Fresh off a road win in Milwaukee, the Philadelphia 76ers returned home to play host to the star-studded LA Lakers. Welcoming in LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves, the Sixers, who for just the second time this season, saw their trio of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George take the court together, looked to keep their three-game winning streak alive.
As the first quarter came and went, the Sixers and Lakers found themselves in a dead heat, tied at 30. Tyrese Maxey led the way for Philadelphia, while the Lakers saw a balanced attack, bolstered by the off-ball shooting of Rui Hachimura.
Though these teams don't often meet, both sides played with a sense of physicality that gave it an air similar to that of a rivalry. Amidst all the excitement, Sixers' star Tyrese Maxey, fed up with the perceived lack of a whistle that he's historically dealt with, was assessed a technical foul after a heated argument with an official following a missed call.
After the game, Maxey spoke about the lack of calls that night on particularly physical Lakers play.
"You know, referees are human," Maxey said. "So sometimes they call it, sometimes they don't. You just gotta keep playing through all those calls man. It's just life, I ain't trippin' off that. I think the referees do a great job."
Thankfully, Maxey's technical foul had little impact on the end result of the game.
The second quarter brought the Sixers a fair bit more success, as they carved out a seven-point advantage at the half. A well-balanced offensive attack and a strong defensive performance gave Philadelphia the lead heading into the most dreaded part of any Sixers game, the third quarter.
Once again, Philadelphia was blown out in the third, as the Lakers built a double-digit lead. The Sixers' third-quarter struggles are well-documented at this point, though there's been little in terms of answers as to why.
Change for the sake of change is never ideal, but continuing to run it back again and again, expecting a different result, is the definition of insanity, as the old, incorrect adage goes.
It would be irresponsible for Nick Nurse to try something simply at random, but he may have accidentally discovered the secret in the team's matchup against the Washington Wizards.
Yes, the Washington Wizards.
One of the NBA's worst teams may not be the perfect example for an employable strategy against fiercer competition, but as the team's health continues to improve, and as their third-quarter struggles continue, what could it hurt?
Against Washington, Tyrese Maxey headed back to the bench for the Sixers with just under four minutes remaining in the quarter. After the game, Nick Nurse acknowledged that the improved and increasingly consistent play of the team's guards allowed for a much-deserved rest for star Tyrese Maxey, who proceeded to have one of the most impressive quarters of his career in the third.
The hesitation to remove your best player in the closing minutes of a regular-season game is understandable, but the potential results remain intriguing. It's not a guaranteed bet, but it's worth a gamble in the next few games, assuming their third-quarter struggles continue.
Philadelphia spent the fourth quarter attempting to catch up with Los Angeles, countering nearly every move. The Sixers managed to tie the game with about a minute and a half left, but LeBron James once again turned back the clock, scoring back-to-back buckets and securing the game-sealing steal in the closing seconds.
Philadelphia takes a slight break as the NBA Cup progresses through its finale. The team will return to the Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday, Dec. 12, in a matchup against the Indiana Pacers. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
