The Sixer Sense
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Shorthanded Sixers Fall To Magic Late

Tonight at the Wells Fargo Center the Philadelphia 76ers came back from a short two-game road trip to face the Orlando Magic in what was their first back-to-back of the season. The 76ers came up short losing 105-97 in a game where we saw the Philadelphia lose two starters over the course of the sloppy matchup.

Both teams came out in the first quarter very energetic, but the Magic were clearly the team playing better defense holding the 76ers to just 17 points. Jahlil Okafor was having his way in the post, and we even got a really nice look at a smooth Nerlens Noel left hook towards the end of the first 12 minutes.

The second quarter began with the Sixers down 8, but they quickly climbed back in it with a few solid passes out to open three point shooters. Speaking of three point shooters; The Canaan balls were being fired at quite a high clip in this game. Isaiah Canaan came off the bench and fired 12 threes in this game sinking 6 of them.

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The Sixers managed to gain a lead courtesy of a 12-0 run with 5:32 left in the first half. Unfortunately as they have so often this year, the 76ers struggled at the end of the first half, and the beginning of the second.

Stale is an understatement when it comes to how the Sixers played at the beginning of the third quarter, falling behind as much as 15. More beautiful post displays from Okafor, and bombs from Stauskas and Canaan kept them in this game, but it was clear they were lacking rhythm on offense. There weren’t many offensive sets, and it seemed as if they were far too reliant on the two-man game. Too much standing around.

The biggest moment in this game was when Nerlens Noel was ejected with two minutes left in the third quarter after a scuffle with Magic center (and former Sixer) Jason Smith. The two exchanged elbows in what looked like a standard technical foul for both sides on my end. Nevertheless the Sixers had to do without their defensive anchor, and it showed. Okafor was left alone to stop driving Magic players, and that is just not his strength.

Jerami Grant also headed for the locker room midway through the 4th after getting swiped in the eye by another former Sixer Dwayne Dedmon. He did not return. The loss of Grant was just as big of a hit as losing Noel at this point in the game, because prior to injury Grant had just compiled 5 important points at the PF spot to get Philly back in the game.

In the end free throws ended up being the Sixers death sentence as they went just 14-for-26 from the line as a team. I counted over 10 misses at the stripe in the fourth quarter alone, and that just can’t happen if you want to win a close game. Okafor missed some big free throws that would have kept the Sixers in the game.

Individual preformances:

Jahlil Okafor- 19 PTS 5 REB 3 AST (7-14, 3 TO)

Big Jah had another good game offensively but is clearly not a polished product. Rookie woes are abundant for every new player in this league, and Jahlil is no exception. While his post game is extremely impressive, he still has a lot of work to do on both sides of the ball. He lost possession on a couple double teams tonight, and didn’t get back on D, which left his teammates trying to pick up his man. What really has me baffled has been Okafor’s lack of rebounds. He is averaging just 5 a game this year, and with a body like his, that is not enough. He has no trouble banging down low with the ball in his hands, so toughness isn’t the problem. Maybe he just isn’t in the right spot at the right time.

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T.J. McConnell: 6 PTS 8 REB 9 AST (3-8, 5 TO)

T.J. McConnell captured the hearts of Sixers fans over the course of the first few games, but has come back down to earth after tonight. He still got off a fair amount of excellent looks in with 9 assists, but he turned the ball over 5 times, and failed to make a shot after making his first three. There’s no doubt T.J. McConnell has earned his spot on this team, but I highly doubt his impressive play early on will keep him at the starting point guard spot once Kendall Marshall returns.

Isaiah Canaan: 23 PTS 3 REB 1 AST (8-16, 1 TO)

I already mentioned how many threes Isaiah sunk tonight, but what I didn’t bring up was how much I liked seeing him playing his natural role. He is a scorer off the bench through and through with the ability to make or miss with endless confidence. If he can get 15+ as the first guard off the bench he may shed some of the serious Twitter hate he’s garnished lately. The bottom line is the guy isn’t a passer just because he is small. The best thing for the Sixers is to call on him to do what he does best, and NOT rely on him to facilitate.

Misc. Takeaways:

Elfrid Payton shined tonight with 20 points in the town that he was originally drafted by. Payton did his best to make Sam Hinkie regret his decision to trade him for Dario Saric as he more than tripled his season average, and locked down every ball handler Philly through at him. I’m not saying Elfrid Payton for Saric was a mistake, but it was interesting to see a young guy get some revenge.

Richaun Holmes is no sissy in the mixer. He played extended minutes late in this game as a result of Noel’s absence, and the Rookie out of Bowling Green University took advantage. He fought hard for rebounds on numerous occasions, and kept possessions alive. Brett Brown even acknowledged Holmes’ presence in the post game presser.

Tonight may have been the Sixers’ best chance to get their first win for a long time as their next 5 games are against the likes of the Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and Dallas Mavericks respectively. It may be awhile until we see a win on the record, but it is important this team doesn’t get complacent with losing. I’m sure that’s a message Brett Brown drills into his team’s head, but 0-10 and beyond looks like a harsh reality on the horizon yet again for the 76ers.