There is no end to Philadelphia’s slump.
The Philadelphia 76ers lost 89-106 to the Miami Heat in the NBA regular league during the 2024-2025 season at the Caseya Center in Miami, Florida on the 19th (Korea time). The loss brought Philadelphia down to the bottom of the Eastern Conference with four consecutive losses.
Defeat is simply a loss, but the game was too serious. Philadelphia led significantly in the first quarter thanks to the performances of Paul George and Caleb Martin, and allowed a chase in the second quarter, but finished the first half with a 56-53 lead.
The problem was the third quarter. In the third quarter, the team was helpless against Miami, with both offense and defense showing serious signs. The defense was serious, and the offense was even worse. Philadelphia, which allowed a come-from-behind score of 16-35 in the third quarter, suffered a crushing defeat in the fourth quarter with only 17 points. 안전놀이터
Joel Embiid returned from injury in Philadelphia on this day. Expectations were high for the MVP’s return, but Embiid was sluggish with only 11 points and 8 rebounds. Embiid is definitely not in his normal condition right now. Embiid was not active at all in the game against Miami. Both offense and defense did not seem to fall off. It is helpful not to play in the game as it is now.
Another superstar, Paul George, has long since returned from injury. The problem is that George’s performance is also serious. He has an average of 16.7 points and 5.6 rebounds this season. His field goal success rate is 39.6 percent, which is the worst in his NBA career, and his 3-point shooting success rate is only 28 percent. George was the recruitment of a superstar that Philadelphia really wanted. Currently, it seems to be a disastrous failure.
Two of the big three players are sluggish, and the last superstar, Tyreece Maxey, has been on a long-term leave due to his injury. As a result, Philadelphia recorded a dreadful record of 2-11.
Still, Philadelphia’s roster is not poised to remain at the bottom. Excluding George, Embiid and Maxi, there are many veteran players including Kyle Lowry, Martin, Kelly Ubre Jr., Guersson Yabusele, Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon. As a result, the arrow of criticism is focused on coach Nick Nurse.
Null’s defense and attack tactics are on the cutting board. Of course, Null’s coach has some excuses. He is the rising star of superstars he trusted. Null’s pre-season plan would have focused on superstars. The current situation is likely to have been out of the question.
Still, there is a factor that coach Nurse is desperate for. It is the appointment of a player. Among the backup players of the Philadelphia Phillies, Yabusele has shown the best performance ever. However, coach Nurse does not trust Yabusele. Yabusele plays in various games. In the game against the Miami Marlins on the day, Yabusele played only 10 minutes.
On the other hand, the team consistently grants time for Gordon and Lowry, who are performing the worst, to play. This is why coach Nurse is criticized.
There is no excuse for Maxi’s absence. Jared McCain, the 16th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, appeared. McCain, a scoring dual guard similar to Maxi’s, has been given time to play since Maxi was injured and has been doing a fantastic job.
McCain is averaging 25 points and 4 assists in 6 games since Maxi left due to injury. It’s safe to say it’s an All-Star level performance. Coldly, I don’t feel Maxi’s absence at all.
The fact that McCain continues to lose despite his outstanding performance is dismal. Philadelphia is sure to rebound, given its strength and difficulty in the Eastern Conference. However, it is true that the slump is getting longer than expected.
