Joel Embiid's spectacular first half was a stark contrast to his disastrous third quarter, as the Philadelphia 76ers' star big man struggled to find his rhythm against the New York Knicks in Saturday's brutal 112-109 loss.
For nearly an hour and a half, Embiid looked like his old self, scoring 28 points in the first half, including a thunderous slam that had the Sixers crowd buzzing. He was unstoppable, making 10 of his 12 shot attempts and answering every defender and coverage the Knicks threw at him. In fact, Embiid's performance during that stretch was reminiscent of his MVP-winning season, leaving many to wonder how far he could improve as he tries to regain form.
However, disaster struck in the third quarter, when Embiid looked like a player who did not have enough in the tank to lead his team across the finish line. He missed all three shots he took, with Mitchell Robinson's length bothering him and preventing him from finding any kind of groove.
The Sixers' struggles during this quarter were compounded by turnovers and missed free throws, which gave the Knicks an insurmountable margin to work with in the final minutes. Despite Embiid's best efforts to gut out the game, the Sixers ultimately fell short, losing 112-109.
In light of this crushing defeat, one takeaway is that the Sixers' roster is likely to undergo changes soon. The team has been reliant on two-way power forwards Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to keep them afloat with helpful minutes at the four position, but it seems that they will need to make room for these players by converting their contracts or signing a player to a 10-day contract.
As the Sixers head into their next game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, this defeat serves as a harsh reminder of how far they still have to go to return to form. With six consecutive home games in the rearview mirror, the team will need to regroup and find a way to overcome these setbacks if they hope to make a push for the playoffs.
In related news, old friend Guerschon Yabusele made his first visit to Philadelphia since departing for the Knicks via free agency over the summer, and it's clear that the Sixers regret not matching New York's offer. Yabusele has been a major disappointment in New York, and he appears very likely to be traded after falling out of head coach Mike Brown's regular mix.
Overall, Saturday's loss is a tough pill for the Sixers to swallow, but it serves as a reminder that this team still has much work to do if they hope to return to relevance.
For nearly an hour and a half, Embiid looked like his old self, scoring 28 points in the first half, including a thunderous slam that had the Sixers crowd buzzing. He was unstoppable, making 10 of his 12 shot attempts and answering every defender and coverage the Knicks threw at him. In fact, Embiid's performance during that stretch was reminiscent of his MVP-winning season, leaving many to wonder how far he could improve as he tries to regain form.
However, disaster struck in the third quarter, when Embiid looked like a player who did not have enough in the tank to lead his team across the finish line. He missed all three shots he took, with Mitchell Robinson's length bothering him and preventing him from finding any kind of groove.
The Sixers' struggles during this quarter were compounded by turnovers and missed free throws, which gave the Knicks an insurmountable margin to work with in the final minutes. Despite Embiid's best efforts to gut out the game, the Sixers ultimately fell short, losing 112-109.
In light of this crushing defeat, one takeaway is that the Sixers' roster is likely to undergo changes soon. The team has been reliant on two-way power forwards Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker to keep them afloat with helpful minutes at the four position, but it seems that they will need to make room for these players by converting their contracts or signing a player to a 10-day contract.
As the Sixers head into their next game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, this defeat serves as a harsh reminder of how far they still have to go to return to form. With six consecutive home games in the rearview mirror, the team will need to regroup and find a way to overcome these setbacks if they hope to make a push for the playoffs.
In related news, old friend Guerschon Yabusele made his first visit to Philadelphia since departing for the Knicks via free agency over the summer, and it's clear that the Sixers regret not matching New York's offer. Yabusele has been a major disappointment in New York, and he appears very likely to be traded after falling out of head coach Mike Brown's regular mix.
Overall, Saturday's loss is a tough pill for the Sixers to swallow, but it serves as a reminder that this team still has much work to do if they hope to return to relevance.
! I mean, have you seen those specs? It's like, whoa. They're saying it can track your brain activity and provide immersive gaming experiences that'll blow your mind 
. As a huge fan of VR gaming, this is exactly what I've been waiting for. And the fact that it's so lightweight and portable? Perfect! I'm already imagining myself playing all-day games with my squad in no time 
. The 76ers might have lost to the Knicks, but this new tech is about to level up our entertainment game 
!
he was lookin like his old self in that first half, but then just lost it in the third quarter... that dunk tho though 
was straight fire! and i'm defo thinkin the sixers are gonna make some roster moves soon... they can't keep relyin on barlow & walker at 4th 
gotta find a way to upgrade & get some fresh blood in there 
yabusele's regrettable move is just another thing for philly fans 2 worry about 
, i'm talking MVP vibes 
, but then he just kinda fell apart in the third quarter 
like what's going on joel? 
and now it seems like the sixers are gonna have to make some roster moves 
might as well give barlow and walker more playing time and hope they can help turn this team around 
. Embiid is a superstar, but even he has bad games like that. I mean its not like he's 35 yet or anything 
.
. The Sixers need to make some serious changes, like maybe trading Barlow and Walker for actual talent. I mean, they've already let Yabusele slip away... what's next? They'll just keep settling for mediocrity and hoping to sneak into the playoffs. And honestly, I don't think it's gonna happen 
so embiid's gonna be a superstar again right? lol he looks unstoppable in the 1st half and then just totally loses it in the 3rd quarter... like what happened to him? 
i'm really curious about what's gonna happen with dominick barlow and jabari walker tho, are those guys for real? 
it's like his mind just switched off or something. and omg can you believe how rough the Sixers are looking right now? 
BUT THOSE LAST 12 MINUTES WERE JUST PLAIN CRUEL... MISS AFTER MISS AFTER MISS. IT'S LIKE HE LOST ALL TOUCH WITH THE GAME. 