3 observations: Chris Paul leads Suns to win over Joel Embiid, Sixers
The Philadelphia 76ers were looking to bounce back from a tough loss on Monday when they fell victim to the latest onslaught by Steph Curry, but they also ran into another explosive offensive team on Wednesday in the Phoenix Suns and they had to do so shorthanded.
The team entered the game missing three starters in Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Seth Curry and the Sixers definitely missed those guys on this night. They did a solid job on the defensive end for the most part, but they could not muster up enough offense to keep up and they fell to Chris Paul and the Suns 116-113 at home.
Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 38 points and 17 rebounds, but he also had eight turnovers. Danny Green added 18 points, Tyrese Maxey had 14 points, George Hill had 11 points, Dwight Howard had seven and 11 rebounds, and Furkan Korkmaz had 12.
Here are the three observations from the loss:
Hill's impact
Hill made his second appearance in a Sixers uniform on Wednesday and he showed off why the team acquired him. His ability to knock down shots as well as make plays for others is sorely needed on this team. In the first half, Hill knocked down a stepback triple and he also dribbled baseline before kicking out to Shake Milton for an open look. He also was very aggressive scoring the ball in the second half when Philadelphia needed it. He also was solid on the defensive end again and he will be a valuable piece for this team going forward. Hill’s ability to do all three of those things on the basketball court is a huge help for Philadelphia’s bench unit. They need a guy who can put the ball on the floor, get to the basket, and create for others while also providing that defense on the other end. The Sixers do not have many two-way players on their bench unit and Hill fills that need perfectly.
Thybulle's defense
Matisse Thybulle is obviously one of the best defenders in the NBA as he has excellent instincts, he has great length, and he uses that to bother the hell out of opponents. However, the more the rest of the league picks up on his tendencies, he will have to adjust his style on that end. There were a few times where Devin Booker used his aggressiveness against him and he used a pump-fake to get open. Thybulle would fly by and then the Sixers were left scrambling. However, he continued to make his own adjustments as the game went on and he was absolutely terrific on that end. He was not falling for the fakes and he was forcing Booker into a lot of tough looks. It is interesting to see Thybulle continue to take steps forward as a player on both ends of the floor and his development has come along nicely. The offense just needs to continue to progress and catch up for him to be a legitimate 3-and-D player.
Milton's struggles
This has been a recurring theme lately for Philadelphia. Milton has just not been able to get into a groove on the offensive end of the floor and even with the start in this one, he was not able to find a rhythm offensively. He was actually put into a lot of situations where he can create for himself, but he was not able to take advantage of that. He shot just 2-for-10 from the floor and had four turnovers. His ball-handling has been shaky and he has not been the same confident player he normally is. With the way Maxey has played and his ability to push the ball in transition as well as step up his play on the defensive end and with Hill now in the fold, there seems to be more pressure on Milton to perform. Coach Doc Rivers is very fond of Milton, and rightfully so, but it is troubling to see him like this.
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