Bell Ringer Standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 3.5
VJ Edgecombe – 2
Jaylen Brown – 1.5
Joel Embiid – 1
LeBron James – 1
Anfernee Simons – 1
The bad news is the Sixers’ defense looked like that of a veteran team closing a road trip with a Sunday afternoon game.
The good news is the offense was balanced and had bright spots in a 127-121 win over the Bulls in Chicago Sunday. The Sixers still hold the best record in the NBA at 9-2 and are 5-1 on the road to start the season.
The Bulls shot 52.3% from the field and
were down one possession at multiple times late, but Jaylen Brown and the Sixers seemed to come away with big buckets and big stops when they desperately needed them.
Next up, the Sixers welcome Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics to town Tuesday night. No word if there will be any lamb chops and gravy served at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Let’s get to Bell Ringer.
Tyrese Maxey: 27 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds
Nick Nurse mixed up the way he staggered his starters Sunday, opting to give Maxey an extended look with the second unit. There were nice moments, but some struggles as well. Playing Maxey more with Joel Embiid seemed to help both players. Embiid didn’t have his most efficient night, but he was much better than he was in Cleveland.
It felt like an easy 27 points for Maxey, who seemed to take nothing but threes and shots at the rim. He tried to send Josh Giddey into the shadow realm with a dunk, but was fouled. He hit a big triple down the stretch off a ridiculous LeBron pass.
And, of course, he was a blur in transition.
Jaylen Brown: 29 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal
Brown was excellent throughout this game. The way he attacks downhill with physicality has to be such a welcome sight for Sixers fans. His ability to make tough fallaways in the paint is elite. The footwork on this play is an example of what the ability to make those short fadeaways opens up.
This was another game where Brown simply made winning plays down the stretch. He made a couple big threes as the Sixers were leaking oil midway through the fourth. He also made four free throws and turned Giddey over in the final minute.
And two more stats: Brown had just one turnover and was a +8. Take that, nerds.
LeBron James: 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal
Coming off his worst game as a Sixer against the Cavs, James didn’t get off to a great start with a couple early turnovers. His second stint started with him settling for a midrange jumper while being guarded by Giddey.
From there, James stopped messing around.
LeBron was much more aggressive getting downhill, either finding teammates or finishing at the rim. It’s crazy that at 41 he can still take over games for extended stretches.
I know he’s played for a million years, but passes like this are still stunning.
Jabari Walker: 9 points, 11 rebounds
An honorable mention here for Walker who’s done a commendable job filling in for Adem Bona at the five. While there were sleepy moments throughout the day for the Sixers, Walker did what he always does — hustled, crashed the glass and brought energy.
He’s been popping up here as an honorable mention on what feels like a nightly basis. At this point, he should be in a competition for backup five minutes when Bona is healthy.
