3 observations after Sixers improbably end 7-game losing streak by beating Cavs

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3 observations after Sixers improbably end 7-game losing streak by beating Cavs originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers were bound to win sometime.

No one outside the locker room would’ve guessed that they’d do it against the Eastern Conference’s best team this season.

The Sixers earned a 132-129 victory over the Cavs on Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center to end a seven-game losing streak.

They improved to 16-27 overall. Cleveland fell to 36-8.

The Sixers’ top scorers were Paul George (30 points), Tyrese Maxey (29 points) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (22).

The Cavs got 37 points from Donovan Mitchell and a career high 33 from Ty Jerome. Darius Garland added 26.

The Sixers were down six players, including Joel Embiid (left knee injury management), Andre Drummond (left toe injury recovery) and Caleb Martin (right hip sprain). Embiid will remain out Saturday night in Chicago against the Bulls,, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse confirmed pregame.

Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert sat with injuries.

Here are observations on the Sixers’ rather stunning win over the Cavs:

A much-improved effort

The bar was not high, but the Sixers began with significantly more energy and focus than they’d displayed in Tuesday’s blowout loss to the Nuggets.

Guerschon Yabusele nailed a corner three and then stonewalled a Mitchell drive, tying him up inside. He’s obviously not the Sixers’ first-choice starting center, but Yabusele has often injected some life this season when the Sixers have been short on it. Yabusele wore a brace on his right knee Friday and appeared to be gritting through the injury that recently caused him to miss two games.

Maxey was great in the first quarter, posting 14 points, hitting three long-range jumpers and dishing out four assists. Across the board, the Sixers made just about every jump shot they put up. They started 8 for 10 from beyond the arc and went up 38-33 late in the first period on a Maxey lay-in.

Everything looks better when jumpers are dropping, but the Sixers head coach Nick Nurse was right in believing that his team would play harder and better Friday…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/3-observations-sixers-improbably-end-213953061.html

Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia

Publish date : 2025-01-24 21:39:00

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