After dropping four games straight, the Philadelphia 76ers were under pressure to make a statement on Wednesday night - not only because they were up against a Ja Morant and Zach Edey-less Memphis Grizzlies but also because it marked the first time Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey took the court together.
However, when the action unraveled, the Sixers fell short yet again, losing their fifth consecutive game courtesy of six Grizzlies players scoring points in double digits. With Philly now recording the worst record of the 2024-25 season - 2-12 - Kendrick Perkins didn't hold back, declaring the 76ers as "cooked" after their seventh loss on the road.
Perkins loses all hope with the 76ers
Despite starting the 2024-25 campaign losing 11 of their first 13 games, the Sixers were optimistic that they could still turn things around once their Big 3 shared the court.
Though "The Process" returned to his usual dominant self, scoring 35 points on 14-of-14 shooting from the free-throw line along with 11 rebounds, and even Jared McCain continued his positive production (this time as a starter) by adding 20 points in 41 minutes, the rest of the roster faltered.
PG13 hyperextended his knee yet again and was forced out of the game after merely 17 minutes, while Maxey looked out of sync, shooting 3-of-13 from the field. Even when the Sixers' bench contributed 44 points, their starters were so non-cohesive that Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, combining for 46 points, had a more dominant impact on the game's outcome.
Considering all of this, "Big Perk" didn't hesitate to sound the alarm on the team's alarming situation.
The 76ers need to drastically improve
Embiid seems to be slowly regaining his MVP-caliber dominance, and McCain continued to show star potential. Furthermore, the rookie's budding partnership with Maxey could become lethal once the reigning MIP finds his rhythm. However, with George potentially sidelined for weeks, Embiid, Maxey, and McCain must step up to salvage the season.
Sitting at 2-12 and the last seed in the Eastern Conference, the team's future hinges on whether these three can develop strong camaraderie and lead a turnaround. If not, as Perkins noted, fans and analysts alike could start to rapidly lose faith in this star-studded team.
Related: "He can't be our most consistent player. We all got to step our sh*t up" - PG talks about McCain's hot start