Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers stars leave no doubt vs. Washington

SB Nation

The 76ers took care of business on Wednesday against the last pre-Trae Young iteration of the Washington Wizards by a score of 131- 110.

Just 10 minutes after the final buzzer, the Wizards agreed on a trade

sending CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Trae Young.

It was the elephant in the room the entire game, as multiple reports from Marc Stein and Shams Charania earlier in the day made the trade appear as a foregone conclusion, and McCollum and Kispert were awkwardly awaiting their destiny on the bench.

The Sixers, conversely, played with intent and energy through the entire 48 minutes against an undermanned team, wiping the slate clean from their embarrassing loss to Denver on Monday.

The three-headed monster of Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and Joel Embiid led the way for the home squad, scoring 54 of the teams 62 first-half points.

Outside of a rocky second quarter thanks to some questionable lineups, the Sixers never gave them a chance.

The even performances bears a tough decision, but each quarter had a Bell Ringer-worthy performance within.

Tyrese Maxey: 22 points, 9-of-15 FG, 4-of-10 3PT, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block

It was a milder night from Maxey in terms of scoring, but he showcased his leadership by setting the tone early in the game following a brutal loss against the Nuggets. He would drain four from deep in the first frame, often taking advantage of retreating defenders in transition. He has been automatic in transition all season, but there was a level of comfort to it early in this game.

He tallied a couple of challenging finishes on back-to-back possessions later in the second quarter to help the Sixers regain the lead.

He also pulled off a savvy move on Marvin Bagley in the third that has become a staple in his offensive arsenal this year, sticking him to his back hip all the way to the rim.

Paul George: 23 points, 7-of-11 FG, 4-of-8 3PT, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block

Paul George played savior in the second quarter when the Sixers really took their foot off the gas. During a stretch without Maxey or Embiid to start the frame, the Wizards went on a 16-5 run, where George was responsible for all five points. He continued on a stretch scoring eight straight and finished the third with three makes from deep, a midrange pull-up and 13 points total.

He joined VJ Edgecombe in the fourth to help push the lead to 20 with a push shot of his own. Other than that, George’s second half was quiet.

Joel Embiid: 28 points, 10-of-14 FG, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks

Embiid laid claim to the third quarter, displaying efficient shooting from all over the floor. He would score on a trio of post hooks on Alex Sarr, a nifty midrange on the elbow, and a deep three to total 12 points in the quarter.

After a rough second-quarter, Embiid was the stabilizing force in the third on both ends. He blocked a cutting Justin Champagnie saving two points that would have cut the Sixers lead to just five. For the first game in a while, Embiid did not take an unnecessary spill or have a scare with his lower body.

VJ Edgecombe: 13 points, 4-of-13, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals

Edgecombe had a rough shooting night but was still making impact plays up and down the court, especially in the final frame. He started the frame with a couple fadeaway jumpers and a steal to help push the lead to over 20. It’s incredible to see a rookie consistently impact the defense in clutch moments, and his decision making in the open court.

He also had a couple attempts at the dunk of the year — one was ruled a charge and the other was blocked. His vertical is going to surprise the wrong defender and they will be on posters throughout Philadelphia… soon.

Editor’s note: We’re going to try something different tonight. Instead of a poll, I’m going to comment on the post with each candidate. Each comment/player name will be featured at the top of the comments. Give a “rec” for the player you’re voting for. This will give you all a running tally. It’s not perfect, but it was a fine suggestion by one of our readers, so we’re going to give it a shot.