Sixers Bell Ringer: Jared McCain and Paul George shine as the Sixers trade Joel Embiid’s season debut to the Knicks

Sixers Bell Ringer regular season rankings:

Jared McCain – 3

Tyrese Maxey – 2

Guerschon Yabusele – 2

Paul George – 1

Kelly Oubre, Jr. – 1

It’s the day that all Sixers fans have been waiting for since the start of the season: the Emirates NBA Cup is here!

Did you think I meant Joel Embiid’s season debut? That’s what happened tonight too. After weeks of uncertainty and the “new normal” and “ramping up,” Embiid was finally able to start the 2024 season on Tuesday night with the Sixers’ 111-99 loss to the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup East Group A game /25 start.

While Embiid got back into the swing of things, Paul George and Jared McCain carried the weight of the Sixers on their shoulders. George led the field with 29 points and rookie McCain wasn’t far behind with 23 points.

The Sixers stayed tough against the Knicks most of the way, but things fell apart late. A 13-0 New York run in the fourth gave the Knicks their first double-digit lead of the night, and Philadelphia never recovered. While it wasn’t the Sixers’ worst performance of this young season – in fact, it might have been one of their best – a combination of sloppy passing, a lack of open looks and ice-cold shooting throughout the game was too late to overcome.

A full recap of today’s game can be found here!

The Sixers have a tough matchup ahead, with the second game of this back-to-back scheduled in less than 24 hours, when they host a 12-0 Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Until then, let’s get to the Bell Ringer. If you ask me, there are really only two options for tonight.

Paul George: 29 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

George was looking for a consistent shooting strike earlier this season, and tonight he certainly seemed to have found it. He made four of five field goal attempts in the first period for 11 points. The most gratifying thing about it was that the shots came from all over the field – mid-range jumpers, a triple, from the rim and from the foul line.

And just in case you think it’s a coincidence, he opened his second period with this three-point bank shot:

George stayed hot all night and just seemed to find a great groove tonight as far as shooting, especially from beyond the arc. He finished the game 10 of 19 (53%) from the floor and an insane 7 of 11 (64%) from distance, giving him a 29-point lead.

All of this doesn’t even mention the fact that George was solid on both ends of the floor tonight. He posted a double-double with 10 rebounds (one offensive) and finished with three steals and a block, but that’s exactly what the stat sheet says. With Embiid still firing on all cylinders, having George provide defensive presence and value is as monumental for the Sixers as the points he scores.

Jared McCain: 23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

At best, McCain looks nothing like a 20-year-old rookie. It doesn’t matter if it’s Karl Anthony-Towns, Jalen Brunson or the Knicks – he just plays without an ounce of fear or hesitation. This, combined with solid basketball fundamentals, continues to lead to McCain’s success.

A few good minutes in the first half earned the rookie a spot as Nick Nurse’s first substitute in the second half, with McCain coming on for the struggling Kelly Oubre Jr. just a few minutes into the third period. McCain seized this opportunity and immediately proved that he was worth more. He scored seven straight points for the Sixers in the third frame, making multiple passes at the Knicks’ defenders to drive right past them into the zone and finish strongly at the rim even upon contact. There were even a few moments where McCain looked uncannily similar to another great young guard on the Sixers roster…

McCain capped his offensive surge in the third with an assist, finding Embiid off-balance below the rim for the big man to make an easy throw. The Sixers then fell apart early in the fourth period, but McCain remained calm and collected, hitting three 3-pointers in the final frame to keep Philadelphia afloat. He finished the game with 23 points by making 7 of 16 field goals and 4 of 10 from three field goals.

Another interesting development to watch as McCain gets more time on the floor alongside Embiid is how much space he can take up off-screen from center. There was more than one opportunity tonight where the rookie was able to create comfortable separation between himself and defenders outside of Embiid’s screen, and Sixers fans should be hoping for a continuation of this duo.