In a rare display of depth, the Philadelphia 76ers' bench came out strong in Tuesday's win over the Washington Wizards. The Sixers were without Joel Embiid, Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Trendon Watford, along with minutes restrictions for Paul George, VJ Edgecombe, and Andre Drummond.
Despite being depleted, the team managed to hold off the Wizards 121-102, improving their record to 11-9. The victory was made possible by the emergence of several depth players who stepped up in the absence of the starters.
Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers' star point guard, finally got some well-deserved rest after playing a grueling 52 minutes on Sunday. With his season-leading minutes per game total at an unsustainable level of 40.7, Nurse was forced to give Maxey some relief. The result was a much-needed breather for Maxey, who played only 16 minutes and 49 seconds in the first half.
The main beneficiary of this reduced workload was McCain, who showed off his skills as a playmaker and scorer. His ability to create opportunities off the dribble was on full display, and he repeatedly found ways to get past Wizards defenders.
However, it's worth noting that Maxey's minutes are still too much for him to handle in an 82-game season. Nurse will need to find more games where he can give Maxey some extra rest to prevent burnout. Nevertheless, the extra time off seems to have rejuvenated Maxey, and he was back to his old self in the second half.
The Sixers' depth at the forward spots also played a crucial role in Tuesday's victory. Dominick Barlow continued to take on more responsibility as a starter, while Justin Edwards and Jabari Walker made significant contributions off the bench. Edwards knocked down multiple triples and showed improvement on defense, while Walker had a standout game with five rebounds and a double-double.
In other news, Grimes was listed as questionable due to right calf soreness, adding an extra layer of importance to McCain's minutes. Edgecombe also played a solid all-around game, despite having a quiet scoring night.
The Sixers will look to build on this momentum when they face the Golden State Warriors at home on Thursday. With Curry likely out of the lineup, the Sixers will have a chance to prove their depth and resilience against a quality opponent.
Despite being depleted, the team managed to hold off the Wizards 121-102, improving their record to 11-9. The victory was made possible by the emergence of several depth players who stepped up in the absence of the starters.
Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers' star point guard, finally got some well-deserved rest after playing a grueling 52 minutes on Sunday. With his season-leading minutes per game total at an unsustainable level of 40.7, Nurse was forced to give Maxey some relief. The result was a much-needed breather for Maxey, who played only 16 minutes and 49 seconds in the first half.
The main beneficiary of this reduced workload was McCain, who showed off his skills as a playmaker and scorer. His ability to create opportunities off the dribble was on full display, and he repeatedly found ways to get past Wizards defenders.
However, it's worth noting that Maxey's minutes are still too much for him to handle in an 82-game season. Nurse will need to find more games where he can give Maxey some extra rest to prevent burnout. Nevertheless, the extra time off seems to have rejuvenated Maxey, and he was back to his old self in the second half.
The Sixers' depth at the forward spots also played a crucial role in Tuesday's victory. Dominick Barlow continued to take on more responsibility as a starter, while Justin Edwards and Jabari Walker made significant contributions off the bench. Edwards knocked down multiple triples and showed improvement on defense, while Walker had a standout game with five rebounds and a double-double.
In other news, Grimes was listed as questionable due to right calf soreness, adding an extra layer of importance to McCain's minutes. Edgecombe also played a solid all-around game, despite having a quiet scoring night.
The Sixers will look to build on this momentum when they face the Golden State Warriors at home on Thursday. With Curry likely out of the lineup, the Sixers will have a chance to prove their depth and resilience against a quality opponent.
! It's about time those starters got a break from Maxey going full steam for like 2 hours straight lol 
. The kid needs a breather, I get it, but come on coach, find us some more games where Tyrese can rest his legs? 
️ Also, McCain's playmaking skills are insane 
and that depth at forward is giving me life 
. We need to keep building on this momentum or the Warriors will be ready to shut us down 
.
he got 16 mins of rest & came back like nothing ever happened 
McCain was the real hero tonight, showin off his skills on the court 
... but it looks like giving him some breather helped him bounce back in the second half 
. And yay for McCain and Dominick Barlow taking on more responsibility 
! It's awesome to see those depth players stepping up for the team 
.
... Nurse needs to find some balance so he doesn't burn out 
. But for now, it's all good, right? 
! Can't wait to see them take on the Warriors on Thursday 
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. And can we talk about how awesome Dominick Barlow is taking on more responsibility as a starter? 
they got these crazy topping combos that'll make your head spin, like prosciutto and arugula or brie and fig jam...anyway back to the 76ers, i'm hyped for thursday's game against the warriors lol just imagine playing curry without his magic 
these depth players are like the ultimate backup plan, I'm low-key impressed by McCain's skills he's like a point guard/forward hybrid 
.
- dominick barlow, justin edwards, and jabari walker are like the ultimate triple threat squad 
. and on top of that, edgecombe played a solid game despite having a quiet scoring night 
I'm not saying the Sixers didn't do well without Embiid and Co., but let's not get carried away here... it's still just basketball 
his body must be exhausted, i hope he gets more rest soon 
. And with Curry likely out for the Warriors game, this could be a great opportunity for the Sixers to show off their depth and resilience 