3 biggest takeaways for Sixers following latest loss to Wizards

USA Today

27-03-2025

3 biggest takeaways for Sixers following latest loss to Wizards
PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia 76ers dropped their sixth straight game on Wednesday as they fell to the Washington Wizards 119-114. The Sixers are now 23-50 on the season as they continue to play out the string in what has been a dreadful season for them.
The Wizards jumped on the Sixers early and led by as many as 18. Philadelphia put on a furious comeback late, but wasn't able to complete it in the fourth. Wizards rookie Alex Sarr had 24 points and seven rebounds as he continues a Rookie of the Year case.
The Sixers received 22 points from Quentin Grimes, 21 points and eight rebounds from Guerschon Yabusele, and Justin Edwards had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Jeff Dowtin Jr. added nine while Jared Butler added 15, six rebounds, and four assists off the bench. Ricky Council IV had 14 and six rebounds.
Here are the three biggest takeaways from the loss:
Yabusele looking like himself again
Yabusele scored the first nine points for the Sixers on the night and had a solid overall night. He shot 7-for-15 from the floor and knocked down three triples in the process. He had been struggling as of late to really move like he had earlier in the season as due to a bothersome right knee that has slowed him at times. Coach Nick Nurse was happy to see his big man playing at a much better level than in recent weeks.
"Last couple he certainly moved better after kind of a long stretch of struggling," Nurse stated. "I think he had a game off in there somewhere, and was able to get three or four days rest and just good to see him, I think, scoring at the basket a little bit more, because he was doing that like almost automatic early in the year, and then obviously the pick-and-pops he had going a little bit tonight too."
Edwards dictating things on offense
The rookie looks like he is really understanding how to take defenders off the dribble and guide them to where he wants to go on the floor. He didn't look flustered at all when the Wizards sent defensive attention his way and he just looked comfortable all night long. Edwards will have nine more games to continue growing as a player and the Sixers will continue putting him in positions to succeed.
"Just taking what they've given me, honestly," he said after the loss. "Like, today they were sealing me hard right, so taking what they give me, so if I was open, I was going into my shots, so that was really it. Just trying to take advantage of what the defense is giving me."
With that being said, there has been a lot of work in the film room to be able to get to this level.
"A lot of film and just knowing the type of coverages that the other team is gonna throw at me," Edwards added. "A lot of the teams run the same coverage on defense so just getting multiple reps at the same defense."
Dowtin running out of time
The Sixers have nine games left and they won't have Dowtin for most of them. On a two-way deal, Dowtin only has two games left on his cap of 50 per the NBA rules of the two-way contracts. He is somebody who can run the offense get the Sixers organized on that end of the floor so Nurse and Co. will have to decide how they are going to handle him--as well as their other two-way players--as they just try to get to the finish line in this season.