The Sixers drop to 0-2 in the NBA Tournament Cup, but that is the least of their concerns. Right now, after losing to the Orlando Magic on the road 86-98, Nick Nurse’s team falls to 2-10 on the season. This puts Philly at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, ahead of the lowly Toronto Raptors. How did the Sixers lose this game despite having Joel Embiid and Paul George in the lineup while Paolo Banchero was out again for the Magic?
The first half was actually not that bad for the Sixers. Embiid, who ended up with 20 points and eight boards, showed glimpses of his old self. Although the Magic defense swarmed him, he attacked the basket and drew a number of fouls, which gave him plenty of attempts from the foul line.
In addition to Embiid looking better than his initial return from injury the other night, Paul George was impacting the game in a positive way. His scoring and playmaking early helped give Philly a lead going into the half.
While neither team shot particularly well, the major difference between the teams was rebounding. Philly gave up 11 offensive rebounds, with a total difference of 43-34 in favor of Orlando. The Magic also dominated the paint with 40 interior points versus 32 for the 76ers.
Without Paolo Banchero, arguably one of the top 10 players in the NBA before suffering a recent injury, Franz Wagner produced a double-double with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Nurse had no answer for Wagner, who scored from everywhere on the floor, causing matchup problems for Philly all night.
The Sixers also played without their All-Star, Tyrese Maxey, whose hamstring will cause him to miss a few more games. Had Maxey played, the outcome could have been different, but there should be no excuses for a Sixers squad that has as much young talent and more veteran experience than Orlando.
If there were a silver lining from this game, it is apparent that Jared McCain is the steal of the 2024 NBA Draft. The rookie out of Duke put on a display of shooting, playmaking, and defense that has propelled him into the conversation as the Rookie of the Year candidate.
Playing with complete confidence, there were points in the game where McCain looked like the best player on the floor. He not only attacked the paint and scored using savvy moves, but McCain shot lights out again from beyond the 3-point line, going 5-10.
Yet, it was not enough, especially after he fouled out in the fourth quarter as the Sixers were trying to climb back into the game.
The Sixers have a chance to redeem themselves on Monday night when they travel to Miami to play the Heat.
