After a late collapse, 76ers Vs Pelicans loss forces Philadelphia to confront halftime failures and rotation gaps

The 76ers vs pelicans result has immediate consequences: Philadelphia’s playoff posture and rotation decisions are under pressure after a 126-111 loss that stretched the club’s losing streak to four. The defeat — capped by a decisive fourth-quarter run from New Orleans — amplifies long-standing third-quarter problems and raises urgent questions about how the Sixers will manage minutes without Joel Embiid and with 26 games left.

Short-term consequences for strategy and minutes

Here’s the part that matters: the loss forces coach Nick Nurse and his staff to address halftime adjustments and the load on lead guards. With the Sixers now struggling in games without Joel Embiid, the team’s halftime game plan and usage patterns for Tyrese Maxey will be scrutinized. The real question now is how Philadelphia spreads responsibility after late collapses and a poor second-half shooting profile.

The bigger signal here is that these are not isolated moments — they’ve become recurring, and the next steps will reveal whether this roster can stabilize down the stretch.

76ers Vs Pelicans game snapshot and scoreboard details

Final score: New Orleans 126, Philadelphia 111. The Pelicans outscored the Sixers 60-35 during the final 21 minutes and opened the fourth quarter on a 23-8 run that effectively decided the outcome. Jordan Poole finished with 23 points and five three-pointers; his late three made the score 120-99 with 5: 20 remaining. New Orleans led 97-91 at the end of three quarters.

• Philadelphia scoring leaders: Tyrese Maxey 27 points (and seven assists), Kelly Oubre Jr. 25, VJ Edgecombe 14 (five rebounds).
• New Orleans contributors: Zion Williamson 21, Saddiq Bey 20, Jordan Poole 23 (five threes).
• Team shooting: Philadelphia shot 31. 4% in the second half and went 3-for-24 from three-point range (missing 21 of 24 attempts).

How the run unfolded and key moments

The Sixers led from late in the first quarter until the final two minutes of the third, at times by as many as 11 points, before New Orleans chipped away. Jeremiah Fears’ free throws put New Orleans back in front at 91-89 in the third quarter. Karlo Matkovic delivered a corner three and later hit three free throws after being fouled on a deep shot; his cutting dunk (with a foul) and those baskets contributed nine points during a 40-point stretch for the Pelicans. Poole’s late three essentially squelched any realistic Philadelphia comeback.

Rotation shifts, DeAndre Jordan’s impact and lineup notes

New Orleans changed its starting lineup at the last minute and turned to DeAndre Jordan to start, a move intended to go bigger. DeAndre Jordan was credited with six points, 15 rebounds and four blocks while posting a plus-13 in 31 minutes. One account in the provided context describes him as a 17-year veteran; another describes him as an 18-year veteran and 37 years old — that detail is unclear in the provided context. It was noted that this was only his third game of the season and that he hadn’t played since Oct. 29. Commentary in the coverage also referenced his strong prime years with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Role players for Philadelphia included Quentin Grimes (11 points), Dominick Barlow (nine points, five rebounds) and Jabari Walker (nine points, six rebounds). VJ Edgecombe’s contributions were noted alongside the team’s broader second-half struggles.

Standings, streaks and the immediate schedule

The loss marks the Sixers’ fourth straight defeat and came in the opener of a three-game road trip on Saturday. The Sixers still remain sixth in the Eastern Conference standings and have dropped to 30-26 on the season. Coverage notes the team has lost eight of its last nine games in which Joel Embiid does not play. With 26 games left on the schedule, there is explicit urgency that adjustments must be found after halftime. Philadelphia will face Minnesota on Sunday night at 7 p. m. ET as part of a back-to-back.

Short Q& A on what moves could follow

Q: Can Tyrese Maxey be freed up with Embiid out? A: Maxey scored 27 and had seven assists but shot 2-for-11 from deep in this game (now 6-for-22 combined in the first two games after the All-Star break), and New Orleans’ physical approach to him was noted as a problem. The coverage stresses the need to free him from heavy defensive attention.

Q: Did lineup changes decide the game? A: New Orleans’ late switch to a bigger starting five — including DeAndre Jordan’s substantial minutes and impact — was identified as a major factor that the Sixers failed to counter in the paint.

Q: What’s the timeline pressure? A: With 26 games remaining and a three-game road trip underway, the narrative is this: the next stretch of matchups will be telling for Philadelphia’s adjustments and fortunes.

It’s easy to overlook, but these recurring second-half breakdowns and the minutes distribution without Embiid create a compact window to fix issues before the regular season’s finish.