The Philadelphia 76ers fell prey to a missed back-court violation by Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but they still left State Farm Arena with something to feel good about.
Paul George will always receive skepticism as long as he is cashing checks from his four-year/$212 million contract, but his 35 points proved a critical truth: Philadelphia needs him. George put together his best game donning red, white and blue in Philadelphia’s (14-11) 120-117 loss to the Atlanta Hawks (15-12) on Sunday night.
George's continued success, VJ Edgecombe's new hot streak and multiple sophomore slumps were three pivotal observations in the 76ers' 11th loss of the season.
He still has it.
George led all scorers with 35 points, the highest amount of his 76ers tenure, on 11-21 shooting from the field and 7-10 accuracy from three-point range. George’ production has increased in Tyrese Maxey’s absence, as tonight marks his third consecutive game with at least 20 points.
While his shot attempts may lessen when the guard returns, the way Philadelphia has used George should remain the same.
George’s shot diet has consisted of on-and-off-ball three-pointers and dribble drives, many of which came within the flow of the 76ers’ offense. Philadelphia wants to play uptempo and the forward’s quick-release threes, whether he is pulling up or relocating off the ball, support the effort.
The 35-year-old’s rim pressure may vary given his age, but when he’s keeping defenses on their toes as a three-level scoring threat, good things happen. George has also thrived as a point-forward, often creating advantages out of pick-and-rolls.
The 76ers struggled to match the size and length of the Hawks’ wings, but George did the best he could. His ability to switch screens, guard multiple positions and provide help defense has guided Philadelphia to a top 10 defensive rating despite its rim protection insufficiencies.
Regardless of George’s annual value, his two-way impact is undeniable and the 76ers are better with him on the court.
VJ is back
Aside from Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe was the most significant benefactor of Philadelphia’s four-day break last week.
Whether it was a navigation of rookie highs and lows or fully recovering from calf tightness, Edgecombe looked more reminiscent of the player who was the Rookie of the Year award favorite in the first week of the season. He registered 26 points on 9-21 shooting from the field and six rebounds.
Every aspect of the guard’s game appears quicker, from finding his spots without the ball to attacking off the dribble. Edgecombe’s athleticism will secure him a place in the NBA to a degree, but it will be his ability to read the game and develop counters that will ascend him from a role player to stardom, which he did tonight.
The rookie has remained critical, despite Embiid and George’s heightened usage amidst Maxey’s absence, but the same cannot be said for two of Philadelphia’s sophomores.
Sophomore slumps
Jared McCain and Justin Edwards each tallied zero points and missed all five of their field-goal attempts. Defense, or lack thereof, has been the swing factor in McCain’s limited usage lately, regardless of Maxey missing his second consecutive game with an illness. But, the 21-year-old’s offense hasn’t made up for it.
He wasn’t effective as a spot-up shooter, uncharacteristically misfiring open threes, and struggled to keep up defending the perimeter until the fourth quarter where he notched two steals. McCain got discouraged as a ball-handler, falling victim to the Hawks’ suffocating pressure that discouraged him as a slasher.
Edwards receives minutes for two reasons: floor-spacing and point-of-attack defense, neither of which he provided. When his shots aren’t falling and players are beating him off the dribble, it’s hard to justify his playing time.