Sixes 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 been a mess for the most part this season. We certainly got more of that on Friday, with Joel Embiid receiving a questionable tag earlier in the day, then being ruled out before game time, and ultimately being 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 something like that without the need for overtime. Thanks to the stellar 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 portion of the fanbase is already calling for things to be blown up and built around these two, and you know what, I don’t blame them. Let’s go 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 has now reached seven straight games with more than 20 points. It was also his eighth straight game with three or more threes, the longest streak by a rookie in NBA history. It’s unbelievable how dangerous McCain already is on offense, just a month into his rookie career. He’s constantly on the move, making people take notice of him off the ball and knocking down almost 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 twist and turn the ball in from any angle in a Kyrie-esque manner. To top it all off, maybe McCain is already the team’s best passer? He is certainly the best passer after entering and we saw him throw an incredible alley off the dribble to Andre Drummond. Plus, the guy is an absolute baller. He makes clutch play after clutch play in the heart of the game, triumphantly shouting to the crowd, “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 cap increased slightly and switched to flamethrower mode, scoring 26 points in 26 minutes on 11-of-17 shooting. Maxey had two huge runs. First, he scored seven points in about one minute of playing time during the third quarter, helping the Sixers avoid their usual Q3 collapse. He had another seven-point stretch midway through the fourth quarter as the Sixers got off the seesaw and created some separation. After one of his patented full-speed layups, Tyrese roared at the Center faithful, similar to what we’ve seen from a much taller, less punctual teammate of his. It felt a bit 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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Upon his return to the starting lineup, Oubre showed the two-way versatility that made him a fan favorite last season. He was active defensively and tenacious on the glass and pulled down five offensive rebounds. Kelly also played decisively on the offensive end, attacking the basket hard as both driver and cutter, picking up a few and’s 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 retaliation dunk. Get started with a hammer putback dunk and it was an impactful evening for K9.