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Grading Every 76ers Player From Gutsy Win Against Pacers

Philadelphia overcame a lackadaisical third quarter to handle Indiana 114-109, improving to 4-1.
Jacob Moreno|
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Philadelphia 76ers

The visiting 76ers laid an egg in the third quarter against the Pacers on Wednesday night. They came out of halftime lethargic on both ends of the floor, playing a your-turn, my-turn offense while slipping up on the defensive end. The result? Indiana outscored Philadelphia by 23 in the frame.

But the 76ers’ talent was too great to be denied and Indiana, without Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac, fell victim.

Philadelphia (4-1) overcame the Pacers (2-3), winning 114-109 behind a fourth-quarter surge from Tyrese Maxey. The 76ers are continuing to learn each other, leading to hot-and-cold spurts that nearly cost them their second loss. But Philadelphia once again rallied, using the excess amount of talent at its disposal.

Here’s how each player fared on Thursday. 

Grades are based on performance relative to expectations.

Anfernee Simons: A

Simons did exactly what the 76ers signed him for: hit three-pointers. He shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, with four of them being in the first half. Simons did so off the catch and by slipping screens for LeBron James; he assisted on 12 of Simons’ 20 points. Philadelphia needs more second-unit production and shooting and this was a good step on both fronts.

Tyrese Maxey: B+

It wasn’t Maxey's best performance by any measure, having shot 8-of-18 from the field. He succumbed to isolation shots that threw him out of rhythm and didn’t create quality shots for others. But, Maxey being Maxey, he scored 17 of his 27 points in the final period. He smoked Indiana’s defense using Joel Embiid screens and knocked down two game-defining three-pointers.

Joel Embiid: B

Embiid would’ve received a higher grade had he not disappeared offensively in the third quarter. He tried just two shots in the frame after scoring 14 first-half points. The 76ers needed to involve him more versus a smaller Pacers frontline and did so in the last 12 minutes; he scored seven points in the fourth. Side note: Embiid recorded 11 rebounds in three of four games played. 

Jaylen Brown: B

Brown finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, providing a vital scoring punch in the second quarter. He tallied 11 points in the frame, working Indiana off the dribble en route to a 15-point lead. But Brown tried some difficult looks that didn’t come within the flow of the offense. Yet 7-of-13 shooting from the field is undeniable and he contributed to winning.

LeBron James: C+

This game showed that James is human, despite an understandable misconception. He was a step slow on defense and struggled to combat Indiana’s physicality off the glass. James didn’t succeed much at putting points on the board, but he made it easier for others. James dished 10 assists, creating some of the 76ers’ most organized offensive stretches.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: D+

Caldwell-Pope didn’t deliver much with four points on 1-of-4 shooting from the field. He missed all three of his perimeter looks and committed four fouls. He created a few opportunities with two steals, but besides that, his performance didn’t amount to much.

VJ Edgecombe: D+

It was a night to forget for Edgecombe, who notched eight points on 3-of-10 shooting, four fouls, and three turnovers. He struggled to finish plays from beyond the arc and didn’t find other ways to make an impact on the offensive end. Edgecombe tried to overcompensate with seven boards, but it wasn’t his best game nonetheless.

Adem Bona: D-

Bona didn’t build on his 13-rebound outing against Detroit on Sunday. He totaled one point and one rebound while committing two fouls in just four minutes. Nick Nurse went with a different look following the first frame as Bona didn’t play the last 36 minutes. James and Dean Wade took turns at the backup five.

Dean Wade: F

When Wade’s shots aren’t falling, the silver lining is that he makes up for it with elite defense. But that wasn’t the case as he tallied five fouls in 17 minutes. Wade went scoreless, with one assist and one rebound. Wade is one of Philadelphia’s top reserves, so the 76ers can’t afford many of these performances.

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Jacob Moreno
JACOB MORENO

Jacob Moreno is a Sports Media major at Temple University who aspires to become a 76ers beat writer. He previously contributed to The Sixer Sense and also covers Temple Athletics for The Temple News. He is a huge Marvel nerd and falls victim to expensive Lego sets.

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