Philadelphia 76ers Face Must-Win Test in Detroit as Edgecombe Struggles, Walker Surges.
Joel Embiid will be sitting out the Sixers' Friday night game against the Pistons due to right knee soreness. The team is now facing a must-win game to keep their NBA Cup Group Play hopes alive. Paul George is also expected to be out of the lineup.
VJ Edgecombe, who was listed as questionable on the injury report, has been dealing with back spasms that are affecting his performance. Jared McCain will not play in the Friday night matchup after a one-game stint for the Blue Coats' G League affiliate.
Edgecombe's Six-Game Slump Raises Questions Over His Long-Term Future. The young player had some impressive numbers early in his career, but has been struggling with his shot and overall performance lately. In his first six NBA games, Edgecombe averaged 20.3 points per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from three-point range.
However, over his last five games, he has struggled to find his rhythm. According to statistics provided by Twitter user @SixersAdamClips, Edgecombe is now at 29.3% on two-point shots and 25% on three-point shots during that time period. He also averaged just one assist per game during this stretch.
Head coach Nick Nurse expressed concern over Edgecombe's performance but downplayed it during an interview with PhillyVoice earlier in the week, stating, "I think we certainly want him to be aggressive... We need to set up situations where you're saying, 'This is for you to attack.' I think he just needs more reps of that and some more situations we can put him in."
Jabari Walker, on the other hand, has been having a resurgence of his own. With Dominick Barlow set to return from a nine-game absence, it was crucial for Walker to make an impact over the last few games. And he has done just that.
Walker's first three-point shot finally came in during the Pistons game last week, and he then added another score while continuing to excel on the offensive glass. The forward is also showing signs of improvement as a playmaker, with three impressive assists in one short spurt earlier this week.
Walker is now being touted as more than just a bruiser and has crafted a compelling case that he should remain in the mix for the team moving forward. However, whether coach Nurse will be willing to go with a 10-man rotation on a regular basis remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Jared McCain's post-game comments from his first G League appearance have provided insight into how he is handling the recovery process after surgically repairing his left knee. In an interview with PhillyVoice, McCain revealed that while there were some challenging moments during this time, he has been focusing on developing a "grace & compassion" mindset to help him cope.
The Sixers will face a tough test in Detroit but remain optimistic about their chances of emerging victorious and staying alive in the NBA Cup Group Play.
Joel Embiid will be sitting out the Sixers' Friday night game against the Pistons due to right knee soreness. The team is now facing a must-win game to keep their NBA Cup Group Play hopes alive. Paul George is also expected to be out of the lineup.
VJ Edgecombe, who was listed as questionable on the injury report, has been dealing with back spasms that are affecting his performance. Jared McCain will not play in the Friday night matchup after a one-game stint for the Blue Coats' G League affiliate.
Edgecombe's Six-Game Slump Raises Questions Over His Long-Term Future. The young player had some impressive numbers early in his career, but has been struggling with his shot and overall performance lately. In his first six NBA games, Edgecombe averaged 20.3 points per game while shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 42.1 percent from three-point range.
However, over his last five games, he has struggled to find his rhythm. According to statistics provided by Twitter user @SixersAdamClips, Edgecombe is now at 29.3% on two-point shots and 25% on three-point shots during that time period. He also averaged just one assist per game during this stretch.
Head coach Nick Nurse expressed concern over Edgecombe's performance but downplayed it during an interview with PhillyVoice earlier in the week, stating, "I think we certainly want him to be aggressive... We need to set up situations where you're saying, 'This is for you to attack.' I think he just needs more reps of that and some more situations we can put him in."
Jabari Walker, on the other hand, has been having a resurgence of his own. With Dominick Barlow set to return from a nine-game absence, it was crucial for Walker to make an impact over the last few games. And he has done just that.
Walker's first three-point shot finally came in during the Pistons game last week, and he then added another score while continuing to excel on the offensive glass. The forward is also showing signs of improvement as a playmaker, with three impressive assists in one short spurt earlier this week.
Walker is now being touted as more than just a bruiser and has crafted a compelling case that he should remain in the mix for the team moving forward. However, whether coach Nurse will be willing to go with a 10-man rotation on a regular basis remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Jared McCain's post-game comments from his first G League appearance have provided insight into how he is handling the recovery process after surgically repairing his left knee. In an interview with PhillyVoice, McCain revealed that while there were some challenging moments during this time, he has been focusing on developing a "grace & compassion" mindset to help him cope.
The Sixers will face a tough test in Detroit but remain optimistic about their chances of emerging victorious and staying alive in the NBA Cup Group Play.
I mean, 29.3% from two-pointers and 25% from threes? That's not what you want to see from your young star player 
Coach Nurse is trying to be positive about it tho, saying he just needs more reps... but for now, Walker is shining 
Like, the guy is having a resurgence of his own! Who knew he had those skills? 
Now we gotta wonder if Edgecombe's long-term future in the league is even guaranteed anymore 
The Sixers need to figure this out ASAP or else it could hurt their chances at the NBA Cup 
. The dude had some great numbers early on, but now he's struggling to even get shots off. Coach Nurse says he needs more reps of being aggressive, but I'm not sure that's the issue here... maybe it's time for a change? 
! He's showing signs of improvement on both ends of the court and his playmaking skills are getting better by the minute. It'll be interesting to see if Coach Nurse sticks with him in the rotation full-time.
. They need a win against Detroit or they're basically out of the running for the playoffs. Let's hope VJ Edgecombe can find his way back to form, but Walker's resurgence has given me hope that there might be life after Embiid 
I mean, 29.3% from two-pointers is CRAZY 
Fingers crossed that Edgecombe can break out of this slump soon! 
his resurgence is just what the team needed 
He finally made that first three-point shot last week and has been excelling on the offensive glass. 
I love how he's showing signs of improvement as a playmaker too - 3 assists in one short spurt? That's impressive! 
Let's see what happens! 
. Back spasms can be nasty, I feel bad for him 
. Coach Nurse saying Edgecombe needs to attack and set up situations? Sounds easy enough, but when your shot is down to 29% from two-pointers... 
. I love how he's not just relying on brute force, but also being a playmaker now 
. Focusing on a "grace & compassion" mindset? That's some next-level stuff 
. I hope he can bring that energy to the court and help the Sixers bounce back from this slump 
. And with Paul George out, the team needs him to step up. But at the same time, Jabari Walker is on fire 
... i think we can all learn from his approach - instead of just seeing setbacks as obstacles, he's choosing to see them as opportunities for growth and self-improvement 
, who wouldn't want to watch someone struggle with their shot from 3 feet away? It's like a trainwreck you can't look away from... but hey, at least he's getting some reps for Coach Nurse 
Can we have both, though? Maybe a 7-man rotation with Edgecombe as the "backup" for his struggles 
. And poor McCain, just trying to get back from surgery and dealing with all that mental stuff... yeah, let's all send him some positive vibes