The Sixers Found Their Missing Piece
BBALLBREAKDOWNJan 4, 2026 • 10:16 • 59.3K views
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The Philadelphia 76ers have waited two full seasons to see if the Big 3 of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey could actually dominate together. Against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, we finally got the answer, and the key wasn’t even part of the Big 3.
Under the steady hand of Nick Nurse, the Sixers spammed one brutal half-court action to open the third quarter, daring the Knicks to stop it. They couldn’t. Inside pick-and-rolls, weakside triangle spacing, pin downs, and automatic progressions punished every defensive adjustment, leading to open threes, Embiid isolations, and constant breakdowns.
This breakdown shows how one simple concept created answers for everything the Knicks tried, why Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby kept getting put in impossible spots, and how the Sixers turned execution into a shooting clinic.
But the real story is VJ Edgecombe. The rookie led the team in plus-minus, made game-changing defensive plays, knocked down timely threes, attacked closeouts, and showed advanced feel both on and off the ball. From backdoor cuts to double-ball-screen reads, Edgecombe’s versatility is what allowed this four-man lineup to fully breathe.
We also break down how the lineup holds up defensively, why Edgecombe’s activity level raises the Sixers’ ceiling, and how this version of Philadelphia suddenly looks far more dangerous than their record suggests.
If this group stays healthy, and Nick Nurse keeps leaning into this structure, the Sixers may have quietly solved their biggest problem, and the rest of the East should be paying attention.
#BBALLBREAKDOWN #Sixers #JoelEmbiid #TyreseMaxey #PaulGeorge #VJEdgecombe #NickNurse #NBAFilm #NBABreakdown #Knicks #MSG #RookieOfTheYear
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BBallBreakdown is devoted to deep-dive analysis of NBA basketball gameplay. If you're a coach or a player, check out the MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP - filled with an ever growing library of on court demos designed to help you improve your play and your coaching! Giving fans a taste of a pro coach's film session, host Coach Nick breaks down fundamentals, play calling, offense, defense, shooting form, officiating, and everything else basketball. In addition, see exclusive interviews with NBA players and coaches, from active super stars to retired legends.
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