Instant Observations: 76ers Overcome Slow Start, Open Up In-Season Tournament With Win Over Pistons

The Philadelphia 76ers (7-1) overcame a slow start to beat the Detroit Pistons (2-8) 114-106 on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena. The victory extends their winning streak to seven games and puts them 1-0 in the In-Season Tournament Group Play.

Tyrese Maxey led the way for the Sixers, finishing with 29 points, six rebounds, 10 assists and four steals. Joel Embiid added 33 points, 16 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Tobias Harris finished with 24 points and five rebounds. Pat Beverley exited the game early due to right-sided neck pain.

Killian Hayes finished with 23 points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals for the Pistons. Cade Cunningham added 21 points, four rebounds and seven assists came into this game banged up. Detroit came into the game banged up. They were without Bojan Bogdanovic (right calf strain), Alec Burks (left forearm contusion), Joe Harris (right shoulder sprain), Jaden Ivey (illness), Isaiah Livers (left ankle sprain) and Monte Morris (right quadriceps strain).

The Sixers’ next matchup is at home against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday evening. Here are some instant observations from the win over the Pistons:

– One of the big takeaways from the Sixers’ win over the Boston Celtics was Maxey’s aggressiveness as a scorer. He did not have an efficient night against Boston, but he kept attacking and ultimately was a big reason why the Sixers came away with the victory. However, Maxey showed some hesitation early on against the Pistons. He passed up on multiple open 3-pointers in the opening minutes. Head coach Nick Nurse has made it clear he wants Maxey to be as assertive as possible, and he likely gave Maxey an earful in between quarters. Maxey came into the second quarter looking much more aggressive. The results were good, including a beautiful step-back 3-pointer early in the quarter. Having Maxey attack with confidence is crucial for a Sixers team that lacks many other strong perimeter scoring options.

At this point, it is tough to come up with more words to praise Maxey’s playmaking ability this season. He had yet another efficient game as a playmaker, something that is quickly becoming the norm for him. His pass in the play below perfectly set up Harris for an alley-oop in the fourth quarter.

OKAY PLACEMENT @TyreseMaxey !! pic.twitter.com/i4GhhPlzMT

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 11, 2023

For the second consecutive game, Maxey took over in the fourth quarter. He scored 11 points and dished out a flurry of assists. His contributions were key to the Sixers being able to expand their lead with Embiid on the bench to begin the final frame.

On the other end of the floor, Maxey continues to improve in leaps and bounds. He forced multiple Detroit turnovers through a combination of active hands and physical defense on the perimeter. His four steals tied a career high. The rate of improvement Maxey has made in all areas of his game this season is incredible to watch. He is well on his way to making the first All-Star appearance of his career later this season.

– Embiid, despite what the box score shows, did not have a good night offensively against the Pistons. He was sloppy with the ball, committing multiple poor turnovers. He also lacked his usual touch from around the basket, putting up some ugly shots from in or around the paint. The Pistons’ big men did a good job playing with a ton of physicality against Embiid, making it tough for him to establish good inside position. However, Embiid gradually wore them down, getting to the free-throw line at will. He scored 16 points in the third quarter, playing a huge role in the Sixers turning the game around.

Even on a poor shooting night from Embiid, he still found other ways to make his presence felt. This was by far his best game of the season as a rebounder. He vacuumed up every rebound that came his direction, especially on the offensive glass. Seven of his 16 rebounds came on the offensive glass.

– Kelly Oubre Jr.’s length and versatility is huge for the Sixers’ starting lineup. His scoring ability is a known commodity, but the past few games have showcased his abilities on defense and as a rebounder. He used his length to poke the ball away from Cunningham on a play early in the third quarter.

K9 instincts. 🐶 pic.twitter.com/ebrb2JvFHY

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) November 11, 2023

Oubre has been a tremendous signing for the Sixers, especially considering he signed for the minimum. He finished the game with eight points, eight rebounds and two steals.

– The Sixers battled hard to begin the season, and it was only a matter of time until they had a very poor quarter. Their performance in the first quarter against the Pistons can best be summarized by a major lack of effort and focus. It felt as if they were sleepwalking for much of the opening quarter against a young Pistons squad. The Sixers shot just 30% from the field while committing four turnovers. Detroit took advantage, using a combination of high energy and hot shooting to build up a 33-21 lead after the first quarter. Fortunately, the Sixers eventually woke up and turned things around in the second half.

– Robert Covington has re-acclimated himself well to the Sixers. He made a positive impact off the bench, knocking down a 3-pointer and playing with active hands defensively. Sixers fans will remember Covington has a penchant for getting his hands in the driving lanes, resulting in a lot of steals and deflections. All these years later, that remains a big part of his game. He finished the game with three points and four steals in just 14 minutes off the bench.

– The Sixers have a major issue that will need to be addressed at some point this season. Outside of Maxey, they have no other good perimeter creators on the roster. Whenever he is off the floor, this issue gets exposed. De’Anthony Melton might be able to be relied upon at times to run those non-Maxey lineups. However, his offensive struggles to begin the season have made him nearly unplayable. His playmaking abilities are limited and, while his 3-pointer is usually a strength to his game, his jumper has been non-existent this season. Until they add another ball handler to the roster, the Sixers’ options are to ride out Melton’s struggles or play some wing-heavy lineups and hope they can produce enough offensively to not be a disaster.