Given the turbulent nature of their 2024-25 NBA campaign, the Philadelphia 76ers are enjoying a less dramatic season so far. After already equalling last year's win total (24), the franchise is desperate to clinch a postseason place and mount a serious challenge for the championship. However, not everything is rosy in the garden, as their third-quarter showings have been catastrophic. This issue has the potential to derail any playoff ambitions the Sixers have -- that is, if they make it that far.
Philadelphia's self-destructive third quarters have been mind-boggling. Despite turning in an electric first-half performance, the 76ers have often returned to the court with a lack of urgency or innovation, resulting in the opposition overwhelming the team in almost every aspect of the game.
Seemingly, no matter which lineup is on the floor, which defensive structure is being utilised, or what shot selection is being employed, the Sixers cannot escape this curse that is now affecting their ability to chalk up important victories. This was evident during the team's 112-109 defeat at the hands of the New York Knicks.
76ers' collapse against the Knicks highlights the scale of this problem
This may have been a regular-season fixture with little jeopardy, but the 76ers/Knicks rivalry always provides an intensity that mirrors a playoff scenario. Nevertheless, over the first two quarters of play, Philadelphia proved it is more than capable of dismantling a New York side expected to be challenging among the higher echelons of the Eastern Conference come the end of the season. Bizarrely, this all changed after the half-time interval.
The Sixers' narrow four-point lead quickly evaporated in the third quarter as they could only muster 13 points over 12 minutes of action, compared to the Knicks' 30. Just to add more nuance to the situation, Kelly Oubre Jr scored four points in the opening minute of this period, meaning that Philadelphia actually recorded nine points in 11 minutes -- which effectively decided the fate of this matchup.
In the final period of the game, the Sixers outscored New York 22-32. Overall, the home team won two of the four quarters, while sharing the spoils in one. The harsh reality for Philadelphia is that this third-quarter implosion is more than a manageable blip; it is affecting the entire outcome of games. If this were a postseason matchup, they would have thrown away essential home-court advantage due to a lack of tactical awareness to plug the bleeding.
Head coach Nick Nurse cannot rest on his laurels and expect this issue to resolve itself. This is a direct reflection of a coach's ability to navigate difficult situations in-game. Nurse was brought in because of his championship-winning resume; he is paid to effect change in these moments. If he cannot formulate an effective plan to change the Philadelphia 76ers' fortunes in the third quarter, then the franchise can kiss goodbye to a deep postseason run.