Paul George, Sixers describes locker room after loss to Nuggets

DENVER — The Philadelphia 76ers suffered a 144-109 blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday as their losing streak reached seven games. The Sixers trailed by as many as 35, allowing Denver to score 68 points in the paint and 37 fast break points. The Nuggets shot 61.2% from the floor and 16-for-31 from deep.

It was a surprising effort for a team that welcomed back Paul George, Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele to the lineup and a team that made big efforts in Indiana and Milwaukee to start this trip. The Sixers were just never in the game and the Nuggets got what they wanted.

After the loss, the media in Denver — which has its press conference room right next to the Sixers’ locker room at the Ball Arena — overheard some intense conversations from the players as it appeared that frustration has begun to boil over.

“It was intense, but it was justified,” George said of the locker room after the loss. “It’s not like we have to come out and perform whether they shot the ball well or not. It’s up to us. We have to take ownership of it, but again, you know, we have to respond.”

It’s been a rough season for the Sixers. They are now 15-27 on the season while dealing with a number of injuries and not knowing who will play on a nightly basis. It’s been tough for everyone involved and the atmosphere in the dressing room and the team can be hard to gauge as they try to move on from this.

“I mean, you hate to be at the end of those kinds of games where it’s blowouts,” George added. “It’s unacceptable. We know that, but all we can do is take this as a lesson and look forward to responding when we get back home.”

The Sixers entered the season with title expectations with the additions of George along with a number of veterans who can produce at a high level. When the team isn’t producing at a level they expect, there will be moments like what happened in the locker room on Tuesday.

“I describe it as a group of people who want to win,” Tyrese Maxey added. “I mean, it’s definitely hard to win this league. It’s hard not to be healthy. It’s hard not to have all your guys. It’s hard not to have your best player — it’s hard, man. It’s hard it’s already hard to win with all those guys it makes it extremely hard when guys are out guys missing and then guys come back it makes it extremely hard.

Regardless of how well the Nuggets shot the ball or whatever the case may be, the effort on Tuesday was unacceptable. There is one thing the Sixers can control despite the injuries, and that is their effort level. That wasn’t there in this one and it really cost them.

“So, and it’s just frustration, but at the end of the day coach (Nick) Nurse said something that was extremely accurate as far as, man, we’re all professionals in here,” Maxey added. “You can do the basics. You can do the things like be on time and be present and go out there and do the basics, you know what I’m saying? So he believes in everybody in here and that’s the coach you want to have your side.”

It doesn’t get any easier for this team as the Sixers return home to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Paul George, Sixers describes locker room after loss to Nuggets