Paul George goes nuclear, VJ Edgecombe steps up, but Sixers lose another heartbreaker

Another night, another close loss for the Sixers. This time it was a 120–117 defeat in Atlanta, just two weeks after that brutal double-overtime game against the Hawks.

The loss drops Philly to 14–11 on the season, and yeah, moral victories only go so far. But if you watched this game and came away thinking the Sixers are cooked, you’re missing the bigger picture.

Paul George had his best game as a Sixer. VJ Edgecombe showed real growth after a rough start. Joel Embiid, even on tired legs and an off shooting night, looked like a guy slowly getting his confidence back.

Paul George Has Officially Arrived

With Tyrese Maxey out again and Joel Embiid struggling to find his rhythm early, the Sixers needed someone to keep them afloat. Paul George did more than that.

B2B PG THREES! pic.twitter.com/ZxVxtyRKWU

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 14, 2025

Paul George carried the Sixers in Atlanta. He finished with a Sixers career-high 35 points on 11-of-21 shooting, adding four rebounds and three assists. He now has 58 points over his last two games, easily his best two-game stretch since arriving in Philly.

https://t.co/l5tUWcpiWQ pic.twitter.com/zqFGBLLBSK

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 15, 2025

Hot Shooting. Control. Pace. Confidence.

Early in the second quarter, with the Sixers down double digits, Paul George scored nine points in just over a minute and flipped the game on its head.

The burst wasn’t vintage Indiana PG, but it didn’t need to be. Instead, it was a smarter, more deliberate version of George. High release jumpers. Hesitation moves. Clean footwork. Shots that defenders can’t do much about.

He looked comfortable for maybe the first time in a Sixers uniform.

Is this peak Paul George? Probably not, but it’s trending in the right direction, and for a team still trying to get its stars on the floor together, that’s huge.

VJ Edgecombe Didn’t Panic, and That’s the Story

VJ Edgecombe’s night started rough. Two quick fouls. Missed threes. Early bench trip. Easy for a rookie to disappear after that.

He didn’t and even when the jumper wasn’t falling, Edgecombe kept attacking. He finished through contact, got downhill against elite defenders like Dyson Daniels, and never stopped playing with confidence.

Late in the third quarter, the shot finally showed up.

Three straight threes. Pull-ups. Catch-and-shoot looks. Off-ball movement. Once the jumper came alive, everything else followed.

AND ONE!

the rook is up to 2️⃣1️⃣ points. pic.twitter.com/Beqaz2G6m5

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 15, 2025

Edgecombe finished with 26 points, six rebounds, and two assists, going 9-of-21 from the field and 4-of-10 from deep. More importantly, this was a maturity game. He didn’t let a bad start define him.

That confidence matters more than the stat line.

Joel Embiid’s Night Was Uneven, but Encouraging

This wasn’t one of those vintage Embiid nights like we saw against Indiana. The jumper was inconsistent. The double teams came early and often. The execution wasn’t always clean but this was still progress.

Embiid makin’ it look easy. 💰 pic.twitter.com/4zqjN6J9Ht

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 14, 2025

Embiid played on one day of rest for the first time this season and logged around 30 minutes. He finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds, including six offensive boards. He attacked the glass. He drove through contact. He tried moves you don’t attempt unless you trust your knee.

That trust is the key.

You could see it in the way he moved, especially when he put the ball on the floor. The efficiency wasn’t there, but the intent was. That’s a step forward.

No Moral Victories

Yes, the Sixers lost. Again. Another one-possession game. Another late miss. Another “almost.” At the same time, Paul George looked like a legitimate offensive anchor, VJ Edgecombe looked like a player growing in real time, and Joel Embiid looked like someone slowly reclaiming himself.

If this team ever gets Maxey, George, and Embiid rolling at the same time, there’s still juice here. Plenty of it. The Sixers head to New York next. The record matters. The standings matter but right now, the development does too.

And for the first time in a bit, there’s a real reason to feel encouraged.

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