LOS ANGELES – The hope was that the 76ers would pull off a miracle against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Their coach implored his team to move the ball and reduce turnovers. That the team had to “play a little harder to cope with some of these guys being gone,” Nick Nurse emphasized to the media regarding All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey being sidelined.

In the final game of the Sixers’ three-game West Coast trip, effort was not an issue.

But execution?

» READ MORE: Tyrese Maxey is willing ‘to fight through his injury and the Sixers’ current situation’

They had so little right to that.

The Sixers had their shots blocked 13 times, made just 13 of 39 three-pointers and shot 65.2% from the foul line. That, combined with the inability to stop, led to a 116-106 setback on Friday night at the Crypto.com Arena.

They were also doomed by another weak offensive stretch in the third quarter.

The Sixers trailed 68-64 51 seconds into the third quarter. However, they missed six straight shots and committed a costly turnover, allowing the Lakers to go on a 10–0 run to build a 14-point cushion. The Sixers finally scored on a 3-pointer by Caleb Martin, making the score 78-67 with 7:36 left in the quarter.

The loss extended the Sixers’ losing streak to five, dropping them to 1-7 on the season. It is their worst start since the opening of the 2016/2017 season with an identical record. That team ultimately finished 28-54.

The expectation is that this season’s version of the Sixers will finish better once they are healthy. Embiid has yet to play due to a left knee injury, followed by a three-game suspension. The 2023 NBA MVP will make his season debut on Tuesday in the NBA Cup game against the New York Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center. Meanwhile, Maxey is sidelined with a strained right hamstring. The league’s 2024 All-Star and Most Improved Player could be sidelined for two weeks.

But for now, the Sixers are not a good team.

» READ MORE: Paul George faces the challenge of guiding the struggling, undermanned Sixers through a rough stretch

Paul George was held to nine points on 4-for-13 shooting while missing all six of his three-point attempts. The nine-time All-Star finished with eight assists and a team-high four rebounds in his third game back from his left knee injury.

Rookie Jared McCain had perhaps his best game. The 16th pick in June’s draft had 18 points while being the seventh man to make a career-high four 3-pointers with two assists. And Andre Drummond scored his second double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

However, LeBron James and Anthony Davis showed why they are two of the best players in the world. James, a four-time MVP, finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, his second triple-double of the season. Meanwhile, Davis had 31 points and nine rebounds.

Next

The Sixers will entertain the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center (NBC Sports Philadelphia, 7 p.m.).