Inside Sixers: Adem Bona’s opportunity, a Caitlin Clark sighting, and more from a disappointing road trip

DENVER — Tyrese Maxey sat at the corner locker inside Ball Arena, again fielding questions about the mental drain of this shockingly bad 76ers season, and that night’s slew of defensive breakdowns, and his team’s seventh consecutive defeat.

“I absolutely hate losing,” said Maxey, after finishing with 28 points and 10 assists in the Sixers’ 144-109 defeat. “I don’t think that’s a secret. I think y’all have seen me over the years — I really don’t like losing. But I think my challenge is, right now, just to keep everybody positive, keep everybody together, and keep everybody coming in and doing their job.”

A challenge, indeed. Following an 0-3 road trip that took them past the regular season’s midway point — capped by an absolutely dreadful performance in Denver that prompted some postgame screams inside that visitors’ locker room — the shorthanded Sixers are tumbling into Friday’s matchup against the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

» READ MORE: Sixers leave Denver still searching for answers after postgame shouting in the locker room

Outside questions have begun to swirl about if a season that began with championship aspirations should flip into a more purposeful tankathon, to try to hang onto their top-six protected draft pick. Or if the injury-plagued Joel Embiid, who has not played since Jan. 4 because of a sprained foot and knee swelling, should be shut down after playing in only 13 of the Sixers’ first 42 games. Though there is no indication that the organization has internally reached such drastic conclusions, their strategy at the Feb. 6 trade deadline and heading into the All-Star break could provide some clues.

In the meantime, here are four extra nuggets from this disappointing road trip.

As Adem Bona came off the floor for a timeout early in last Saturday’s matchup at the Indiana Pacers, injured big man Guerschon Yabusele tapped Bona’s chest. At the same time, veteran point guard (and also injured) Kyle Lowry began passionately speaking to the rookie.

Their advice: Hold screens longer. Bona immediately applied the suggestion, helping spring himself and teammates for good looks. Out of that timeout, Bona pulled down a rebound and hit a little turnaround shot.

“That was great advice from the vets,” he said after game on Jan. 18. “That actually feels good, and to be able to make the adjustment on the fly.”

That helped ignite a mostly encouraging run for Bona during this challenging stretch of games, while the Sixers’ frontcourt missed Embiid, Yabusele, and/or Andre Drummond for at least one game.

Bona finished that night against the Pacers 5-of-5 from the field, including three rim-rocking dunks that pushed those teammates on the bench to their feet. He made his first NBA start the following night at the Milwaukee Bucks, drawing the primary defensive assignment on two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo. Then on Tuesday, Bona was in the rotation against Nuggets three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who recorded his NBA-leading 19th triple-double in 30 minutes.

Consider those the latest lessons in a debut NBA season full of them. Bona said he has emphasized the importance of attention to detail, such as when exactly to run toward the rim for a rebound, precisely where to be in the “dunker” spot under the basket, and when to head toward the corner to space the floor.

Nick Nurse, meanwhile, has reminded Bona of how hard he must play every possession, because NBA big men “are notorious for being physical, and you got to be able to handle that and play through it at both ends.” Yet the coach was pleased with Bona’s late cuts to the basket against the Pacers, along with his ability to read extra defenders and either take the ball for a flush or kick it out to open shooters. And when Bona was the anchor of the Sixers’ defensive scheme designed around Antetokounmpo, Nurse said the rookie mostly “was doing the right thing.”

» READ MORE: Sixers ‘in survival mode’ as they near the midway point of a disastrous, injury-riddled season

“Nothing surprised me, because I watched him a lot,” Bona said of going up against Antetokounmpo. “But I knew he was super physical. He uses his length. … He’s strong.”

Bona’s increased role, however, did not eliminate his customary rookie duties. While speaking to the media from his locker Sunday, Drummond plopped a backpack down next to his chair. Bona carried it out with his own belongings.

Reggie Jackson was surprised when he looked up inside Denver’s Ball Arena Tuesday night, and realized the Nuggets were running a tribute video for him.

Jackson was part of Denver’s 2023 NBA title team, as a late addition off the buyout market. The veteran guard also spent last season with the Nuggets, averaging 10.2 points and 3.8 assists while playing in all 82 regular-season games with 23 starts.

Perhaps more important to Jackson, his reputation as a great locker-room presence was prevalent throughout his return on Tuesday. The arena security team asked about him as this reporter came through the loading dock. During the pregame open locker room period, the Nuggets’ chaplain popped in to say hello to Jackson.

“Honestly, I was just thankful,” Jackson said after the game. “Very appreciative. I feel like my time meant something while I was here, even though it was only a short stint. [You] hope you can impact some people.

“It was just really cool. First-class organization. … You want to be remembered as a great person.”

Jackson is already one of the more personable players in a Sixers locker room full of veterans. But on the court, he is off to a much rougher start with his new team. He has only played in 24 games, and, before Tuesday, he did not see action in three consecutive contests even though the roster was shorthanded.

Jackson scored two points in 10 minutes against his former team, an outing Nurse called “OK.”

“Just changing it up,” Nurse said when asked why he went with Jackson over Jeff Dowtin Jr., who had been playing that backup point guard role recently. “Thought maybe Reggie could give us a little bit of leadership out there, and spark us into something.”

A few hours before television cameras found Caitlin Clark in a suite with Taylor Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff game against the Houston Texans, the WNBA megastar was going through a workout on the Indiana Fever’s practice court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Sixers (and this reporter) can provide firsthand confirmation, as she was leaving the court while the Sixers walked in to use the facility for their morning shootaround. Clark and Nurse, who also hails from Iowa but had never met Clark, shared a quick greeting. Nurse also visited with new Fever coach Stephanie White, with whom he hopes to stay in touch.

The following day, Nurse joked that he, Clark, and Bucks guard AJ Green are the “three best shooters in the history of Iowa.”

A 6 p.m. local tipoff in Milwaukee last Sunday meant most Sixers arrived at Fiserv Forum for their pregame responsibilities during the second half of the Eagles-Rams playoff game.

Naturally, the game was on in the locker room during the period open to the media. Also naturally, Lowry, a Philly native and Birds devotee, was the most locked in on the action. He hollered, “Now we can celebrate!” when Saquon Barkley broke off his 78-yard touchdown run to put the Eagles up, 28-15, with less than five minutes to play.

» READ MORE: Eagles’ Saquon Barkley screaming and sprinting in a winter wonderland and into the history book is a sight to see

But Lowry initially spoke too soon, as the Rams scored with 2:48 remaining to get within 28-22 — and were driving with the chance to win. The locker-room television feed briefly cut out, forcing Lowry to begin streaming on a cell phone. Teammates such as Maxey and Justin Edwards, along with assistant coach Bryan Gates, filtered in during crunch time. Yabusele, who hails from France and did not grow up around American football, asked what happens when a player is called for a false start penalty.

Then, Lowry yelled “sack!” when Jalen Carter brought Matthew Stafford to the turf on third-and-2, and threw his hands in the air when Stafford’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete. Lowry FaceTimed his son, saying, “Oh, my chest” and “My heart beating.”

The good news for Lowry: The Sixers are off this Sunday, when the Eagles play the Washington Commanders, which are owned by Sixers managing partner Josh Harris, for a trip to the Super Bowl.