Instant Observations: KJ Martin, Paul George Propel 76ers to Win Over Magic

KJ Martin and Paul George led the way for the Philadelphia 76ers in their 102-94 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night. Martin finished with 20 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field. George filled up the stat sheet, totaling 21 points, four rebounds and nine assists.

Joel Embiid (left knee injury management) and Adem Bona (left knee contusion) missed this contest for the Sixers.

The Magic were led in the loss by Franz Wagner’s 30 points, five rebounds and five assists. Jalen Suggs added 22 points, three assists and three steals. Orlando was without Paolo Banchero (torn right oblique), Jonathan Isaac (sore right hamstring) and Gary Harris (left hamstring strain).

The Sixers’ next contest is a road matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday afternoon. Here are some instant observations from the win over the Magic:

Likes:

– When KJ Martin signed a two-year, $16 million contract to remain with the Sixers this past offseason, many assumed his contract would be used in a trade at some point this season. However, his play this season is generating consideration about whether it would be wise to ship him out in a trade.

Martin has been a glue guy for the Sixers, someone capable of doing a bit of everything. In the first quarter against the Magic, his production came via way of scoring the basketball. Martin led the Sixers with 10 points on perfect 4-of-4 shooting in the opening quarter. One of the ways Martin has found success scoring the ball this season has been through attacking the rim off screens and dribble hand-offs.

and 1 for number 1️⃣! pic.twitter.com/wXD7KJ4JZW

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 7, 2024

In addition to scoring from inside the paint, Martin even sprinkled in a made 3-pointer from the corner. Not typically known for his scoring ability, Martin has shined on that front over the past handful of games. He also showcased his athleticism by skying up among multiple Orlando players to grab an offensive rebound in the second quarter. Martin has grown as a player since joining the Sixers last season. His athleticism and ability to be a versatile defender have helped him craft a role in Philadelphia.

– The Sixers’ offense simply operates on an entire different level when George is on the floor. He opened up the game by knocking down a couple of tough contested mid-range jumpers. When his jumper was not falling, he attacked and found success inside the arc. The Sixers used a combination of screens and good off-ball movement to free up George for multiple easy opportunities in the paint. Philadelphia’s offense clearly functioned better on Friday night when the ball touched George’s hands. He might be having a subpar season shooting the ball, but his presence on the floor changes how opposing teams have to defend the Sixers.

George is in the midst of one of his best seasons as a playmaker. He is doing an excellent job of leveraging the defense’s attention on him into getting his teammates open looks. Take this play from the end of the first half:

🎱 ➡️ 2️⃣8️⃣ pic.twitter.com/oGFg7K8tjE

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 7, 2024

With the clock ticking down to the end of the first half, George drove into the paint looking to score. However, he was walled off by multiple Orlando defenders. George had the vision to find Guerschon Yabusele for a wide open layup just before the clock expired. The nine-time All-Star has made plays like that look routine this season.

– With Embiid and Bona out of the lineup, the Sixers desperately needed Andre Drummond to return to the floor. He returned for this contest after missing the previous two games due to a right ankle sprain. The big fella made his presence felt, particularly defensively and on the glass. He finished another game with double-digit rebounds, including grabbing five offensive rebounds. Drummond also showcased his active hands defensively, recording four steals in the win over the Magic.

– Jared McCain was quiet for most of the night. His shots were not falling, and the rookie committed a couple of uncharacteristic turnovers in the first half. However, he was on the floor and very much a part of the Sixers’ defining run of the night. The Magic battled back and cut the Sixers’ lead to two points midway through the third quarter. However, Philadelphia responded with a 16-6 run over the final 5:55 of the quarter. McCain scored five points on the Sixers’ run, including this tough finish over a contest from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

tough ✌️ for @J_mccain_24. pic.twitter.com/XQGANNaoYQ

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 7, 2024

– Kelly Oubre Jr. quietly put together another solid performance. He has been receiving the start over McCain in recent games, much to the chagrin of nearly every Sixers fan, but the veteran deserves some credit for his good play of late. Oubre finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds and two steals.

Dislikes:

– The concern level regarding Tyrese Maxey’s play this season is beginning to tick up. While he has a history of being a strong shooter, the 23-year old has not been able to hit water if he fell out of a boat for much of this season. He shot 5 of 17 from the field and an even more dismal 1 of 7 from beyond the arc. Outside of a couple tough baskets from around the rim, Maxey has not provided much as a scorer in recent weeks. He could perhaps get some benefit from slowing things down and focusing on improving as a creator. He understandably is not getting the same amount of high-quality looks with Embiid out of the lineup and George missing time as well. However, the Sixers are relying on Maxey to provide more than an inefficient 16 points offensively.

– Missed free throws cost the Sixers in their tight 106-102 loss to the Magic back on Wednesday. Poor free-throw shooting nearly cost the Sixers again in this contest. The Magic battled back to make it a close game in the final minutes. The Sixers missed three free throws in the final minute, but they fortunately were still able to come away with the win. They finished the game shooting 19 of 29 from the charity stripe.