Sixers’ offense cools all the way off in clunky loss vs. Kings to close brutal road trip

Well, at least they got the one out there.

The Sixers fell 108-96 to the Sacramento Kings Monday night, ending their West Coast trip with a 1-3 record. Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 29 points, but only took five shots after the first quarter.

Tobias Harris had another rough night, finishing with 12 points on 5-of-15 shooting and going 0-of-2 from three.

Keegan Murray and De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 23 points apiece, while Domantas Sabonis had 11 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. A Ben Simmons triple-double, if you will.

Kelly Oubre Jr. was out tonight due to left shoulder soreness.

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

• Mo Bamba’s start wasn’t as smooth as yesterday. Sabonis was able to get him off his feet and draw a foul in the opening minutes. He then got called for a loose ball foul trying to get an offensive rebound moments later, prompting a very early check-in for Paul Reed.
• It was an odd start for Philly, as it took eight and a half minutes for someone other than Maxey to score a point. Maxey himself was putting on a show, scoring 21 points in the opening quarter thanks to a number of step-back threes. His start was hot enough to keep pace with the Kings all by himself.

• KJ Martin may have gotten a little too comfortable with his jump passes on the short roll. He almost traveled when he decided to change his mind. He also racked up three fouls in six minutes of play, leading to some real minutes for Ricky Council IV.
• Slightly overshadowed by Maxey, but Keegan Murray had quite the first quarter for Sacramento. He shot 6-of-8, going for 17 points in the frame as the Kings got out to a six-point lead.

Second Quarter

• It was good to see Maxey back in his usual substitution pattern, and it was good to see that unit hold its own with him on the bench. Bamba dealt better with Alex Len, getting to the line three times during this stretch.
• They were able to chip into the lead in spite of a pretty shaky start from Harris. He shot 2-of-9 for only six points in the half, not to mention getting called for a travel and multiple offensive fouls.
• Doubling Maxey at halfcourt, the Kings dared anyone else to score and it was a worthwhile strategy. The Sixers were held to only two baskets for a five-minute stretch of the quarter. The rest of the team shot 29.6% from the field in the half as they trailed by 12 points at the half.

Third Quarter

• Thanks to a couple more foul calls and another review, the second half was off to a very lethargic start. The Sixers played very sloppy ball, with an airball and a few careless turnovers. Harris even missed a wide open alley oop set up by Maxey.
• Things only got worse before they got any better. The Sixers’ scoreless streak in this quarter lasted nearly four and a half minutes. Even when something good happened like this block from Martin, the Kings ended up finishing the play.

• With just about every big available in foul trouble, Nick Nurse opted to give their latest 10-day signee D.J. Wilson a shot late in the quarter. He checked in and knocked down a pair of three-pointers. Even with that shot in the arm, the Sixers still trailed by 15 at the end of three.

Fourth Quarter

• In desperate need of a quick run to get them back into the game, the Sixers missed their first seven shots of the quarter. The Kings pushed their lead to 20, though Nurse did not wave the white flag.
• Wilson and Council continued to give the Sixers good energy, but nothing nearly substantial enough to mount a comeback. Council had a few drives to the baskets that earned him trips to the line. He made a nice read to find Wilson in the dunker spot as well. Both of them finished with 10 points, but the game was well in hand by then. Philly finally pulled their starters at the 4:07 mark.
• In case the night wasn’t bad enough, Buddy Hield appeared to suffer some sort of leg injury towards the end of the game. He limped back to the locker room at the 2:27 mark. Hield was having another off night until that point, with seven points on 3-of-9 shooting while going 0-of-6 from three.
• The Sixers will head back home to take on an old friend for the second time this week. They'll face James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET. on ESPN.