What's better than watching the Sixers play a lottery team on a random night in January? Absolutely nothing! Don't you just love watching the Sixers turn the ball over 100 times (felt like it was that much) but still come out with a blowout win 147-116. Sixers now on a 2 game winning streak, both against the Pistons...Another big winning streak coming soon? let's hope. Fun fact of the night...This is the Sixers first game with a fully healthy lineup since mid October.
Here are my immediate reactions from tonight's game:
First Quarter
• Seems that Tobias Harris is starting to be consistent again. He started off HOT tonight with the first 7 points for the Sixers. Consistency has been a bit of a problem with Harris in the last few weeks.
• I also took note that the ball movement was really good in the first quarter (before the million turnovers came).
Second Quarter
• I was very pleased with the entry passes, especially in this quarter. It led to many open baskets and a few fouls by the Pistons. Imagine if we could throw entry passes like that every night.
• It confused me how the Sixers could commit so many turnovers yet be up by 20+ points, but then I remembered that we're playing against the Detroit Pistons.
• I could make a whole list of mistakes and then say "How are we up by so many points...Oh wait we're playing against the Detroit Pistons". That joke would get old pretty quickly.
• Harden and Joel Embiid never fail to amaze me. Their pick and roll is just unstoppable at this point. James harden with an almost triple double at halftime with 11 PTS / 8 REB / 9 AST.
Third Quarter
• It's always fun to see that minute spurt where Tyrese Maxey goes insane. He had one of those tonight with back to back and ones. It's really nice to see him back in the starting lineup after the long injury recovery.
• Sixers had a beautiful highlight that included perfect ball movement into a wide open 3 pointer for De'Anthony Melton that he of course, drained. I felt that besides the ugly turnovers, the ball movement was really good.
• Matisse Thybulle continues to show why he should be getting more minutes. The defense is always going to be great, but it's the way he continues to improve on the offensive end on a nightly basis.
Fourth Quarter
• Everyone's favorite part of a blowout. Watch your favorite bench players go at it. My bench player of the night: Jaden Springer.
Key Takeaways
• Maxey seems to be getting back in his groove, he finished with 16 points, but had some great jump shots and beautiful finishes at the rim.
• The Sixers absolutely have to take care of the turnovers. Good teams will take advantage of you and you will find yourself down double digit points. You cannot finish with 15+ turnovers.
• Another James Harden triple double (almost had it in the first half AGAIN). Him and Joel Embiid seem to fit like peanut butter & jelly. The pick and roll is near perfect at this point (except for a few wide open misses from Embiid), but other then that. There is nothing to complain about tonight with those two.
• Please someone explain why Joel Embiid isn't top 3 in MVP voting because I seriously don't get it. Another dominant performance. He finished the night with a 36 point double-double on 23(!!) minutes.
• Matisse Thybulle wasn't faking the good performances...He's actually playing some of his best ball this season. Even his offense doesn't look so bad because of the looks he has been getting. You're obviously going to get your dumb foul here and there from Thybulle, but I have loved what I am seeing from him.
• What did they put in Jaden Springer's gatorade tonight? He was fully tuned in and showed exactly that. Although he didn't show off his jump shot much. He definitely showed people he can play defense and finish the ball at a high level.
Starting Lineup Numbers:
James Harden: 16 PTS / 12 REB / 15 AST -
6/7 FG 2/3 3PT
Tyrese Maxey: 16 PTS / 1 REB / 2 AST -
6/11 FG 1/4 3PT
Tobias Harris: 14 PTS / 6 REB / 3 AST -
6/6 FG 2/2 3PT
P.J. Tucker: 6 PTS / 8 REB / 1 AST -
2/7 FG 2/5 3PT
Joel Embiid: 36 PTS / 11 REB / 1 AST -
12/20 FG 1/3 3PT