PLAYER GRADES: Orlando Magic 119, Philadelphia 76ers 98
The Philadelphia 76ers got blown out on the road in Ben Simmons’ absence.
Ben Simmons was out Monday night with a stomach bug, but I’m not sure it would’ve mattered. The Philadelphia 76ers lacked the energy needed to keep up with the Orlando Magic for four quarters, falling 119-98 on the road.
The Sixers were up 60-57 at halftime, riding strong first-half performances from Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris. Embiid even started the third quarter strong, using his strength to plow through Nikola Vucevic and rack up easy points at the rim.
After some early third quarter buckets, however, the Sixers went cold. It was all Orlando after that point, with Vucevic and Evan Fournier spearheading a balanced offensive attack. Even Michael Carter-Williams offered up some deja vu with 15 points in 19 minutes.
Outside Embiid, the Sixers lacked offensive production in second half, going over eight minutes without a field goal at one point. If there was one positive, the night ended early for the core pieces and Simmons got the night off. It’s necessary rest as the postseason approaches.
The Magic are now a game outside the playoff picture, so their effort level is understandable. The Sixers’ inability to get to remotely the same level was disappointing, but it’s a long season. Lulls are the norm, even for high-level teams. The Bucks, Raptors and Celtics have all had bad losses recently.
<strong>30 mins | 20 pts | 10 reb | 2 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 5 TO | 8-15 FG | 1-3 3PT| 3-6 FT | 4 PF | -12 |</strong><p>Embiid was the Sixers’ only source of consistent offense for most of the game, scoring an efficient 20 points and showcasing his strength on the low block. It wasn’t his best defensive performance, though, and his five turnovers were an issue.</p>. C. Philadelphia 76ers. JOEL EMBIID. C+
<strong>33 mins | 15 pts | 4 reb | 3 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 5-10 FG | 0-2 3PT| 5-6 FT | 4 PF | -22 |</strong><p>Harris’ minor slump continued, even though his final shooting percentage was respectable. He scored 12 points in the first half and was effective early, only to be phased out of the offense for much of the second half. It just wasn’t the effort Philadelphia needed to overcome Simmons’ absence and Orlando’s spirit.</p>. PF. Philadelphia 76ers. TOBIAS HARRIS. C-
Philadelphia 76ers. SHAKE MILTON. A. <strong>21 mins | 13 pts | 1 reb | 0 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 0 TO | 6-8 FG | 1-3 3PT| 0-0 FT | 3 PF | -14 |</strong><p>Milton was the Sixers’ best reserve for much of the night, scoring an efficient 13 points and using his length to restrict passing lanes on defense. He fought hard, made some pull-up jumpers, and was miles better than <a rel=. SG
<strong>29 mins | 2 pts | 6 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 1-4 FG | 0-0 3PT| 0-0 FT | 0 PF | -16 |</strong><p>McConnell stepped into the starting lineup for the sick Ben Simmons, and it wasn’t great. The Magic ignored T.J. off the ball on some possessions, leading to double teams that resulted in multiple Embiid turnovers. His six rebounds were nice, but that’s just about the only positive.</p>. PG. Philadelphia 76ers. T.J. MCCONNELL. D
SG. Philadelphia 76ers. J.J. REDICK. D. <strong>28 mins | 8 pts | 0 reb | 2 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 2 TO | 2-10 FG | 1-7 3PT| 3-3 FT | 0 PF | -12 |</strong><p>Redick put together another underwhelming effort, featuring bad defense and 1-7 three-point shooting. His struggles have been off and on in recent weeks, with a promising stretch followed up by more down notes. J.J. doesn’t play defense well enough to make up for poor shooting nights.</p>
In Simmons’ absence, T.J. McConnell got the start at point guard. To put it simply, no. It wasn’t good. His deficiencies continue to get overshadowed by flashy steals and his status as a fan favorite. There are good T.J. moments, but he continues to be an overwhelming negative.
On the other hand, Shake Milton showed up, scoring 13 points on 6-8 shooting. He was tied with Jimmy Butler for the Sixers’ third-leading scorer. In garbage time, Zhaire Smith made his NBA debut, adding three points on 1-1 three-point shooting. After all he’s been through, it’s good to see No. 8 on the floor.
Next. 3 potential first-round targets in Sweet 16. dark
The Sixers’ next game is Thursday against Brooklyn in the Wells Fargo Center.