Burn The Tape: Sixers suffer ugly 114-106 loss at home to the Nets

Not even worth talking about. Just burn the tapes. The Sixers’ 114–106 loss to the Nets on Tuesday night was ugly, frustrating, and annoying in all the ways a December home loss to a bad team can be.

Tyrese Maxey had the worst game he’s played all season, the guard rotation was held together with duct tape, and the offense disappeared for long stretches. If you’re looking for any type of silver lining, then underneath the slop, Joel Embiid looked pretty damn good.

We’ll get to that but let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first.

Tyrese Maxey struggled from the opening tip and never found a rhythm. He finished with 13 points on 3-for-14 shooting, missed open looks he normally buries, forced drives that went nowhere, and looked visibly frustrated with both the defense and the officiating.

Jared McCain wasn’t much better. The starting backcourt combined to shoot 6-for-25, which is basically a death sentence in today’s NBA. When your guards can’t score, can’t stretch the floor, and can’t stabilize the offense, you’re begging to lose.

VJ Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and Dominick Barlow were all out sick while Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford remained sidelined. Nick Nurse had to reach deep into the bench, dusting off Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry for extended minutes.

At one point, the Sixers were running lineups that felt like The Process rather than a competitive rotation. Against a Nets team with nothing to lose, that’s a dangerous recipe.

Brooklyn took advantage. Michael Porter Jr. torched the Sixers early and often, finishing with 28 points. The Nets built a lead, weathered a brief fourth-quarter push, and closed the door without much drama.

Still, the game didn’t really turn on Maxey’s misses or the patchwork guard play. It turned when Embiid briefly went down early in the third quarter after a knee scare.

The building went quiet. The season flashed before everyone’s eyes. Then, five minutes later, Embiid walked back out and checked in. Obviously, that mattered more than the final score.

Overall, Joel Embiid looked like himself. He scored 27 points on just 13 shots, hit contested jumpers, attacked off the dribble, and even tried to dunk through contact. That hasn’t been part of his game much this season.

JoJo with the tough and 1! pic.twitter.com/fJtRIlZwOq

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 24, 2025

19 and counting for @JoelEmbiid. pic.twitter.com/V247FdpRUT

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 24, 2025

He moved well, trusted his knee, and played with an edge that’s been missing at times. The Sixers were plus-one in his 31 minutes. They were minus-nine when he sat.

That’s the story.

Yes, the Sixers shot poorly. Yes, the third-quarter collapse showed up again. Yes, the defense slipped once Embiid left the floor and never fully recovered. Tyrese Maxey is allowed a stinker. He’s earned that. VJ Edgecombe will be back. Grimes will be back. Oubre will be back.

This roster looks very different when even half of those guys are available. What matters is that Joel Embiid, once again, looked physically capable of carrying a team.

This wasn’t a good loss. It wasn’t encouraging basketball. It was survivable. If Embiid keeps trending this way and Maxey returns to form, this team still has a pulse. Maybe not a contender’s puls but enough to stay interesting.

In a season that’s been defined by chaos, that might be enough for now.

Up Next for the Sixers:

The Sixers will return to action on Friday, kicking off a five-game road trip in Chicago against the Bulls.

Merry Christmas.

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