The Philadelphia 76ers hit the road on Monday to take on the Phoenix Suns and begin a 3-game road trip on the West Coast. Following two losses at home, the Sixers needed to band together to get back on track on the road against a tough Suns team.

Philadelphia put up a valiant effort on Monday. The Suns have been one of the best teams in the league to begin the season, but the Sixers--who were still missing Joel Embiid--put up a fight as they were able to have Paul George on the floor for his debut. George had 15 points and five rebounds, but the Suns were victorious 118-116 thanks to the heroics of Kevin Durant who had 35 for Phoenix.

Tyrese Maxey had 32 points, Kyle Lowry had 13 and seven assists, Kelly Oubre Jr. had 11 points, and Eric Gordon added 10 off the bench. Guerschon Yabusele added a career-high 19 points as well.

Here are the player grades following the loss:

Tyrese Maxey: A

With less attention paid to him thanks to the presence of George, the rising star was able to have more space to operate on the offensive end. It was also helpful that he was able to play off the ball and come off screens. While Maxey is, obviously, great with the ball in his hands, it helps the offense when he is able to come off screens and step into his shots. His shot-making in this one was impressive and encouraging as Philadelphia now moves forward. His work in the second half was paramount for keeping the Sixers in the game and giving them a chance down the stretch.

Kelly Oubre Jr.: B-minus

It was a struggle for Oubre from deep as he was unable to find it from beyond the arc, but he was able to get into the paint and create looks for himself. He also got himself some early free throws to get the scoreboard moving for Philadelphia. He made some big plays in the fourth quarter to help the Sixers gain some separation in this one. On the flip side, he had a tough stretch in the fourth with some fouls that allowed Phoenix to get back in the game.

Paul George: B

In his first run as a Sixer, George was a bit out of rhythm as he missed his first five shot attempts. He finally got a triple to fall in the second quarter to get his first official basket as a Sixer. After that, George looked much more comfortable. He was a bit bouncy as he scored off the dribble when Phoenix went underneath screens and he was able to get to the basket as well. Overall, the PG8 was a solid start. He didn’t shoot the ball efficiently, but he made big plays and got to the free-throw line with regularity. He had a slew of turnovers, but that's to be expected when considering the newness of everything.

Caleb Martin: C-plus

If there has been one criticism of Martin’s game to begin the season, it has been a lack of efficiency. The versatile forward was unable to connect on two good looks on triples and wasn’t able to make the same impact either defensively or in the hustle stat department. That is until the fourth quarter when he got his hands in the passing lanes and made some important plays with the game on the line.

Andre Drummond: C-minus

The big man had a tough time on the defensive end of the floor. Drummond struggled to protect the rim in this one and he had a handful of turnovers that allowed the Suns to go the other way. He did have some nice moments in terms of finishing at the basket, but there were issues that hurt the Sixers in this one.

Kyle Lowry: A

Moving back to a bench role, Lowry provided some instant offense by getting to the basket and converting on a floater, and then knocking down a triple to combat the hot start by the Suns. He turned the game in Philadelphia’s favor with his energy and the production he brought to the floor. Overall, the offensive production the Sixers received from Lowry in this one was fantastic and they needed all of it. He really set the tone for the bench unit.

Eric Gordon: B-plus

In his return to Phoenix after playing for the Suns for one season, Gordon came out firing. The veteran was terrific on the offensive end of the floor. He was efficient with his shooting touch and showed off his quickness in terms of getting to the rim and finishing. He had a very nice night overall and appears to have found a groove from deep and found his niche on the offensive end.

Guerschon Yabusele: A

Much like Lowry, the big man hopped off the bench and knocked down a couple of triples right away. It’s a good sign to see Yabusele knock down these open looks as it has been a bit up and down for him to begin the season. The Suns are a good matchup for the burly big man as they don’t have many bigs who can defend him on the perimeter. His shooting in this one was fantastic and a was a huge reason why the Sixers had a chance.

Jared McCain: Incomplete

The rookie just has a confidence in himself that is unmatched. He just has an understanding of where to be on the floor and has a smooth offensive game. There is a lot of potential in his game and he is continuing to show it. He only played three minutes in this one.

KJ Martin: Incomplete

The initial run for Martin didn’t produce much. He did play hard in his 2-minute stint, but wasn’t able to produce anything. He didn’t play after his initial stint.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Player grades: Paul George makes debut, but Sixers fall to Suns