The Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid-less 76ers get handed a loss by James Harden and the Cavaliers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers (40-25) proved to be too much for a shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers (34-30) squad to handle, defeating them soundly, 115-101.
The Cavs, who were on the second night of a back-to-back, took care of business at home behind a stellar performance from James Harden.
The 76ers entered tonight's matchup severely understaffed, as they were without a few of their stars: Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and V.J. Edgecombe, forcing some other players to step into larger roles.
The team is currently 1-4 in their last five and appears to be struggling to find consistency without their full roster.
Here are four takeaways from the Sixers matchup against the Cavaliers:
1. Cavaliers Backcourt Shines
Harden continues to play at a high level, even this late in his career. The 10-time all-star dropped 21 points, eight rebounds, and five dimes. Harden made history along the way, reaching 29,000 career points. Meanwhile, Donovan Mitchell also made his presence felt, finishing the game with 17 points to help the Cavaliers take control.
2. 76ers Search For Offense
The 76ers were forced to look elsewhere for offensive production, without the usual suspects. The Sixers found offensive production from Quentin Grimes, who had one of the better performances of the season, dropping 17 points on 6-13 shooting. Cameron Payne was big-time for the 76ers, dropping 12 points.
3. Dominant Third Quarter
The game began to slip away for the 76ers in the third quarter. Harden scored nine points in the quarter to help the Cavs build a lead that grew to as much as 25 points during the contest.
4. Justin Edwards Shines
One silver lining in this contest was the solid performance the 76ers received from Justin Edwards. Though it came in a loss, Edwards was a massive bright spot for the Sixers. The former Kentucky Wildcat dropped 14 points, three assists, and two rebounds in 28 minutes for the Sixers.
Based on Edwards' performance in this match, the 76ers fans should feel optimistic that they may have another quality rotation player.
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Elijah Hamilton is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable.