Magic 111, Sixers 106: Joel Embiid has career first but Sixers lose in Jimmy Butler's debut

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This isn't the debut the Sixers wanted for Jimmy Butler.

The Sixers had a huge third quarter only to allow a 21-0 run in the fourth in a 111-106 loss to the Magic in Orlando Wednesday.

Here are observations from the brutal loss.

You can find Butler-only observations here. 

• Butler flashed a few of the reasons why Elton Brand acquired him. He made shots from the mid-range, moved well without the ball and played excellent defense. He finished with 14 points (6 of 11) in 33 minutes.

We’ll have more on Butler’s debut shortly but here's his first bucket, which came off a great cut and two-man game with Embiid.

• Joel Embiid was cooking early. He was his usual dominant self in the first half and had his best overall game of the season, recording his first career triple-double with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists. He did so while only turning the ball over twice. He's doing an oustanding job of understanding defenses and double teams and it's made him even more dangerous.

He had a rough second half scoring wise, going 1 of 10 with just three points, but it appears that even with Butler, Embiid will be a serious MVP candidate. 

• It looks like Redick has shaken off his early-season shooting slump. With the Magic coming out hot early, Redick played a big part in keeping the Sixers in the game in the first half. The two-man game with Embiid and Redick is lethal.

He also took this ridiculous three to get the Sixers a 2-for-1 at the end of the third ... and he let the Sixers' bench know.

He finished with 22 points on 8 of 13 from the field and 4 of 7 from three. He made a three that would've tied the game with under ten seconds left but he stepped out of bounds before making the shot.

• You have to give Fultz a ton of credit. After he threw up the oddest free throw maybe ever on Monday night in Miami, he came back and made a confident mid-range jumper on his first look of the game.

Though he was taken out of the starting lineup, he still got 21 minutes and had eight points on 4 of 6 from the field.

• Wilson Chandler started at the four and made his presence felt. This is the most spry the 31-year-old combo forward has looked this season after starting the season on the shelf with a hamstring injury.

He had 14 points.

• Ben Simmons had one of his quietest games of the season. He finished with just nine points, six assists and three rebounds. He did make two huge free throws late in the fourth quarter.

• Former Sixer Nikola Vucevic continues to haunt his old team. He finished with 30 points.

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