The Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Phoenix Suns by a two-point margin. The game ended 118-116, leaving the Sixers 1-5 through six games. On the other hand, the Phoenix Suns continued their dominant run in the Western Conference with five consecutive wins. How did the Sixers game go with Paul George’s return?
Game Recap: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Phoenix Suns
In the first half, the Phoenix Suns dominated the Philadelphia 76ers in both quarters. Yet, the lead margin wasn’t enormous like in previous games. At the end of the first half, the Suns led 65-63. The Sixers picked up their game in the third quarter. The team took over the floor with an extra offensive power. Thanks to their effort, the Sixers were down 94-93 at the end of the quarter. The fourth quarter was more decisive for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia went on a 9-0 offensive run to take the lead. Unfortunately, the Sixers couldn’t maintain their lead and lost the game. Tyrese Maxey and Kevin Durant were the top performers for this team. Maxey finished with 32 points, three rebounds and two assists. Durant scored 35 points, six assists and four rebounds.
Paul George’s Performance
Paul George made his debut for the 2024-25 season. His performance was average. The six-time All-NBA forward scored 15 points and added four assists, and five rebounds. Also, his shooting efficiency was poor as he went 4-of-14. Due to this setback, the Sixers lost against the Suns. As he appears in subsequent games, he should get better.
Take On George’s Last Shot
After the game, the Philly fans were angry that Paul George took the final shot and missed it. Some fans believed that Tyrese Maxey should have taken the shot since Paul George struggled to make shots throughout the game. If George had made the shot, it would have forced overtime. On the other hand, it doesn’t matter who took the shot because anything could have happened. It was a tough loss, and Paul George’s return is vital as the Sixers look to create more offense and remain competitive.
Major Takeaways From Philadelphia’s Performance
Paul George’s return made the team more competitive on the floor. Thus, the Sixers had several chances to dominate the game. Yet, the team lacked the size to make it happen. Guerschon Yabusele isn’t a player fit for the center position. He is better as a power forward. The Frenchman finished with 19 points, six assists, and seven rebounds. Over 30 minutes Yabusele made 6-of-14 shots from the field and shot 5-of-11 from deep.
Since Yabusele playing backup center isn’t working, Adem Bona should start getting more minutes on the court. Head Coach Nick Nurse hasn’t developed trust for Bona on the court. Jared McCain, who has been impressive this season got only three minutes on the court. Though he’s an undersized guard, it’s better to play him more than Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry because of his strength and athleticism. Also, Nurse should start considering younger players as they are the future of the 76ers.
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