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Nikola Jokic, Cade Cunningham Earn Player Of The Month Honors

December 2nd, 2025 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Pistons guard Cade Cunningham are the NBA’s Players of the Month for October/November, earning the honor for the Western and Eastern Conference, respectively, per an announcement from the league (Twitter link).

It’s the ninth time that Jokic has won a Player of the Month award over the course of his 11-year career. He earned it in this case with a superlative start to the season that saw him comfortably average a triple-double – 28.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 10.9 assists per game – while leading Denver to a 14-5 record.

Jokic’s shooting percentages were arguably even more remarkable than his per-game averages, as he shot 63.7% from the field and converted 45.3% of his three-point attempts.

The Nuggets star came out on top of a competitive field that included nominees like fellow MVP candidates Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder and Luka Doncic of the Lakers. Clippers guard James Harden, Rockets center Alperen Sengun, Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, Lakers guard Austin Reaves, and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards were also nominated for Player of the Month in the West, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

In the East, meanwhile, Cunningham’s Pistons have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the season’s first six weeks. While Detroit was viewed as a strong playoff contender, few NBA observers expected the team to win 16 of its first 20 games and sit atop the Eastern Conference at the end of November.

Cunningham was the driving force behind the Pistons’ hot start, averaging 28.8 points, 9.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds in 36.8 minutes per game across 17 outings, while shooting 45.6% from the floor and 81.5% from the free throw line.

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Heat guard Norman Powell, Magic forward Franz Wagner, and Knicks teammates Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were also nominated for Eastern Conference Player of the Month, which Cunningham won for the first time in his career.

Sixers Notes: Maxey, Embiid, George, Edgecombe

November 28th, 2025 at 1:49pm CST by Luke Adams

After they made a total of 60 combined appearances last season, availability has been an issue again this fall for Sixers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, who have played in six and three games, respectively, and have yet to share the court.

However, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes, Embiid’s and George’s health issues haven’t been as devastating for Philadelphia this fall as they were last season, due in large part to the team’s increasingly dynamic backcourt. The 76ers used the No. 3 overall pick in June’s draft to add VJ Edgecombe to a group headlined by breakout star Tyrese Maxey.

“These guys give them the ability to move on from the Embiid and George era,” one Western Conference executive told Bontemps.

“It just looks like there is more energy,” an Eastern Conference exec added. “They may not be good enough, but it’s not just waiting around for Paul and Joel [to get healthy] like it’s been in the past.”

According to Bontemps, head coach Nick Nurse and the Sixers made more of an effort entering this season not to be so dependent on Embiid offensively. Maxey has become the club’s offensive engine and is thriving in that role, with career-high averages of 32.2 points and 7.5 assists per game through 17 contests. His shooting percentages (.470/.409/.878) are also above his career rates.

“He’s a legitimate first- or second-team All-NBA player now,” one East scout told ESPN. “Even with Embiid’s injury issues, they could still be in the conversation for a top-six spot in the East, because Maxey is really that good.”

Here’s more from Bontemps on the Sixers:

While Embiid may no longer be the focal point of the Sixers’ present and future, he’s still an important part of the roster, Bontemps writes. One executive suggested the club will have to figure out how to maximize Embiid “in a strategic way” when he’s available this season, while a scout pointed out that Philadelphia still needs him on the other end of the court. “They’re not good enough defensively [without him],” that scout said. “That’s why I have a hard time believing in them.”
Sources who spoke to Bontemps believe Embiid will get more comfortable as the season goes in with his surgically repaired left knee, but his current nine-game absence is related to soreness in his right knee, underscoring the fact that the Sixers can’t necessarily rely on having him on the floor with any consistency. And even when he is available, the increased pace of games could be a concern for the big man. “You look at where the league is heading, with the pace and the speed the game is being played,” a scout told Bontemps. “He was having trouble keeping up with it when he was healthy, let alone now.”
There’s a belief among Bontemps’ sources that a healthy version of George would be an ideal fit alongside the team’s guards, even if he’s not as dynamic or explosive as he was earlier in his career. “He can be a floor-spacing [power forward],” an Eastern Conference scout said of George. “Better to not have him handling the ball as much anymore. You can run some pick-and-rolls with him as the screener to take advantage of his shooting and ability to attack mismatches. Will he accept that role? I’ll be curious to see.”
Donovan Mitchell and peak Victor Oladipo were among the players that came up multiple times when scouts pointed to comparables for Edgecombe, according to Bontemps. “I didn’t think VJ would be as good as he’s been,” one scout admitted. “Yes, there’s imperfections, but if they keep pushing him — because he can do lots of different things — he will be a special player.” There’s also a sense that Edgecombe won’t have any problem coexisting with Maxey long-term. “Those guys are pretty good together,” a Western Conference scout told Bontemps. “They work well together because they can both do a bit of everything.”

Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell Named Players Of The Week

November 24th, 2025 at 2:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week for the Western and Eastern Conference, respectively, the league announced today (Twitter links).

Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champions to four wins during the week of November 17-23 while averaging 31.0 points and 6.5 assists per contest and shooting 60% from the field and 64.3% from beyond the arc. Oklahoma City was +82 in SGA’s 125 minutes on the court last week.

Gilgeous-Alexander also earned Player of the Week honors three weeks ago and is the second repeat winner of the award this season, joining Nuggets center Nikola Jokic.

Mitchell posted averages of 31.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game as the Cavaliers went 3-1 this past week. He opened and closed the week with matching 37-point performances against the Bucks and Clippers, going 14-of-22 from the field in each of those two outings.

Santi Aldama (Grizzlies), Luka Doncic (Lakers), De’Aaron Fox (Spurs), James Harden (Clippers) and Jokic (Nuggets) were the other Western Conference nominees for Player of the Week.

Jalen Duren (Pistons), Josh Giddey (Bulls), Brandon Ingram (Raptors), Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Tyrese Maxey (Sixers), Norman Powell and Kel’el Ware (Heat), Ryan Rollins (Bucks) and Franz Wagner (Magic) were also nominated in the East.

Eastern Notes: Ivey, Pistons, George, Carter, Cavs

November 23rd, 2025 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Playing in his first regular season game since January 1, Pistons guard Jaden Ivey made his season debut on Saturday in Milwaukee and helped his team pick up its 12th straight win by registering 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 15 minutes, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN.

Ivey said during his post-game media session that he “cherished the moment” to be back on the court after being sidelined due to a fractured left fibula last season and right knee surgery this fall. Ivey said he had “so much gratitude to be out there again,” and his head coach suggested the team reciprocated that feeling.

“We’re just happy to have him back,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters, including Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “That’s the most important thing. For him to have that joy and competition and competing with his teammates, that was the most important thing for him out there. Obviously you see the way that he can impact the game at a high level. Fifteen minutes is hard to catch a rhythm sometimes but I thought he did all the things we needed him to do. This was just more celebration of his journey to get back out on the court and we were happy to be a part of it.”

All 13 Pistons who were active for the game saw the court in the 129-116 win over the Bucks, with 11 logging at least 13 minutes. Bickerstaff said after the victory that he’s going to try using a 12-man rotation going forward as he assesses Detroit’s best lineups and fits.

“We’re going to give guys opportunity, especially in the first half and see how the game progresses in the second half,” Bickerstaff said (Twitter link via Sankofa). “It may not always be easy but guys are going to have an opportunity because they’ve earned it.”

We have more from across the Eastern Conference:

With the 14-2 Pistons sitting atop the Eastern Conference standings and well positioned from a salary cap perspective for in-season roster moves, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) evaluates whether it makes sense for them to try to make a major trade before February’s deadline. Gozlan ultimately concludes that Detroit is more likely to wait until the 2026 offseason to take a big swing.
Sixers forward Paul George played well in his second game back from knee surgery on Thursday, contributing 21 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes of action. George’s conditioning still isn’t 100%, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, but he provides the team with some stability at the forward spot and said all the right things after the game about his role. “Listen, whatever it is, to make the game easy for No. 0,” George said, referring to Tyrese Maxey. “I’ve been saying he’s been doing a lot for us. He might not want to say it, but I know he’s tired. He’s got to be tired. So, you know, I’m just trying to make the game easy for him within the offense, play my game.”
Starting center Wendell Carter Jr. has been an under-the-radar impact role player for the Magic so far this season, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, who takes a look at the ways in which Carter is making the team better both offensively and defensively. “Both sides of the floor, (he has) a huge gravitation. Whether that’s rebounding, defensive position, I feel like that’s stuff that maybe goes unnoticed,” teammate Tristan Da Silva said of Carter, who is averaging 12.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game on .530/.458/.797 shooting.
Darius Garland (toe) and Jaylon Tyson (concussion) returned to the Cavaliers‘ lineup on Friday after missing five games apiece due to injuries and were on minutes restrictions of roughly 30 minutes, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. While the Cavs got some reinforcements in that game, they remain banged up as they prepare to host the Clippers on Sunday. Jarrett Allen (finger) will miss a second consecutive contest, while Craig Porter Jr. has been ruled out for the first time this season due to a left hamstring strain, per Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Maxey, Embiid, Bona, Demin, Rajakovic

November 22nd, 2025 at 12:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics held their own without injured star Jayson Tatum through the first month of the 2025/26 season and entered Friday’s game with an 8-7 record. However, hosting the lowly Nets, Boston experienced its most discouraging loss of the season, falling 113-105 to a Brooklyn club whose only two previous wins had come against Indiana and Washington.

As Jay King of The Athletic writes, star wing Jaylen Brown expressed frustration after the game with what he saw from his team, suggesting that Boston’s effort level wasn’t where it needed to be “for the majority of the game.”

“Come ready to play, or don’t play at all,” Brown said. “That’s my whole thing. We’ve gotta come ready to play. We just went through the motions today. Like, I don’t understand it. … Regardless if you’re making or missing shots, regardless of anything, we’ve just got to come out and play with great energy, great enthusiasm for the game. Like, want to win. It just didn’t seem like that was the case tonight.”

“… At the end of the day, we’ve all got a job to do,” Brown continued. “We’re all getting paid to do what we love to do. Come ready to play basketball, or you’re doing a disservice. So everybody’s got to come here and be ready to do their job and have great energy, enthusiasm and want to win. That’s what it’s about at the end of day: Celtic basketball.”

Besides losing Tatum to an Achilles tear that is expected to sideline him for most or all of the 2025/26 season, the Celtics traded away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis over the summer, so there’s less talent on the roster than there has been during the past couple years. As a result, the team can’t afford to take any nights off, head coach Joe Mazzulla told King and other reporters.

“I think it’s true of any basketball team, but I think the margin for error is smaller for certain teams,” Mazzulla said. “And the margin for error is smaller for us. We have to be the best. We have to be sharp physically and mentally every night. We’ve understood that that’s a strength of ours when we’re at our best, and we have to try to play at our best.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Just 24 hours after Paul George told Tony Jones of The Athletic that Tyrese Maxey is the “heart and soul” of the Sixers, the star guard submitted arguably the best performance of his career on Thursday in an overtime win over Milwaukee, with 54 points and nine assists, per Steve Megargee of The Associated Press. Maxey is now the league leader in minutes per game (40.7) and ranks second in scoring (33.4 PPG). “We’re asking him to do so much. We’re asking him to play a ton of minutes and he’s delivering,” George told Jones this week. “… This is similar to what Allen Iverson once did for the city. He’s our battery, and we’re witnessing one of them ones.”
Joel Embiid still has some soreness in his right knee, but Sixers doctors have determined he’s making positive progress toward a return, tweets Jones. The 76ers also said that big man Adem Bona, who is out with a right ankle sprain, will miss at least two more games, Jones adds.
Nets lottery pick Egor Demin was benched for the final 20 minutes of a loss to Boston on Tuesday, according to Dan Martin of The New York Post, who notes that the rookie guard was struggling defensively. However, Demin bounced back on Friday, hitting a big three-point shot in the fourth quarter to help Brooklyn secure an upset victory over the divisional rival Celtics, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “He played so hard, and that’s why he earned the right to be out there. And he showed composure,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said after Friday’s win.
Darko Rajakovic won just 25 and 30 games in his first two years as the Raptors‘ head coach, but he’s making an early case for Coach of the Year consideration this fall, contends Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. While Brandon Ingram‘s arrival and a deeper bench have been difference-makers for the 11-5 Raptors, Rajakovic deserves kudos for integrating Ingram – one of the NBA’s premier isolation scorers – into his “free-flowing” system and getting the most out of that bench, Lewenberg says.

Sixers Notes: George, Embiid, Maxey, Edgecombe, Drummond

November 18th, 2025 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

Sixers forward Paul George was on a minutes restriction in his season debut on Monday vs. his former team (the Clippers) and said after the game that he “felt good,” per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. George, having recovered from offseason surgery on his left knee, returned to the starting lineup and had nine points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes of action.

“It felt great to finally play basketball again,” said George, who last suited up on March 4. “Been like eight months since I played, so it was a long journey. A lot of ups and downs, a lot of hiccups … but felt good to finally get out there, and I felt good. Rusty, but I felt good.”

As a result of George’s minutes restriction, he ended up sitting out most of the fourth quarter as the Sixers eked out a two-point victory in crunch time. According to Bontemps, the 35-year-old said after the game that a potential increase on that minutes limit would be based on his work with the team’s medical staff and how his body responds to playing again.

We have more on the 76ers:

Star center Joel Embiid missed a fourth straight game on Monday due to right knee soreness, but head coach Nick Nurse is optimistic that his absence won’t last much longer. “He’s OK, just not quite pain-free,” Nurse said, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). “Still day to day. I think it’s getting better. I don’t think he’s far away from playing.”
With George and Embiid not fully available to open the season, the Sixers have been leaning heavily on guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe to generate offense. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, that has resulted in very heavy workloads for both Maxey (a league-leading 40.4 minutes per game) and Edgecombe (37.3 MPG). Nurse said on Monday that he has spoken to both players about the issue and that both insisted they’re comfortable with their high minutes totals. “They’re both on board,” the Sixers’ head coach said. “I said, ‘Whenever these (injured players) come back to help, we’re going to welcome them with open arms. But until that point, let’s stay focused on doing what needs to be done.”
With Embiid out and Adem Bona sidelined due to an ankle sprain, the Sixers are learning more heavily on Andre Drummond, who has started the team’s past four games and played at least 33 minutes in each of those contests. As Pompey writes, Drummond held his own against talented Clippers center Ivica Zubac on Monday, scoring 14 points and grabbing a season-high 18 rebounds. Interestingly, the two-time All-Star is also incorporating an outside shot into his game — he’s 7-of-17 on three-pointers this season after never having made more than five in a season prior to 2025/26.
In a mailbag for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pompey considers whether Embiid or George have any trade value and acknowledges that neither player would be a hot commodity on the trade market at the moment. However, Pompey believes that George, in particular, has a chance to rebuild his value if he can stay on the court for an extended stretch this season, since his health issues have been acute injuries that shouldn’t lead to chronic conditions.

Sixers Notes: Oubre, Lowry, Edgecombe, Embiid

November 3rd, 2025 at 10:58pm CST by Rory Maher

While the Sixers‘ backcourt play has understandably garnered most of the attention during the team’s 5-1 start, veteran forward Kelly Oubre Jr. has been a key contributor as well, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscriber link).

In Sunday’s matchup with Brooklyn, Oubre was tasked with slowing down Michael Porter Jr., who had a season-high 32-points in his previous game against Atlanta. Not only did Oubre limit Porter to two first-half points, he scored 24 of his own, including a career-best 22 in the first quarter alone.

“So [Kelly] set the tone big-time on that,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “And, again, I really believe this to be true: When you start the game super focused on D, that really usually translates to the other end, too. It really does.”

Oubre, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, is averaging 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 38.0 minutes per contest on .526/.416/.800 shooting through six games.

Here’s more on the 76ers:

Kyle Lowry officially became the 12th player in NBA history to play 20 seasons when he checked in for garbage-time minutes at the end of Sunday’s win against the Nets, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. The six-time All-Star, who was born in Philadelphia and played his college ball at Villanova, is a leader in the 76ers’ locker room. “That’s a Hall of Famer we’re talking about,” Tyrese Maxey said. “Jersey’s probably getting retired in Toronto. And he’s up cheering for everybody, motivating people, talking in the locker room. I’ve got nothing but love and respect for K-Low and we appreciate having him.”
In a column for The Inquirer, Pompey (subscription required), Pompey wonders whether VJ Edgecombe will be able to reach his full potential offensively playing alongside a ball-dominant center in Joel Embiid. Edgecombe has been the league’s top rookie in the early going, averaging 20.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 5.0 APG and 1.5 SPG on .495/.421/.824 shooting in six games (39.0 MPG), but has often ceded touches to Embiid when they share the court, Pompey explains.
Embiid’s defensive mobility has been limited in his four appearances this season after he underwent another knee surgery in April. In a subscriber-only mailbag, Pompey speculates that the former league MVP may have lingering issues with the knee, though he acknowledges it will probably take another month or so to determine if Embiid will look like this going forward or if he’s just trying to work himself back into playing shape. Pompey also tackles questions about Paul George‘s play-making and how the nine-time All-Star forward might impact the team’s defense when he makes his season debut.
In case you missed it, second-year guard Jared McCain is expected to make his season debut on Tuesday in Chicago.

SGA, Maxey Named NBA’s Players Of The Week

November 3rd, 2025 at 2:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, according to the league (Twitter links).

Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City to a 4-0 record during the week of October 27 to November 2, averaging 28.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game. He was especially effective over the course of a three-game stretch vs. the Kings, Wizards, and Pelicans, scoring at least 30 points in all three contests and committing just four total turnovers.

Maxey carried the Sixers to a 3-1 record by averaging 33.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game this past week. The sixth-year guard, who will celebrate his 25th birthday on Tuesday, began the week by scoring a season-high 43 points against Orlando, then had 39 points and 10 assists in an overtime win over Washington.

The Trail Blazers’ duo of Deni Avdija and Jrue Holiday, the Suns’ Devin Booker, the Lakers’ duo of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and the Rockets’ Alperen Sengun were the other Western Conference nominees.

The Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, the Pistons’ Cade Cunningham, the Bulls’ Josh Giddey, the Hawks’ Jalen Johnson and the Bucks’ Ryan Rollins were also nominated in the East.

Sixers Notes: Undefeated Start, Maxey, Grimes, McCain

October 28th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers wilted last season under an avalanche of injuries, but there’s reason to believe that may not happen again, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Philadelphia was shorthanded on Monday night as Joel Embiid was rested for left knee injury management and Dominick Barlow missed the game after having a procedure for a laceration on his left elbow. They joined Paul George, Jared McCain and Trendon Watford, who haven’t played yet this season, but the Sixers managed to defeat Orlando to remain one of the league’s four unbeaten teams.

“Last year, I think lineups changed a lot. Guys in and out,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said of 24-58 season. “But this year, I think Tyrese (Maxey) has been hitting it on the head. It’s like no matter who’s out there, we have this constant that we won’t waver from. That goes into our culture and the things that we do on a daily basis. It’s still early. But at the end of the day, man, if we can have the next man step up, or anybody come in there and be an impact to winning, I think that we’ll be better off than we were last year.”

Head coach Nick Nurse was forced to use a makeshift rotation to pull out the win against the Magic. Jabari Walker made his first start of the season and delivered four points, five rebounds and a block in 14 minutes. Veteran guard Eric Gordon and rookie guard Hunter Sallis both saw action for the first time this season.

There’s more from Philadelphia:

The Sixers are getting a historic performance from their young guards, Pompey notes in the same piece. Maxey and VJ Edgecombe have combined for 186 points, which is the highest total for a starting backcourt through three games since the league began tracking starters in 1970/71. Maxey, who had 43 points on Monday and is leading the NBA in scoring at 37 PPG, received MVP chants from the crowd. “I’m just trying to close games out,” he said. “Joel has been on me recently about that, probably since my fourth year, about how I can help close games out and have the ball in my hand and make decisions whether I’m shooting or whether I’m passing.”
Quentin Grimes, who signed his qualifying offer following a summer-long standoff over a new contract, is finding success in a bench role after being the team’s leading scorer late last season, Pompey adds. He contributed 14 points on Monday after scoring 24 against Charlotte on Saturday. “I know I’m going to get starters minutes and everything (despite coming off the bench),” Grimes said. “I’m going to do my thing. I just get the opportunity to go out there and play my game … go out there and help the team win. We got a lot of good guys on the team, a lot of versatility. So it’s all going to play itself out. It’s going to work out for sure.”
McCain is making progress in his recovery from thumb surgery and could be back on the court soon, Pompey states in a separate story. The second-year guard, who’s no longer wearing a splint, put on an impressive shooting display after Monday’s shootaround, according to Pompey. Nurse urged caution, saying McCain still has to go through “a series of days of contact” before being activated. “Inserting him in with the VJ, Tyrese and (Quentin Grimes guard) group is the plan,” Nurse added. “That was sort of the plan going into the season. Again, I think they all can do a variety of things, and give us a chance to have some more depth. Gives us a chance to, again, play some shorter stints so the energy can stay high and all those things. We need him back. We look forward to having him back.”

Sixers Notes: Edgecombe, Maxey, Embiid, Barlow

October 22nd, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

VJ Edgecombe had a historic debut for the Sixers on Wednesday, scoring the most points in a rookie debut since Wilt Chamberlain, writes Kurt Helin for NBC Sports.

After starting the game with 14 first-quarter points, Edgecombe finished with 34 for the game, the third-highest mark ever for a rookie in his first NBA outing. He also added seven rebounds, three assists, and five three-pointers.

“We certainly needed the offense, and he certainly just looked pretty comfortable out there,” head coach Nick Nurse said after the game. “Again, I think that’s probably one thing I’ve noticed the most about him, is he seems to really know what’s going on out there for a young player. You just don’t see him making silly mistakes, or many mistakes. He is just playing the right way. He’s got a very good feel for the game.”

It wasn’t all perfect for the third overall pick. Edgecombe went to the line with a one-point lead and 7.3 seconds on the clock and missed both free throws, but the Celtics were unable to take advantage, allowing the Sixers to escape with the win.

We have more Sixers notes:

Prior to Wednesday’s opener, Tyrese Maxey reflected on his path to becoming a leader with this Philadelphia team. “I used to always smile, but I know that I can’t be that guy anymore,” Maxey said told Tony Jones of The Athletic. “I kind of leave it up to Jared (McCain) and VJ. I want them to be extremely happy and have fun and just focus on playing basketball. That’s what they deserve to do.” One thing Maxey is focused on is letting go of a disaster 2024/25 season. On Wednesday, he took a good first step in that direction, leading the team to a win over Boston with 40 points on 24 shots and six assists to just one turnover.
One of the hardest things for a superstar to do is accept their limitations, but that’s exactly what Joel Embiid has been forced to do, writes Keith Pompey for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid knows he’s perceived differently after the injuries that have caused him to lose so much time. “We got a bunch of athletes,” Embiid said. “We’ve got to release them… They’ve got to run. My job is to find them and, in a way, that also kind of saves me, because if we get early baskets and easy baskets, I won’t have to run up and down. I can just let those guys push the pace, attack. And if we don’t have anything, I’ve always trailed anyway in my career. Then I can come in and get into the offense.” In the season opener, Embiid was limited to four points on 1-of-9 shooting while playing just 20 minutes. Nurse confirmed ahead of the game that Embiid would be on a minutes restriction, Pompey reported (via Twitter).
Two-way big man Dominick Barlow got the start for the Sixers and ended the night with 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and one block in 34 minutes. After a strong preseason, he continued to impress, causing Jones to predict (via Twitter) that Barlow will have his contract converted to a standard NBA deal at some point this season.