The Philadelphia 76ers have finally achieved full strength, a milestone not seen since December 18th, with all players available and injury-free. This marks the first time head coach Nick Nurse has had his entire roster ready to go in a game, including Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford, who were previously listed as questionable due to injuries. Joel Embiid also returned from an extended absence, allowing the Sixers to regain their footing after a season-worst loss.
Nurse expressed relief at having all players back on the court, acknowledging that this is the first step towards reaching peak performance. The team's 131-110 victory over the Washington Wizards was a significant win, putting them back on track and demonstrating their ability to bounce back from setbacks.
The return of Oubre and Watford has given Nurse more options for lineups and rotations. While both players were on minute limits, Nurse did not plan to exceed those restrictions initially. However, he acknowledged that the goal is to get them playing time without disrupting the team's rhythm. Watford made his debut in the final minutes of the game, while Oubre played an extended stint before returning for a larger lineup.
Oubre's versatility has been highlighted by Nurse, who sees him as a valuable asset due to his positional flexibility. The debate over whether Oubre will return to the starting five with Dominick Barlow is ongoing. Nurse mentioned that he is open to exploring different lineups and potentially using a platoon system, which would allow for more size and rim protection when needed.
The three stars – Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey – delivered dominant performances, with George opening the game strong and making key plays on both ends of the floor. The Sixers' bench-heavy lineup in the first half was not as effective, but once Embiid, Maxey, and George rejoined the action, the team returned to dominance.
Embiid's recent surge has been encouraging for Nurse, who notes that there are still areas for improvement. One of those was his three-point shooting, which he improved upon in this game. The big man also showed signs of forcing the issue to create scoring opportunities, particularly against a young and athletic Alex Sarr, who had previously outplayed Embiid.
Other notable performances included Barlow's extended run and some opportunistic scoring, as well as Drummond's clutch corner threes late in the game.
The Sixers will depart for a three-game road trip, with their first game on Friday night against the Orlando Magic.
Nurse expressed relief at having all players back on the court, acknowledging that this is the first step towards reaching peak performance. The team's 131-110 victory over the Washington Wizards was a significant win, putting them back on track and demonstrating their ability to bounce back from setbacks.
The return of Oubre and Watford has given Nurse more options for lineups and rotations. While both players were on minute limits, Nurse did not plan to exceed those restrictions initially. However, he acknowledged that the goal is to get them playing time without disrupting the team's rhythm. Watford made his debut in the final minutes of the game, while Oubre played an extended stint before returning for a larger lineup.
Oubre's versatility has been highlighted by Nurse, who sees him as a valuable asset due to his positional flexibility. The debate over whether Oubre will return to the starting five with Dominick Barlow is ongoing. Nurse mentioned that he is open to exploring different lineups and potentially using a platoon system, which would allow for more size and rim protection when needed.
The three stars – Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey – delivered dominant performances, with George opening the game strong and making key plays on both ends of the floor. The Sixers' bench-heavy lineup in the first half was not as effective, but once Embiid, Maxey, and George rejoined the action, the team returned to dominance.
Embiid's recent surge has been encouraging for Nurse, who notes that there are still areas for improvement. One of those was his three-point shooting, which he improved upon in this game. The big man also showed signs of forcing the issue to create scoring opportunities, particularly against a young and athletic Alex Sarr, who had previously outplayed Embiid.
Other notable performances included Barlow's extended run and some opportunistic scoring, as well as Drummond's clutch corner threes late in the game.
The Sixers will depart for a three-game road trip, with their first game on Friday night against the Orlando Magic.
. Nurse is doing a great job managing the team and finding ways to get everyone playing time without disrupting the flow. Oubre's versatility is insane, he can play both small forward and power forward and that's giving Nurse so many options 
. And let's be real, Joel Embiid is back to his dominant self 
. The bench-heavy lineup in the first half didn't work out, but once Embiid, Maxey, and George got going, it was like a different team altogether 
️. I'm loving the platoon system idea too, it could be game-changing 
. Can't wait to see what the rest of the season holds for these guys! 
. And can we talk about Joel Embiid's resurgence? He's looking like his old self again, and it's amazing to see him make key plays on both ends of the court 
. The win over the Wizards was huge, and I'm excited to see how they perform on their upcoming road trip 
they've been missing Kelly Oubre Jr and Trendon Watford so badly, and it's amazing how much of a difference they can make in lineups... coach Nick Nurse is doing an awesome job of navigating this, it's cool to see him exploring different options and trying not to disrupt the team's rhythm 
dominic Barlow looks like he's gonna be a solid contributor too, gotta keep an eye on Paul George and Tyrese Maxey as well, they're just crushing it on both ends... 
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joel embiid is back to his dominant self and paul george is lighting it up from everywhere on the court 
anyway i'm hyped for this road trip against the magic can't wait to see more of what these guys are capable of 
the sixers are finally lookin good after that loss they took a huge step forward by gettin all their players back on the court and it's great to see nurse bein able to use oubre and watford to give him more options for lineups and rotations i mean who wouldn't want to see those two playin healthy for once? 
anyway, nurse seems to think that this is a huge step towards gettin the team back to peak form and it's defo true they looked pretty sharp out there with george and maxey killin it on both ends of the floor 
! It shows you that even when things seem dark, like an injury bug's been hitting your squad left and right 
, you can still bounce back stronger than ever 
, figuring out ways to make his team thrive despite all the setbacks. It's a reminder that life's not always about being injury-free or perfect – it's about adapting and finding ways to overcome obstacles 
. And let's give props to Oubre and Watford for finally getting back on the court 
! Their return is like a new beginning, full of possibilities and growth 
so now that everyone is healthy 
they're starting to look like their pre-injury selfs 
not wanting to disrupt the team's rhythm while giving kelly ouibre some mins 
Tyrese maxey and joel embiid are straight fire 
or even worse, come back from a loss like this and still lose the next game 
or how about giving the bench more playing time instead of just bringing in bigs when it counts? 
and now they've got some extra options with Oubre and Watford back 
, nurse must be doing something right 
, oubre's versatility is a game changer, can't wait to see him in the starting five 
!!! coach nurse got all his players back and its like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders 
... kelly oubre jr and trendon watford return to action and its like a new level of depth is added to the team 
. and man, paul george, tyrese maxey, and dominick barlow are UNSTOPPABLE 
cant wait for this next road trip against the magic!