The Philadelphia 76ers (30-201 welcomed Buddy Hield and Cam Payne to town by getting them right to work against the Atlanta Hawks (23-29). With those two leading the way without Joel Embiid or Tyrese Maxey's help, the Sixers played a good game but ultimately lost, 127-121.
Let’s break down the first game from the new-look Hospital Sixers.
76ers player notes:
Buddy Hield: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 8-21 FG shooting
It was a very tough break for Hield that he didn’t get to start his 76ers stint next to either of the stars with whom his shooting pairs beautifully. But he still showed that ability to shoot while also using his hard-closeout-inducing gravity to drive into the paint. He also showed an ability/willingness to make dump-off passes after defenders stepped up to take away his shot.
There wasn’t much on the defensive end to speak positively about for Hield but, despite all the bricks he supplied his new home, his 76ers debut was alright.
Cam Payne: 20 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 7-16 FG shooting
Payne looked lost as a shooter at first but he did a solid job in the non-glamor areas like defense and hustle plays in his 76ers debut. He eventually got some shots to go down while making some wise, snappy passes to keep the ball moving. His shooting from deep popped in the second half and his ability to attack off the dribble, plus the ease with which he can shoot off the bounce, made a huge difference for a Philly team sorely lacking in that department.
Hawks player notes:
Trae Young: 37 points, 1 rebound, 12 assists, 10-21 FG shooting
Young was the happiest man in Philly tonight, as he was finally freed from having to play against Jaden Springer, who guards him as well as anyone. The All-Star got whatever he wanted to start this game, punishing a defense slapped together on the fly with brilliant playmaking. He got a little rattled in the fourth quarter but also made some critical buckets and played some very stout defense. His improvements on that end are legitimate.
Game recap:
1st half
The 76ers got their new players ready to go on the very first day following the trade deadline. It was needed badly with only nine active players, including those two, due to Maxey sitting out with an illness and joining Embiid and other key role players on the inactive list. Hield and Payne joined Tobias Harris, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Paul Reed in the starting lineup against a Hawks squad that stood pat at the deadline but was without two starters in Dejounte Murray and Clint Capela and many bench players.
Payne matched up with Young on defense as the new 76ers acclimated to their new home slowly. They each missed their first shot and committed a turnover with some miscommunication on a backdoor cut. But then Hield scored five quick points, starting off his Philly tenure with a step-back triple. Philly didn’t yet see the full benefits of his gravity but it was still very much there. Payne stayed active and made some hustle plays as he struggled to shoot. His first points as a Sixer came on a put-back layup and he assisted Reed on a jumper that he was fouled on.
Terquavion Smith came off the bench as Payne's backup later in the first quarter. Ricky Council IV made his way into the game in the final seconds of the first quarter. Early in his stint, Smith drained a three off the catch from Hield as the 76ers moved the ball well and took more threes than in previous games. Hield's propensity to shoot (and Smith's) was already paying off with more looks from deep, though Philly did not make those shots at a good rate.
Defensively, the 76ers had nothing. They held resistance from the perimeter like a sieve and got beat with lobs into the paint often. Hield even had to guard Young for a stretch as Atlanta essentially never had to settle for a non-paint two-pointer. From deep, in the paint and at the rim, the Hawks soared to a big lead.
Paul Reed secured a double-double in 14 minutes by crashing the glass relentlessly. A multi-block sequence from Mo Bamba gave Philly a brief break from Hawks scoring but the 76ers struggled to go on a run that drew the score closer. Their impressive-for-a-brand-new-team chemistry was showing some cracks. Atlanta's lead ballooned to 20 for a brief bit. A backcourt steal-and-slam from Smith energized the crowd for a moment. Then it was back to business with Young drilling an open corner triple to end the half.
At the half, the Sixers trailed 73-56.
2nd half
Oubre started the half guarding Young and driving hard to the paint, trying to will some points onto the scoreboard for the Sixers. Hield and Payne each made a triple as Philly tried to climb back into the game. But despite some tough, attentive defense, the Hawks stayed ahead with a sizable cushion thanks to seven points in a handful of minutes from Saddiq Bey.
The 76ers got into some drive-and-kicks and looked functional on offense — a massive compliment for a group so devoid of high-level creators and just players in general. But any hope of getting stops on defense was long lost, try as Philly did (for the most part). The Hawks continued to shoot very well from all over the floor. The lightning-quick Young and the thunderously explosive Jalen Johnson were simply too much to contain.
The fact that the score never became as lopsided as it did in some of the Sixers' previous games is actually impressive. It's a testament to their shooting volume. Despite a lackluster showing from deep, it allowed them to stay within reach of the Hawks. They just needed to get that boost to make up a chunk of ground.
A few minutes into the fourth quarter, they got one.
Eight unanswered points, punctuated by Payne faking a pass and pulling up for three in transition, made it a nine-point game and forced an Atlanta timeout. A Harris layup made it seven. Oubre pestered Young up the court, chewing up the shot clock. The Hawks forced switches targeting Harris and Reed, allowing Young to come up with points against slower defenders.
Hield drained a corner three after a stretch of misfires and Harris scored on a forceful, left-handed drive to bring the game to six points with just under four minutes to play. The 76ers came up empty on a lot of good looks but crashed the glass each time to varying degrees of success. They got it down to four with under a minute left but couldn’t finish the job. Still, it was a very promising performance from the Hospital Sixers.
Random tidbits:
- Bamba's range to block shots is pretty impressive but otherwise, he plays way smaller than his height far too frequently. On shots against him and rebounds, he offers comically little support.
- Considering the circumstances of the losing streak and the myriad of injuries, this may have been the best crowd all season. The fans stayed attentive and got very loud as the comeback mounted.
- Daryl Morey spoke to the media before the game. Among other things, he stated a strong belief in Hield and of the team at full strength and explained the rationale for the trades of Patrick Beverley and Jaden Springer.
Daryl Morey on trading Patrick Beverley and PatBev’s comment about being told he wouldn’t be traded: pic.twitter.com/JCiczIFxjD
— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) February 9, 2024
The 76ers are back in action tomorrow night on the road against the Washington Wizards.
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