The Philadelphia 76ers have finally found the momentum they've been searching for in the 2025-26 season, thanks to a resounding 130-120 victory over the Toronto Raptors. The Sixers' first throwback black jerseys made their debut on Saturday night, and it seemed like good fortune followed them onto the court.
Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with an impressive 31 points, while Joel Embiid made his scoring outburst look effortless with 29 points on just 16 shots in 26 minutes. However, it was Trendon Watford who stole the show, delivering a career-high triple-double of 20-17-10 to mark the first triple-double of the season for a Sixers player.
Watford, now 25 years old, has taken his game to new heights since missing training camp and preseason due to a hamstring injury. He seamlessly fit into his new team's offense, showcasing his exceptional ball skills and playmaking abilities. His 20 points came largely in the first quarter, including a memorable triple, while he also contributed 10 assists, including six to Maxey.
What was most notable about Watford's performance, however, was his rebounding prowess. The 6-foot-9 forward snagged a career-high 17 rebounds, rounding out the first triple-double of his NBA career. His size advantage proved significant in this matchup, as he effortlessly snatched defensive rebounds and led the team into transition offense.
The Sixers' victory also marked a turning point in their season, as they improved to 6-3 on the year and avoided a three-game losing streak. Kelly Oubre Jr. chipped in with another strong performance, while VJ Edgecombe found his scoring juice down the stretch to help seal the win.
In related news, Andre Drummond has taken over as the Sixers' primary backup center, solidifying his position after coach Nick Nurse acknowledged that he was in the running for the role earlier this week. Drummond's defensive prowess has been a stabilizing force for the team, and his rebounding numbers have been particularly impressive.
With Drummond manning the middle, the Sixers now boast an exciting young core of players. Watford's emergence as a key contributor will be crucial in their pursuit of playoff success, while Embiid's continued dominance up front provides a formidable one-two punch. As the season unfolds, fans can expect to see more of these talented players shining on the court.
In other news, Jared McCain was listed as available for Saturday's game but ended up not playing. Coach Nurse opted to keep him on the bench in hopes of turning things around defensively and saving the young guard for the second leg of this weekend's back-to-back.
As the Sixers prepare to take on the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, they'll be looking to build on their momentum with a strong performance from their talented core. The stage is set for another exciting matchup, and fans can't wait to see what these young players have in store.
Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with an impressive 31 points, while Joel Embiid made his scoring outburst look effortless with 29 points on just 16 shots in 26 minutes. However, it was Trendon Watford who stole the show, delivering a career-high triple-double of 20-17-10 to mark the first triple-double of the season for a Sixers player.
Watford, now 25 years old, has taken his game to new heights since missing training camp and preseason due to a hamstring injury. He seamlessly fit into his new team's offense, showcasing his exceptional ball skills and playmaking abilities. His 20 points came largely in the first quarter, including a memorable triple, while he also contributed 10 assists, including six to Maxey.
What was most notable about Watford's performance, however, was his rebounding prowess. The 6-foot-9 forward snagged a career-high 17 rebounds, rounding out the first triple-double of his NBA career. His size advantage proved significant in this matchup, as he effortlessly snatched defensive rebounds and led the team into transition offense.
The Sixers' victory also marked a turning point in their season, as they improved to 6-3 on the year and avoided a three-game losing streak. Kelly Oubre Jr. chipped in with another strong performance, while VJ Edgecombe found his scoring juice down the stretch to help seal the win.
In related news, Andre Drummond has taken over as the Sixers' primary backup center, solidifying his position after coach Nick Nurse acknowledged that he was in the running for the role earlier this week. Drummond's defensive prowess has been a stabilizing force for the team, and his rebounding numbers have been particularly impressive.
With Drummond manning the middle, the Sixers now boast an exciting young core of players. Watford's emergence as a key contributor will be crucial in their pursuit of playoff success, while Embiid's continued dominance up front provides a formidable one-two punch. As the season unfolds, fans can expect to see more of these talented players shining on the court.
In other news, Jared McCain was listed as available for Saturday's game but ended up not playing. Coach Nurse opted to keep him on the bench in hopes of turning things around defensively and saving the young guard for the second leg of this weekend's back-to-back.
As the Sixers prepare to take on the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, they'll be looking to build on their momentum with a strong performance from their talented core. The stage is set for another exciting matchup, and fans can't wait to see what these young players have in store.
he's literally been on fire lately and his size advantage has been giving teams fits 
the sixers need him to keep dominating like this if they wanna make some noise in the playoffs. and drummond at center is a whole new level of scary - that guy can rebound like nobody's business 
This is so cool! Trendon Watford is taking his game to the next level! I love how he fit seamlessly into the team's offense and showed off those sick ball skills. 17 rebounds? Yessss, dude is a beast on the court! 
!!! watford is like a whole new player he's got skills for days 
and embiid is just dominating as always 
i'm loving the chemistry between these young guys and drummond is bringing that stability on defense 
sunday can't come soon enough, bring it on 
. Reminds me of when Allen Iverson used to run that fast break offense with Thony De La Rosa back in the day... those guys were like a well-oiled machine 
. Now they've got Watford coming along and it's like he's got Iverson's magic all over him 
. And Embiid, man, he's just dominating as usual 
. I think with Drummond at center and the young crew playing together, we might see some playoff runs in our future 
... wouldn't that be something?
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his size advantage was so noticeable on the court and he played like a totally different player, like what's next for him? 
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! It's like they brought back some of that old-school swag. And man, Trendon Watford is on fire right now 
. He's such a talent, and he brings that defensive presence that they needed. This young core is looking like it could be special, and I'm excited to see how they all mesh together 
! It's gonna be fun to watch these guys battle it out against the Pistons on Sunday