Nick Nurse's 200th game as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers marked a significant milestone, with the team now fully healthy after nearly two years without that luxury. The Sixers have won back-to-back games since reaching full strength, beating the Orlando Magic 103-91 to notch a critical Eastern Conference victory.
Tyrese Maxey staged one of his classic heaters in the third quarter, while Joel Embiid and Paul George provided just enough offense to give the Sixers a lead before a new lineup put the game out of reach. The unit, which includes VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes on the backcourt with George and Oubre on the wing and Andre Drummond in the middle, showcased impressive defensive versatility and supplemental scoring.
The group's success has caught Nurse's attention, and he might be falling in love with it as a rotation staple. The defensive prowess of the unit, combined with the scoring threats of Edgecombe and George, makes them a formidable force on both ends of the court. If Nurse can continue to find units like this one that provide positive minutes, it will be key to his team's success.
The win has also had implications for seeding in the Eastern Conference. With a 2-1 head-to-head record against Orlando and a recent victory over Washington, the Sixers have taken control of their own fate and improved their chances of securing a higher seed.
Other notable takeaways include Embiid returning from injury to play six consecutive games, averaging 42 points per game in the process. Nurse's willingness to experiment with different lineups has also been on display, as he opted for Drummond over Adem Bona in recent weeks and later returned to Bona in Washington.
The Sixers' next few days will be crucial, as they head to Toronto for a back-to-back against the Raptors on Sunday and Monday. A strong performance could solidify their position in the Eastern Conference standings.
Tyrese Maxey staged one of his classic heaters in the third quarter, while Joel Embiid and Paul George provided just enough offense to give the Sixers a lead before a new lineup put the game out of reach. The unit, which includes VJ Edgecombe and Quentin Grimes on the backcourt with George and Oubre on the wing and Andre Drummond in the middle, showcased impressive defensive versatility and supplemental scoring.
The group's success has caught Nurse's attention, and he might be falling in love with it as a rotation staple. The defensive prowess of the unit, combined with the scoring threats of Edgecombe and George, makes them a formidable force on both ends of the court. If Nurse can continue to find units like this one that provide positive minutes, it will be key to his team's success.
The win has also had implications for seeding in the Eastern Conference. With a 2-1 head-to-head record against Orlando and a recent victory over Washington, the Sixers have taken control of their own fate and improved their chances of securing a higher seed.
Other notable takeaways include Embiid returning from injury to play six consecutive games, averaging 42 points per game in the process. Nurse's willingness to experiment with different lineups has also been on display, as he opted for Drummond over Adem Bona in recent weeks and later returned to Bona in Washington.
The Sixers' next few days will be crucial, as they head to Toronto for a back-to-back against the Raptors on Sunday and Monday. A strong performance could solidify their position in the Eastern Conference standings.
so like Nurse is experimenting with this new lineup and it's showing promise? but what makes me question this is that we're still only talking about 6 games into a season where everyone was injured. how long will it take to know if this unit is for real? 
the win over Orlando looks good on paper, but without seeing some bigger games against tougher opponents, i'm not convinced. what's the sample size here? 
also, Drummond going in and out of lineups like that seems pretty confusing... can someone explain to me why Nurse is taking so many chances with his rotation? 
! The fact that they're now fully healthy after so long is just amazing, and it's clear they've got a solid squad. Tyrese Maxey went off in that last quarter, and I love how the new lineup unit came together – that defensive versatility is exactly what you need to take down other top teams 
. If Nurse can keep finding units like this one, the Sixers are gonna be UNSTOPPABLE 
! And Embiid's return from injury has been insane – 42 points per game? That's some next-level stuff 
. Now we just gotta see how they stack up against the Raptors and if they can keep their momentum going 
their defense has improved so much and now they have multiple scoring threats, it's gonna be hard for them to lose now 
! They're like a well-oiled machine out there, with Tyrese Maxey bringin' the heat every night 
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. The defense is lookin' sharp and they've got that scoring punch with Edgecombe and George. It's gonna be tough for other teams to stop 'em, especially with Drummond in the middle 
. But we'll see about that, they've got some big games comin' up against Toronto and it's gonna be a real test 
. I'm excited to see how they'll do though! 
to getting his team back on track after those two years of injuries and all that drama 
. I mean, to see Embiid coming back from injury and killing it on the court is just amazing 
. Nurse's willingness to experiment and try out different lineups is really paying off, and it's exciting to see what the rest of the season holds for them 
. The fact that they've taken control of their own fate in the Eastern Conference standings is huge too 
. Now we just gotta see how they stack up against Toronto and the Raptors 
. Can't wait to see what happens next! 
& george, Oubre, drummond be a deadly combo on D 
and to see embiid back in action, averaging 42 points per game? that's straight MVP stuff 
now, let's keep this momentum goin' if they can take down toronto, they'll be unstoppable 
coach nurse is trying to do too much with so many players on the roster it's like he's trying to make everyone happy but honestly some of these lineup combinations are just not working out 
meanwhile vj edgecombe and quentin grimes are scoring like crazy on the bench it just doesn't make sense to me 
his games are all over the place one week he's dropping 30 points the next week he's 5 for 20 
... not that I didn't know he was capable of putting out a decent performance, but still good on him for breaking the streak 
. The real question is will this newfound "stability" (ahem) last longer than 5-7 games? We'll see...
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Tyrese Maxey's 3rd quarter explosion was insane 
. The new lineup with Edgecombe and Grimes has been solid so far, let's hope they can keep it up 
! Coach Nurse is definitely playing it smart by experimenting with different lineups 
. I mean, who needs a traditional starting lineup when you've got players who genuinely mesh well with each other? The fact that he might be making this unit a staple is just awesome 
). Now if only he'd find some new ways to get Embiid out of his shell, I'm all for it!
️. The defensive versatility and scoring threats they bring to the table make them a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the court 
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! His return has been a huge boost for the team, and Nurse's decision to give him minutes over some of his younger players shows he's willing to adapt and make tough decisions 
. Fingers crossed the Sixers keep it up and secure that top seed in the East 
️ just watched the 76ers take down Orlando and it's clear they're finally clicking with that new lineup 
. The fact that Nurse isn't afraid to experiment with lineups is also a good sign. He needs to keep this momentum going if they wanna take over the East