Despite a dramatic twist in their strategy, the Philadelphia 76ers have continued to thrive without Paul George, who was suspended for 25 games due to a league-imposed penalty. The suspension, which has thrown a wrench into the team's plans to avoid the luxury tax, has actually had an unexpected impact on their performance.
With George out of the lineup, the Sixers have gone 4-0 and are now enjoying a season-high five-game winning streak. The key to this turnaround lies in the duo of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, who have been instrumental in driving the team's success during their time on the court without George.
According to NBA.com, the Sixers have outscored their opponents by 9.5 points per 100 possessions when Maxey and Embiid are on the floor together, a stark contrast to the struggles they faced with George in the lineup. This trend holds true even when considering the first six games of the season, which were played without George.
However, the question remains as to how much George's suspension will ultimately affect the team's win total by season's end. Zach Lowe, a prominent NBA analyst, posed this very question on his podcast, with some arguing that the impact may be overstated.
The ESPN writers took a more cautious approach, pointing out that George's return at the end of March will put pressure on him to quickly ramp up and contribute to the team's success. With only 10 games remaining in the regular season, there is still time for George to make an impact and help the Sixers avoid a postseason collapse.
In contrast, The Athletic took an unconventional approach, suggesting that acquiring Kevin Love could provide the 76ers with an easy way out by waiving him and promoting Dominick Barlow to a standard contract. This move would not only free up roster space but also allow the team to address their lack of depth in key positions.
As the trade deadline approaches, one thing is clear: the 76ers' strategy has been shaken up, and their future remains uncertain. Will they be able to recover from George's suspension and make a deep playoff run? Only time will tell.
With George out of the lineup, the Sixers have gone 4-0 and are now enjoying a season-high five-game winning streak. The key to this turnaround lies in the duo of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid, who have been instrumental in driving the team's success during their time on the court without George.
According to NBA.com, the Sixers have outscored their opponents by 9.5 points per 100 possessions when Maxey and Embiid are on the floor together, a stark contrast to the struggles they faced with George in the lineup. This trend holds true even when considering the first six games of the season, which were played without George.
However, the question remains as to how much George's suspension will ultimately affect the team's win total by season's end. Zach Lowe, a prominent NBA analyst, posed this very question on his podcast, with some arguing that the impact may be overstated.
The ESPN writers took a more cautious approach, pointing out that George's return at the end of March will put pressure on him to quickly ramp up and contribute to the team's success. With only 10 games remaining in the regular season, there is still time for George to make an impact and help the Sixers avoid a postseason collapse.
In contrast, The Athletic took an unconventional approach, suggesting that acquiring Kevin Love could provide the 76ers with an easy way out by waiving him and promoting Dominick Barlow to a standard contract. This move would not only free up roster space but also allow the team to address their lack of depth in key positions.
As the trade deadline approaches, one thing is clear: the 76ers' strategy has been shaken up, and their future remains uncertain. Will they be able to recover from George's suspension and make a deep playoff run? Only time will tell.
like who's the actual villain here? Paul George gets suspended for 25 games but his teammates are just thriving without him 
and now they're saying maybe they shouldn't even get him back because he might hold them back? what if he comes back and they actually do worse with him on the team lol 
I don't know how they're gonna figure this one out 
maxey & embiid have been on fire 
and the team's defense has stepped up 
gotta say, i'm loving the way tyrese has taken on more of a scoring role 
now they just need to figure out what to do with george when he comes back 
maybe this is an opportunity for him to prove himself all over again 
– it's not like they're committed to him at this point. The only concern is that Love might bring some chemistry issues if he comes in mid-season. Still, I think the benefits outweigh the risks 
. They just need to ride out the momentum with Maxey and Embiid leading the charge! 
. I mean, the team is doin' amazing without Paul George, but it's like they're gettin' lucky or somethin'. I've been watchin' these games and it's clear that Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are just makin' up for lost time on the court together 
as for love... i think its just a distraction from the real issue - the team's depth problems 
if they can figure out how to keep maxey and embiid healthy and happy, i'm sure they'll be fine.
. As for Zach Lowe saying his suspension might not be that big of a deal... I'm not so sure 
! Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid are like the ultimate duo 
. The stats show it, 9.5 points per 100 possessions is crazy 
, but others think there's still time for him to make a difference 
! The Athletic's suggestion about waiving Love for Barlow is straight fire 
.
. Of course, there are still concerns about PG's return in March 
. The trade deadline is gonna be interesting 
!
Tyrese Maxey & Joel Embiid are the dynamic duo, and it's no surprise they're on fire 
We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out 
. They've been doing really well without him, but that's because Maxey and Embiid are killing it 
️ "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King Jr. 