Player grades: Joel Embiid, 76ers come up short to Spurs to begin trip
· Yahoo Sports
The Philadelphia 76ers began their final 3-game road trip of the regular season with a visit to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. The Eastern Conference race is tight as teams jostle for position and the Sixers were looking to pick up an important win on the road against the No. 2 team in the West.
This was a battle as both teams got after it on both ends, but in the end, the Spurs proved to be too much as they walked away with a 115-102 win over the Sixers. While Philadelphia put up a strong effort, it wasn't enough. Spurs rookie Dylan Harper had 17 points while star big man Victor Wembanyama had 17 points, five rebounds, and three blocks before leaving with a rib contusion at halftime.
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The Sixers were led by Joel Embiid with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks while Paul George had 16 points. VJ Edgecombe had 14 points and eight rebounds while Tyrese Maxey had 15 and eight assists and Dominick Barlow had six and eight rebounds.
Here are the player grades following the loss:
Tyrese Maxey: B-minus
The All-Star guard was limited in the early going as it was obvious the Spurs were trying to get the ball out of his hands. Maxey had a rough start as he was unable to get much going on the offensive end of the floor in terms of his scoring, but he was able to make plays for others. His vision and playmaking were excellent. He finally got going with a 3-pointer early in the third quarter, but other than that, it was a tough night for Maxey. The playmaking was terrific, but the Sixers needed his offense in this one.
VJ Edgecombe: B-plus
The rookie competed his tail off in this one. He was strong on the defensive end of the floor as he bothered San Antonio’s ball-handlers and then was efficient with his offense on the other end. He was patient as he looked for the best shot possible and then had a fantastic drive baseline to get a basket and keep the scoreboard moving for Philadelphia. He was able to knock down some much-needed shots in the third quarter when the Sixers were able to rally and work their way back into the game.
Paul George: B-minus
Once again, George got off to a hot start on the offensive end. He knocked down three triples in the early going and then had a strong drive to the basket and finished up and over length. He was aggressive with his offense as he used his size, length, and skill to find ways to get to his spots and get into a bit of a rhythm early. However, after the fast start, George couldn’t get much going on the offensive end as the Spurs shaded more attention his way.
Kelly Oubre Jr.: C-minus
The 11-year man out of Kansas had some tough luck early as the officials wiped off a corner 3 as they said he stepped out of bounds before the shot. With that being said, he fought hard and was able to give the Sixers some help on the glass and on the defensive end of the floor. The Sixers needed more out of Oubre, however, as his contributions were not enough.
Joel Embiid: A
Embiid got off to a tough start as he took a spill on the first possession before he missed his first three shots in the early going and was limping around a bit before a trip to the bench. He returned and immediately knocked down a jumper, but was still not moving great. With that being said, he was able to get to the free-throw line and that seemed to get him in a rhythm. He had some nice finishes in the paint against Wembanyama, knocked down a step back 3 against the San Antonio star, and was helpful on the glass. He was dominant all night following the initial scare and he was terrific as a rim protector as well. This is a performance the Sixers will need from Embiid down the stretch.
Dominick Barlow: B
Making his return to San Antonio, where everything started for him, Barlow gave the Sixers some good minutes off the bench. He went to work in the paint on both ends of the floor as he gave Philadelphia some physicality and an ability to go defend multiple positions. He had a nice overall night against a tough Spurs team.
Andre Drummond: B
The Sixers turned to Drummond quickly amid the issues with Embiid and he gave Philadelphia some good minutes. He converted on an And-1 opportunity and was helpful on the glass while providing a physical presence with Wembanyama. He was solid in the second half as well as he gave the Sixers some good minutes.
Quentin Grimes: C-minus
Grimes knocked down a 3 in the early going, but struggled in most areas. He had a few defensive miscues and then wasn’t able to do much on offense after the 3-pointer. It wasn’t a great Grimes game as the Sixers needed more out of him in a time like this one with so much on the line in terms of playoff positioning.
Justin Edwards: B
The initial stint for Edwards was a good one. He had a couple of steals as he gave the Sixers a defensive presence on the perimeter and was able to score in transition as he gave Philadelphia a boost in that department.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Joel Embiid, 76ers come up short to Spurs to begin trip