Sixers Bell Ringer: Young guards carry the day in Philadelphia’s win over Brooklyn

Jared McCain and Tyrese Maxey combined for 56 points as the Sixers secured their third win of the season.

Sixers Bell Ringer regular season standings:
Jared McCain – 6
Tyrese Maxey – 2
Paul George – 2
Guerschon Yabusele – 2
Kelly Oubre, Jr. – 1
Joel Embiid – 1

The Philadelphia 76ers have largely been a certifiable mess this season. We definitely received some more of that on Friday with Joel Embiid receiving a questionable tag earlier in the day, then getting ruled out prior to gametime, and finally getting ruled out for Sunday’s game around halftime. But you know what makes that stuff easier to swallow? Actually winning a basketball game!

For the first time this season, the Sixers were able to do such a thing without needing overtime. Thanks to the prodigious efforts of their young starting backcourt, Philadelphia overcame a 37-point night from Brooklyn’s Cam Johnson to defeat the Nets, 113-98. Jared McCain and Tyrese Maxey combined for 56 points, scoring 19 straight Sixers points in the fourth quarter to help the team regain control and carry them across the finish line. A section of the fan base is already calling for things to be blown up and built around these two, and you know, I don’t blame them. Let’s get to Bell Ringer.

Jared McCain: 30 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3 turnovers

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The legend of Jared McCain continues to grow. With 30 points, the rookie now has reached seven straight games of 20-plus points. It was also his eighth straight game with three or more threes, the longest such streak by a rookie in NBA history. It’s unbelievable how dangerous McCain already is on the offensive end only one month into his rookie career. He’s constantly moving, making people account for him off ball and knocking down nearly everything behind the arc (he went 6-of-11 from three tonight). But he’s also a wizard with the ball in his hands, able to contort and flip the ball in from any angle in a Kyrie-esque fashion. To top if all off, McCain is already maybe the best passer on the team? He’s certainly the best post entry passer and we saw him throw an incredible alley oop off the dribble to Andre Drummond. Plus, the dude is an absolute baller. He’s making clutch play after clutch play in the guts of the game, yelling triumphantly to the crowd and shouting “I’m Rookie of the Year!” to the opposition. He’s only 20 years old, folks.

Tyrese Maxey: 26 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 0 turnovers

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Tyrese had his minutes limit increased slightly, and he shifted into flamethrower mode, scoring 26 points in 26 minutes on 11-of-17 shooting. Maxey had two huge sequences. First, he scored seven points in about one minute of game time during the third quarter, helping the Sixers stave off their usual Q3 collapse. He had another seven-point stretch midway through the fourth quarter as the Sixers got off the see-saw and created some separation. After one of his patented full-speed running lay-ups, Tyrese roared to the Center faithful, not unlike what we’ve seen from a much taller, less punctual teammate of his. It sort of felt like a spiritual passing of the leadership torch for this club.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: 11 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers

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In his return to the starting lineup, Oubre flashed the two-way versatility that made him such a fan favorite last season. He was active defensively and tenacious on the glass, securing five offensive rebounds. Kelly also played decisively on the offensive end, attacking the basket hard as both a driver and cutter, picking up a couple of and-ones along the way. My favorite play of his night was when Andre Drummond botched a wide-open dunk, Oubre ripped the ball out of Trendon Watford’s hands and then fed Drummond for a retribution dunk. Tack on a hammer putback dunk and it was an impactful evening for K9.