76ers Vs Pelicans: Pelicans 126, 76ers 111 — Third-quarter collapse sinks Philly
The 76ers vs pelicans matchup ended in a 126-111 loss for Philadelphia on Saturday, the opener of a 3-game road trip and the Sixers' fourth straight defeat as their struggles continued without Joel Embiid.
Pelicans pulled away after halftime
New Orleans outscored Philadelphia 40-26 in the third quarter, then pushed a 29-20 edge in the fourth to put the game away. The Sixers managed only 31. 4% shooting in the second half and went 3-for-24 from three-point range, turning a competitive first half into a decisive loss.
DeAndre Jordan’s late-season impact
The Pelicans changed their starting lineup at the last minute and started 18-year veteran, 37-year-old DeAndre Jordan. Jordan finished with six points, 15 rebounds and four blocks and was plus-13 in 31 minutes. It was only his third game of the season; he hadn’t played since Oct. 29. He was a great player during his prime with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia struggled to slow him down in the paint.
Scoring and lineup details
Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 27 points and seven assists. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 25 points. VJ Edgecombe finished with 14 points and five rebounds. On the Pelicans’ stat lines, Quentin Grimes had 11 points; Dominick Barlow added nine points and five rebounds; Jabari Walker had nine points and six rebounds.
Shot struggles and pressure on Maxey
Maxey shot just 2-for-11 from deep on Saturday and is now 6-for-22 from three combined in the first two games coming out of the All-Star break. The Pelicans got physical with him from the jump and continued to harass him in multiple areas on the floor. With Joel Embiid out, the Sixers have leaned on Maxey to shoulder more responsibility; the team must find ways to free him up when the big fella doesn’t play.
Standings, losing streak and what's next
Philadelphia has now lost four in a row and has dropped eight of its last nine games in which Joel Embiid does not play, falling to 30-26 on the season. With now 26 games left, coach Nick Nurse and Co. need to find a way to be effective after halftime. The team will continue the 3-game road trip after this loss.
