Three observations after George leaves with left knee injury, Sixers slide into another demoralizing loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The Sixers still haven’t reached a turning point.
They slid to another disheartening loss on Wednesday night, losing 117-111 to the Grizzlies, and are coming off an 0-3 road trip with an abysmal 2-12 overall mark this season.
A team meeting Monday night in Miami did not result in a victory over the shorthanded Grizzlies, whose injured list included Ja Morant, Marcus Smart and Zach Edey. Memphis moved to 9-7.
Paul George left the game in the third quarter with a left knee hyperextension (more on that below).
Kyle Lowry opened the night on the sidelines due to a right hip strain. Tyrese Maxey returned from a right hamstring injury. He played 20 minutes in his first action since Nov. 6 and had eight points on 3-for-13 shooting.
Joel Embiid scored 35 points and 11 rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr. (25 points) and Desmond Bane (21) were the Grizzlies’ top scorers.
The Sixers begin a three-game homestand against the Nets on Friday night and continue a season that is quickly descending into a dark, dark place.
Here are observations on their loss to Memphis:
Much improved Embiid
The first few minutes were not encouraging for Embiid.
He was stripped of the ball about 30 seconds into the night on a drive. Shortly thereafter, Memphis double-teamed Embiid and he searched in vain for open teammates before hitting a very long, aerial hook shot as the 24 seconds expired. He clapped his hands in frustration.
Embiid followed up an extremely rare zero free throw night on Monday by making four foul shots in the first quarter. The Sixers got him regular post-up and isolation touches early, and he scored 10 points in the first quarter, including a fadeaway jumper over Jackson. The offense certainly wasn’t buzzing all game, but Embiid looked much closer to normal in terms of aggressively trying to score.
Embiid also shot his mid-range jumper much better than in his three previous outings this season, which always helps.
He managed to play a season-high 35 minutes, including the entire third quarter. Embiid limped to the bench with 3:29 left in the fourth after appearing to bump his right knee into Jackson, but he stayed in for the rest of the game.
Maxey very limited
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse told reporters in Memphis’ pregame that Maxey would be on a “pretty short” minutes restriction. He wasn’t kidding.
Maxey played the first 5 minutes and 29 seconds of the first quarter. That was it for the first half and he didn’t get back into shape after the break.
Maxey started the scoring with a dimpled floater after rejecting an Embiid ball screen, but he didn’t make another field goal until the fourth quarter. The Sixers started 0 for 8 from three-point range and Maxey had three of those misses.
Of course, Jared McCain canned the Sixers’ first long-range shot. The rookie scored his sixth straight 20-point game on Wednesday and also had a team-high five assists.
He played the entire first quarter and served as the lead guard in some bench-heavy lineups. The nurse seemed to be looking for anything that could work, with eleven players in the first half.
The Sixers had too many defensive breakdowns, both in the half court and in transition, and failed to bring the necessary focus and attention to detail. Grizzlies sharpshooter Luke Kennard lined up two consecutive wide-open threes early in the second quarter and made both. He then completed a pump fake, drove the baseline and had the Sixers defense in turmoil, leading to a Jay Huff corner three.
Bane found his jumper in the second quarter and hit several well-guarded shots, and the Sixers faced a 10-point halftime deficit. George had just two of their 53 points on 1-for-6 shooting.
GeoRGE leaves, Sixers’ problems worsen
Less than a minute into the third quarter, George left. He stumbled around awkwardly after securing a defensive rebound and headed back to the Sixers’ locker room. Guerschon Yabusele came on.
George did not return and the Sixers later called his injury a “hyperextension of the left knee.” The 34-year-old hyperextended the same knee during the same preseason and was diagnosed with a bone bruise, forcing him to sit out the first five games of the regular season for the Sixers. The Sixers are hoping for confirmation that this particular issue is minor.
Yabusele (17 points on 6-of-8 shooting) didn’t mind a longer run in the third quarter. He scored the first six points of the period for the Sixers on two long-range jumpers.
Embiid and Yabusele carried the offense in the third quarter, but it looked like the Sixers would struggle once their All-Star big man sat. Sure enough, Memphis dominated early in the fourth quarter with Andre Drummond on the court. After a Drummond trip inside, Bane hit a step-back three over him, giving the Grizzlies a 105-89 lead. Memphis’ lead was as much as 20 points.
The Sixers belatedly upped their desperation level, cutting their deficit to 115-111 on a driving Embiid bucket, but a miraculous, last-ditch comeback wouldn’t have been at all commensurate with the team’s ruthless state. They are now 0-1 when Embiid, George and Maxey all join and it is uncertain when they will have a strong star trio.
