Sixers Plummet To Last In East, With Loss To Heat Highlighting Their Many Issues

November 18, 2024

The Sixers’ 106-89 road loss to the Heat was another painful reminder of just how far this team is from where it needs to be. For the record, they’re 2-11 and tied for last place in the Eastern Conference alongside the woeful Wizards.

After hanging in there for a while, Philadelphia completely fell apart in the third quarter, and by the end of it, the scoreline felt generous. There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s dive into the good and the bad from this one.

The Good: Rookie Jared McCain is the real deal. The kid has played way beyond his years, and honestly, I’m starting to wonder if he should be starting when Tyrese Maxey returns. The Heat basically handed him two wide-open threes in the first half, and McCain buried them without hesitation.

But his game has evolved far beyond just shooting. His footwork, his ability to find space, and his decision-making have been steady, smart, and efficient. You can tell he’s already a step ahead of a lot of the veterans on this roster.

The way he’s managed to create offense with such a raw supporting cast speaks volumes. McCain’s ability to manage the floor, balance risks, and make the right reads has been the Sixers’ best-kept secret.

As for Caleb Martin, I still believe he can help this team if they ever manage to turn it around. His shooting has been cold to start the season, but his defense and overall effort have been there every night, even when the team has struggled.

Martin might not be lighting it up on offense, but his versatility and hustle make him a guy you can count on in the postseason.

The Bad: Now, the Sixers’ offense? It’s a mess. We’re in game 13 of the season, and at this point, it’s less about what kind of shots they’re creating and more about who’s knocking them down — and they’re just not.

It’s been an issue since the season opener, and against the Heat, we saw that lack of shot-making finally catch up to them in a big way. Joel Embiid hasn’t been anywhere near the dominant force the Sixers need him to be.

Sure, he showed some good things in terms of passing and directing the offense, especially in the first half, but those two missed midrange shots in the second half? That’s not the MVP we’re used to seeing.

He looked sluggish, unsure, and far from the player who’s supposed to carry this team on both ends of the floor.

And when Embiid struggles, the rest of the team crumbles. The Sixers’ offensive execution is near the bottom of the league in major categories, and it’s hard to put that all on the players when the coaching staff is making some questionable decisions.

Coach Nick Nurse has his work cut out for him, but so far, this squad doesn’t seem to be responding to the urgency this situation demands. Wasting timeouts, missing basic inbound plays, and having lineup combinations that seem doomed from the start? That’s on the coaching staff.

The Roster: Look, it’s easy to get bogged down in the individual performances of guys like Paul George, who started the game hot but vanished for the rest of it, or Kelly Oubre, who continues to be a streaky mess.

But when you break it down, the roster is just out of sync. The Sixers are relying on vets like Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry, who haven’t been able to keep up.

Lowry especially is a glaring problem. His shooting has completely fallen off, and defensively, he’s a liability. Jimmy Butler made a mockery of him in the first half.

If the Sixers are serious about making a push this year, they can’t afford to waste minutes on players like Lowry, who clearly isn’t the same guy he once was.

The Bottom Line: Philly is in a hole right now, and there’s no easy fix. McCain might be a gem, but this team needs a lot more than just him to turn things around.

Embiid needs to get back to his MVP form, and the rest of the roster has to find some kind of consistency.

With Maxey out, it’s on the other guys to step up — but they’re not doing it. If this continues, it’s hard to see how anyone survives. And if the team doesn’t find a way to turn things around quickly, someone on the coaching staff is likely to be the fall guy.