The Philadelphia 76ers (23-14) were once again without Joel Embiid as they faced the Atlanta Hawks (15-21). The Sixers fought through a rocky game and took it to overtime but lost 139-132.

Let’s break down the Sixers' third consecutive defeat.

76ers player notes:

Tyrese Maxey: 35 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 4 steals, 12-29 FG shooting

After a previous PatBev challenge to be better without Embiid found its way into the public discourse, Maxey did just that tonight. He had a very respectable, well-balanced job getting the offense flowing without the superstar. When the fourth quarter arrived, Maxey added to his season highlight reel with some amazing buckets. He fouled out, yes, but he also balled out.

Tobias Harris: 32 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 12-24 FG shooting

Harris, following his first absence of the season, provided a badly needed scoring present. Although he didn’t let a lot of shots fly from deep, he did a lot of his scoring in the paint and was perfect from the foul line. In crunch time, though, he was ill-equipped to lead the way.

Hawks player notes:

Trae Young: 28 points, 1 rebound, 11 assists, 7-22 FG shooting

Young was bombing away in this game but a very big portion of his shots were stink bombs. Jaden Springer took his lunch once again but for much of the game, the Hawks star wasn’t very sharp when it came to getting good looks. Nonetheless, he did enough damage to get Atlanta going.

Dejounte Murray: 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 8-18 FG shooting

Future Sixer watch? As trade rumors swirl, Murray displayed shooting touch from mid-range and from deep. Not only was he super efficient from deep but he also took a lot of his shots from deep, contributing to a career-high volume of threes that could make Philly feel better about trading for him.

Game recap:

1st half

After a weekend of brutal losses and a few days of rugged practices, the 76ers hit the road and traveled south for their next game. Embiid's left knee swelling has now kept him out for a second game and numerous practices. While it does give him some rest, it greatly jeopardizes his MVP case. Not including tonight’s game, Embiid can only miss eight more games out of the next 46 in order to retain his eligibility.

De'Anthony Melton returned after a three-game absence, bumping Kelly Oubre Jr. back to the bench. Paul Reed started in Embiid's absence and Harris also returned to the lineup. Onyeka Okongwu got the start for Atlanta with Clint Capela out.

Nico Batum took the Young assignment first, trying to muscle him up but often getting blown by. The 76ers pushed the pace and drew fouls against a scrambling defense. But the Hawks exposed the Embiid-less Sixers' massive weakness that showed last game: a lack of resistance at the rim. Okongwu had nine points in less than five minutes of game time as Young dimed up his big man.

After a timeout roughly halfway through the first quarter, Kelly Oubre Jr. subbed in for Melton as Okongwu drew a foul on Reed, his second. In came Mo Mamba, who picked up a pair of his own fouls quickly. The expectations for Bamba are very low but Reed being so ineffective without Embiid has been disappointing. Not being able to hold his own when he has to start greatly holds the Sixers back. It's not exactly a problem worth spending assets on fixing, either.

Nick Nurse turned to an all-bench lineup at the end of the first quarter: Patrick Beverley, Springer, Oubre, Marcus Morris Sr. and K.J. Martin. Springer is no stranger to playing well in Atlanta and he indeed played some solid defense on Young, though he still kept the Hawks ahead.

Patrick Beverley, once again taking charge with Embiid out, charged his way into the paint and scored on what is becoming a signature shot, his short hook. Springer continued to hound Young in the second quarter, forcing him into bad shots and taking away his passing angles. The youngster was called for some fouls as he tried to contest shots at the rim but nonetheless showed exactly what he can do to help the Sixers thrive.

Morris finally got back to being the version of himself that shot the ball like a pure hooper. The 76ers were able to maintain a lead as a result. Some tough threes from Murray and Young put the Hawks back on top before Maxey got it back.

The 76ers led at the half by a score of 64-61.

2nd half

Maxey scored on an and-one layup at the start of the half. The 76ers stayed ahead despite more struggles trying to shut down the Hawks offense. Jalen Johnson made some nice plays on both ends of the floor and Young, despite some frigid shooting, made things tough for the Sixers defense simply by being spry and quick with the ball.

A two-block sequence from Batum and a Maxey bucket from a goaltending call that was only awarded after Atlanta successfully challenged a shooting foul spurred a mini-run from the 76ers. Backdoor cuts led to buckets, including an alley-oop from Maxey to Oubre. Murray remained undeterred, scoring through fouls on a layup and a three from deeeep in the corner to prevent a run that could have really changed the shape of the game.

Springer didn’t have as much success guarding Young in this half, partially because the Hawks ran screens using Bogdan Bogdanovic to force a switch. Atlanta got Young and Bogdanovic freed up through fast breaks and constant motion in the halfcourt, starting the fourth quarter with an 11-4 run.

The Sixers went too many possessions without Maxey trying to create offense, letting the Hawks and their myriad of poor perimeter defense off easy. Poor transition defense exacerbated the problem. And a fast break that was nearly spoiled by multiple missed layups from Maxey and Harris was saved when Harris was fouled. Philly seemed too shaky to stick the landing required to pull out this win.

Morris was the crunch-time center. The lack of size showed on each possession, though so did the spacing he provided on offense, especially on a play where he slipped a screen and immediately left the paint open for Maxey to throw it down with two hands. A Harris layup gave the 76ers a lead and a chance to take the win.

Maxey threw down ANOTHER dunk with two hands, this time through some light traffic. Then he drained a deep triple off the dribble to push the 76ers lead to four with less than a minute left. They clung to a one-point lead with 15 seconds left as Quin Snyder saved a disastrous Hawks possession with a timeout.

While it would have been a lot to ask for someone coming right off the bench, Springer not being called upon in the biggest defensive possession was a decision the 76ers would regret. Young got a running start against the bigger, slower Batum in a “Blind Pig” play and it led to a shooting foul for Young. He was only able to get one to go, leaving the game tied at the end of the fourth quarter. Young getting away with slapping Maxey's wrist on a drive also contributed to the free basketball.

Bamba came in for Morris on the jump and was about to be subbed out for Morris, but he wasn’t allowed in after the ball went out of bounds. The big man ended up breaking up a lob attempt, blocking a shot and assisting Maxey on a go-ahead three. Maxey fouled out with just under two minutes left as Philly led by three. Beverley took his spot on the floor as Morris came in for Bamba.

Johnson, already in the midst of a career game with new single-game highs in rebounds and assists, came up huge for Atlanta with a deflected pass that led to a steal and a go-ahead triple with under 40 seconds left. Harris tried a layup that was blocked by Okongwu and then fouled Johnson as he went for a layup. The Hawks put on the finishing touches and came out victorious.

Random rumblings:

  • Nurse said that Embiid's knee is progressing well and that he hopes he will be back in action on Friday.

The 76ers will return on Friday at home against the Sacramento Kings.