Paul George, Tyrese Maxey combine for 59 points to lead Sixers in upset of Cavaliers, end losing streak

The Sixers got 59 points between Paul George and Tyrese Maxey to pull off an upset win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and end a seven-game losing streak.

Here's what I saw.

Likes

- I will give the Sixers credit, they responded to the shit show transition defense they presented in Denver the other night. They genuinely tried even when they had no chance of catching up to Cleveland on the break. George got back and tried to pin a shot off the backboard at the last moment, but was ultimately whistled for a goal tend. Maxey got back and, I thought, held his ground quite nicely against Darius Garland. The officials whistled him for a shooting foul on what appeared to be a clean block by these eyes. The team made a concerted effort to book it back to the rim and use its athleticism to swat shots off the glass. It made for a far more acceptable display of basketball in the first half.

Dislikes

- Two things the Sixers are in no position to do: turn down isolation attacks against favorable switches and give up six-point possessions. And yet.

I can't speak to what was going through the minds of George and Maxey, but I cannot imagine what would inhibit the former from attacking Jarrett Allen in space and the latter from going at Georges Niang on a switch.

And while we're discussing a comedy of errors, I can understand an occasional heavy-footed contest that leads to a fouled shooter. I can understand picking up a flagrant foul for it because that's up to the interpretation of the game's judges. But, you can't let a three-shot foul and ball back escalate into a six-point possession. The Sixers rightfully got roasted for their effort in the loss to the Nuggets. Show everyone you care by taking pride in the little things. That means fighting through screens and communicating on staggers. Instead, Sam Merrill got an easy six points. If you want your actions to speak as loudly as your words do, you can't just say you still believe in this season and then overlook the little things that go into getting stops.

- We talked about transition defense in the 'Likes' section, and we're going to talk about transition offense here. It is insane that this team refuses to act on transition opportunities. Maxey, of all players, is often the biggest offender in slowing possessions down. The Sixers should be sprinting every time they force a live turnover or rebound a miss and see an unset defense standing between them and their basket. It's a waste of intangible gifts that Maxey does not turn on the jets every time he sees a numbers advantage in transition. This team needs to treat easy scores like a precious currency.

- Eric Gordon being absolutely necessary on offense right now is an insanely significant thorn in the Sixers' side because many of their halfcourt defensive problems start with him. He is not capable of staying in front of really anyone, and Ty Jerome took complete advantage. He destroyed Gordon at the point of attack, getting into the paint and wrecking havoc on the Sixers' defense. Philadelphia was in rotation constantly when Jerome was on the court. He wasn't just a problem on the initial attack, either. Jerome kept relocating for catch-and-shoot threes off of his own drives. He was a monumental difference-maker in a game in which the league's best offense got virtually nothing out of anyone else not named Garland or Donovan Mitchell.

Spare thoughts

- It kind of fell by the wayside because there were no monumental blown calls, but this was one of the most unevenly officiated games the Sixers have had all season. The Cavaliers practically got away with assault throughout this game and received a far softer whistle on their end of the floor.

The Sixers (16-27) will visit the Chicago Bulls (19-26) on Saturday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m., Eastern time. You can watch the game on NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Want more Philadelphia 76ers news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for THE Philly Sports Newsletter here. 100% free, always.