Player grades: Sixers fall short to Knicks in Game 3, face elimination

VJ Edgecombe: B-minus

When Edgecombe was able to get out in transition, it was a big advantage for him. He is so fast and is able to outrun opponents, which allowed him to get two highlight alley-oop slams for some offense early. He was also tough on the defensive end as he made life tougher for Brunson than in the previous two games to begin this series. He was helpful on the glass and made plays with his passing in this one as he found ways to be impactful.

Paul George: C

The 9-time All-Star continues to shoot the ball well. The Knicks sent a lot of attention toward George and he was still knocking down shots at a high rate. He was drilling step back 3s in the early going as he found a rhythm early to get the scoreboard moving for Philadelphia. After the fast start, it was a struggle for sure, but he was helpful on the defensive end as he set the tone a lot for the Sixers on that end of the floor.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: B-plus

Off the opening tip, Oubre got himself an easy layup and then got to the line for some early offense. However, there were some struggles after that. He missed an opportunity in the paint with Brunson on him and then had his shot rejected by Mitchell Robinson at the rim before challenging Robinson again on a miss. To his credit, he battled on the defensive end and continued to get to the foul line to contribute on offense. The free throws then seemed to get him going as he found a real rhythm on the offensive end. He was moving well without the ball and was able to knock down some much-needed 3s. The Knicks clearly were trying to make Oubre beat them and he made some big shots for Philadelphia.

Joel Embiid: B-minus

It was a tough start for Embiid in this one on the offensive end. He missed some bunnies that he normally makes, but he was able to make up for it by making plays with his passing and getting his teammates involved to get the offense into rhythm. He also played some lockdown defense on Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns at the start. As the game wore on, he just looked like he wasn’t moving well as the Knicks found success at the basket with him in the game. He was terrific as a passer, and had some moments both on offense and defense, but overall, not the greatest game for the big fella.

Quentin Grimes: C

It was a tough start for Grimes as he missed two opportunities—including, an open 3—and he had some defensive miscues. He gave a lot of energy, but the Sixers needed more offense from him in this one. He provided it in the fourth when he hit two huge triples to give Philadelphia its first bench points of the night.

Dominick Barlow: C-minus

After some positive signs in Game 2, the Sixers turned to Barlow early. He gave Philadelphia some energy, but he picked up two quick fouls in four minutes. He got himself a dunk in transition in the second half to help the Sixers get back into this one.

Andre Drummond: C

The initial stint for Drummond was solid. He provided a physical presence in the paint against Towns and Robinson, which was a big help, and was in the right spots defensively. As far as his offense goes, he airballed a corner 3-pointer opportunity as the Knicks made their run. He didn’t play in the second half despite being a plus-3 in his four minutes.

Adem Bona: F

The Sixers turned to Bona and those minutes were tough. The Knicks outscored Philadelphia by eight points in those two minutes and the Sixers had to take him out to insert Embiid back in the game.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Sixers fall short to Knicks in Game 3, face elimination