Philadelphia

76ers

Needing a spark after falling behind by a 33-11 margin, 76ers coach Nick Nurse called on Hield for the first time since Game 3. Give the veteran sharpshooter credit for staying ready, as he came out hot and finished with 20 points off the bench after scoring two in Games 1 through 3. Nicolas Batum also had a good night off the bench, accounting for 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one block, and three 3-pointers in 28 minutes. Hield and Batum are in a similar spot heading into the offseason, as they will be unrestricted free agents. The former offers a higher fantasy ceiling, but that would likely require him to land a starting role with a non-contender. As for Batum, he’ll spark interest among playoff-caliber teams needing a 3-and-D wing.

After performing well in the 76ers’ Game 5 overtime victory, Harris was brutal in Game 6. He only attempted two shots, finishing with a team-worst minus-10 rating. Harris will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and his nearly $46 million coming off the books gives Philadelphia room to strengthen the roster around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey (who’s a restricted free agent). While Harris can offer top-60 fantasy value, he falls in a place where managers tend to reach for players with higher upsides. His ceiling next season will depend on where he lands; joining a non-contender where he can be a marquee option would boost his value.

After scoring 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting in the series’ first two games, Oubre was solid on both ends of the floor for the 76ers. He scored 14 or more in the final four games while accounting for six steals and three blocked shots. Oubre will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and his production in this series should have preserved his stock. As for his fantasy value, the Tsunami Papi is likely to be a late-round option, at best, unless he lands in a spot where he’s guaranteed a place in the starting lineup.

After going off for 46 points in Philadelphia’s Game 5 victory, Maxey had a tough night as the 76ers’ season ended on Thursday. He made some big plays down the stretch, but the slow start was one reason the Knicks led by as much as 22 points in the first quarter. A subpar Game 6 should not put too much of a damper on Maxey’s season, as he stepped up to become the emerging star Philadelphia believed it had when they finally traded James Harden. However, the point guard will be a restricted free agent this summer, and as Fat Joe famously said, “yesterday’s price is not today’s price.” Philadelphia should re-sign Maxey, but it will cost them more money than it would have if they’d extended his deal before the season began.

While Embiid’s production tailed off during the fourth quarter, last season’s MVP was a warrior in this series. He played through a left knee that did not look fully healed, and a case of Bell’s palsy didn’t help matters, either. Health has been the story throughout Embiid’s career, with availability being the most significant issue. The productivity will be there, so The Process will remain an early first-round pick in most fantasy drafts in the fall. However, the emergence of Victor Wembanyama knocks Embiid down a peg to where he may no longer be a lock to come off the board within the first five picks.

As expected, Embiid will play as the 76ers look to extend this series to a decisive seventh game. Should he encounter any flare-ups with the knee, Paul Reed would be the next man up in the rotation.

Embiid remains on the injury report, but the good news is that the migraine headache is no longer an issue. Look for him to log heavy minutes as the 76ers attempt to force a decisive seventh game.

Harris has struggled during this series, but this was his best performance through the first five games. He hit a pair of clutch free throws to give the 76ers a four-point lead in overtime, which contributed to his highest-scoring night of the series. He helped the 76ers stay alive, but they’ll need him to play like he did in this game moving forward if they want to pull off the comeback. Game 6 will be back in Philadelphia on Thursday.

Embiid has clearly been playing through injuries throughout the series, and it showed with his performance in this game. It wasn’t all bad, and he was still able to make some big plays late. The triple-double also helps make his night look a little better, but the poor shooting and plethora of turnovers were more indicative of his performance. Still, they were able to steal a win on the road, which shifts the series back to Philly for Game 6. They will still have to win another game in New York to win the series, and if they want to do that, Embiid will have to be better, even if he’s hurting.

With Joel Embiid struggling, Maxey stepped up to lead the 76ers in this game. Even when it seemed like the game was over, Maxey kept them alive. They trailed by six points with 30 seconds left when Maxey converted a four-point play. Then he knocked down a deep three after Josh Hart split free throws to tie the game and force overtime. Maxey added five more points in the overtime period to extend the series and force a Game 6 in Philadelphia. This was the closest thing we’ve seen to Reggie Miller’s eight points in nine seconds, and the 76ers now have some life and momentum in this series.