Oct 30, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain (20) dribbles the ball against the Detroit Pistons the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
Jared McCain and Guerschon Yabusele combined for 47 points as the Sixers held on for their second win of the season, defeating the Charlotte Hornets to end a five-game losing streak.
Here's what I saw.
- George played 18 minutes in the first half, going 10 minutes straight to start the game and then coming in for the final eight minutes of the second quarter. The more the leash was extended, the better his rhythm was. It wasn't a crowning half of efficiency for the newcomer, but he served as a steadying presence for Philadelphia's offense when turnovers and three-point shooting were problems.
The Sixers fed the beast when he had the likes of Tre Mann and other smaller players on him, George walking his Hornets defender down to the post and asking for the ball or getting the switch he wanted out of an action. He was conditioned well for the work he was doing, repeatedly battling against physical resistance before rising up for contested midrange jumpers.
While some of his passes weren't great, his reads were advanced and snappy. He rifled the ball across the floor on drives, creating swing plays against Charlotte's rotations. He also delivered a gorgeous ball to Yabusele out of a ball screen, setting his partner up for a bucket at the rim. It was by far the most in-control he's looked as a Sixer.
- While we're talking about rhythm, the Sixers' defense was closer to a well-oiled machine than it had been in a few games. Philadelphia had some breakdowns that yielded open threes, but the Sixers did a really good job of eating up space on the perimeter when the Hornets were operating against the shot clock, forcing some shot clock violations and low-quality threes from LaMelo Ball.
Beyond that, the Sixers were much more connected navigating screen actions. They switched more intuitively, eliminating miscommunications that expand space coming around picks. As a byproduct, they sustained ball pressure through drives, causing Charlotte to throw the rock away and dribble into turnovers.
- I've been critical of Nick Nurse lately, so he deserves his flowers for a notable adjustment. He saw how badly the Hornets exploited Andre Drummond in the first half and how much better his team was when Yabusele was on the court in Drummond's stead, and decided to start his small-ball center to open the third quarter.
It changed the complexion of the game.
He and George have a budding chemistry that the team weaponized to get great shots in the third frame. Yabusele buried a pair of wing threes on kick-outs and played bully ball for scores inside when he had seals in the low post.
For a team that has struggled mightily in third quarters thus far this season, it was a jolt the Sixers desperately needed.
- While we're still in the "spark off the bench" department, McCain was sensational in this game. In fact, so much so that Nurse closed the game in regulation and overtime with McCain in the lineup. At no moment did McCain feel out of place in a grown man's league.
He was comfortable getting to all three levels of the floor, not intimidated by anything the Hornets showed him on defense. You felt his teammates trust him more and more, too. On what ended up being a huge shot down the stretch of the fourth quarter, George drove across the lane and ripped a pass to McCain as he relocated to the corner. The veteran star entrusted the rookie with a clutch shot that temporarily swung the game in the Sixers' favor. The veteran trust didn't stop there. McCain was the focal point of the offense in overtime, Kyle Lowry taking a back seat and letting a guard with more juice run the show.
Perhaps the most surprising moment of the youngster's game, McCain locked down Ball on a critical possession late in overtime, forcing a shot clock violation. The Sixers do not win without him. It is his game ball.
- Drummond claims himself to be the best rebounder in the NBA. That's a hard sell when he couldn't dominate Taj Gibson. The Hornets kept Drummond off the glass all night. If he's not eating the boards, he has very little consistent positive impact on the game.
- Every time Yabusele scores, the PA soundboard plays the theme song to The Flintstones. It was hilarious to hear "yabba dabba doo" blasted throughout the building over and over again.
The Sixers (2-7) will host the New York Knicks (4-5) on Tuesday in the first game of group play in the NBA Cup. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., Eastern time. You can catch the game on TNT.
