December 27, 2023
Jeremy Reper/USA TODAY Sports
Patrick Beverley led an inspired Sixers second unit in Orlando on Wednesday night.
Looking to rebound after a tough loss in Miami on Christmas Day, the Sixers headed to Orlando for their first game of the year against a young and exciting Magic team that has surged in the standings. Here is what stood out from the 112-92 victory:
Embiid missed his second game in a row with an ankle injury he suffered last week, leaving the Sixers potentially vulnerable when it comes to defending the rim against a Magic team that likes to attack in the paint.
Embiid's status moving forward is still to be determined, while Batum should return this weekend at the latest, according to Sixers head coach Nick Nurse.
Maxey had the single worst game of his career in Miami, as he shot 4-20 from the field and 1-8 from behind the three-point line. Nothing went right for the fourth-year guard -- he couldn't buy a bucket to save his life, was given no benefit of the doubt by the officials and struggled so mightily that it was almost uncomfortable to watch.
After his 4-20 game in Miami, Maxey knocked down each of his first four shots in this one, including a difficult three and a miraculous and-one finish at the rim. He was marvelous in this one, a pleasant departure from his earlier struggles.
Covington oddly fell out of Nurse's rotation for a few games, in favor of Marcus Morris Sr., Danuel House Jr. and KJ Martin. It was quite puzzling, to say the least, as Covington's minutes have largely been very strong since returning to Philadelphia, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, where he has been lights out.
Covington didn't see action until late in the second quarter in this one, but he was in the rotation, and that is an improvement. In his second half stint, he made a few standout plays. Meanwhile, House did not play as part of the second half rotation.
Covington should be considered an important part of this team's bench; the value of a wing with his defensive chops cannot be understated.
Make no mistake about it, individual offense is far more important and valuable than individual defense in today's NBA. But there is nothing like a cohesive defense in which all of the moving parts are in sync. That is what the Sixers had for most of this game, particularly on the perimeter, where Oubre and Melton really shined.
The Sixers were able to keep Magic second-year star Paolo Banchero in check for almost the entirety of the game. Additionally, Orlando's bigs did next to nothing in the paint. Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs were the only members of the Magic who were able to consistently do damage on that end of the floor.
Melton is never going to be an elite finisher. He may never even be a particularly good one. But in recent weeks, it has become clear that he has made noteworthy strides in that department. Melton has gone from liable to miss every bunny at the rim that he takes to capable of finishing through contact and utilizing his length to make those finishes easier to convert. Him improving his ability to attack closeouts while also being an excellent three-point shooter makes him a much more valuable offensive player, and that is on top of the defensive production for which he is known.
With the firepower at the top of their roster -- namely Maxey and Embiid -- the Sixers typically ask their second unit to merely stay afloat -- avoid a blowout and keep the team in it for when the big guns return.
On Wednesday night, though, they gave their team a massive boost. Morris, Patrick Beverley, Mo Bamba and co. provided rock solid minutes, and despite not doing anything overly spectacular, the Sixers handily won the minutes they played.
The Sixers are going to need genuinely helpful minutes from their bench pieces in order to beat good teams -- from ones like Orlando to the more powerful forces in the league. They got that on Wednesday night.
