The Philadelphia 76ers' trio of stars should make it easier to score when they need a bucket late in close games. Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George can work individually and together to get a good shot up when Philly needs to tie the game or take the lead. But the question remains — and will until the season stats — for who should be the one to take the last shot.
When it comes down to taking the last shot, the Sixers having too many sensible options is a good problem to have. Embiid has been the top option for a while and Maxey just firmly established himself as the second. It will be an adjustment to integrate George but one that should pay off immensely. One of the biggest sources of familiarity for the new trio will be what goes down when the game is on the line.
In the latest episode of Podcast P, Chet Holmgren tossed George a grenade by asking him who takes the last shot between him and Embiid.
“Let me try to f**k up y'all chemistry,” Holmgren joked (at the 43:40 mark of the episode) before asking George if he or Embiid will take command in crunch time. George's co-hosts, Jackie Long and Dallas Rutherford, loved that Holmgren whipped out such a bold question.
“That’s a Nick Nurse question,” George said. “I'm gonna deflect that to Nick Nurse…Whoever Nick Nurse draws it up for, we're going to get the best shot.”
Holmgren, who replied that George gave a “PR answer,” asked if George would be salty if he didn’t get the ball at the end of the game. The 76ers star said he wouldn’t be. “I've dealt with that. I've been on teams with other superstars. We live and die with whoever takes it,” he said.
Paul George defuses tough question of him or Joel Embiid taking last shot
George is going to do what he can to fit right in with the 76ers but did acknowledge that he can close games if needed. He's still a bucket even as he enters his age-34 season. Even if the final shot is drawn up for Embiid, there's a chance that it goes to George if Embiid gets doubled.
While Holmgren understandably asked George whether it would be him or Embiid, Maxey can’t be overlooked. His quickness and ability to dish it off makes him a worthwhile option, too. After seeing how gutsy he can be in the playoffs, he shouldn’t be way down in the pecking order just because he's the young star.
The 76ers are bound to find themselves in close games throughout the season. Nurse is going to have plenty of choices for who gets the shot on the potential game-winning or game-tying play.
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