3 observations after Sixers struggle in opener, lose to Bucks without Embiid and George

3 observations after Sixers struggle in opener, lose to Bucks without Embiid and George originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

No star trio, no opening-night win at Wells Fargo Center for the 2024-25 Sixers.

Down both Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) and Paul George (left knee bone bruise), the Sixers dropped their first game of the season Wednesday, falling to a 124-109 loss to the Bucks.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Damian Lillard posted 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 25 points. He went just 10 for 31 from the field. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 21 points.

Here are observations on the Sixers’ defeat to the Bucks:

Makeshift lineups for the opener  

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse’s opening-night starting five was Maxey, Eric Gordon, Oubre, KJ Martin and Andre Drummond.

Nurse had liked Caleb Martin’s energy off the bench during the preseason and stuck with him as an integral sub in the opener, playing the 29-year old forward 37 minutes. To start the second half, Nurse had Caleb Martin (12 points, nine rebounds) replace KJ Martin in the Sixers’ lineup.

Maxey scored the Sixers’ first hoop of the season on a step-back three-pointer late in the shot clock. He missed several close-range looks in the first quarter and began 2 for 10 from the floor, though he concluded the first sweetly with a tricky buzzer-beating layup.

Despite their offensive struggles, the Sixers still managed to build a modest early lead. There wasn’t much to like about the Sixers’ offense in the first quarter — little fluidity, not much of the brisk, purposeful pace Nurse had stressed in the preseason — but their role players generally did decent work.

The Sixers played solid team defense, committed no turnovers in the first period, and started strong on the offensive glass. Drummond and KJ Martin chipped in put-back layups. Caleb Martin swooped in to snag an offensive board soon after subbing in for KJ Martin, who unsurprisingly picked up two fouls in his first five minutes guarding Antetokounmpo.

A ton on Maxey’s shoulders 

Maxey…

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Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia

Publish date : 2024-10-24 02:20:00

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