After taking a 13 point lead against the Cavs on the road in the 4th quarter Thursday night, you could see the Sixers set up for failure. With the memory of ‘06 Dwayne Wade killing Philly still seared in our brains from a few nights ago, the fear of the young Sixers core blowing another late lead was ever present. Lebron, with the rumors he would be ditching Cleveland for Philadelphia come July swirling, we all got that feeling we were about to shatter our hearts. It was the game the Sixers always lose. Until they didn’t.
In what was my favorite Sixers game since Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals, we turned off the TV that night saying, “The Process paid off. It worked”.
It wasn’t just that the Sixers won the game it was HOW. Up one with the game on the line, Dario cans a three in front of the home bench and taunts them. Sun tan Dario is an absolute savage. Then to cap it, Joel Embiid hits the fadeaway, turnaround jumper as the double team bears down. If you as a team had to narrow your pitch to Lebron down to one play, for the Sixers, it would be that play. On top of the late game heroics, it may have been Ben’s best, most aggressive game of the season. Couple that with JJ’s redemption game after missing a $23 million dollar shot two nights before, and you saw a team that could win a playoff series against anyone in the East.
Less than 24 hours later, the squad was right back at it in a classic trap situation. The 76ers, playing their 5th game in 7 nights and the second night in a row, expectedly came out flat. They had a big game hangover, coupled with fatigue and a late arriving crowd due to a “bomb cyclone” storm (unrelated, but who comes up with that?). During the broadcast, they mentioned on multiple occasions that people in Charlotte were calling this the biggest game of the Hornets season. The Kemba Walker led Hornets playing like it’s a playoff against a mentally and physically drained Sixers team. It was the game the Sixers and really any team always loses. Until they didn’t. Again.
With the solidified bench (*Ersan right back like he never left) and a growing confidence, the Sixers have put it all together at the perfect time. The added depth gives them a multitude of scoring options and more stability when Simmons and especially Embiid are on the bench.
Beyond that, you can just tell this team believes now. In what was a playoff atmosphere at Wells Fargo Center Friday night, Robert Covington put the clamps on Kemba late in the game. Embiid, who had a tough first half, asserted his dominance coming out of the locker room in the 3rd quarter. The more they grow together, the more powerful moments like this will happen.
As we come around the stretch on the NBA regular season, I have taken a similar approach to Sixers basketball as I did the Eagles: enjoy the moment. As this young Sixers team finds its way, realize they are in a similar special bubble that the Eagles were without lofty expectations but give you a special sense of joy while you watch them play. Right now, I can’t get enough.
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