The 76ers (2-1) aim to maintain building momentum during their early-season homestand that includes four more games, with the Toronto Raptors (2-3) visiting next on Thursday night.
One week into the regular season, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey is the first Eastern Conference Player of the Week, after posting averages of 30.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.
How did Maxey find out he received the honor?
“My mom told me,” Maxey told the 76ers Insiders podcast. “I didn’t know what she was talking about, but she was like, ‘It’s on Twitter!’. My grandmother knows everything. So she told my mom, and my mom told me.
I was just like, ‘Okay. That’s cool.'”
On Wednesday, the Sixers officially acquired four players (Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Kenyon Martin Jr., Marcus Morris Sr.), two first-round picks, the rights to a 2029 pick swap with LA, two second-round picks, and cash considerations in a three-team deal with the LA Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Batum is listed as out for Thursday’s game, with the availability of the other three acquisitions still undisclosed as of Wednesday night.
Philadelphia sent James Harden, PJ Tucker, and Filip Petrušev to the Clippers as part of the deal, while also waiving Danny Green (Petrušev was later traded to Sacramento).
“A good start – Coach Nurse has had them focused from day one, starting in Fort Collins and we’ve come out of the gate playing strong,” 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey said Wednesday. “And I really want to thank the players and the coaching staff – a lot of professionalism throughout. Some of this was tough at times and to have them come out and play as well as they have been really positive. And we’re really excited for what this trade brings as well in terms of our ability to keep improving the team going forward.”
Joel Embiid is coming off a dominant performance in the Sixers’ previous game, a 126-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. His 35-point, 15-rebound double-double also included seven assists and a game-high six blocked shots.
“Ball movement and the pace that we are playing at – we’re playing fast, the ball is moving, guys are cutting,” Embiid said of the team’s offense thus far. “I’ve been preaching that since training camp started that I’m gonna find you… So everybody’s cutting with a purpose. But I like the ball movement, I like guys cutting. The ball is not sticking and we are playing more together.”
The Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 130-111, at home on Wednesday night for their second win of the season. The victors outbounded the visitors, 50-29, and shot 56% from the floor – assisting on 35 of 51 made field goals.
Pascal Siakam recorded a game-high 26 points (9-13 fg, 5-8 3fg, 3-3 ft) with six rebounds and seven assists. Dennis Schröder scored 24 points (9-13 fg, 2-4 3fg, 4-4 ft) and delivered a game-high 11 assists. Precious Achiuwa (left grain strain) and Christian Koloko (respiratory issue) missed the game.
Toronto has already played five teams, including a 114-107 home loss to the Sixers last Saturday, in which Embiid and Maxey each scored 34 points.
Thursday’s game is a 7 pm ET start in Philadelphia.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA TV
Philadelphia is expected to wear their royal blue Icon Edition uniforms, with Toronto in their white Association Edition uniforms.
SUNDAY’S KEY PERFORMANCES
- In just 29 minutes of action because of the lopsided affair, Embiid tallied a game-high 35 points (12-22 fg, 2-4 3fg, 9-12 ft), 15 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and six blocks.
- Maxey continued his hot start to the season with 26 points (6-14 fg, 4-8 3fg, 10-10 ft), a career-high 10 rebounds, and four assists in 35 minutes against Portland.
- In 38 minutes of play, Harris scored 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, 2-for-4 from 3-point range, and 6-for-7 from the foul line. He added five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks in the win.
De’Anthony Melton/Kelly Oubre Jr.
- Both players scored 12 points, with Oubre doing so in a reserve role.
- Melton added two steals, and his eight assists were the most for any player in the contest.
76ers Head Coach Nick Nurse on the team’s starting lineup…
“We’ll bump Kelly [Oubre Jr.] into there, I think, for the short term. I certainly love what he brings off the bench as an explosive scorer, so I don’t know how that will end up in the long term or the mid term, but it’ll be him [Thursday] night.”
The Sixers host 13-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns (2-2) on Saturday at 1 pm ET. Offseason acquisition and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal missed the first four games of the season due to back spasms, and fellow three-time All-Star Devin Booker sat out Tuesday with a sprained ankle. Phoenix is now coached by Wildwood, New Jersey native Frank Vogel.
Tags: Philadelphia #76ers Toronto Raptors
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