By: Kylan Watson

The Philadelphia 76ers just came back from their West Coast Road trip and had to play a scrappy Charlotte Hornets squad tonight. It took both teams awhile to get going, but once both squads found their rhythm the game went back and forth. It took an overtime period, but the Sixers were able to use a Jared McCain offensive explosion. To beat Charlotte 107-105 for their second win of the season.

Both teams started this game very sloppily and could not get their shots to fall early in the contest. So much so that at the end of the first quarter both teams combined for 33 points in total. However, it was the Sixers’ second unit that found their rhythm in this game, scoring 58 of Philly’s 107 points. Jared McCain (27 points) and Guerschon Yabusele (20 points) combined for 47 points in this contest, and the Sixers needed every point from this duo to maintain separation from Charlotte.

McCain in particular has come on in the last few games for the Sixers he has been scoring double digit points for the third straight game. With each game he is showing that he could be an x-factor for the Sixers. Especially, when his three-pointer is falling, and he has been able to either create high-percentage shooting opportunities for himself or his teammates. McCain needs to improve his finishing ability, which was better tonight and if that comes on then Nick Nurse may need to insert him in the starting line-up. He has been that good this year and he is only a rookie, so he can only get better as the season progresses.

On what drove him in this game, “I just asked God to fill me with gratitude at halftime, I just I talked to God a lot, and I talked to myself a lot, and I think that drove me to this weight, and just drove me to keep going,” said McCain.

The Hornets did not go away in this game, they continued to fight throughout this contest. LaMelo Ball torched the Sixers throughout this game, he could not be stopped, and it did not matter who was on him. He rose up over their outstretched arms and found the bottom of the net. He scored 38 points (A game high) and hit the game-tying turnaround three-pointer to send this game to overtime.

Philly’s perimeter defense failed them when it came to Ball, but they were able to string enough stops together in the overtime period to win this game. The biggest defensive possession came when McCain switched onto Ball and did not give him any room to put a shot up and that possession ended in a shot-clock violation for the Hornets. That allowed the Sixers to take the lead via free throws and never look back in this game.

This was a season changing/defining win for Philly who will get Joel Embiid back on Tuesday night as they play their In-Season opener against the New York Knicks. Embiid returning could not come at a better time for the Sixers. It will be interesting to see how their offense looks with Embiid and George sharing the floor for the first time this season. The sooner they learn how to play with each other, the better it will be for the Sixers, and it is a good thing that this game is more for their tournament standings than for the regular season.

Philly will need to cash in on the high-percentage shooting opportunities that will be created by George and Embiid and cash in on them. Something they did not do enough of in this contest. In addition, they will need to make more wide-open shots if they want to beat the Knicks on Tuesday night and make a statement early in the season against a rival team in the Eastern Conference.