The Philadelphia 76ers knew the importance of Christmas Day. Playing on Christmas means you’re considered one of the best teams in the league so it’s a privilege to play on the holiday. The Sixers did not waste this opportunity to show the world what they can do.
They led by as many as 29 on their way to a relatively easy 121-109 win over the Milwaukee Bucks as they made a statement in their own way. Considering the importance of playing on Christmas, their opponent, and the way they played, some would argue that it was their best performance of the season.
“For sure,” said Joel Embiid. “Obviously you’re playing the best in the league so we came out and showed that through our ups and downs we’re right there. We still got a long way to go, but we’re right there and we’re going to keep on getting better.”
Joel Embiid on if this was the best game this team has played this season #Sixers pic.twitter.com/ZlDXNvGM8k
— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) December 25, 2019
Embiid and Ben Simmons, the two All-Star leaders of the team had themselves big performances as Embiid had 31 points and 11 rebounds and Simmons had 15 points, 14 assists, and seven rebounds in the win. On top of his gaudy stat line, Embiid led a terrific defensive effort against a good offensive squad.
“It’s Christmas,” said Simmons. “I think it set the tone for us. We know what level we can compete at, we can compete with the best. We just have to set the tone every game no matter who we play.”
A game such as this one shows off what kind of leaders Embiid and Simmons are and how much they really impact the Sixers as a whole.
“It says a lot about our group, especially Joel and his stamp on the game,” said Al Horford. “His ability to go out there and dominate and Ben also being able to go out there and dominate out there, both of them setting that tone for the rest of our group. They were unbelievable tonight, both of them.”
The challenge now is to avoid a letdown on Friday when they hit the road and face the Orlando Magic. [lawrence-related id=22128,22119,22105]