Dec 30, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) shoots the ball against Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images
Joel Embiid scored 37 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. recorded a career-high eight steals as the Sixers trounced the Blazers to keep the good times rolling.
Here's what I saw.
- As terrible as the first quarter was, the Sixers were very clear in their purpose on both ends in the second quarter. With Paul George stuck to the bench with three first-half fouls, the offense was simple: Embiid isolate or two-man game with Tyrese Maxey. Philadelphia, seemingly getting the memo between the first and second quarters that the Blazers are not a good three-point-shooting team, decided to align in zone as they have often lately. That was when things started to click on both ends for the Sixers, and they began to pull away.
The Blazers have a collection of individualized talent, but no one can really handle the ball in space. Philadelphia preyed on that, turning Portland over off the dribble time and time again to create transition offense. It was not a high-volume half from beyond the arc for the Sixers, but they got whatever they wanted at the rim.
- Embiid will get grilled below, so I will give him his due props for the first half here. 20 points and eight rebounds is a helluva half for him. He clearly took his matchup with Deandre Ayton personally, especially after his foe got the better of him in the first quarter. Embiid stared him down in the second quarter and, with fewer mouths to feed, attacked him mercilessly.
One of the best Embiid developments we've seen since he's consistently been available is that he's striking a better balance between rolling to the rim and popping for jumpers out of the ball screen. To Maxey's credit, he's learning to slow the action down a bit more, usually with a fake, so that he can find Embiid moving toward the rim out of the screen. Embiid is attacking the paint hard, and no one has an answer for it.
- Guerschon Yabusele may be the best peripheral story in the league this season. His NBA rebirth is a feel-good story in its own right. But, he's taking home less than the league minimum this season because he had to pay to get out of his contract with Real Madrid. The way he's played, he's going to parlay that bet on himself into a hefty payday this summer.
He has no problem maneuvering into different jobs as opponents come and go. In the first half of this game, he made a gorgeous passing read out of the middle of Portland's zone defense. Yabusele grabbed three defensive rebounds. But, most of all, he played the role of floor-spacer and deep-paint punisher. Not only did he lace a pair of triples, but Yabusele attacked mismatches inside. He also did this:
GO CRAZY, GUERSCHON! pic.twitter.com/LQP1cPfXuV
Deni Avdija, welcome to your Kodak moment.
- Oubre Jr. had six steals in the first half and notched a career-high seventh steal early in the third quarter. The Blazers had no sense for where he was on defense. He absolutely destroyed them.
- I can appreciate the human instinct to press when you're not making shots, and maybe that's what's going on with George right now. But, his decisions on defense have done as much damage as good over the last two games. Make no mistake, he's silenced a ton of skepticism about what he has left on that end of the floor in the early part of this season. But, he's picking up a lot of silly fouls and being forced to the bench early in each of the last two games. He picked up three in the first quarter on Monday. You can't put your imprint on the game from the bench.
- Embiid's effort in the first quarter was downright atrocious. He is capable of stonewalling Ayton at the basket anytime he wants to, and instead got absolutely cooked by him in the first quarter. The big guy was not a factor defending around the rim, conceding shots up close and being out of position for defensive rebounds. Embiid had maybe his worst play of the season in that first quarter. While I can appreciate an effort to push the pace on offense, he threw a terrible full-court pass that got intercepted for a live-ball turnover. Embiid proceeded to decline offering a contest on the transition layup that followed. Unacceptable.
- Can someone tell the Sixers that there is no law against running the two-man game in the third quarter? They went through an inexplicable rut on offense against the Utah Jazz in the third quarter on Saturday night. They let the Blazers inch a bit closer in the third quarter on Monday before they got their heads together. Still, you get dinged for making things a bit harder than they had to be.
- Speaking of bozo basketball, Maxey and Embiid botched an exchange in the backcourt that led to a turnover on a pass out of bounds in the third quarter. Focus, fellas.
- Chauncey Billups challenged a call 36 seconds into a game that tipped off at 10 p.m. on the east coast. It is a Monday. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Preposterous.
The Sixers (13-17) will visit the Sacramento Kings (14-19) on Wednesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m., Eastern time. You can watch the game on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Want more Philadelphia 76ers news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for THE Philly Sports Newsletter here. 100% free, always.
