Sixers Cough Up Another At Home As Cavaliers Sweep Mini Series In Philadelphia

Joel Embiid corrected his mistakes from nan first crippled of this mini bid against nan Cleveland Cavaliers. But Tyrese Maxey had fewer answers, and immoderate bad late-game execution spelled punishment successful different adjacent nonaccomplishment astatine home.

Here's what happened.

A different domiciled for Maxey

Whereas Maxey was stopped dormant successful his tracks arsenic nan superior ball-handler successful nan first 4th of Wednesday's nonaccomplishment to nan Cavaliers, nan Sixers put nan shot successful VJ Edgecombe's hands early successful this crippled and fto Maxey play disconnected nan ball. He ne'er recovered hit successful nan crippled connected Wednesday, and nan Sixers fopund themselves perpetually digging retired of a hole.

Nick Nurse and institution astutely sewage Maxey successful hit early successful nan game, deploying him arsenic a threat disconnected a sprint. Maxey played pinch his backmost to nan handbasket pinch nan shot successful his hands a batch successful nan first crippled of this mini series. The Sixers adjusted, freeing him of that trouble pinch nan off-ball movement.

Philadelphia sewage him awesome looks connected 3 different group plays successful nan first. There was a pin-down for him to drawback nan shot connected a sprint and instantly weapon downhill done a vacant paint. That possession ended pinch a floater that was each net. Shortly thereafter, Maxey hit a difficult hedge connected a pick-and-roll pinch Embiid connected nan correct wing, pitching nan shot backmost to his partner successful crime and beating his man backdoor for a bounce walk from Embiid for a layup. An Iverson action soon followed, Maxey sprinting past screeners from 1 helping to different and catching nan shot for an unfastened three. That 1 was disconnected nan mark, but Philadelphia's intent connected discourtesy was overmuch improved early successful this game.

Embiid helps nan possession battle

The large man committing 4 turnovers successful nan first 8 minutes of Wedneday's nonaccomplishment put a monolithic spread successful Philadelphia's vessel earlier they settled into nan game. It would beryllium reductive to opportunity Embiid's pristine half connected Friday was nan only quality for him. But he did his portion to statement up nan possession conflict connected Friday.

Just watching his attack and guidance to shot pressure, it seemed for illustration Embiid was particularly focused connected trying to debar nan mistakes he made connected Wednesday. He was much observant pinch his dribble successful abstraction and overmuch much forceful pinch his physicality against Jarrett Allen. Embiid recovered a commanding equilibrium betwixt decisive moves for mid-range pull-ups and acting upon thorny driving lanes.

Even erstwhile his nonstop counterpart disrupted his dribble aliases a helper came complete to fuss him, Embiid didn't overreact and fumble nan shot successful panic. He didn't fto nan crippled velocity him up. It each made for a marked quality successful efficiency.

Save nan tape

Independent of outcome, nan Sixers should beryllium perfectly thrilled pinch really Embiid and Paul George are playing disconnected each different correct now. It was a small complete a twelvemonth agone that they were dribbling into each different and fumbling nan shot because they didn't person reps together. They had not figured each different retired astatine all, and, too their respective failing healths, that was possibly nan biggest logic to beryllium skeptical of Philadelphia's postseason upside moreover if they did find immortality successful nan 2025 information of nan season.

Fast guardant to now, and they've built a bully knowing of each other's spots connected nan floor. There were a number of possessions successful this crippled successful which nan 2 passed intuitively to each other, spoon-feeding each different scores. They didn't conscionable return their shot and play connected 1 broadside of nan level alone, either. The Sixers sewage value shots from nan different guys connected nan tribunal by utilizing nan attraction Embiid and George commanded successful nan mediate of nan floor.

It's besides not conscionable a matter of passing betwixt nan duo. They abstraction disconnected of each other, George knowing wherever to beryllium to support his man distant from Embiid arsenic a helper and nan large feline knowing wherever to flash to bail George retired of messy situations.

The crackdown

If location was 1 point nan Sixers did consistently successful this crippled to neutralize Cleveland's advantages, it was committing themselves to unit connected defense. There's 1 measurement to support Allen and Evan Mobley from mounting up successful nan overgarment connected defense, and that's by forcing live-ball turnovers. Philadelphia did an fantabulous occupation of mounting that reside from nan very commencement of nan game.

This was not Maxey's finest crippled by immoderate stretch, but he did an outstanding occupation of impacting nan ball. He picked disconnected a walk to Donovan Mitchell to footwear disconnected a five-steal night. But it wasn't conscionable Maxey. Dominick Barlow tied up Mitchell and jarred a shot loose. The Sixers, successful general, did a bully occupation of creating deflections for live-ball turnovers. They channeled their aggression productively, refusing to let size to fuss them. That subject and consistency had Philadelphia successful power for virtually nan full nighttime and it moreover baited nan Cavaliers into immoderate errant, rushed decisions to debar nan pressure.

Spare thoughts

• George's shotmaking is coming on very nicely arsenic this play reaches nan halfway point. He took bid of different lineup sans Embiid and Maxey to unfastened nan 2nd quarter. He's not conscionable lining up catch-and-shoot threes to immaculate results. George is drafting fouls connected reach-ins retired of nan face-up, lacing mid-range fadeaways and getting to nan rim. The Sixers person a beacon of stableness there.

• Joining George successful those lineups is Adem Bona, who surfs connected waves of momentum erstwhile he's connected nan court. If he's not committing 3 fouls successful 3 minutes, he's spiking balls disconnected nan backboard. Philadelphia sewage nan bully type of him successful this game.

• The Sixers should effort not helping disconnected of Jaylon Tyson 1 walk away. Just a thought.

• This is nan first crippled this play that is genuinely worthy of concern. Maxey had a mortal nighttime 48 hours aft his first mortal nighttime of this mini series. Cleveland mightiness conscionable person thing connected him successful this matchup. The Sixers besides sewage swept successful this location series, thing that is very uncommon successful nan NBA. The Cavaliers get to opportunity that they person nan Sixers' number. Something to deliberation astir arsenic you commencement eyeing playoff matchups. Fool maine 1 time, shame connected you. Fool maine twice...