Last week, the 76ers fought through a tough week without their superstar center Joel Embiid and managed two wins out of four games. During last week’ stretch there were plenty of ups and downs with players stepping up, bench players showing the depth of the squad, and overall poor performances. This week, the Sixers play the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz as they look to capitalize with wins following the return of Embiid.
Embiid-less Games Showcase the Sixers’ Depth
On Christmas Day, the 76ers traveled to Miami and lost to a Heat team that also was missing their star player, Jimmy Butler. Despite Kelly Oubre and Tobias Harris‘ 52 combined points, the Heat overcame the Sixers 119-113. Philadelphia answered with a 112-92 win against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The 76ers team defense won them this game, but Paul Reed stepped up big in Embiid’s absence with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.
In a much closer game, Tyrese Maxey pushed the team to victory after pouring in 42 points against the Houston Rockets in a 131-127 road win. The team closed out 2023 with a crushing 105-92 loss against the Bulls on the road. Maxey was the only player to post 20 points, and the team shot 9 for 38 (23.7%) from three. Overall, the team had impressive performances from otherwise unsuspected players. Harris averaged 21.5 points per game during the four-game window, and Maxey stepped up and made his All-Star case with 24.3 points per game.
Seeking to Capitalize at Home with Embiid’s Return
After a week of lows and highs, the 76ers had an extended two-day break to recoup and bounce back against the Bulls. The two teams face off for the second-straight match tonight in Philadelphia. While Embiid is set to return the 76ers will be without starting guard De’Anthony Melton against Chicago. The squad will get another two-day break, and follow by hosting the seven-seeded Knicks on Friday. Saturday, the Jazz will travel to Philadelphia for the Sixers’ third-straight home game leading up to three days off. The 76ers still at sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 22-10 record, but they are now four games behind the one-seeded Boston Celtics. The good news for the Sixers is that there is plenty of season ahead to gain the Celtics, and this week sees the return of Embiid along with all home games.
