Liberty Ballers: All Posts by Erin GruganHonestly have no idea what we’re arguing about anymore.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50717/lb-fav.png2024-03-26T01:30:00-04:00https://www.libertyballers.com/authors/erin-grugan/rss2024-03-26T01:30:00-04:002024-03-26T01:30:00-04:00Sixers Bell Ringer: Tyrese Maxey can’t carry Sixers alone in loss to Kings
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<p>Tyrese Maxey might have scored 29 points on Monday night, but he simply didn’t get enough help from his teammates as the Philadelphia 76ers fell 108-96 to the Sacramento Kings. </p> <p id="fjXhQd"><strong>Bell Ringer Season Totals:</strong></p>
<p id="vlRbUe">Joel Embiid - 19<br>Tyrese Maxey - 15<br>Kelly Oubre Jr. - 8<br>Tobias Harris - 7<br>Paul Reed - 4<br>De’Anthony Melton - 3<br>Jaden Springer - 3<br>Ricky Council IV - 2<br>Buddy Hield - 2<br>Patrick Beverley - 1<br>Danuel House Jr. - 1<br>Furkan Korkmaz - 1<br>KJ Martin - 1<br>Cam Payne - 1<br>Terquavion Smith - 1</p>
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<p id="j4gZBh">Good news! That was the last 10 p.m. ET start of the season for the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a>! Bad news, it really didn’t go the Sixers’ way as they fell 108-96 to the Sacramento Kings to end their West Coast road trip. </p>
<p id="VuOTeh">Kelly Oubre Jr. was a new addition to the injury report, sidelined for Monday’s game with shoulder soreness. Boy, was he missed, especially on the offensive end.</p>
<p id="qO8PUU">This was kind of a one-on-one for a lot of the first period. Tyrese Maxey scored the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Sixers</a>’ first 16 points of tonight’s contest. It wasn’t until there was just three minutes left in the opening frame that another Philadelphia player scored. On the other side, Keegan Murray led the way for the Kings with 17 of their 31 first-period points. Maxey ended up setting a new career-high for points in a single quarter with 21 as the Sixers trailed 31-25 headed into the second. </p>
<p id="QO90qL">Unfortunately, Maxey was really the only bright spot of the first half for the Sixers. He shot 9-for-13 for 26 first-half points. His teammates, meanwhile, combined to shoot just 8-for-27 from the floor for 22 points across the first two periods. Combine that with nine turnovers and a number of questionable officiating calls, and it just wasn’t the smoothest half for the Sixers. Philly trailed 60-48 going into the locker room. </p>
<p id="fSc9SF">A 9-0 Kings run extended their advantage to 18 at one point in the third, their largest lead of the night to that point. A pair of triples notched the first points as a Sixer for D.J. Wilson late in the third, and Philadelphia trailed by 15 points headed into the final frame. </p>
<p id="VGmBM6">The hot start the Sixers’ needed to get back into this one went the way of the Kings, who started the fourth period on a 6-0 run to all but put this one away. The Sixers attempted to battle with their starters longer than I expected, never really bringing this one back within striking distance, but Nick Nurse ultimately pulled the plug. Philadelphia ended their road trip with a 108-96 loss on Monday night. </p>
<p id="yqbVf2">And just like that, the Sixers are on their way back to the East Coast. They will return to action at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night when they host James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers. </p>
<p id="OFMU2z">Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. </p>
<p id="SjGtMf"><strong>Tyrese Maxey: 29 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists</strong></p>
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<p id="RmzICv">I guess Maxey wasn’t too tired after playing 44 minutes on Sunday. </p>
<p id="95LFL0">We have become somewhat accustomed to Maxey carrying the offensive load for the Sixers in Joel Embiid’s absence, but tonight started on another level. Setting a new career-high for points in a single quarter, Maxey put up 21 points on 7-for-11 field goal shooting (4-for-6 from beyond the arc) in the first period (of the Sixers’ total 25 points in the frame). He was the only starter for Philadelphia to score in the first 12 minutes. </p>
<p id="GHLsiD">Even as the Kings started blitzing him (with a full-court double-team at times, even), Maxey remained the lone bright spot for the Sixers in the first half. He entered the locker room with 26 points.</p>
<p id="JXyAkM">The rest of the game was a bit tougher for Maxey as the Kings learned from their mistake of single-covering him early on Monday night. For most of the rest of the night, Maxey faced high pressure and honestly just wasn’t getting effective help from his teammates to work out of it. As a result, Maxey took just three shots in the entire second half.</p>
<p id="BJX9UF">Nevertheless, he finished the night leading the field with 29 points on 10-for-16 field goal shooting (five triples) with three rebounds and two assists. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> ️ TYRESE. MAXEY. MY. GOD.<br><br>Maxey outscoring the Kings with all 16 points! <a href="https://t.co/spvYo77iQd">pic.twitter.com/spvYo77iQd</a></p>— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSPhilly/status/1772451822294249884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2024</a>
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<p id="zqbRoM"><strong>D.J. Wilson: 10 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks (in 13:57)</strong></p>
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<cite>Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="laGkyI">OK, is D.J. Wilson the Bell Ringer tonight? No, not really. But I just wanted to give Wilson a shoutout to highlight some of the great things he showed tonight even in a small sample size.</p>
<p id="cMET7m">Wilson was subbed into the game for the first time late in the third. Straight off the bench, he sank back-to-back triples in under a minute’s time for his first points as a Sixer. Within 10 minutes on the floor, Wilson had scored 10 points, only outscored on the Philadelphia side by Maxey and Tobias Harris (who had 12 points in 25 minutes on the floor at that point). Again, it’s small sample size, of course — but for this Sixers team that can’t buy points sometimes, any production off the bench can be a big boost. Plus, who doesn’t love an alley-oop dunk (below) to keep us all awake after midnight?</p>
<p id="vO68r8">He showed some positives on the defensive end as well, putting up two blocks in the fourth period: one on a Harrison Barnes layup and another on a Davion Mitchell pull-up. </p>
<p id="bmcgSj">In 13:57, Wilson finished with 10 points on 4-for-6 field goal shooting (2-for-2 from three-point range) with two rebounds, two assists and two blocks.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DJ Wilson! <a href="https://t.co/iqMO8zhQK3">pic.twitter.com/iqMO8zhQK3</a></p>— J (@SixersJustin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SixersJustin/status/1772474604038099239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2024</a>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/26/24112126/sixers-bell-ringer-sacramento-kings-tyrese-maxey-kelly-oubre-jr-nick-nurse-dj-wilsonErin Grugan2024-03-20T17:26:20-04:002024-03-20T17:26:20-04:00Sixers begin tough trip out West vs. Phoenix Suns
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<figcaption>Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Philadelphia 76ers begin a four-game road trip out West on Wednesday night when they take on the Phoenix Suns.</p> <p id="Nc1XOu">Woo-hoo 10 p.m. ET starts! We’re all excited, right? ...Right?</p>
<p id="goWsAs">The <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a> will look to keep things moving in the right direction as they head out West for a four-game road trip beginning Wednesday night against the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com">Phoenix Suns</a>.</p>
<p id="AO2zV4">The Sixers have won their last two games in a row against the Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat. For Wednesday, they are still without Joel Embiid, Robert Covington and De’Anthony Melton, but they might get back Tobias Harris who is currently listed as questionable for Wednesday night after missing the past two games with an ankle sprain suffered on March 14. </p>
<p id="VjYbC0">Depending on one’s attitude towards Harris in light of his recent performances post-All-Star break, that might be considered good news or bad news. Harris has had moments of production but they’ve been way too few and far between as of late. There’s been quite a few times that him being on the court has been a negative for the Sixers, not a positive. With Philly on a two-game win-streak in his absence, the level of benefit getting him back in the mix remains to be seen.</p>
<p id="icAGq0">The Sixers and Suns haven’t met since back on Nov. 4, 2023, when the season was still very young and hopes for the Sixers still very high with Embiid looking better than ever. Those were the days. The Sixers won that matchup at home 112-102, but, again, some things have changed quite a bit since then.</p>
<p id="AV7KU9">But some things have stayed the same, particularly for Phoenix. The Suns are still led by the powerful duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Durant has not slowed down at 35 years of age, averaging 27.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game with an average of 37.3 minutes spent on the floor every outing. Booker is right there with him, doling out 27.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists per contest. In support, they have Bradley Beal. Beal has struggled with a number of injury issues throughout this season and has played 39 of the Suns’ 68 games this campaign. That being said, he’s still damn good when’s able to go, averaging 18.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in those appearances. Phoenix is 23-16 when Beal plays. </p>
<p id="PCuw95">All that being said, the Suns’ defense has left a bit to be desired. They’ve been giving opposing offenses their chances to say the least, with opponents averaging 115.2 per game against Phoenix over their last 10 contests. It’ll be up to Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr., who have absolutely carried the Sixers offensively recently, to take advantage. </p>
<p id="V9Rl3e">The Suns are returning home after a four-game road trip that ended this past Sunday when they fell to the Bucks in Milwaukee. They are also in eighth place in the Western Conference, clinging on to a Play-In Tournament spot, so they are going to be looking to snag absolutely every win they can as this season comes down the stretch, especially against a team like the Sixers missing their MVP. </p>
<p id="LMq6Ou">All this to say, this is a challenging start to a challenging trip for the Sixers. It would be great for momentum and morale to snag their third win in a row to kick it off.</p>
<p id="H6WBfO">The Sixers and Suns tip off at 10 p.m. ET.</p>
<h3 id="v4pAA7">Game Details</h3>
<p id="KQb5Zh"><strong>Who: </strong>Philadelphia 76ers at Phoenix Suns</p>
<p id="fzv590"><strong>When: </strong>10:00 pm EST</p>
<p id="ZZYSvz"><strong>Where: </strong>Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ</p>
<p id="NibW7M"><strong>Watch: </strong>NBCSN Philadelphia</p>
<p id="6SPRqp"><strong>Radio:</strong> 97.5 The Fanatic</p>
<p id="AGXMBr"><strong>Follow:</strong> <a href="http://twitter.com/Liberty_Ballers"><strong>@LibertyBallers</strong></a></p>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/20/24107100/philadelphia-sixers-phoenix-suns-tobias-harris-bradley-beal-kevin-durant-devin-bookerErin Grugan2024-03-18T23:16:36-04:002024-03-18T23:16:36-04:00Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers hang on to beat the Heat
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<figcaption>Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Philadelphia 76ers nearly blew it in the fourth, but held on to defeat the Miami Heat 98-91 on Monday night. </p> <p id="fjXhQd"><strong>Bell Ringer Season Totals:</strong></p>
<p id="vlRbUe">Joel Embiid - 19</p>
<p id="kIDoyH">Tyrese Maxey - 13</p>
<p id="kQcZOy">Kelly Oubre Jr. - 8</p>
<p id="Qd2izs">Tobias Harris - 7</p>
<p id="zUMLHd">Paul Reed - 4</p>
<p id="8YwIK6">De’Anthony Melton - 3</p>
<p id="6krdG9">Jaden Springer - 3</p>
<p id="rSjej5">Ricky Council IV - 2</p>
<p id="2sGLXi">Buddy Hield - 2</p>
<p id="oOQXCZ">Patrick Beverley - 1</p>
<p id="ZNIuYv">Danuel House Jr. - 1</p>
<p id="xhHuGh">Furkan Korkmaz - 1</p>
<p id="7KVowB">Terquavion Smith - 1</p>
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<p id="KX2wBS">Well, they made it interesting again, but the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a> ultimately held on for dear life to defeat the Miami Heat 98-91 on Monday night. </p>
<p id="cBTX8o">Both teams were a bit shorthanded for this one. The Sixers remained without Tobias Harris (in addition to Joel Embiid, De’Anthony Melton and Robert Covington). The Heat, meanwhile, were without Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro. </p>
<p id="Ft19sD">The Sixers got cooking early courtesy of Tyrese Maxey, who put up 17 points in the first frame leading Philadelphia to a 31-23 lead going into the second. Unfortunately, when Maxey sat down to take a breather, the Sixers’ advantage went with him. In what was ultimately a pretty abysmal second period offensively for Philadelphia, a little burst in the last two minutes (and a last second corner three from Kelly Oubre Jr.) helped the Sixers stay on top 51-49 going into the locker room for halftime. Maxey and Oubre combined for 32 of Philly’s first-half points. </p>
<p id="JOLa1k">The first five minutes of the third was maybe what the best case scenario is for the Sixers in their current state. They looked like a real, complete NBA team! Maxey hitting buckets, Oubre creating assists kicking out of drives, Mo Bamba (yes, Mo Bamba!) making things happen in what may have been his best minutes as a Sixer so far — all culminating in a 15-0 Sixers run giving Philly a double-digit lead. They led the Heat by 14 going into the final frame.</p>
<p id="IFoD8M">Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Sixers up big to start the fourth, Maxey takes the bench to get some rest... and it all collapses. Halfway through the final period, we suddenly had ourselves a tie game after the Heat ran rampant, cashing in on numerous Sixers’ turnovers and errors in a 20-6 run. The Heat battled the rest of the way, but the Sixers were able to hold on just long enough to take down Miami 98-91 on Monday night. </p>
<p id="SXesjs">The Sixers next hit the road for the west coast and... oh god, here come the 10 p.m. ET starts. First up is a trip to the <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com">Phoenix Suns</a> on Wednesday night.</p>
<p id="Jujou0">Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. </p>
<p id="rOvW2w"><strong>Tyrese Maxey: 30 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 1 block</strong></p>
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<cite>Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="hDOGGj">Remember when this kid would get off to slow starts when it came to scoring? Not so much anymore. Maxey got off to a flaming hot start Monday with 17 points in the first period, notching his fifth consecutive game with double-digit points in the first frame. He did so on 6-for-9 field goal shooting, 2-for-3 from long range, and 3-for-3 from the charity stripe. By halftime, he had 18 points, four rebounds and five assists, including this cross-court fastball to Kyle Lowry. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">getting silly in South Philly. <a href="https://t.co/GADBRTGyeh">pic.twitter.com/GADBRTGyeh</a></p>— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1769886324733964347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2024</a>
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<p id="TKLBYd">It might seem redundant to talk about what Maxey did well on Monday because it’s nothing new for him, he’s just been doing what he does best at an exceptional level these past few games especially. He isn’t forcing shots that aren’t there, he’s just vastly improved in creating space between him and an opponents’ defense, whether it be through using his speed to get to the rim or using some fancy footwork to hit a step-back triple, and everything in between. </p>
<p id="jKaRlO">And that’s all without even mentioning how much more of an asset he’s been as of late to the Sixers’ defense. </p>
<p id="7Uaeoz">For the first time in his career, he notches three consecutive games with 30+ points. He finished with 30 points, eight rebounds, 10 assists, one steal and one block.</p>
<p id="XYeDFv"><strong>Kelly Oubre Jr.: 22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 blocks</strong></p>
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<cite>Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="gHsuOj">Oubre’s energy and athleticism continue to be a huge boost for the Sixers, especially the offense. His constant movement and cuts off the ball provide a reliable lifeline to Maxey to pass to. That also means Oubre is given more opportunities to cash in from within the paint, often right at the rim, rather than being forced into settling for questionable midrange jumpers. That strategy helped him collect 22 points on 10-for-19 field goal shooting. Look at that beautiful shot plot!</p>
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<p id="6Seh4Y">In addition to his bursts of scoring, Oubre has started doing something else to keep the Sixers’ offense going: passing! It’s been a slowly growing trend with Oubre. He aggressively drives in the way we all know is his bread and butter, but, recently, he’s been more willing to kick out of those drives if he runs into trouble and draws in the opponents’ defense. He had three assists on Monday. It might not seem like much, but when you compare it to the zero or one assists per game he had often to start the season, it’s a great development.</p>
<p id="Ig5mnZ">Oubre had a handful of highlights in this one from his emphatic slams to some triples and everything in between, but his biggest sequence may have come in the fourth when he finished at the rim through Bam Adebayo and ran down for a big block on Jaime Jaquez down the other end as the Sixers’ were battling to hold on to a narrow lead towards the end of the game. He blocked Jaquez again with just 37 seconds left. (Oh, did I mention he had FIVE blocks tonight?)</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">the Kelly highlight reel: <a href="https://t.co/adEoEwgvNm">pic.twitter.com/adEoEwgvNm</a></p>— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1769880045319840169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2024</a>
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<p id="ta63WS"><strong>Kyle Lowry: 16 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block</strong></p>
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<cite>Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="PmCiHo">Man it’s been nice to have this guy on the Sixers, and tonight was a great example of what he brings to the table, even at this point in his career. He might not necessarily top the stat sheets anymore, but he is still huge in the biggest moments. Down the stretch, with the Sixers fighting to hold on to a narrow lead over the Heat, Lowry hit a huge three and a reverse layup in the final minutes to help carry the Sixers over the finish line. </p>
<p id="yhtuiX">Lowry had been decent throughout the rest of the contest as well, as both a constant nuisance for the Heat on defense and being active off the ball on offense to find space, particularly beyond the perimeter where he shot 3-for-5 from on Monday.</p>
<p id="ywkCgC">He finished the game with 16 points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block. </p>
<p id="WYjR9d">Bonus points for launching himself over the scorers’ table going after a loose ball. Some might say “hey, it’s just a regular season game in March, protect yourself instead” and I agree somewhat... but you have to love the effort and toughness. North Philly’s finest. </p>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/18/24105371/sixers-bell-ringer-philadelphia-miami-heat-tyrese-maxey-kelly-oubre-jr-kyle-lowryErin Grugan2024-03-18T18:21:30-04:002024-03-18T18:21:30-04:00Sixers’ Tobias Harris, Heat’s Jimmy Butler out Monday
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<figcaption>Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat will be missing starters as they face off on Monday night.</p> <p id="l0N8YS">Both teams will be shorthanded on Monday night in a contest between the Miami Heat and the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a>. </p>
<p id="97yfsR">Sixers forward Tobias Harris will miss his second consecutive game with an ankle sprain. Harris had visibly rolled the ankle towards the end of the Sixers’ March 15 game at the <a href="https://www.brewhoop.com">Milwaukee Bucks</a>. He finished that contest, but has been out since. He did not take part in the team’s morning shootaround Monday before being ruled out. That being said, head coach Nick Nurse said pregame that he expects Harris’ return soon, and that he will be traveling with the team on their upcoming west coast road trip.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nick Nurse says he imagines Tobias Harris will be back very soon, and that Harris will be on the upcoming west coast road trip <a href="https://t.co/Gz88kaHKqT">https://t.co/Gz88kaHKqT</a></p>— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) <a href="https://twitter.com/SixersAdam/status/1769843335856902455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<p id="f0sYJ5">The Sixers are also still missing Joel Embiid, De’Anthony Melton and Robert Covington. Another pregame note from Monday, Nurse said that there’s currently no timetable for Melton’s return as he again struggles with a back injury.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nurse also says there’s no update on De’Anthony Melton, who has only played in 5 games since January 1 because of recurring back problems — an underrated part of Philly’s struggles. <a href="https://t.co/WmREC6Az3d">https://t.co/WmREC6Az3d</a></p>— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimBontemps/status/1769844618307207542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<p id="KSzko8">The Heat will be missing Jimmy Butler, who will miss his second consecutive game Monday with a foot contusion. Butler missed Miami’s game last night, a 104-101 victory over the Indiana Pacers. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">UPDATE: Jimmy Butler (foot) has been ruled out. <a href="https://t.co/zp99o4daj0">https://t.co/zp99o4daj0</a></p>— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1769846073101561932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2024</a>
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<p id="4FVK6P">Miami will also be without Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Josh Richardson and Kevin Love for the contest. </p>
<p id="OW1tbT">The Sixers and Heat tip off in South Philadelphia at 7:30 p.m. ET. </p>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/18/24105299/philadelphia-sixers-miami-heat-tobias-harris-jimmy-butler-nick-nurseErin Grugan2024-03-15T12:17:50-04:002024-03-15T12:17:50-04:00Former Sixer Patrick Beverley flips ball at Nick Nurse at end of game
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<img alt="Philadelphia 76ers v Milwaukee Bucks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IOlcrzZ7vXJPvpIHKfrCy9bWW0E=/0x0:6000x4000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73209751/2084967154.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Milwaukee Buck Patrick Beverley appeared to toss the game ball to his former Sixers coach, Nick Nurse, at the end of the teams’ contest Thursday night.</p> <p id="ZOOLTn">The <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a> ran out of gas late against the <a href="https://www.brewhoop.com">Milwaukee Bucks</a>, squandering their lead and ultimately falling 114-105 on Thursday night.</p>
<p id="IYTGL8">If you watched through to the final horn, you may have noticed something as time expired. Former Sixer Patrick Beverley took the ball down the court and, when time ran out, appeared to flip the ball towards the back of Sixers’ coach Nick Nurse.</p>
<div id="4mzMTS">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">i have a feeling pat bev running down the court and flipping the ball to nick nurse at the buzzer was not an accident <a href="https://t.co/Vtha4x5U90">pic.twitter.com/Vtha4x5U90</a></p>— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1768464612440363392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
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<p id="KpvpVy">Shoutout to Mo Bamba on the block, by the way. </p>
<p id="Wmwkbs">This is just, for lack of a better phrase, weirdo behavior from Beverley. If it had been Daryl Morey standing there, maybe that would have made sense. But Nurse didn’t trade Beverley. Nurse wasn’t the one that allegedly told Beverley he wouldn’t be traded. It just seems misplaced and unnecessary. </p>
<p id="AxQyAO">Look, we can all appreciate the energy and dawg mentality that Pat Bev brings to the game. It was likely a large reason he was seemingly well-liked by Philadelphia fans in his short time as a Sixer. Well, that and the pandering. </p>
<div id="eRMxke">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It’s a vibe to be on the Sixers right now <a href="https://t.co/3tx2qGY6LH">pic.twitter.com/3tx2qGY6LH</a></p>— Pat Bev Pod (@PatBevPod) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatBevPod/status/1735775128091279367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2023</a>
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<p id="EGas9x">The tide has certainly taken a turn since he was traded back on Feb. 8. </p>
<p id="auSsif">He took a shot at his former organization by saying the difference between the Sixers and the Bucks is that “everybody wants to win [in Milwaukee], it’s not about stats”. That statement was made less than eight whole days after he was traded. My my, the tables turn quickly. </p>
<p id="BaeaQi">The latest act of defiance came at the conclusion of Thursday night’s contest as Beverley purposefully ran down the court with the ball to toss towards Nurse. Odd night to make a statement, however, when both the player he was traded for (Cam Payne) and the player picked up to take his role (Kyle Lowry) outperformed him... but I digress.</p>
<p id="XDKmbN">One could say “oh, he was wronged by the Sixers” with Morey trading him quite surprisingly and suddenly, after allegedly telling Beverley he wouldn’t be traded. But, there’s also that he’s got a podcast to push. The sudden vocal shift in attitude could certainly lead some to question whether or not everything he says and does is mostly fodder to amplify his pod.</p>
<p id="La8yXu">Or maybe he’s really just this damn bitter. </p>
<p id="CnqNml"></p>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/15/24101893/philadelphia-sixers-patrick-beverley-nick-nurse-cam-payne-kyle-lowry-daryl-morey-tradeErin Grugan2024-03-14T23:30:00-04:002024-03-14T23:30:00-04:00Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers remember how to play basketball, but it’s not enough vs. Bucks
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<img alt="NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3R9MoUIs2o9m3yuUAcarYzlR2JE=/0x0:5732x3821/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73208565/usa_today_22777946.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Despite playing much better than they did on Tuesday evening, the Philadelphia 76ers couldn’t hold on to their lead over the Milwaukee Bucks, falling 114-105 on Thursday. </p> <p id="W9vlrR"><strong>Bell Ringer Season Totals:</strong></p>
<p id="irQtI9">Joel Embiid - 19</p>
<p id="49m1Jb">Tyrese Maxey - 11</p>
<p id="tLJ1hm">Kelly Oubre Jr. - 8</p>
<p id="8QmilI">Tobias Harris - 7</p>
<p id="wo7u0W">Paul Reed - 4</p>
<p id="f18mcW">De’Anthony Melton - 3</p>
<p id="qV156m">Jaden Springer - 3</p>
<p id="yjQDV1">Ricky Council IV - 2</p>
<p id="DZdFHm">Buddy Hield - 2</p>
<p id="tdeSyK">Patrick Beverley - 1</p>
<p id="yrskE2">Danuel House Jr. - 1</p>
<p id="Li9TMo">Furkan Korkmaz - 1</p>
<p id="ox7IOr">Terquavion Smith - 1</p>
<p id="Kxc7gl"></p>
<p id="175Zni">The <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a> put up one hell of a fight against the <a href="https://www.brewhoop.com">Milwaukee Bucks</a> but ran out of gas in the fourth, falling 114-105 on Thursday night. </p>
<p id="TGQq8a">Man, it’s nice to at least see some watchable basketball out of these <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Sixers</a>. After Tuesday’s game, coming into Milwaukee against the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference, expectations might have been low for Philadelphia in this one. </p>
<p id="4seIRJ">Well, it went somewhat better than expected, at least?</p>
<p id="wG6jh6">Things started out hot from long range with both teams raining down triples — five threes from each team in the first period. Ten points from Tyrese Maxey in the frame and a few triples late from Buddy Hield led the Sixers on a 10-0 run to end the first up 29-24. Some fantastic minutes from Paul Reed combined with 11 quick points from Cam Payne off the bench in the second period helped the Sixers grow their lead to 61-53 headed into halftime.</p>
<p id="9caxHS">The third period brought with it a back-and-forth battle. The Bucks were able to snag their first lead since the first towards the end of the period, but it was short-lived. Led by a spectacular performance from Maxey, who couldn’t seem to miss a shot no matter where he was on the floor (or flying midair, even), the Sixers regained a narrow advantage to lead by three points going into the final frame. </p>
<p id="d1O4Cd">A 16-3 Milwaukee run about midway through the fourth put Philadelphia on their heels as the Bucks went back out in front, building an eight-point lead (their biggest of the game to that point). The Sixers’ comeback attempt was actually led by Tobias Harris. With five minutes left in the game, Harris had just six points. By the end, he had 15. Unfortunately, the shots kept sinking for the Bucks and the Sixers could never close the gap, falling 114-105 on Thursday. </p>
<p id="qjpjps">It’s a loss, but at least it showed that there is some potential left with this Sixers’ squad (and that they can score over 80 points in a game). There’s still a major concern that this is just another example of this team running out of gas in the end, but it was undoubtedly a step in the right direction compared to Tuesday.</p>
<p id="SllWsq">The Sixers will head back home to South Philadelphia to host the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday evening. </p>
<p id="r5S8j9">Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. </p>
<p id="2SNJdE"><strong>Tyrese Maxey: 30 points (5 triples), 4 rebounds, 4 assists</strong></p>
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<p id="11nleX">Maxey got off to a hot start from long range with back-to-back triples to get things going on Thursday night. He still may not be a full 100% after missing four games with a concussion, but he looked pretty damn good. He led the Sixers with 10 points in the first period on 4-for-6 field goal shooting. Of course his bread and butter is getting downhill toward the rim, and he did some of that, but boy was he hot from beyond the arc. By halftime, Maxey led the field with 18 points on 4-for-5 three-point shooting. He had another double-digit period in the third with 11 points to keep the Sixers narrowly ahead of the battling Bucks. </p>
<p id="gEByPn">Maxey said after the Sixers’ last contest vs. the <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com">New York Knicks</a> on Tuesday that he was admittedly a bit tired getting back into game action after the week or so in concussion protocol. It certainly didn’t look that way on Thursday. In addition to his barrage of triples, Maxey hit a few of his “how did he sink that” shots on the move as he weaved his way through the Milwaukee defense (see two examples below) with his speed and agility. He was just absolutely on fire. </p>
<div id="07RuOJ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">AN ALL TIME MAXEY RUN RIGHT NOW <a href="https://t.co/BawdVINKUy">https://t.co/BawdVINKUy</a> <a href="https://t.co/itJaa8SaS7">pic.twitter.com/itJaa8SaS7</a></p>— J (@SixersJustin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SixersJustin/status/1768454457329696794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
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<p id="STlYQY">There wasn’t much more you could’ve asked of Maxey tonight. He finished Thursday with 30 points on 12-for-23 field goal shooting (five triples), four rebounds and four assists.</p>
<p id="UYv73o"><strong>Cam Payne: 13 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists in 11:45</strong></p>
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<img alt="NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Milwaukee Bucks" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/K75cbPIgTVDT_Jkd9GPrGEZPRg0=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25337131/usa_today_22777943.jpg">
<cite>Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="bNsJjm">You could tell Payne came into this one against his former team with some “y’all shouldn’t have traded me” energy. In 8:27 played in the first half, Payne had 11 points on 3-for-3 shooting from long range, an offensive rebound and two assists. In a quick moment back on the floor in the third, he tacked on another two points with a high bank shot off the window. </p>
<p id="3sIjjt">With just 11:45 on the floor in this one, Payne was the third-highest scorer for the Sixers behind Maxey (30) and Harris (15). He finished with 13 points on 5-for-6 field goal shooting (3-for-3 from long range).</p>
<div id="BsiniU">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">keep 'em coming! <a href="https://t.co/pM6ptifmaU">pic.twitter.com/pM6ptifmaU</a></p>— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1768441125340127429?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2024</a>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/14/24101354/sixers-bell-ringer-milwaukee-bucks-tyrese-maxey-cam-payne-giannis-anetetokounmpo-doc-riversErin Grugan2024-03-12T22:04:07-04:002024-03-12T22:04:07-04:00Sixers Bell Ringer: Embarrassing display as Knicks demolish Sixers 106-79
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<img alt="Philadelphia 76ers v New York Knicks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kDsoWR7wUXOmWwQVJzTA3VvnaPo=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73202835/2071902664.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Philadelphia 76ers crashed and burned on Tuesday night against the New York Knicks, failing to break 80 points for the second game in a row and falling 106-79. </p> <p id="W9vlrR"><strong>Bell Ringer Season Totals:</strong></p>
<p id="irQtI9">Joel Embiid - 19</p>
<p id="49m1Jb">Tyrese Maxey - 11</p>
<p id="tLJ1hm">Kelly Oubre Jr. - 8</p>
<p id="8QmilI">Tobias Harris - 7</p>
<p id="wo7u0W">Paul Reed - 4</p>
<p id="f18mcW">De’Anthony Melton - 3</p>
<p id="qV156m">Jaden Springer - 3</p>
<p id="yjQDV1">Ricky Council IV - 2</p>
<p id="DZdFHm">Buddy Hield - 2</p>
<p id="tdeSyK">Patrick Beverley - 1</p>
<p id="yrskE2">Danuel House Jr. - 1</p>
<p id="Li9TMo">Furkan Korkmaz - 1</p>
<p id="ox7IOr">Terquavion Smith - 1</p>
<p id="xnCgLa"></p>
<p id="6GUuAZ">What can you even say about that one? </p>
<p id="LXrCnR">The <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Sixers</a> were demolished by the <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com">New York Knicks</a> 106-79 on Tuesday night. </p>
<p id="agJrsr">It’s the second time in three days the Sixers have faced off with the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Philadelphia came away with the win on Sunday night in a low-scoring 79-73 contest. </p>
<p id="2GiURA">Sixers coach Nick Nurse didn’t like what he saw at the start of this one, with the Knicks getting off to a quick 6-0 off the tip prompting Nurse to call a timeout less than two minutes into the game. It didn’t help much. With the Knicks sinking seven of their first 10 shots from the floor, the Knicks extended their lead to double digits midway through the first period. With the Sixers shooting just 35.3 from the floor, they trailed the Knicks (who shot 50%) 26-14 after one. Tyrese Maxey, back after missing four games with a concussion, scored 10 of those points, with the rest of the squad combining for an impressively bad four total points. </p>
<p id="FNVEcK">Players other than just Maxey started to score for the Sixers and strung together an 8-0 run, cutting the deficit back down into single digits in the second period... briefly. The Knicks just plainly outworked, out-shot and out-rebounded the Sixers in the latter half of the period to inflate their lead to 18 points at halftime. </p>
<p id="lAli2P">For whatever it’s worth, there was one Sixers’ starter that failed to get on the scoreboard in the first half, and that was Tobias Harris. Harris played just under 17 minutes and went 0-for-3, had just three rebounds and that was it. No points, no assists, no defense. He’s been doing worse than doing nothing in that he’s actively hurting the Sixers when he’s on the floor. It’s been so consistently bad that it feels redundant at this point to even go over, but it begs the question: what will it take for Harris’ time on the court to be reduced?</p>
<p id="WlIsBp">Anyway, back to the game. Some good defense from the Sixers slowed down the Knicks, forced a few turnovers and facilitated a 10-2 Sixers run that brought the score difference down to 10. Then New York decided to put on a clinic, outscoring Philadelphia 26-10 in the last eight minutes of the period for a comfortable 87-61 lead after three. (Yes, the Sixers had just 61 points through 36 minutes of play. Deja vu in the worst way.)</p>
<p id="32y0od">The Knicks just embarrassed the Sixers on Tuesday. Five New York players in double-digit scoring. Josh Hart with 20 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Jalen Brunson with 20 points as well. Out-rebounded the Sixers 58-39. Knicks win 106-79. </p>
<p id="YZlOQt">The Sixers’ next opponent is no easier. They are back in action on Thursday night when they travel to the <a href="https://www.brewhoop.com">Milwaukee Bucks</a>, currently second in the Eastern Conference.</p>
<p id="CafpBq">We have to do Bell Ringer. Don’t worry, I’m not giving it to any Sixers. Not tonight. They can’t make me.</p>
<h3 id="uf8DTw"><strong>Tonight’s Bell Ringer: Which Philadelphia Eagles free agency signing are you most excited about?</strong></h3>
<p id="L3oqeu">(For comprehensive Eagles offseason coverage, go to <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Bleeding Green Nation</a>, of course.)</p>
<p id="Q5tJbM"><strong>Saquon Barkley, RB (3 years, $37.8 million)</strong></p>
<p id="OuUU1x">The Eagles spent big money on a RB! I thought I’d never see the day. And right out from under a division rival in the New York Giants? Barkley has had some injury issues in his past but he’s still just 27 years old and a two-time Pro Bowler with over 7,300 career yards from scrimmage. </p>
<p id="tUzkkZ"><strong>C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DB (3 years, $33 million)</strong></p>
<p id="9S3nFv">Welcome back, CJGJ! You may have called Philadelphia fans obnoxious before but, honestly, you weren’t exactly wrong. Gardner-Johnson was a standout for the Eagles back in 2022, with six interceptions in 12 games. </p>
<p id="6WR30e"><strong>Bryce Huff, DE (3 years, $51.1 million)</strong></p>
<p id="W138pR">Huff is coming off a great year with the New York Jets. Yes, the Jets. Their offense was bad but the defense was nothing to scoff at. Huff had 10 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 21 quarterback hits last season.</p>
<p id="XIaliM"><strong>DeVante Parker, WR (1 year)</strong></p>
<p id="4ytQkU">Low-risk, high-reward possible situation here with Parker. Parker has had some injury issues and production drop-off in recent years but was an absolute baller with the Miami Dolphins back in 2019 and 2020. </p>
<p id="BQz75I"><strong>Brandon Graham, DE (1 year)</strong></p>
<p id="plV6YP">Graham knew we couldn’t deal with another retirement this offseason, so he’s coming back for one more year. We all know what this guy can do.</p>
<p id="iE5d1Z"><strong>Matt Hennessy, G (1 year)</strong></p>
<p id="7C2QOv">Another low-risk deal for the Eagles. Hennessy (a Temple University product) has appeared in 41 games (22 starts) with the Atlanta Falcons over the past three years. He’s had knee issues in recent seasons, but could serve as an important addition to the depth of the Eagles’ offensive line if he can stay healthy.</p>
<p id="nr9od7"><strong>Zach Baun, LB (1 year)</strong></p>
<p id="y1QSPd">I don’t think there’s a single Eagles fan that will complain about any addition to the linebacker squad. Baun started six games last season with the New Orleans Saints for two sacks, an interception and four tackles for loss. He won’t completely fill the void at the position that was evident last Eagles’ season, but it’s a start. </p>
<div id="giz1cX"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12277560"></div></div>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/12/24099096/sixers-bell-ringer-new-york-knicks-tyrese-maxey-nick-nurse-tobias-harris-jalen-brunson-josh-hartErin Grugan2024-03-11T15:35:43-04:002024-03-11T15:35:43-04:00Tyrese Maxey clears concussion protocol, will return vs. Knicks on Tuesday
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<img alt="Philadelphia 76ers v Dallas Mavericks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JvWVv7tuLyEUpp7TU1H6S-WgGMQ=/0x0:4808x3205/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73198934/2058837267.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Tyrese Maxey has missed the last four games for the Philadelphia 76ers with a concussion, but will make his return Tuesday vs. the New York Knicks.</p> <p id="ZDlEir"><a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a> guard Tyrese Maxey has cleared concussion protocol and will return to action when the Sixers take on the <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com">New York Knicks</a> on Tuesday night. He is not listed on the team’s injury report. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to break the news.</p>
<div id="MwnbSl">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Philadelphia 76ers star Tyrese Maxey has cleared concussion protocol and will return vs. the Knicks on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN. Maxey has missed four straight games in protocol. <a href="https://t.co/Z9cwqDI9lL">pic.twitter.com/Z9cwqDI9lL</a></p>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1767268013349151029?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2024</a>
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<p id="KMaHYF">Maxey has missed the last four games with a concussion after taking a shin to the back of the head mid-fall vs. the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com">Dallas Mavericks</a> on March 3. He was cleared to return to finish that contest, but missed the next four after symptoms appeared the following day and put him into the league’s concussion protocol.</p>
<p id="6SYdbL">It’s been a rough go to say the very least without Maxey (in addition to of course Joel Embiid) for the Sixers. They dropped three of those four games and those losses weren’t particularly pretty. Philadelphia finally snagged a Maxey-less, Embiid-less win on Sunday when they took down the Knicks in New York in a low-scoring 79-73 affair. It was ugly, but it was a win — the team’s first without Maxey this season (previously 0-8). </p>
<p id="SeoN5R">Maxey’s return is obviously a huge boost for the Sixers, who are desperately trying to stay afloat as Embiid continues to work towards a return later this season. In addition to being the main ball-handler and a huge rhythm-setter for the Sixers’ offense, the young All-Star is averaging 26.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game while hitting 37.8% from beyond the arc this season. </p>
<p id="x8AUt8">Maxey and the Sixers are set to take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden (again) on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET.</p>
<p id="EkjBG2"></p>
https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/11/24097648/philadelphia-sixers-tyrese-maxey-injury-nick-nurse-new-york-knicksErin Grugan2024-03-08T08:12:42-05:002024-03-08T08:12:42-05:00Tyrese Maxey remains out as Sixers host hot New Orleans Pelicans
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<img alt="Philadelphia 76ers v New Orleans Pelicans" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ve44O55W_-DZSxTXgaR0sWKi-U8=/0x0:3581x2387/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73191258/1812127873.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Philadelphia 76ers, with both Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey sidelined, will host Zion Williamson and the surging New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.</p> <p id="BGQwYH">The <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a> have had a rough week so far. First, Tyrese Maxey was ruled out for Tuesday’s game vs. the Brooklyn Nets with concussion symptoms. Then the Sixers collapsed in the fourth period to lose that game. Wednesday night, Maxey out again, another final frame collapse and another loss, this time to the injury-ravaged Memphis Grizzlies.</p>
<p id="SgGpVW">The Sixers are going to look to get things back on the right track Friday night as the New Orleans Pelicans come to South Philadelphia. </p>
<p id="cA47Ql">It’s going to be another shorthanded battle, though. Maxey will remain out for the concussion suffered this past Sunday. Joel Embiid, De’Anthony Melton and Robert Covington also remain out. </p>
<p id="yYPY7T">With Maxey still sidelined, it’s going to put a lot of weight on the shoulders of Kyle Lowry to command the offense. He’s a veteran who has proved his capabilities to do this time and time again, but it is concerning to think about how many minutes he may have to play in these games without Maxey. In Tuesday night’s game, Lowry played over 36 minutes, ultimately having to rest for the second leg of the back-to-back the next night. Now, this isn’t a back-to-back, but with Maxey’s return timetable uncertain right now, they’re going to need Lowry on a consistent, sustainable basis. </p>
<p id="BGaFbq">Not only that, but anyone who watched those last few games can tell you there’s a laundry list of things the Sixers need to improve on if they’re going to keep their heads above water in their current state. It’s going to take everyone! Tobias Harris plainly has to start stepping up and at the very least carry his weight consistently. Kelly Oubre Jr. has been great on offense, but needs to stop allowing so many points for opponents. Paul Reed seemingly has great first halves but can’t keep it going all 48 minutes (oh, and the fouls!). The entire team needs to sink their shots throughout the entirety of the game and not completely collapse both offensively and defensively at the one-yard line. That’s just to name a few!</p>
<p id="W9PfU6">For the Pelicans, on the other hand, things are looking up. Injury report is mostly clean. They’ve won seven of their last 10 games and are sitting in fifth in the Western Conference. They’re also coming off of two consecutive 20+-point victories, the last being a 139-98 rout of the <a href="https://www.raptorshq.com">Toronto Raptors</a> with seven Pelicans players scoring in the double digits on Tuesday night. The hero of the evening wasn’t Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram, but Trey Murphy III. Murphy scored a season-high 34 points coming off the bench, tying his career-high of 10 triples. </p>
<p id="uXRNuL">This lineup has a lot at their disposal. The 23-year-old Williamson is leading New Orleans averaging 22.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. Ingram is right there with him, averaging 21.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Six-foot-eleven Jonas Valanciunas brings extra height and excellent rebounding and CJ McCollum can still shoot the lights out from long range. That’s all in addition to rotation players like Murphy who can clearly have huge bursts of production in individual performances.</p>
<p id="AK9rXo">To put simply, this game is likely to be even harder for the Sixers than the previous two and it’s going to take a full 48 minutes, well-rounded effort from Philadelphia — even that might not be enough in their current state. That’s not to be a “doomer” or a miserable pessimist — they’re simply in a tough spot. That being said, they got some rest on Thursday and have plenty of film to improve off of from the past two disasters. Let’s see if Nick Nurse’s squad can adopt the “hungry dogs run faster” mentality to stay afloat with the cards stacked against them.</p>
<p id="klUvTb">The Sixers and Pelicans tip off at 7:00 p.m. ET.</p>
<h3 id="v4pAA7">Game Details</h3>
<p id="KQb5Zh"><strong>Who: </strong>Philadelphia 76ers vs. New Orleans Pelicans</p>
<p id="fzv590"><strong>When: </strong>7:00 pm EST</p>
<p id="ppZWBd"><strong>Where: </strong>Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA</p>
<p id="NibW7M"><strong>Watch: </strong>NBC Sports Philadelphia</p>
<p id="6SPRqp"><strong>Radio:</strong> 97.5 The Fanatic</p>
<p id="AGXMBr"><strong>Follow:</strong> <a href="http://twitter.com/Liberty_Ballers"><strong>@LibertyBallers</strong></a></p>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/8/24093924/philadelphia-sixers-new-orleans-pelicans-tyrese-maxey-kyle-lowry-zion-williamson-brandon-ingramErin Grugan2024-03-06T23:12:38-05:002024-03-06T23:12:38-05:00Sixers Bell Ringer: Deja vu — Sixers collapse in the 4th again vs. Memphis Grizzlies
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<figcaption>Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Philadelphia 76ers collapsed after leading in the fourth for the second night in a row, falling to the Memphis Grizzlies 115-109 on Wednesday night.</p> <p id="X5FYRo"><strong>Bell Ringer Season Totals:</strong></p>
<p id="f4Hyry">Joel Embiid - 19</p>
<p id="wrYCRT">Tyrese Maxey - 11</p>
<p id="EJVcsN">Tobias Harris - 7</p>
<p id="jsRHg8">Kelly Oubre Jr. - 6</p>
<p id="kFojbS">De’Anthony Melton - 3</p>
<p id="JMt6q5">Paul Reed - 3</p>
<p id="rrAm0Z">Jaden Springer - 3</p>
<p id="7MYz2W">Ricky Council IV - 2</p>
<p id="dd9Rnw">Buddy Hield - 2</p>
<p id="4W3ywH">Patrick Beverley - 1</p>
<p id="7tMqPI">Danuel House Jr. - 1</p>
<p id="XuiFUK">Furkan Korkmaz - 1</p>
<p id="TiXPU6">Terquavion Smith - 1</p>
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<p id="kyCEFY">Death. Taxes. The <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com">Philadelphia 76ers</a> blowing games in the fourth period.</p>
<p id="MsVhQJ">The Sixers fell 115-109 on Wednesday night after leading the visiting Memphis Grizzlies by 12 points going into the final frame — before allowing the injury-laden guests to outscore them 32-16 in the fourth. </p>
<p id="iRjI0d">I know the Sixers have had more than their fair share of injuries this season, but the Grizzlies are pretty much one big injury report at this point. Even with Joel Embiid still sidelined and both Tyrese Maxey (concussion) and Kyle Lowry (rest) out as well, the Sixers still had nice opportunity to get back in the win column Wednesday night against the 21-41 Grizzlies.</p>
<p id="zZ3LUp">Wouldn’t that have been nice?</p>
<p id="4vAcAC">Philadelphia got off to a decent start offensively, scoring 31 points in the first period on 7-for-11 three-point shooting. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the defensive end. Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Grizzlies were able to do pretty much whatever they wanted on their offensive end, building a six-point lead going into the second frame.</p>
<p id="QSoMJs">The second period was a bit of a different story. The Sixers were able to bite back for the lead with thanks to an offensive burst from Paul Reed, Jeff Dowtin Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. while the Grizzlies shot just 8-for-22 from the floor in the frame. Philadelphia took a 64-56 lead into the locker room at halftime.</p>
<p id="KzBDYJ">The third period was a pretty mediocre but even battle, with neither team exactly shooting the lights out. The Sixers managed to extend their lead to 12 points going into the final 12 minutes.</p>
<p id="62I42h">And then we go to the fourth. Surprise, surprise, it was a bit of a mess for the Sixers. I’m so tired of having to write this again and again, but the Sixers seem to have some sick obsession with letting opponents back in the game late instead of just slamming the door shut when they have ample chance. Ice cold shooting combined with a complete lack of defense or rebounding and, eight and a half minutes into the period, the Sixers had scored just 11 points. The Grizzlies had 26 points in the same timeframe, erasing that 12-point deficit and actually taking the lead over the Sixers with time winding down. Memphis outscored Philadelphia 32-16 in the fourth period to steal the win away from the hosting Sixers 115-109.</p>
<p id="hxEgit">Again, the Sixers are shorthanded, of course. But this is the second night in a row where, despite that injury trouble, they faced extremely winnable games and just absolutely fumbled both right at the end. In both contests, they completely beat themselves.</p>
<p id="MoAXUk">Final note (and this is just to get this off my chest, frankly) is that six Sixers scored in double digits on Wednesday night, and Tobias Harris was not one of them. Do with that info what you will.</p>
<p id="hqTy9f">The Sixers (and their fans) will get a much-needed night off after this painful back-to-back. They return to action on Friday night when they host the New Orleans Pelicans.</p>
<p id="rQa2eo">Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.</p>
<p id="2emCJZ"><strong>Kelly Oubre Jr.: 25 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks</strong></p>
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<cite>Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="drlMCZ">Oubre scored over 20 points off the bench for the third consecutive game on Wednesday night, the first Sixer to do so since <a href="https://twitter.com/SixersStats/status/1765562694600368148">Thaddeus Young back in 2011</a>. This is also the second consecutive night that Oubre has led the Sixers in scoring — again, despite coming in off the bench. He has been driving to the rim so much more recently, it seems, using his athleticism to get to the cup rather than settling for perimeter shots and jumpers which, let’s be honest, were never his strongest suits. It’s paying off. Oubre is finishing his drives with buckets and drawing fouls. Not only that, but he’s creating space for his teammates as opponents’ defenses collapse on him and he’s making some decent passes in those cases. </p>
<p id="piXTAk">Oubre led the Sixers with 25 points on Wednesday night (two triples and 9-for-9 from the foul line). He also had four rebounds, an assist, a steal and two blocks.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">with the force of a tsunami. <a href="https://t.co/KTzoXRqg24">pic.twitter.com/KTzoXRqg24</a></p>— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1765564958144704890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2024</a>
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<p id="e0JwVg"><strong>Paul Reed: 17 points, 11 rebounds (5 offensive), 3 assists, 1 steal, 3 blocks</strong></p>
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<cite>Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="1LmC38">Reed spent the past few games coming in off the bench behind Mo Bamba, and he had been doing pretty good in that role. Bamba on the other hand, not so much, which might have played a part in Reed being slotted back in the starting five for Wednesday night. Bball Paul looked like he wanted to make a point out of the opportunity from the tip off. Reed led the Sixers, along with Kelly Oubre Jr., at halftime with 15 points on 7-for-11 field goal shooting with one triple along with seven rebounds, an assist and a steal. It was the perfect example of the type of play the Sixers need from Reed in these moments: efficient offense with smart shot selection, aggression on the boards, and solid defense without excessively fouling (well, not early on at least). </p>
<p id="O7ou8A">Reed finished this one (fouling out with three minutes to play) with 17 points, 11 rebounds (five on the offensive end), three assists, one steal and three blocks.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bball hustling out the mud. <a href="https://t.co/OX4730x3Ox">pic.twitter.com/OX4730x3Ox</a></p>— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1765550354026951104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2024</a>
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<p id="lW13nP"><strong>Jeff Dowtin Jr.: 10 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block</strong></p>
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<cite>Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="ZR3VKb">Hey, maybe this guy can play! The 26-year-old made his Sixers debut just over 24 hours ago playing just five minutes last night, so fans may have been surprised to see him come in as one of Nick Nurse’s first subs of the game tonight. They should be a little less surprised now. In 10 minutes on the floor in the first half, Dowtin had 10 points on 4-for-5 field goal shooting (2-for-3 triples) with two rebounds, four assists and two steals. Though he didn’t score more, Dowtin gave the Sixers some great minutes throughout this one. </p>
<p id="NtDOf3">He finished the game with 10 points, six rebounds (three offensive), three steals and one block.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">THIS is Jeff Dowtin Jr. ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/Bdmop7oGyf">pic.twitter.com/Bdmop7oGyf</a></p>— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1765550720080646639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2024</a>
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https://www.libertyballers.com/2024/3/6/24092860/sixers-bell-ringer-memphis-grizzlies-paul-reed-kelly-oubre-jeff-dowtin-nick-nurse-tobias-harrisErin Grugan