The 76ers played well in their last four games despite the loss against the decimated Portland squad on Thursday night. Here are some of my quick observations:

• The Sixers actually won a game without Joel Embiid! The Sixers had a great comeback win against the Indiana Pacers. The Sixers were down as much as 20 points and down 18 in the 4^th quarter. The Sixers came out of a timeout with a 2-3 zone defense, which changed the remainder of the 4^th quarter. With Matisse Thybulle and Ben Simmons at the top of the suffocating zone, they disrupted the Pacers and completely halted their offensive attack. Furkan Korkmaz and Tobias Harris lead the comeback from the offensive end scoring 17 points and 27 points respectively.
• The Sixers closed out their 3-game road trip with a win over the Charlotte Hornets 118-111. The Sixers dominated this game for 3 quarters but took their foot off the gas in the 4^th. Embiid was his usual dominate self.
• If you have watched the Sixers and know our players, you would have known the game against the Blazers was a trap game. The Sixers weren’t focused! They were too busy looking ahead to their game against the Brooklyn Nets. Even without Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum, the Sixers just didn’t show any energy this game. They were blown out at home against a 9-man Blazers squad.
• The anticipated match-up with the Brooklyn Nets turned out to be a dud. With Kevin Durant out due to health and safety protocols and Kyrie Irving out with a sprained finger, it wasn’t the blockbuster we thought it would be. James Harden kept the Nets in the game matching Embiid’s first half numbers. Then the third quarter arrived, and Doc Rivers put Ben Simmons on James Harden. That took the wind out of the Nets’ sails. The Sixers went on to blow the Nets out with 7 players scoring in double figures.
• Joel Embiid is still the MVP front-runner in my opinion. He’s averaging 29.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 1.2 bpg. His PER (Player Efficiency Rating) is the highest in the league at 31.38. Just looking at how the team performs when he doesn’t play, you can see his value.
• It seems like Ben Simmons is turning the corner. His scoring average has been down all season, but it looks like he’s starting to be more aggressive. The first 3-4 weeks of the season, he just wasn’t attacking the rim. Looks like Doc has incorporated some wrinkles in the offense to make him feel more comfortable. He’s also such a difference maker on defense that his value can’t be determined just by his averages.
• TOBIAS HARRIS IS AN ALL-STAR #THATISALL
• Sixers need to make a move for another big that can shoot and play the PF position since Mike Scott has been out for weeks. Simmons and Harris have played way too many minutes while having Scott out.
• Seth Curry seemed to start to get back on track during Saturday’s game against the Nets. We all hope he continues to get his game back and heal from any lasting affects of his battle with COVID-19.

The 76ers start a 4- game west coast trip on 2/9 against the Sacramento Kings. This west coast trip could help define who the Sixers are on the road against some tough competition.