Jan 19, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives tot he basket against Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) in the firs half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
The Sixers dropped their sixth in a row on Sunday, running out of answers in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks despite Tyrese Maxey's best efforts.
Here's what I saw.
- Despite attracting the defensive attention he has the last two games, another really good game of Maxey controlling the pace when the ball was in his hands. He was aggressive pretty much from tip-off, quick to choose his spots and attack. Maxey established a nice rhythm using screens to get into the paint early, snaking the picks and manipulating Milwaukee's interior defense with his speed for scores. Once he saw a few drop, he stepped out to the perimeter, knocking down a fistful of threes off the dribble as the first half rolled on.
Perhaps it's just regular-season defenses not being as locked in, but it feels like Maxey is getting walled off less and less these days. His efficiencies still aren't great or even good. But, he's starting to understand when to slow down and when to explode to shift defenses out of position.
- The Adem Bona dunks are piling up, and he's proving to be a quick learner. He logged a pair of and-1s in the first half, using polished footwork in the paint to finish through contact at the rim. He's picking up on that explosive drive out of faking DHOs, too. He followed the head-turning jam on Saturday with another one out of the same read on Sunday against a Milwaukee interior defense that is far superior to anything the Indiana Pacers present.
- I get that they're incredibly thin right now, but Ricky Council IV has got to reel the shot selection in a bit. Part of the problem is he's so athletic jumping off two feet that he does it all the time. But, if anything goes awry in the air, he has to change course before his feet touch the floor again. The result is some ridiculous passes or shots over three defenders. The current state of the team is such that he might be one of the three best creators available. But, too many possessions in this game ended with Council trying to do way too much.
- It is not at all Pete Nance's fault that he's in this position. It is mostly the Sixers' fault for thinking there's something there worth a two-way contract. Regardless of blame, the dude cannot play. I'm sorry if that offends, but he's just a body to ensure the Sixers can field a five-man lineup. He's high-waisted, so he has no chance of defending anyone in space. Nance has no meat on the bones, so he gets bodied at the rim all the time. The only thing he seems natural at is screening and popping for open threes. The thing is, he has to make them for that to be valuable currency. He was a revolving door in this game, allowing dribble penetration on the perimeter, closing late at the rim and offering no resistance to physicality inside. Back to mining two-way guys.
- Last season was slightly different because the Sixers were world-beaters until Joel Embiid's knee injury, but it's difficult to not feel bad for Maxey at this point. Not only is he not used to losing at this clip, but he's also being left out there to perish alone while the other two heads of the dragon are a mystery on a night-to-night basis. He's leaving it all out there on the court, giving his best effort on both ends on most nights, But, all of his shots require significant energy because he's either having to do so much to create space to get open or seeing multiple bodies in his face when the ball is in his hands. He's being compensated to the tune of a max contract. I'm sure his bed is mighty comfortable, his house has great heat and his meals are fresh and hot. But, he's a competitor, and this situation cannot be remotely fun.
- I do not intend for this to be interpreted as reporting. I don't have it on any level of authority. I'm just stating facts. Andre Drummond missed the game because he felt "medium" coming out of Saturday's loss to the Indiana Pacers. Paul George and Guerschon Yabusele missed their second consecutive games, respectively, for injuries that Nurse has called "day-to-day". The Sixers are 10 games below .500. They are on the runway of an absolutely brutal stretch without their best player. They were fully prepared to start three players on their first NBA contracts against a good Bucks team before switching Justin Edwards out for Eric Gordon.
Having stated all of that, the sense of urgency a team with playoff aspirations would need to have in Philadelphia's position does not seem to logically align with the urgency with which the Sixers are currently operating. Nurse has said that he does not know of any plan to shut Embiid down for the season. That suggests there is no intention to tank. If I've said it once, I've said it 100 times - the Sixers are not guaranteed their first-round pick in 2025 to make tanking even worth it. But, something just does not add up.
The Sixers (15-26) will visit the Denver Nuggets (26-16) on Tuesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m., Eastern time. You can watch the game on TNT.
Want more Philadelphia 76ers news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for THE Philly Sports Newsletter here. 100% free, always.
