maxey also continues to chip in with a few key defensive plays every night, and his passing is getting better and better, as we saw on this on-point lob to Edgecombe.

TYRESE MAXEY LOBS, VJ EDGECOMBE SOARS FOR THE SLAM! pic.twitter.com/oNGWaZQ7gc

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 9, 2025

Joel Embiid: 29 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 2 turnovers

I felt like tonight was the best we’ve seen Joel look this season, and not just because he tallied a season-high 29 points. He also looked great on the defensive end, moving really well and affecting shots, even if he didn’t have the stocks totals to back it up. Offensively, everything looked smooth operating from the nail area against an undersized Toronto frontcourt missing Jakob Poeltl. Aside from a couple instances where he didn’t recognize the backside help coming, Embiid did a terrific job of diagnosing the defense and either feeding teammates or attacking single coverage to earn trips to the foul line. His mid-range jumper is as deadly as they come in the league right now. Overall, Joel just didn’t seem to be laboring on the court or looking out of place at any point, which is wonderful to see, health-wise.

Joel Embiid is up to 21 points in 20 minutes tonight through Q3! Shooting 8-for-13 (61.5%) from the floor pic.twitter.com/9chwF0H2ME

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 9, 2025

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...-homage-to-2000-01-team-with-win-over-toronto

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers-Pistons: First Half Thread

Game Details​

When: Sunday, November 9, 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76ers-discussion-threads/80424/sixers-pistons-first-half-thread

 

[Philadelphia 76ers]

Sixers Bell Ringer: Pistons spoil Goldfish night

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Tyrese Maxey – 3
Adem Bona – 1
Andre Drummond – 1
VJ Edgecombe – 1
Quentin Grimes – 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. – 1 Trendon Watford – 1

The Philadelphia 76ers fell to the Detroit Pistons 111- 108, splitting their home back-to-back on throwback weekend.

Fans lucky enough to be the first 2,001 in the building received a voucher to claim their 2000-01 Sixers throwback branded Goldfish bag.

The Sixers were once again outscored in the third quarter, a pattern that is becoming a big enough of a problem when they are not as consistent offensively in the fourth quarter.

The Sixers are now -90 across Q3s this season. That… seems like a problem.

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 10, 2025

In the second quarter, the Sixers did a great job crashing rebounds and matching the Pistons physicality on defense. They forced more turnovers than they did in the first frame, which opened up the offense and allowed guys to find their rhythm. They outscored Detroit in the second 32-17.

The Pistons would outscore the Sixers in the third quarter 34-21. Cade Cunningham, who struggled mightily in the first half, would score 17 points in the frame alone, getting him on track to be pivotal down the stretch.

The fourth quarter saw the Sixers play like they did in the second quarter, but the awoken Cunningham opened up more opportunities for the Pistons in the halfcourt. Both teams would score 23 in the final frame.

The Sixers once again struggled to get a shot up on their last possession. Their execution in clutch time also has to improve, or else winnable games against good teams will continue to slip through their hands.

On to Bell Ringer.

Andre Drummond: 17 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Andre Drummond was a force on the glass in this game, and was battling with Pistons big man Jalen Duren all night. He was facilitating easy looks early on during a slow stretch from Sixers offense.

Drummond hit multiple threes for the first time since Feb, 24 2020. Although his last attempt in the fourth quarter may not have been the best option.

Andre Drummond is having himself a NIGHT! (with the great dime from Trendon Watford) pic.twitter.com/rkeaekRKHT

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) November 10, 2025

He continues to hold his own defensively, finishing with one block on the night, fand always does a solid job of mucking up the action in drop coverage. He had a couple huge stops at the rim down the stretch to give the Sixers a chance to win.

If he keeps playing like this without the services of Embiid, the team will be in good shape.

Tyrese Maxey: 33 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals

There is not much prettier in the NBA currently than Tyrese Maxey’s three pointer. He had multiple difficult shots on the move that have become close to automatic for him, yet are impressive nonetheless. In the second quarter, he had a nice shot in transition off a pass from Jared McCain, then a moving three catch and shoot on an out of bounds play over much the much taller Duren.

He led the Sixers 20-10 run to end the first half.

Maxey knocked down back to back huge buckets in fourth, a finger roll and a three to give Sixers lead back with just under nine minutes left.

He would go on to hit a huge three in corner to give Sixers the lead again with 4 minutes left. It may or may not have happened in front of a familiar face, which Maxey acknowledged.

Tyrese Maxey hits another triple in Q4 and points to former Sixers teammate Tobias Harris on the Pistons' bench.

Harris… does not seem amused. pic.twitter.com/OZERvQXcjX

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) November 10, 2025

Although it was not the most efficient night for Maxey, his persistence to keep shooting and being the engine for the offense was pivotal in the Sixers willingness to match the Pistons physicality. It is easier to go to battle for a leader like Maxey, who will not let a string of missed shots throw him off from being aggressive.

Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/76er...xers-bell-ringer-pistons-spoil-goldfish-night