Player Observations After Sixers Collapse to Clippers in South Philly

Coming off of a disappointing Monday afternoon game against the Washington Wizards, the Philadelphia 76ers returned to the floor on Wednesday night to host the Orlando Magic for the second time this season.

Although the Sixers looked like they were ready to fall into a trap game as they trailed by double-digits going into halftime on Wednesday, Joel Embiid's dominance helped the Sixers not only make a comeback but come away with a dominant win over Orlando.

Looking to continue riding on that wave of momentum, the Sixers geared up for a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at home. While Los Angeles got off to a quick start, the Sixers turned up the heat after falling behind early on and teased another possible blowout win.

Following a 17-point showing in the first quarter, the Sixers fired back by scoring nearly 40 points in the second quarter. Meanwhile, the Clippers were held to just 40 points in the first half. 

Going into the intermission, the Sixers possessed a 14-point lead. And when they came out for the second half, they didn't slow down. The Sixers led by as much as 24 points at a point, but the Clippers found a way to cut into that lead.

Outscoring the Sixers by four points, Los Angeles trailed by ten going into the final quarter of the night. Eventually, the Clippers finally pulled out in front and took a slight lead, forcing the Sixers into desperation as they started intentionally fouling their opponent.

While Philadelphia had possession for one final play, a Tyrese Maxey shot wasn't enough for the Sixers to get out in front during the final second and give the Sixers a win. Falling short 102-101, the Sixers picked up their 19th loss of the year.

76ers vs. Clippers Player Observations

How did the Sixers individually perform vs. Clippers?

Furkan Korkmaz

With Matisse Thybulle and Danny Green injured and out of the mix, Doc Rivers had to roll with another option. On Wednesday he went with the two-way youngster Charlie Brown Jr., but Rivers admitted he saw clear struggles from Brown. On Friday, Korkmaz got the starting nod. In nearly 40 minutes, Korkmaz shot just 2-7 from the field. From three, he missed all but one of his six three-point shots.

Tobias Harris

Joel Embiid’s supporting cast didn’t offer too much help on Friday night, but Tobias Harris was one of the more reliable contributors against Los Angeles. In 40 minutes of action, he went 8-17 from the field. While his two missed free throws hurt a bit, Harris shouldn’t have to take too much blame for Philly’s woes.

Joel Embiid

The big man said after the game that he needed to play better. He highlighted his five turnovers as his biggest issue. However, Embiid continued to dominate. Taking 25 shots in 36 minutes, Embiid collected 40 points. He was a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc. He also collected 13 rebounds, six assists, and had an impressive block. 

Isaiah Joe

With Seth Curry out, the Sixers rolled with Isaiah Joe in the starting lineup. This season, Joe’s been shaky when he’s earned playing time. Sometimes he comes out and impresses, but Friday was not one of those nights. In a little under 15 minutes on the court, Joe hit just one of his four shots. All of his attempts came from beyond the arc. One game shouldn’t define a player — especially when they are only in year two — but Joe was hardly playable against the Clippers.

Tyrese Maxey

With a handful of guys out, Tyrese Maxey has to once again grind out nearly every minute of the game. He appeared the court for 45 minutes and did his part. Getting up 18 shots, Maxey drained seven of his field goals. Three of his shots came from beyond the arc. The second-year guard finished up the night with 19 points. 

Georges Niang

In a game where the Sixers really needed a veteran to step up off the bench, Niang was disappointing. As he played more minutes than usual, Niang struggled to hit his shots. He attempted seven threes in 30 minutes and only knocked down one of them. He wrapped up the night with seven points, draining just 27-percent of his shots.

Charlie Brown Jr

The young guard’s defense has been impressive, but on the offensive end, he struggled a lot on Friday. Brown went 0-4, with all of his shots being layups. He finished the night with two points as he went to the free throw line twice. Despite struggling on the offensive end, Brown wrapped up the game as a plus-20, for what it’s worth.

Andre Drummond

With Embiid playing over 36 minutes, Drummond didn’t get too much burn on Friday. In a little under 12 minutes of action, Drummond contributed to five points and seven rebounds. For a limited role, Drummond played his part, but Philadelphia’s bench struggled overall. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.