With 36 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and four steals, Joel Embiid led the Sixers. Finishing with 32 points, five assists, and three steals was Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers were without Jaden Springer (right ankle tendinitis), Robert Covington (left knee inflammation), Mo Bamba (right knee inflammation), and Anthony Melton (lumbar spine stress response).
With 25 points and 11 rebounds in just 17 minutes, Wendell Carter Jr. led the Magic. Paolo Banchero chipped in with eight rebounds, six assists, and 14 points. Franz Wagner (right ankle sprain) and Gary Harris (right calf strain) were not available for the Magic’s game.
On Saturday night, the Sixers take on the Charlotte Hornets as part of a back-to-back. Observations from the victory over the Magic are as follows:
One more game, one more dominant e-sports night
For the Sixers, Embiid dominated the contest and scored points whenever he pleased. Regardless of who the Magic defense tried to use to defend him, he punished them. With 28 points in the bag at the half, the big guy was ahead. Embiid scored in multiple ways, taking advantage of Orlando’s smaller big men by playing straight bully ball and using the mid-range game. The icing on the cake was when, in the second quarter, he alley-ooped it to himself off the backboard.
Throwing a lot of single coverage against Embiid in the first half was an error Orlando committed, and they had to deal with the consequences. Against that tactic, Embiid prevailed really easily. With 36 points at the end of the game, he has scored 30 or more points in 19 straight games. The game got out of hand in the fourth quarter, therefore Embiid was not used. It’s impressive to watch him score goals at this level of efficiency on a regular basis, and it’s important not to undervalue him.
Maxey Gets Over Her Sluggish Start
Maxey was unable to purchase a bucket for the first quarter and change. Although he was receiving positive glances, the shots were not coming in. The 23-year-old guard started the game with a pitiful 1-of-7 shooting performance from the field. But his playmaking was still having an effect on the game. He was a consistent read-finder, passing the ball to his teammates so they could finish the job.
About halfway through the second quarter, he started to see a change in his scoring situation. He flicked a switch, went on fire, making many 3-pointers and dominating the paint in the paint. He has amazing consistency when it comes to making acrobatic finishes around the rim. He is a lethal offensive scorer thanks to his improvements over the past several years as a finisher and outside shooter. He played with resiliency despite the sluggish shooting start, and it really paid off.
In the opening four minutes of the fourth quarter, Maxey scored seven points, which helped the Sixers defeat Orlando. This season, a key breakthrough has been his ability to take over games in the fourth quarter while Embiid is on the bench. The team was able to sit Embiid for the full fourth quarter because to Maxey’s impressive play in the first few minutes of the game. This game is part of a back-to-back, so getting that additional sleep is essential.
Harris Is Off to Another Strong Start
The way Tobias Harris started the game was like he was fired from a cannon. In both half court and transitional situations, he tried to assault the hoop. His efforts produced numerous trips to the free-throw line as well as layups at the hoop. His first-quarter and-one finish in transition after Banchero’s contact was a prime illustration of his early success when he played aggressively. Embiid and Maxey both had the hot hand, so Harris didn’t contribute anything offensively versus Orlando. Despite this, he was still able to generate output by playing aggressively on both ends of the court. His final stats were 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block.
Sixers’ Increased Defensive Activity
Against the Magic, the Sixers’ defensive performance was uneventful. They caused a lot of turnovers and interfered with Orlando’s attack by being very active in the passing lanes. With four steals from Embiid leading the way, three different Sixers players tallied at least two steals. The Sixers forced 16 turnovers from the Magic and recorded 11 steals. One of the main things head coach Nick Nurse carried over from his tenure as coach of the Toronto Raptors is their increased defensive activity level.
Kelly Oubre Jr. deserved a shoutout in this section for his outstanding help defense throughout the entire evening. Despite not having much of an offensive role, he played with his usual strong enthusiasm and made an influence on the game. Compared to early in his career, his level of activity in every aspect of the game has significantly increased. In the victory over the Magic, he finished with 15 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a block.
Beverley Completes The Bench Stat Sheet
The Sixers’ increased depth is one way that this season differs from previous ones. That progress can be largely attributed to Pat Beverley. Apart from his defensive prowess and tough demeanor on the court, he also fills the box score on a regular basis. In 28 minutes off the bench against Orlando, he finished with five points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks.