Jimmy Butler looks like 2nd option in Philadelphia as 76ers collapse vs. Magic in his debut
Make no mistake.
Joel Embiid is still the man for the Philadelphia 76ers.
But Jimmy Butler slid squarely into the No. 2 slot of Philadelphia’s new Big 3 in a 111-106 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
76ers collapse late on 21-0 Magic run
It was a disappointing debut for the new-look 76ers, who blew a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter of a game that looked well in hand.
The 76ers took a 92-76 lead on an Embiid 3-pointer with 10:51 left in the fourth quarter. But the Magic reeled off 21 unanswered points, many of which came with Butler and Simmons on the bench, to ensure this game wasn’t decided until the final moments.
Butler, Embiid and Simmons were all on the floor together in the game’s final back-and-forth five minutes, but they didn’t have enough to overcome the team’s late collapse.
Butler goes for 14 points in debut
Butler tallied 14 points, four rebounds and two assists and took the 76ers’ final desperation heave in the game’s waning seconds.
Embiid was his usual ball-dominant self, logging his first career triple-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
Simmons finished with nine points, six assists and three rebounds while shooting 3-of-5 from the field.
J.J. Redick led the 76ers with 22 points, but stepped out of bounds before sinking a would-be game tying 3-pointer with 6.7 seconds on a turnover that sealed the victory for Orlando.
Nikola Vucevic led the way for the Magic with 30 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
While Embiid filled up the box score, his late struggles shooting played a big role in the 76ers collapse. After hitting 5-of-10 field goals in the first half, Embiid hit just 1-of-10 in the second, including some critical misses as the Magic went on their game-changing run.
While this was just one game in a marathon of an NBA season, there are some takeaways from Tuesday that may become trends for the 76ers.
Embiid is going to get his touches.
Embiid is arguably the most dominant player in the league through the NBA’s first four weeks, and there’s no reason for the 76ers to stop feeding him, especially after he proved it once again with his stat line on Wednesday.
And unlike Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota, Embiid is going to demand shots when he’s on the floor.
Simmons was not a significant scoring factor
Simmons is the rare NBA star who can make a significant impact on the game without filling up the scoring column. While Philadelphia lost some significant scoring punch in trading Dario Saric and Robert Covington to the Timberwolves, their departed 3-point prowess is not a void that Simmons, a poor jump shooter, is going to fill.
He is likely to give up some looks near the basket to Butler, which could lead to a reduced role as a scorer for the 76ers. And he seems the kind of player to be OK with that as he focuses on his role as a playmaker.
76ers need shooting help
Jimmy Butler is a capable 3-point shooter, but the 76ers would benefit from another dedicated shooter alongside Redick to come off the bench and spread the floor.
Cleveland’s Kyle Korver and the Lakers’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are rumored to have Philadelphia’s interest.
It wasn’t the debut Butler or Philadelphia were looking for. But it was just that. A debut for a revamped team playing on the road. Watching how the new-look 76ers evolve will be one of the most interesting stories of the NBA season.
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