After opening the season on a scorching 5–1 run, the 76ers cooled off this week, dropping consecutive road contests in Chicago and Cleveland. The Sixers fell to the Bulls on Tuesday in a nail-biter, 113–111, before suffering a 132–121 defeat to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. The two-game skid marked a disappointing detour from what had otherwise been a strong start to the young season.
What looked like a comfortable win for the 76ers on Tuesday in Chicago quickly unraveled, as Philadelphia squandered a 24-point lead in a stunning late-game collapse. The Sixers came out firing, building a commanding 45–27 advantage after the first quarter and stretching the margin to as many as 24 points. For much of the night, it seemed like smooth sailing toward a sixth win of the season.
Tyrese Maxey continued his electric start to the year, shooting 53.8% from the field and connecting on 6-of-10 from beyond the arc to lead all scorers with 39 points. He also chipped in five rebounds and a team-high five assists. Joel Embiid, still ramping up his minutes, logged 26 in total and finished with 20 points. However, the former MVP struggled with efficiency, converting just 7-of-21 attempts (33.3%) and going 1-for-10 in the second half.
Chicago would storm back from the 24-point deficit behind a monster performance from guard Josh Giddey, who recorded a 29-point, 15-rebound, 12-assist triple-double. Nikola Vučević added 19 points, including a clutch go-ahead corner three with 3.2 seconds remaining to seal the Bulls’ comeback victory.
Philadelphia’s offense fell apart down the stretch, managing just 16 points in the fourth quarter, a sharp contrast to Chicago’s 29. After a dominant first half, the Sixers simply couldn’t find a rhythm when it mattered most.
Despite the loss in Chicago, there was a bright spot for Philadelphia. Rookie guard Jared McCain, just 21 years old, made his return to the court for the first time since last December. McCain’s rookie season was cut short after only 23 games when he suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee. Before the injury, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft had been averaging 15.3 points per game.
The Duke product also endured a UCL tear in his right thumb during an offseason workout, which required surgery in early October. Tuesday night marked his long-awaited return, as McCain logged 15 minutes and went 0-for-4 from the field. However, just seeing him back on the floor healthy was an encouraging sign for both the Sixers and their fans.
On Wednesday, the Sixers had no answer for Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell, who erupted for a season-high 46 points. Philadelphia never held a lead in the contest and struggled to recover from a sluggish start, falling behind 41–27 after the opening quarter.
Maxey and Quentin Grimes shared the scoring load for Philadelphia, each finishing with 27 points.
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe endured another difficult outing, shooting just 3-for-14 from the field for seven points, a follow-up to his 4-for-12 performance the night before in Chicago.
Still, it’s worth remembering that Edgecombe is only in his first NBA season, and the adjustment to the league’s pace, physicality, and demanding schedule takes time.
Both Embiid and McCain were held out of the contest for rest and recovery.
With Thursday and Friday serving as off days, the Sixers will look to regroup and rediscover their rhythm this weekend when they return home for a back-to-back set. Philadelphia will host the 4–4 Toronto Raptors on Saturday before welcoming the 6–2 Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
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