The Philadelphia 76ers are navigating a challenging stretch, having dropped four consecutive games, capped by a 126-111 defeat to the New Orleans Pelicans. Without Joel Embiid anchoring the floor, the Sixers are struggling to find their offensive groove, and it’s showing in their performance.
Saturday's matchup against the Pelicans saw Philadelphia holding an 11-point lead in the third quarter. However, New Orleans found their rhythm, hitting 12-of-20 from beyond the arc in the second half, while the Sixers went cold, managing just 3-of-24. This shooting disparity sealed their fourth straight loss.
Tyrese Maxey, who led the team with 28 points, shared his thoughts on the team's current skid and the path forward.
"It's gonna take a lot," Maxey said. "We’ve dug ourselves a hole, and only we can climb out of it. We’re in this together, through the highs and lows, the peaks and valleys."
The Sixers anticipated a tough 2025-26 season, especially with Embiid's absence. Adding to their woes, Paul George is both recovering from surgery and serving a 25-game suspension, making this period particularly challenging for Philadelphia.
"We’ve been saying it since day one," Maxey continued about the team's unity. "We played a solid first half and started the third quarter well.
But then they started hitting shots, and it’s hard to fight back against that momentum swing. We tried, but it was too late."
The Sixers aim to bounce back as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, hoping to turn the tide and regain their footing.