Sixers lose 5th straight, fall to Indiana 115-102
Jan 18, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) dribbles the ball while Philadelphia 76ers guard Ricky Council IV (14) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
To no one’s surprise, the Philadelphia 76ers have lost now 5 straight games after a tough one in Indiana, falling 115-102 to the Pacers.
The 76ers are now 15-25 on the season and currently sit at the 11 seed in the East, a spot that seemingly has had Philly’s name on it. The Pacers on the other hand are the 5 seed and are 0.5 games behind the 4 seeded Milwaukee Bucks, who Philadelphia take on Sunday night.
Adem Bona seemed to be the only bright spot for a stagnant Philadelphia offense, who shot a perfect 5 for 5 from the field while also grabbing 4 offensive rebounds, 6 total. Additionally, Kelly Oubre Jr. had a very perceivable 18, 8, and 3 on 6 for 13 shooting from the field and Tyrese Maxey added a game-high 28 points on the night. This loss didn’t necessarily fall on one person alone, although Eric Gordon sure made it seem like it. It fell on the team as a whole and their ima
This game against Indiana is the defining of the season Philadelphia has had thus far. The Sixers had multiple opportunities to make something beneficial happen, but they were just unable to get it done. An inability to make shots in the clutch was the difference-maker in this one and has been a recurring theme throughout their lackluster season.
A reliance on Joel Embiid has been so evident all season long and Saturday night’s game was no different. Philadelphia has outrebounded a staggering 50 boards to just 32 against the Pacers. Nobody was able to stop the big duo of Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner on the glass, as they snagged a combined 19 rebounds.
This contest just continues to reiterate what management is yet to understand:
The Embiid experiment is not working. Embiid needs to be on the floor or the team won’t win. Plain and simple.
Management is choosing to hold Embiid out for games that he wants to play in to keep him healthy for the playoffs, but the 76ers aren’t a playoff team without him. Right now, Philadelphia simply looks lost, unorganized, and discouraged.
There is a lack of care to win on a team that was expected to compete for the top seed in the East in the preseason. The stars who are on the floor don’t play like stars and management has an incompetence on how to successfully run a basketball team. Daryl Morey had success back in Houston, but this isn’t the Rockets. This is Philadelphia and his plan is yet to work.
Something major needs to change if Philadelphia wants to compete this season. The trade deadline is coming up and Daryl Morey has to find a way to turn this team around. It’s now or never for a 76ers season that is collapsing.
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Evan Hartenstein
Evan has been a member of the Philly Sports Reports team since March 2023. He is covering the 76ers and wants to pursue a long-lasting career in Sports Journalism.
