76ers vs. Pelicans: Key Takeaways From Joel Embiid-Less Loss

Earlier this week, the Philadelphia 76ers handed LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers their worst loss of the season. On Wednesday, the Sixers looked to follow up against Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans on the road.

Philly faced some unfortunate circumstances before the game began. Not only did the Sixers continue to roll without the veterans Danuel House, Jaden Springer, and Kelly Oubre, but the team found out they would compete without their star center Joel Embiid as well.

Dealing with a sudden illness, Embiid was ruled out for the second time in a week. Considering he typically puts together dominant performances against the Pelicans, it was apparent the loss of Embiid could be notable for the Sixers.

Right out of the gate, that was clear. The Sixers put on a sloppy two-way performance through the first two quarters of action, which put them in a double-digit hole, leaving them playing from behind for the entire front end of the game.

A frustrating first half leaked over into the second. The Sixers continued making sloppy plays and looked like a frustrated unit as they struggled to lock in and put a comeback together. While they showed a bit of life with a run late in the fourth quarter, it was too little, too late for Philly. As a result, the Sixers will start their mini road trip on a bad note, losing to New Orleans 124-114.

3 Key Takeaways

Mo Bamba Makes a Surprising Appearance

Joel Embiid getting ruled out with an illness 30 minutes before tip shocked many, but the early check-in by Mo Bamba was the biggest surprise on Wednesday.

Once again, Nick Nurse rolled with a small-ball starting five, utilizing Marcus Morris in the lineup in Embiid’s absence. However, it was Bamba and not Paul Reed, who checked in when Morris first came off the floor.

Leading up to Wednesday’s game, Bamba was hardly a rotational regular. He appeared in just seven of the Sixers’ 17 games, averaging just three minutes on the court. Bamba struggled to take advantage of his early minutes, as he landed in foul trouble by picking up two fouls in just four minutes. He was off the floor after his second foul.

Nurse didn’t roll out the veteran big man again until late in the third quarter. At that point, the game seemed to be reaching garbage time. By the time the Sixers started formulating a possible comeback, Reed was back out on the floor. It’s unclear what Nurse was going for rolling Bamba out as the first substitution on Wednesday, but his surprise plan likely didn’t work as he would have hoped.

No Answers for Zion

Since entering the NBA, Zion Williamson has played against the Sixers just three times prior to Wednesday’s battle. In those matchups, the former Duke product has put on dominant showings, averaging 33 points on 64 percent shooting.

Maybe Joel Embiid’s presence helps the Sixers prevent another scoring masterclass by the former first-overall pick, but nobody could fill the big man’s shoes in protecting the paint from Zion on Wednesday. Add another dominant showing to the books for Zion against the Sixers.

He literally couldn’t miss from the field. In 33 minutes of action, Williamson made all 11 of his shots from the field. His only missed shot came from the charity stripe, where he went 11-12 on the night. The star forward finished with 33 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.

Tyrese Maxey Gave the Sixers Life

When Embiid’s off the floor, Tyrese Maxey moves up the Sixers’ scoring pecking order. When the big man got the night off in Minnesota last week, Maxey struggled to thrive in his absence, scoring a season-low 16 points on inefficient shooting from the field.

From the start, Maxey was aggressive for the Sixers, which is always a great sign. Towards the end of the game, when the Sixers started showing life, they were led by the young guard, who knocked down 64 percent of his shots in the second half.

Maxey has garnered a reputation on the Sixers for being a reliable scorer in the fourth quarter. While he couldn’t craft the comeback for Philadelphia on his own, Maxey was a bright spot for a Sixers team that didn’t have much to celebrate in New Orleans. He finished his 38-minute shift with 33 points on 52 percent shooting.