The Philadelphia 76ers finally broke out of their slump with a convincing 139-122 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, thanks to a resurgent performance from Paul George and a breakout night from Jared McCain.
Coach Nick Nurse was quick to acknowledge that his team's previous day had been "one of those days" where nothing went right, but he expressed confidence in the squad's ability to bounce back. And bounce back they did, with Joel Embiid's scoring dominance and the emergence of McCain as a key contributor on both ends of the floor.
The 76ers' offense finally felt free-flowing, with players like Maxey and Embiid playing to their strengths and creating opportunities for others. George was particularly outstanding, using his three-point range to devastating effect and showing glimpses of his old form. The fact that he tied a high mark in the third quarter is no surprise - he's been building towards this all season.
McCain, who had struggled to find his footing as a rookie, finally started to feel like himself on Tuesday night. His energy was palpable, and he knocked down several big three-pointers, including a few clutch ones that helped seal the win. It's clear that he has the potential to be a reliable scoring threat off the bench, and it would make the 76ers' offense even more potent with him in the rotation.
The team's need for more dynamic guard play behind Maxey was highlighted by the struggles of Quentin Grimes, who sat out with an ankle sprain. But McCain's opportunity finally came, and he seized it with both hands. This is a crucial development for the 76ers, who have struggled to find consistent production from their bench.
The win marked a welcome change of pace for the team, which had been struggling with fatigue and lack of energy. Nurse acknowledged that his team was "tired" after the previous day's defeat, but it was clear that they were ready to bounce back.
As always, coach Doc Rivers provided some insightful quotes, including one about Joel Embiid being the most talented player he's ever coached. And of course, there were a few funny moments, including a story about Rivers trying to get Embiid and Maxey to throw him a lob.
The 76ers will look to build on this momentum when they take on the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night. With George and McCain finally finding their footing, the team is looking more like the playoff contender many expected them to be.
Coach Nick Nurse was quick to acknowledge that his team's previous day had been "one of those days" where nothing went right, but he expressed confidence in the squad's ability to bounce back. And bounce back they did, with Joel Embiid's scoring dominance and the emergence of McCain as a key contributor on both ends of the floor.
The 76ers' offense finally felt free-flowing, with players like Maxey and Embiid playing to their strengths and creating opportunities for others. George was particularly outstanding, using his three-point range to devastating effect and showing glimpses of his old form. The fact that he tied a high mark in the third quarter is no surprise - he's been building towards this all season.
McCain, who had struggled to find his footing as a rookie, finally started to feel like himself on Tuesday night. His energy was palpable, and he knocked down several big three-pointers, including a few clutch ones that helped seal the win. It's clear that he has the potential to be a reliable scoring threat off the bench, and it would make the 76ers' offense even more potent with him in the rotation.
The team's need for more dynamic guard play behind Maxey was highlighted by the struggles of Quentin Grimes, who sat out with an ankle sprain. But McCain's opportunity finally came, and he seized it with both hands. This is a crucial development for the 76ers, who have struggled to find consistent production from their bench.
The win marked a welcome change of pace for the team, which had been struggling with fatigue and lack of energy. Nurse acknowledged that his team was "tired" after the previous day's defeat, but it was clear that they were ready to bounce back.
As always, coach Doc Rivers provided some insightful quotes, including one about Joel Embiid being the most talented player he's ever coached. And of course, there were a few funny moments, including a story about Rivers trying to get Embiid and Maxey to throw him a lob.
The 76ers will look to build on this momentum when they take on the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night. With George and McCain finally finding their footing, the team is looking more like the playoff contender many expected them to be.