Breakdown of Monday's game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Philadelphia 76ers faced a tough matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, falling in a game where Oklahoma City's offensive efficiency and offensive balance proved too much to overcome.
The Thunder showcased one of their most complete offensive performances of the season. Six players scored in double figures, while the team shot 53% from the field and 43% from the three-point line. The offense flowed well and generated easy looks for numerous players all night.
This is an encouraging sign for the Thunder, as they have garnered criticism in the past for relying too much on their talisman, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Performances like this suggest a more diversified attack, one that could make the Thunder far less predictable and more dangerous come playoff time.
Philadelphia, on the other hand, struggled to find a sustained rhythm offensively. With Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid out of the lineup, the Sixers lacked the firepower needed to keep pace with OKC. While there were brief scoring bursts, they were unable to string together consistent runs to make this a game.
One of the bright spots for Philadelphia was the continued development of rookie guard V.J. Edgecombe. Edgecombe finished the night with 35 points on 14-28 shooting from the field and 7-15 shooting from three.
What stood out most was his perimeter shooting. Known primarily for his athleticism and ability to attack the rim, Edgecombe generated the majority of his offense from beyond the arc. If he can continue to develop as an outside shooter while pairing that with his elite slashing ability, his offensive ceiling will be far higher than many scouts projected.
While the result favored the Thunder, the Sixers can take away something meaningful: the emergence of their rookie guard, who has shown he can shoulder the scoring load on certain nights. This bodes well for Philly now and in the future, as a duo of Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe will be tough to deal with in the playoffs and for years to come.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.