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Philadelphia 76ers
Just Drafted
Sixers Bell Ringer: Go Birds
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...yrese-maxey-guerschon-yabusele-quentin-grimes
In a season full of disappointing performances, the Sixers had another one Sunday as their Big 3 wasn’t enough to beat the Giannis-less Bucks.
Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:
Tyrese Maxey - 14
Jared McCain - 8
Joel Embiid - 8
Paul George - 7
Guerschon Yabusele - 4
Kelly Oubre Jr - 2
Ricky Council IV - 2
KJ Martin - 2
Justin Edwards - 2
Adem Bona - 1
Quentin Grimes - 1
The Sixers’ Big 3 was healthy again Sunday. It didn’t matter.
The Milwaukee Bucks, even without Giannis Antetokounmpo, had little trouble dispatching the Sixers 135-127 at Fiserv Forum.
The Sixers had no answer for Damian Lillard (season-high 43 points) and got destroyed on the glass — Milwaukee had 19 offensive rebounds and a 31-10 advantage in second-chance points. The Bucks put up 105 shots compared to 89 for the Sixers. It’s hard to win at any level when you give your opponent 16 extra shots.
Joel Embiid got off to a hot start but scored just three of his 27 points in the second half. Paul George continues to look uncomfortable dribbling the basketball and had just 12 points.
For a full recap, check that out here. The Sixers return home Tuesday to take on the Toronto Raptors. For now, let’s talk Bell Ringer — and Go Birds!
Tyrese Maxey: 39 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block
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Maxey was the only player that was consistently good throughout this game. He was electric in the first half, working the two-man game with Embiid and scoring in multiple ways. The Sixers were very much in the game as Maxey and Embiid combined to score 50 of the Sixers’ 63 points.
In the second half, Maxey mostly kept it going. Embiid did not. And nobody else really picked up the slack. Feels like you can describe a bunch of Sixers losses that way this season.
Guerschon Yabusele: 18 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
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Yabusele returned to the lineup after missing the loss in Detroit. At first, the Sixers had Yabusele in the starting lineup, but the team made a late change and inserted rookie Justin Edwards. Maybe it was a decision to make sure Yabusele could play minutes at the five or to go smaller with Antetokounmpo out of the lineup.
The shame is that it led to Yabusele playing just 24 minutes. Nick Nurse recently said that he started Yabusele because he believed Yabusele was one of the team’s five best players. That’s still the case, despite Edwards giving the team great minutes lately.
After a quiet first half, Yabusele was a part of a faux comeback late in the game. With how poorly Embiid played in the second half, it might’ve made sense to go to Yabu sooner and play faster. I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the second half of the season, but Yabusele should start — or at the very least play starter’s minutes.
Quentin Grimes: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block
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It wasn’t the most efficient night for Grimes, but his motor was noticeable again in his second game with the Sixers.
Grimes is also fearless and makes quick decision, two very welcome things with this current roster.
On a day when the Sixers got their butts kicked on the glass and didn’t necessarily share the ball all that well, Grimes had seven rebounds and five assists. It’s not just effort and athleticism with Grimes, either. It’s clear he has an understanding of how to play and is a plus defender.
Again, I don’t know what’s going to happen in the second half, but Grimes needs to be a big part of it.
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...yrese-maxey-guerschon-yabusele-quentin-grimes
Philadelphia 76ers
Just Drafted
Joel Embiid clarifies comments on potential surgery on left knee
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...ee-surgery-sixers-daryl-morey-nick-nurse-espn
Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images
After the ESPN broadcast reported that Joel Embiid would need another surgery, the star center clarified postgame that surgery is a possibility but not inevitable.
Updated, 7:36 p.m.: Never a dull moment with your Philadelphia 76ers.
After ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters reported during the Sixers-Bucks game Sunday that Joel Embiid told her that he would need another surgery on his left knee this offseason, the star center clarified those comments postgame. Surgery is not necessary at this moment, but could be an option if the knee continues to be an issue.
This is what Embiid said, per The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey:
As Daryl Morey mentioned this past Friday, Embiid’s knee is healing slower than anticipated. Morey also said that the organization is optimistic about Embiid’s long-term outlook and that these occurrences of swelling are expected to subside eventually. That organizational stance has not changed and none of the half dozen medical experts the team has consulted are currently recommending surgery, per a team source.
You might not be watching Sixers-Bucks ahead of the Eagles playing in the Super Bowl, but we got quite the news dump mid-broadcast.
According to ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters, Embiid told her that he believes he’ll need another surgery and more recovery time before his knee full recovers.
That is quite the bombshell for a Sunday matinee game ahead of Eagles-Chiefs!
This is a development nobody would’ve seen coming after hearing from Embiid and Daryl this past week. Embiid mentioned after returning to the lineup in a win over the Dallas Mavericks that his surgically repaired knee will need more recovery time before the swelling stops. Morey said the organization was optimistic that the swelling and pain in Embiid’s knee would eventually lessen or be non-existent, based on the medical experts the team consulted before Embiid signed a three-year max extension.
Nobody at any time has mentioned that Embiid could need another surgery. Any questions about the team potentially shutting Embiid down during what looks to be a lost season have been dismissed.
With the Sixers coming into play at 20-31 and still sitting outside the East play-in picture, it does sort of beg the question of why Embiid would continue to play on a knee that needs surgery. Wouldn’t it be in everyone’s best interest for Embiid to have the surgery now, allowing him to have the most possible recovery time so he can be fully healthy for the start of the 2025-26 season?
Embiid will surely be asked about it postgame. We’ll see what he has to say.
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...ee-surgery-sixers-daryl-morey-nick-nurse-espn
Philadelphia 76ers
Just Drafted
Non-76er games to watch this week as the NBA enters All-Star break looking drastically different
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...a-all-star-trades-butler-warriors-cavs-hunter
Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
Luka’s a Lakers, Butler’s in the Bay, and the Cavs went Hunting. Lots to watch. Also... I make a case for why the new All-Star Game format will be fun!
We know the NBA changes rapidly, but that was a wild trade deadline. No player was safe. From stars like Luka Dončić to, um, veterans like Cody Zeller, there are so many old faces on new teams that it was hard to keep up.
We’ll all get a bit more time to process the changes later this week as the NBA All-Star weekend rolls around. Until then, there’s a few gamedays where we can see how the traded players are faring.
I’ll highlight the biggest names below, and one game that could inch the Philadelphia 76ers closer to the play-in, which I’ve been saying all year without them ever cracking the glorious 10th seed. But, don’t let their inconsistencies sour your NBA appetite, there is much to enjoy.
Feb. 10: Los Angeles Lakers @ Utah Jazz
In 50 years, the 2025 NBA trade deadline, and maybe the whole season, will be remembered as the Luka deadline. For reasons they’re still trying to get people to understand, the Dallas Mavericks traded the transcendent superstar to the Los Angeles Lakers.
After dealing with an injury, Luka seems set to make his Laker debut tonight. He’s been upgraded to ‘questionable’ and coach JJ Redick said Luka is “likely” to suit up against the Utah Jazz. It’s can’t miss TV. Even if the Jazz are a horrendously bad basketball team that are actively trying to lose, it’s the first time we’ll see a star of Luka’s magnitude that got traded mid-season unleash his famous wrath on a foe.
Feb. 11: Detroit Pistons @ Chicago Bulls
Chicago finally got rid of Zach LaVine, trading him to the Sacramento Kings. LaVine has played awesome this year. The Bulls didn’t get much back for him. Those two facts mean the Bulls should get worse and fall from their current 10th-seed position, opening up a spot for the Philadelphia 76ers.
And Detroit should beat them. They did less than two weeks ago and slightly improved their team by picking up Dennis Schröder from the Golden State Warriors in a multi-team trade built around Jimmy Butler heading from Miami to Golden State.
Schröder should help alleviate the heavy playmaking burden Detroit’s Cade Cunningham carries every game. Cade has thrived with it. He’s led the Pistons to the sixth seed and earned his first All-Star nod. But he turns the ball over a lot. Of the 10 players in the league with a usage rate higher than 30.0, only Victor Wembanyama has a higher turnover ratio (percentage of a player’s possessions that end in a turnover) than Cade. Wemby’s is 12.1 and Cade’s is 12.0.
Adding a playmaker for Cade to play off and hand the ball to when his vision for a possession isn’t coming to fruition should ease up the turnovers and make Detroit’s 15th-ranked offense rise a few spots.
Feb. 12: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Toronto Raptors
The Cleveland Cavaliers broke up their magnificent regular season squad in a move they hope will pay off come playoffs. They traded Caris LeVert, Georges Niang and some second-round picks and swaps to the Atlanta Hawks for DeAndre Hunter.
Hunter is the wing the Cavs have sought for the past half-decade. In theory, he should fit perfectly between their star backcourt and star frontcourt. He was having a career year coming off Atlanta’s bench, averaging his most points (19.0) and highest three-point percentage of his six-year career. If his offense transfers and he makes more use of his 6-foot-8 frame on defense, the Cavs could genuinely threaten Boston these playoffs, and yes, that needs to be said despite their East-leading record. It don’t mean a thing…
Toronto’s major addition at the trade deadline was Brandon Ingram. They’re set to be a very intriguing roster of lengthy and tall playmaking wings. But, Ingram is injured right now so his debut is postponed. Also, despite a recent strong run, the Raptors probably want high lottery chances this offseason, so maybe Ingram’s debut will have to wait.
Feb. 13: Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets
Steph has help! As mentioned, playoff riser and multiple time trade-forcer Jimmy Butler now plays next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. He’s the final move for a franchise desperate to extend their legacy to a fifth championship. They were victorious in their first game together, and comfortably so. But that was against the Bulls. This Rockets team will be a great test.
Ime Udoka’s Rockets, though slipping recently, are the fourth seed in the Western Conference. They have the fourth-best defense and seventh-best net rating. They force the fourth-worst field goal percentage and limit threes at the second-best rate in the league. Steph and Jimmy have enough star power to overcome any defense, so watching them navigate this abrasive Rockets team, led by the all-encompassing arms and speed of Amen Thompson, will be cinema.
Feb. 14-16: All-Star Weekend
With Trae Young being announced as Giannis Antetokoumpo’s injury replacement for the Eastern All-Stars, it looks like no Philadelphia 76ers will be participating in the hallmark weekend. Tyrese Maxey has been playing like an All-Star as of late. But, it was just that, late.
Although the weekend has become stale in recent years, it’s still worth a watch. There’s a new All-Star game format that I …like?!
For 2025, there will be four ‘All-Star’ teams: The 24-player All-Star pool is split into three teams, drafted by the Inside The NBA hosts. The fourth team will be the winning team of the Rising Stars teams, which play a tournament on Feb. 14.
The winning Rising Stars team and the Three All-Star teams will play in a single-elimination tournament, so two semi-finals and one final. For each game, whoever reaches 40 points first wins.
It’s gimmicky. But, the NBA wanted competition. Call me naive, but I think the addition of the Rising Stars team will bring just that. The young players will want to prove they can beat the best of the best, and the All-Stars won’t want to lose to a bunch of nobodies.
If the Rising Stars make the Final, it should be a fun day, right?! Am I crazy for thinking that? I know that means the semi-final without the Rising Stars will be boring… but it was boring anyway. At least the games will be quicker.
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...a-all-star-trades-butler-warriors-cavs-hunter
Philadelphia 76ers
Just Drafted
Sixers look to break three-game skid vs. Toronto Raptors
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...to-watch-tyrese-maxey-joel-embiid-paul-george
Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images
The Sixers come into this one relatively healthy while the Raptors have a couple big names out of the lineup Tuesday.
The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Toronto Raptors to start a back-to-back series before heading to Brooklyn to take on the Nets.
The Sixers are reeling from several disappointing losses, the latest against a Milwaukee Bucks team missing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Currently, they sit 1.5 games out of the final play-in spot in the East and trail the last playoff spot by 6.5 games. With time running out, these next two games are crucial for keeping postseason hopes alive.
With both Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid back in action, the duo hasn’t missed a beat, combining for 66 points in their last game. However, they didn’t get enough support to secure a win. Paul George, in particular, has struggled since returning from his finger injury, averaging just 11.7 points, 2.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per game. If the Sixers hope to turn things around, they’ll need more production from George and contributions from the rest of the roster.
The Sixers’ struggles have been largely due to their defense, which has been among the league’s worst. In February alone, they ranked in the bottom five in defensive rating, a key factor in their recent slump.
Head coach Nick Nurse confirmed that everyone on the Sixers participated in Monday morning’s practice, except for Kyle Lowry, Eric Gordon and Jared McCain. With a back-to-back ahead, it’ll be interesting to see how the team manages Paul George and Joel Embiid’s availability.
The Toronto Raptors have had an unusual season. Many expected this to be a transition year as they retooled around rising star Scottie Barnes. While injuries have kept key players sidelined and wins have been hard to come by, their recent trade for Brandon Ingram suggests they may be aiming to compete sooner rather than later. Ingram has yet to make his Raptors debut, but the team still features promising young talents like Immanuel Quickley and Gradey Dick.
RJ Barrett (concussion protocol) and Jakob Poeltl (right hip pointer) will also be out of the lineup for Toronto.
The Sixers have a great opportunity to pick up not just one win, but two, in this favorable back-to-back stretch. Let’s see if they can start it off on the right foot.
Game details
When: Tuesday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m. EST
Where: The Center, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Philly
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...to-watch-tyrese-maxey-joel-embiid-paul-george
Philadelphia 76ers
Just Drafted
Sixers convert Jared Butler’s two-way contract to two-year standard deal
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...-butler-trade-contract-daryl-morey-nick-nurse
Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
The Philadelphia 76ers are rewarding Jared Butler for an impressive first week as a Sixer by converting his two-way contract to a standard two-year NBA deal.
This feels like the closest thing to “positive news” we’ve gotten from the Sixers in a while.
Jared Butler has clearly made an impression on the Philadelphia front office in his first week as a Sixers, with the team converting his two-way contract into a standard two-year NBA contract.
Butler has been one of the few bright spots in what has been a rough last three games for the Sixers leading up to the All-Star break. Philadelphia acquired Butler just last week via a trade that sent Reggie Jackson and a 2026 first-round pick to the Washington Wizards in return for Butler and four second-rounders.
The last three contests were losses for the Sixers, but Butler integrated himself into the lineup seemingly instantly and was productive right out of the gate, averaging 10 points, 4.7 assists and 17.1 minutes in that stint. He had a great Wells Fargo Center debut to endear himself to the Philadelphia crowd this past Tuesday, putting up 15 points on 6-for-10 field goal shooting with four rebounds and four assists, all in under 16 minutes on the floor against the Toronto Raptors. By Wednesday night, he was a Sixers’ starter for the first time.
Butler’s two-year standard NBA contract will reportedly cover the rest of this season with a team option for next campaign, according to PhillyVoice’s Adam Aaronson.
In a corresponding move, the Sixers have waived Chuma Okeke. The 2019 first-rounder signed a 10-day contract immediately following the trade deadline. David Roddy is currently occupying the 15th and final roster spot while on a 10-day deal that he signed this past Tuesday.
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...-butler-trade-contract-daryl-morey-nick-nurse
Philadelphia 76ers
Just Drafted
Eric Gordon to have surgery, out indefinitely
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...l-embiid-justin-edwards-quentin-grimes-knicks
Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
At least one Sixer may be able to put this year behind him
That’s not the surgery news about a veteran everyone expected.
The Sixers announced that after consulting several specialists, Eric Gordon will be undergoing surgery on Wednesday on his right wrist and will be out indefinitely.
Nick Nurse had mentioned at least three different specialists weighing on this injury, a situation that lasted two weeks. That likely means they’d hope to find an option where surgery wasn’t required but it just couldn’t come to be.
While it’s not quite official, the surgery would likely put Gordon out for the rest of the season, a likely reason why they were trying to avoid it.
Gordon started in 19 of the 39 games he appeared in this season, averaging 6.8 points per game shooting 42.6% from the field and 40.9% from three. His season famously flipped on a dime after getting his wisdom teeth removed in late December. He last appeared on Feb. 9, playing only 8:55 in a 125-112 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
If Gordon is out for the season, whether he’s played his last game as a Sixer or not will be worth monitoring. He has a $3.4 million player option for next season.
The rest of the Sixers’ injury report for their next matchup against the New York Knicks is pretty standard. Joel Embiid is listed as out with left knee injury management as the team continues this charade on a day-to-day basis. Guerschon Yabusele is out with an eye injury. The team said he’s dealing with a corneal abrasion in his right eye and feared for swelling and retinal damage in his left.
There was some good news though as Quentin Grimes is listed as probable. He missed the second half of the loss to the Bulls Monday due to right knee soreness. Justin Edwards is probable as well -/ he hasn’t played since spraining his ankle in the first practice after the All-Star break.
Tyrese Maxey was also not listed. He popped up on the report earlier this week with a right hand sprain, and played against the Bulls with two fingers on that hand taped up.
So bigger decisions await them, but the Sixers may have begun the process of shutting guys down for the rest of the season.
Source: https://www.libertyballers.com/2025...l-embiid-justin-edwards-quentin-grimes-knicks