By: Kylan Watson
After falling to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night the Philadelphia 76ers faced the New Orleans Pelicans for the final time this season. This game turned in the third quarter where the role players of New Orleans took this game from Philly, and the Sixers could do nothing to stop them. That third quarter run gave the Pelicans enough breathing room to beat them 126-111, extending their losing streak to four games.
The Sixers started this game off hot and were able to find their offensive rhythm early in this game. Kelly Oubre Jr (25 points), and VJ Edgecombe (14 points) were able to put points on the board throughout the first two quarters of this game. The two of them combined for 39 of Philly’s 111 points and New Orleans could not stop them early in this contest. Philly’s offense was very paint heavy, and it created wide-open high-percentage shooting opportunities and put the Pelicans on their heels.
Unfortunately for the Sixers it is not a two-quarter game and a bad second half cost them again. The Pelicans’ second half plan was to attack the paint and force Philly to either make a play or foul them. Philly’s defense just could not manage the increase physicality from them, their shots started falling and the role players took this game over especially in the third quarter. Jordan Poole (23 points), Zion Williamson (21 points), and Saddiq Bey (20 points) combined for 64 of the Pelicans’ 126 points and the Sixers had no answers for what they were doing. Poole took this game over and found his rhythm from the three-point line hitting 5/11 of his three-pointers and those made threes broke this game open and secured the victory for New Orleans.
With 27 games remaining this season, the Sixers are barely hanging on to the sixth seed in the wide-open Eastern Conference and need to find away to play a complete game with or without Joel Embiid. This season they have done well against contending teams and struggled with the bad teams in the association. That needs to change and maybe Nick Nurse should consider a line-up change that gives the Sixers an ability to play better defense and cash in on high-percentage shooting opportunities. Playing fast when Embiid is not in the line-up does not matter if they cannot convert three-pointers (made 12/46 three pointers in this game).
Tyrese Maxey (27 points) is clearly in a slump from the three-point line and clearly needs some help from his teammates. He played a facilitator role early in this game but like his teammates he struggled to find consistent offense in the second half. Additionally, it should not take a herculean effort from Maxey for the Sixers to win games, they need a balanced scoring from everyone who touches the floor and that is just not happening right now. The Sixers need to look in the mirror and find that team from early in the season or they will be a play-in team who will have to fight for playoff position.
The Sixers will prepare to face the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow night, and that game is a must-win for Philly. They will need to limit their turnovers, win, or keep the rebounding battle competitive, and convert the high-percentage shooting opportunities created from their ball movement. Implementing these things into their gameplan will put them in great position to win their 31st game and end their four-game losing streak.