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The Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night looking to get back in the win column. The Sixers took a tough loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the previous game of this West Coast road trip and needed to get back on track in the right direction.
The Sixers jumped on the Suns in the second quarter as they built a double-digit lead that ballooned to as large as 19 in the third quarter. One has to give the Suns credit as they didn't quit as they worked their way back into the game, but the Sixers were able to walk away with a 109-103 win to improve to 3-1 on this road trip with one game left in Portland on Monday.
Joel Embiid led the way for Philadelphia with 33 points and nine rebounds, Tyrese Maxey added 29 points, six assists, and nine rebounds, and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 points and six rebounds. The Sixers received six points and four rebounds from Dominick Barlow and Trendon Watford had six points and seven rebounds.
Here are the player grades following the win:
Some 3-pointers he put up didn’t have a chance, but overall, Maxey had a solid offensive game. He was able to get into the paint, make plays for others, and was able to help in the rebounding department as well. The star guard did a lot of good things for Philadelphia on both ends of the floor as he was a menace on the other end as well. The 3-point shooting was a bit of a struggle for Maxey in this one as he was unable to find a groove in that respect, but the All-Star guard found a way to make an impact offensively by getting to the rim and finding ways to finish.
The rookie wasn’t able to get much going in terms of his own offense, but once again, Edgecombe just finds a way to contribute. He was able to bother the Suns out on the perimeter defensively and he made an impact in terms of his work on the glass and being able to find a way to get into the paint and make plays for others with his passing ability. The issues for him in this one were the fouls and not being able to convert on his open looks.
Oubre was terrific in this one. He knocked down a couple of corner 3s to help space the floor and let the stars do what they do and he also made some plays on the defensive end to help set the tone for the Sixers. He was solid in his 1-on-1 defense while also being able to force turnovers and he attacked the glass. His overall offensive game in this one was so important in helping Embiid and Maxey get the job done in the desert.
The active forward was able to get going on the offensive end by moving without the basketball. He found some open spots within Phoenix’s defense and was ready to make plays when the ball found him. His movement without the basketball led to easy finishes and he was helpful on the glass.
The big fella got off to a fast start as he was able to knock down a couple of triples in the early going. While the Suns have a solid big man in Mark Williams, he is no match for Embiid. Especially, when the star big is moving as well as he did in this one. He was efficient from the mid-range, he was in a rhythm from 3-point range, and he was able to get to the free-throw line which allowed the scoreboard to keep moving. There wasn’t much the Suns could do in this one. He was knocking down some extremely tough shots from all angles and it didn’t matter how many defenders Phoenix threw at him. He looked like pre-injury Embiid and he was a problem all night.
The overall night for Grimes was a good one. He put the ball on the floor and had a couple of straight-line drives to the basket which is what the Sixers want to see more of from him. His penetration led to a couple of buckets for himself and he was also able to give Philadelphia some solid defensive work.
The bouncy big man was helpful in this one. His ability to protect the rim, along with his overall energy, made a difference on the defensive end. The Suns thought twice, sometimes even three times, about attacking the basket when Bona was in the game.
The start for Watford in this one was tough as he was unable to get going offensively, but he found a way to make an impact by helping on the glass and his ability to make the extra pass leading to easy buckets for others. The versatile fifth-year forward from LSU continues to find a way to make a positive impact on a nightly basis.
The second-year forward had a long stint in the first half and was a big part of Philadelphia being able to build the lead it did in the second quarter. Edwards was terrific on the defensive end as he helped force the Suns in a few mistakes and he had a nice finish at the basket on the other end as well.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Joel Embiid leads Sixers past Suns on the road
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The Sixers jumped on the Suns in the second quarter as they built a double-digit lead that ballooned to as large as 19 in the third quarter. One has to give the Suns credit as they didn't quit as they worked their way back into the game, but the Sixers were able to walk away with a 109-103 win to improve to 3-1 on this road trip with one game left in Portland on Monday.
Joel Embiid led the way for Philadelphia with 33 points and nine rebounds, Tyrese Maxey added 29 points, six assists, and nine rebounds, and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 18 points and six rebounds. The Sixers received six points and four rebounds from Dominick Barlow and Trendon Watford had six points and seven rebounds.
Here are the player grades following the win:
Tyrese Maxey: A
Some 3-pointers he put up didn’t have a chance, but overall, Maxey had a solid offensive game. He was able to get into the paint, make plays for others, and was able to help in the rebounding department as well. The star guard did a lot of good things for Philadelphia on both ends of the floor as he was a menace on the other end as well. The 3-point shooting was a bit of a struggle for Maxey in this one as he was unable to find a groove in that respect, but the All-Star guard found a way to make an impact offensively by getting to the rim and finding ways to finish.
VJ Edgecombe: C-plus
The rookie wasn’t able to get much going in terms of his own offense, but once again, Edgecombe just finds a way to contribute. He was able to bother the Suns out on the perimeter defensively and he made an impact in terms of his work on the glass and being able to find a way to get into the paint and make plays for others with his passing ability. The issues for him in this one were the fouls and not being able to convert on his open looks.
Kelly Oubre Jr.: A
Oubre was terrific in this one. He knocked down a couple of corner 3s to help space the floor and let the stars do what they do and he also made some plays on the defensive end to help set the tone for the Sixers. He was solid in his 1-on-1 defense while also being able to force turnovers and he attacked the glass. His overall offensive game in this one was so important in helping Embiid and Maxey get the job done in the desert.
Dominick Barlow: A-minus
The active forward was able to get going on the offensive end by moving without the basketball. He found some open spots within Phoenix’s defense and was ready to make plays when the ball found him. His movement without the basketball led to easy finishes and he was helpful on the glass.
Joel Embiid: A
The big fella got off to a fast start as he was able to knock down a couple of triples in the early going. While the Suns have a solid big man in Mark Williams, he is no match for Embiid. Especially, when the star big is moving as well as he did in this one. He was efficient from the mid-range, he was in a rhythm from 3-point range, and he was able to get to the free-throw line which allowed the scoreboard to keep moving. There wasn’t much the Suns could do in this one. He was knocking down some extremely tough shots from all angles and it didn’t matter how many defenders Phoenix threw at him. He looked like pre-injury Embiid and he was a problem all night.
Quentin Grimes: B-plus
The overall night for Grimes was a good one. He put the ball on the floor and had a couple of straight-line drives to the basket which is what the Sixers want to see more of from him. His penetration led to a couple of buckets for himself and he was also able to give Philadelphia some solid defensive work.
Adem Bona: B
The bouncy big man was helpful in this one. His ability to protect the rim, along with his overall energy, made a difference on the defensive end. The Suns thought twice, sometimes even three times, about attacking the basket when Bona was in the game.
Trendon Watford: B
The start for Watford in this one was tough as he was unable to get going offensively, but he found a way to make an impact by helping on the glass and his ability to make the extra pass leading to easy buckets for others. The versatile fifth-year forward from LSU continues to find a way to make a positive impact on a nightly basis.
Justin Edwards: B
The second-year forward had a long stint in the first half and was a big part of Philadelphia being able to build the lead it did in the second quarter. Edwards was terrific on the defensive end as he helped force the Suns in a few mistakes and he had a nice finish at the basket on the other end as well.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Joel Embiid leads Sixers past Suns on the road
Continue reading...
