Sixers Stumble After Embiid’s First-Half Masterclass, Add Familiar Face for Depth Ahead of Road Stretch
PHILADELPHIA - There are losses, and then there are the ones that leave a locker room unusually quiet. Saturday's matinee defeat to the Knicks felt like the latter for the Sixers - not because they were outclassed wire to wire, but because they let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers.
After a dominant first half from Joel Embiid, the game unraveled in a disastrous third quarter, and by the time the final buzzer sounded, players were already packing up and heading out. The postgame vibe wasn’t one of reflection - it was urgency.
With a winter storm looming, the team opted to skip a Sunday practice and fly straight to Charlotte for Monday’s matchup against the Hornets.
The travel complications might explain why head coach Nick Nurse and Tyrese Maxey didn’t dwell on the officiating or the late-game swings that favored New York. The Sixers had bigger concerns - like getting out ahead of the weather and trying to regroup after a third-quarter collapse that erased what should have been a statement win.
Embiid’s First-Half Brilliance: Vintage Dominance
Let’s start with the good. Joel Embiid was in one of those zones in the first half - the kind where everything slows down for him and speeds up for everyone else.
He dropped 28 points on 10-of-12 shooting before halftime, putting on a clinic in offensive versatility. Whether it was bullying Karl-Anthony Towns into foul trouble (a matchup that’s leaned Embiid’s way for years) or getting the better of Mitchell Robinson - one of the few bigs who’s historically held his own against him - Embiid was simply unstoppable.
Asked afterward if that was the best rhythm he’s felt all season, Embiid paused, then smiled.
“Yeah, it felt pretty good,” he said. “Just attacking. Just doing whatever I wanted.”
And that’s exactly what it looked like. This was the kind of performance that reminded everyone why Embiid remains one of the league’s most unguardable forces.
Even more impressive? He was coming off a grueling 45-minute outing in an overtime win against Houston just two nights earlier - his shortest turnaround between games this season.
Maxey, who’s seen his fair share of Embiid explosions, was impressed.
“He looked great, man,” Maxey said. “Moving well, shot the ball well, a couple dunks, contesting at the rim. It was good to see that from him.”
Rookie VJ Edgecombe, still getting used to what playing alongside an MVP looks like, kept it simple when asked about Embiid’s performance.
“He’s good,” Edgecombe said. “He requires a lot of gravity… It’s good to see it in person now.”
The Third Quarter Collapse: A 12-Minute Meltdown
And then came the third quarter - the stretch that flipped the game on its head. The Sixers shot just 23.5% from the field (4-for-17) and scored only 13 points.
That’s not just a cold spell - that’s a full-on offensive blackout. Embiid’s first-half brilliance was wasted as the Sixers struggled to generate anything resembling rhythm or spacing.
To be fair, the Knicks played their part. New York ramped up the physicality, disrupted handoffs, and forced Philly into awkward, off-balance looks. As Nurse put it:
“Mainly, they just started really getting into us. The catches were a little further away. They were knifing over some of the handoffs and knocking them out off our own body, and just breaking a lot of the rhythm.”
The Sixers’ defensive rebounding also fell apart, giving the Knicks too many second-chance opportunities. And while New York’s 30-point quarter wasn’t outrageous on its own, it was enough to create a 17-point swing that Philly never recovered from.
It wasn’t just missed shots - it was bad offense leading to worse shots. A mix of decent looks that rimmed out and low-percentage heaves that had no chance. After a first half where the offense hummed, the gears completely locked up.
Charles Bassey Returns: Depth Move with Familiar Roots
With two back-to-backs looming and the roster stretched thin, the Sixers are bringing back a familiar face. Charles Bassey, originally drafted by Philly in 2021, is reportedly signing a 10-day contract that will make him available for six upcoming games.
While Bassey’s return is notable, this move is more about roster mechanics than a major rotation shake-up. The Sixers needed to fill a roster spot to keep two-way players Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker eligible for action. With Johni Broome still seen primarily as a G League piece, Bassey offers a more experienced insurance policy at center.
The 6-foot-11 big man has logged 115 NBA games across five seasons, including a pair of appearances with the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this year. In those two games, Bassey grabbed 15 rebounds in 30 minutes and added seven points on 3-for-8 shooting. He’s not going to come in and change the gameplan, but he’s a steady, physical presence who won’t be overwhelmed if called upon.
Earlier this season, the Delaware Blue Coats - Philly’s G League affiliate - acquired Bassey’s rights in a trade. He didn’t report, and his rights were flipped to Santa Cruz, where he was making a real impact before agreeing to return to the Sixers.
What’s Next
The Sixers now head into a tricky stretch, starting with Monday’s game in Charlotte and a quick turnaround back home the next night. With Embiid looking sharp and Maxey continuing to grow into his role as a lead guard, the pieces are there. But Saturday’s loss was a reminder: even MVP-level performances can be wasted if the team around them can’t hold the line.
The Sixers will need to find consistency - especially in those middle quarters - if they want to stay in the thick of the Eastern Conference race. And with winter weather and back-to-backs on the horizon, depth and adaptability will be tested more than ever.