Tag: Sixers

Josh Richardson out for remainder of Kings game with hamstring tightness

Sixers guard Josh Richardson did not start the second half Wednesday night and the team subsequently announced he would not return.

The Philadelphia 76ers find themselves locked in a tight contest with the Sacramento Kings Wednesday night at Wells Fargo Center, and they will now be trying to secure the victory and preserve their perfect record at home without one of their starters.

The team announced that guard Josh Richardson would not return to the game after suffering right hamstring tightness. You probably recall Richardson recently missed a pair of games with what was called right hip flexor tightness. It’s unclear if Wednesday’s ailment is a reappearance of that issue or is related in any way, but it’s worth noting that the latest issue is in the same area as the previous one.

Richardson did stay on the bench in uniform, so hopefully, this is more precautionary than anything else. We’ll have to wait for an update from the team after the game to gain some clarity on if the issues are related.

Furkan Korkmaz started the second half in Richardson’s place, and Matisse Thybulle has seen increased minutes in the third quarter as well.

 

Sixers recall Zhaire Smith, Jonah Bolden from Blue Coats

Zhaire Smith and Jonah Bolden will get some time with the Sixers as the Blue Coats have a lull in their schedule.

The Philadelphia 76ers will be joined by a pair of fresh, albeit familiar, faces on their trip to Toronto.

The team has recalled Zhaire Smith and Jonah Bolden from the Delaware Blue Coats, and that duo will travel with the team to Toronto for Monday night’s game against the Raptors, the Athletic’s Derek Bodner reports.

Smith, who is trying to bounce back from a difficult rookie season that was derailed by a foot injury and subsequent infection, struggled to carve out a spot in the rotation early in the season and was sent to Delaware where he could get consistent playing time and continue his development. Likewise, the additions of Al Horford and Kyle O’Quinn caused Bolden to see his already small role reduced further and was assigned to the Blue Coats.

As Bodner notes, the Blue Coats don’t have a game until Friday, so there is an opportunity to get Smith and Bolden some practice with the big club.

In addition to practicing with the Sixers, it will be interesting to see if either player gets any game minutes before returning to Delaware. That seems unlikely in a tough matchup with Toronto on Monday, but perhaps Wednesday against the Kings will produce an opportunity.

At the very least, it will be good for Smith and Bolden to get some time with the big club as they attempt to become regular contributors for the Sixers. [lawrence-related id=18783,18777,18005,19331]

 

Jimmy Butler on potential postseason matchup with Sixers: ‘I hope so’

The Sixers thumped Jimmy Butler and the Heat Saturday, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t like an opportunity to play them in the playoffs.

Former Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Jimmy Butler made his return to Philadelphia Saturday night, where he was greeted with boos from the fans and a thorough beating from his former team.

The Sixers dismantled the Miami Heat, never trailing in a 113-86 win. Josh Richardson, who came to the Sixers in a move that helped facilitate Butler’s move to Miami, tormented his former team, torching the Heat with 32 points on 11-for-15 shooting. Miami trailed 28-13 after the first quarter and never threatened the Sixers.

For his part, Butler seemed unmoved by the night’s events despite posting a lackluster stat line of 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He was also a game worst -31. Still, Butler told reporters after the game that he didn’t hear the boos. He also was asked about a potential playoff matchup with the Sixers and Butler responded “I hope so.”

It’s not a particularly surprising answer from Butler. Naturally, he’s not going to put an excessive amount of weight on a November NBA game and as a competitor would love the opportunity to get revenge when the stakes are raised.

Still, it’s hard to believe the Heat don’t feel like they’ve seen enough of the Sixers for a while after what transpired Saturday night. At any rate, a playoff matchup between the teams would certainly be interesting. We’ll also get three more opportunities to see these teams play during the regular season, with the next coming on December 18. [lawrence-related id=19957,19949,19941,19933]

Josh Richardson torches former team as Sixers rout Heat

Led by Josh Richardson and Joel Embiid, the Sixers trounced the Heat Saturday night, spoiling Jimmy Butler’s return to Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia 76ers are heating up, winning their fourth-straight game Saturday night with a dominant 113-86 victory over the Miami Heat. They were led by Josh Richardson, who put on quite a show against his former team.

This one was over quickly, as the Sixers used a 24-4 run to open up a 25-point lead by the end of the first quarter. Philadelphia surrendered just 13 first-quarter points, setting a tone and never looking back.

By halftime, the margin had grown to 30, and at the end of the third quarter it stood at 37. Miami trimmed a few points off the final margin in garbage time, with the Sixers walking away with a 27-point win.

As we mentioned, Richardson was the star, ensuring that the Heat were never able to get back into the game. He finished with a season-high 32 points, connecting on 11-of-15 shots including 6-of-7 from beyond the arc. He added four assists, a rebound, and a steal in an absolutely sparkling performance. It certainly had to be tough to watch from a Heat perspective.

Richardson wasn’t alone in his excellent play. Joel Embiid put forth another double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. He added two assists, two steals, and two blocks.

Tobias Harris continued his strong play, contributing 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting with eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Al Horford added 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists while connecting on 7-of-9 field goals.

Ben Simmons was quiet offensively, scoring just four points. But he added eight rebounds and seven assists and he continued to be huge on the defensive end, swiping four steals.

It was a wonderful all-around performance from the Sixers. They shot 50.6% from the field and 48.3% from beyond the arc. They won the rebounding battle 44-38, dished out 28 assists, and had 11 steals. Meanwhile, they held Miami to 40% shooting and just 25% from deep.

On Saturday night the Sixers looked like we expected them to look coming into the season. The result was a pleasure to watch and earned them a resounding victory over a tough Heat team that was actually ahead of the Sixers in the standings.

The Sixers improved to 11-5 on the season and remained perfect at home, where they are now 7-0. The team will look to continue its impressive play on Monday when it gets another stiff test in the form of the Toronto Raptors. That game is scheduled for 7:30 PM from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. [lawrence-related id=19933]

 

Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris lead balanced effort in win over Spurs

Led by Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons, the Sixers handled business against the Spurs Friday night.

The Philadelphia 76ers earned their third straight win with a 115-104 win over the San Antonio Spurs Friday night.

The Sixers established a seven-point advantage at the end of the first quarter and were able to hold off the Spurs the rest of the way. The lead remained at seven at both halftime and at the conclusion of the third quarter, and San Antonio got within a possession several times. But the Sixers never relented, taking control down the stretch and building the lead as high as 13 late in the fourth before taking the 11-point win.

It was a wonderfully balanced effort from the Sixers as all five starters reached double figures, as did James Ennis III off the bench. Tobias Harris was the star Friday night, while Ben Simmons did an excellent job making the Sixers go despite having a tough night shooting the ball.

Harris finished with a team-high 26 points, shooting 10-for-16 from the field and 3-5 from beyond the arc. He added six rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal. He displayed a nice all-around offensive game, scoring from all three levels. It was the kind of performance the Sixers and their fans have been wanting to see from Harris.

As mentioned, Simmons struggled from the field, shooting just 3-for-10 and scoring 10 points. But he finished with a triple-double, adding 13 assist and 10 rebounds. His distribution was a big factor in the win.

Joel Embiid and Al Horford made an impact as well. Embiid finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block. He was 9-for-13 from the field. Horford had an excellent game as well with 18 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.

Despite struggling in a starting role on Wednesday, Furkan Korkmaz was again awarded the start in Josh Richardson’s absence and responded nicely with 17 points, four rebounds, and two steals. He shot 4-for-7 from deep.

It was a quiet night for the bench, but Ennis III had 13 points. Trey Burke struggled, shooting just 2-for-9, but he made a couple nice plays while contributing four points and two assists.

The Sixers were dominant on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 51-32 while pulling down 13 offensive rebounds. They had 32 assists on 46 made baskets (and moving to 5-0 when they have 30+ assists). The shooting was also good, with the Sixers connecting on 51.7% from the floor and 38.5% from deep.

All-in-all it was a solid performance and the Sixers took care of business in a game they were expected to win. They improved to 10-5 on the season and a perfect 6-0 at home. It will be a quick turnaround for the team, as it hosts old friend Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat Saturday night. That game is scheduled for a 7:30 PM tip.

Sixers using newfound stability to facilitate chemistry

With a truly stable roster for the first time in years, the new-look Sixers are looking to build championship-caliber chemistry.

The Philadelphia 76ers have gone through years of upheaval. From the losing and constant player movement of the process years to a roster that was revamped in-season last year as Elton Brand pushed the accelerator on the team’s push to contention, nothing has stayed the same for very long in the Sixers’ world.

Now, that has changed. The team has settled on the core roster construction it hopes will take it to the promised land, and every member of that core is under contract for the foreseeable future. And now, finally, the team has the opportunity to build the type of chemistry that can make the difference when teams find themselves in difficult circumstances like, for instance, tight playoff games/series.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe took a deep dive into the current state of the Sixers in which he shared some interesting tidbits regarding just how the team is going about building that chemistry.

Lowe notes the team celebration that occurred the night of Furkan Korkmaz’s game-winner against the Trail Blazers and how three nights later, in Utah, Ben Simmons joined Joel Embiid and some team staff to watch a Bulls-Lakers game in the hotel lounge. Simmons is noticing a difference. “The chemistry is much better. Guys are giving up their time to bond,” he told ESPN.

Lowe indicates that Al Horford and Tobias Harris have taken the lead in organizing team dinners, with Harris identifying the best steakhouse in each city they visit to please Embiid. Horford stresses the importance of such gatherings, and the team seems to be responding if you consider attendance a reliable indication.

Harris, meanwhile, has noticed a change in the reaction to losses, with the team taking on a much angrier mood in defeat. That, too, is a positive sign.

As the new-look Sixers try to find their way, a strong bond and getting to know each other off the court can only help that process along. On the court, there have been hiccups in this young season, and that will likely continue for a while longer. But news that the team is working to build camaraderie off the court, and finding success, is great news for the Sixers going forward and will only help to further serve the on-court goals.  [lawrence-related id=19822,19579]

 

Ben Simmons ‘looking forward’ to Olympics with Brett Brown

For now, it looks like Sixers star Ben Simmons will join his head coach in representing Australia in the Summer Olympics.

On Tuesday, news broke that Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown was named lead man of the Australian national team ahead of the 2020 Olympics. Perhaps not so coincidentally, Sixers star Ben Simmons is an Australian national, creating the chance for him to play under his NBA coach on the international level.

Following the news, we considered the fact that Simmons’ decision to participate in the Olympics or not may fuel speculation about his relationship with his head coach. Following Wednesday’s win over the New York Knicks, Simmons put much of that speculation to rest, at least for now. He told reporters that he was “excited” and “looking forward” to the opportunity. Simmons added that he and Brown “have a great relationship.”

Obviously, a lot can change between now and next summer, especially as the Sixers navigate a pressure-packed season in which they are shouldering lofty expectations. There also remains the possibility that Simmons could elect to forgo the summer games for reasons completely unrelated to his relationship with Brown, like health or rest considerations or a desire to focus his attention on his preparations for the NBA season, like he did last summer ahead of the FIBA World Cup.

At least for now, Simmons has emphatically put to rest any concerns over his relationship with Brown (not that there was any reason to believe it wasn’t good in the first place) and it appears there’s a good chance Simmons will suit up for Australia in Tokyo. [lawrence-related id=19548,19539]

Joel Embiid says he will play both games of back-to-back this weekend

Sixers’ big man Joel Embiid says he plans to play both games of this weekend’s back-to-back against the Spurs and Heat.

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Joel Embiid helped lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 109-104 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night with an impressive stat line of 23 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. As solid as his game was, it was something he said after the game that caught our attention.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Embiid indicated that he plans to play both ends of this weekend’s upcoming back-to-back. The Sixers are slated to host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday and old friend Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat on Saturday. Typically, the Sixers have targeted back-to-backs for Embiid’s load management program, so it would certainly be noteworthy if he were to play in both games.

It makes sense that Embiid would want to play against his former teammate in Butler and the Heat are currently ahead of the Sixers in the standings.

However, the team is entering a busy stretch, with seven games in the next 12 days, including another back-to-back the following weekend, so it’s somewhat curious that the Sixers wouldn’t want to get Embiid some rest.

For now, it appears we’ll be seeing the big man in both games this weekend. Whether that is prudent or not is up for debate, but it’s encouraging that the team is confident enough in his health to allow him to do so.

 

Ben Simmons leads Sixers past Knicks 109-104

The Sixers were able to pull out a win over the Knicks during an eventful night at Wells Fargo Center.

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Wednesday night’s game between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks was eventful, to say the least.

Ben Simmons provided a jolt of energy in the first quarter when he knocked down his first career 3-pointer. A disastrous third quarter almost doomed the Sixers, who saw a two-point lead turn into a 17-point deficit. And ultimately, the team was able to overcome that margin and earn a 109-104 win.

The first half was punctuated by the Simmons 3, but despite the electricity created from the moment, the Sixers weren’t able to distance themselves from the Knicks, taking just a two-point lead into the break.

Then the aforementioned third quarter happened. New York opened the half with a 15-0 run, establishing a 13-point advantage that would get as high as 17 with 4:15 left in the quarter. But the Sixers responded, going on a 14-2 spurt of their own to close the quarter, pulling within five.

The Sixers pulled even at 82 with 9:26 left in the game on a Joel Embiid dunk before a free throw from the big man put them ahead half a minute later. A Mike Scott 3 put the Sixers up for good with just under five minutes to go as they were able to keep the Knicks at arm’s length down the stretch.

Ben Simmons was fantastic, and not just because of the made 3. He finished with 18 points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds while committing just a single turnover. Just as importantly, it was Simmons who set the tone defensively to spark the comeback.

Before we get to the rest of the starters, we need to talk about the bench because they too played a huge role in the team’s turnaround. Mike Scott, James Ennis III, and Trey Burke all made a positive impact for the Sixers. Scott hit four incredibly important 3’s on the way to 12 points, adding four rebounds and a block. Burke and Ennis brought excellent energy and made some key plays as well. Burke finished with nine points, two assists, and a rebound while Ennis contributed 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a block. It’s fair to wonder if the Sixers are able to complete this comeback without the contributions from that trio.

Going back to the starters, Joel Embiid led all scorers with 23 points, adding 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks.

Tobias Harris chipped in 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

Al Horford struggled, shooting just 3-11 for seven points. He also had six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.

Furkan Korkmaz started in place of the injured Josh Richardson and struggled mightily, scoring two points and dishing one assist while missing all four of his 3-point attempts.

Matisse Thyblle chipped in seven points, two rebounds, two steals, and an assist while Shake Milton had six points and four rebounds.

The start of the third quarter was concerning, and the Sixers perimeter defense left something to be desired as the Knicks shot 52% from beyond the arc. However, it was great to see the Sixers respond and get the win. Adding to the positive, the Sixers committed just 10 turnovers and assisted on 30 of 39 made baskets.

Again, the Sixers will need to limit the kind of lapses we saw in the third quarter, but hopefully, the turnaround showed them the kind of energy they need to bring consistently and what they can be when they do so.

At the end of the day, a win is a win and the Sixers will certainly take this one. They are now 9-5 on the season and a perfect 5-0 at home. They’ll put that record on the line Friday when they host the San Antonio Spurs.

Sixers rookie Marial Shayok out for Blue Coats on Thursday

The Sixers’ second-round pick has excelled in Delaware through the early part of the G League season.

Wednesday has been a day of injury news for the Philadelphia 76ers, and it’s not just affecting the NBA club.

After the team announced that Josh Richardson would miss Wednesday night’s game against the Knicks with right hip flexor tightness, word came from Delaware that Blue Coats standout Marial Shayok will miss Thursday’s game against the College Park Shyhawks after suffering a right quad contusion in a game Tuesday night. The news was reported by the Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.

While the severity of the injury is unclear, it’s still terrible news for Shayok, the Blue Coats, and the Sixers as Shayok has been on a tear to start the season.

The 54th overall pick in June’s NBA Draft, Shayok has been thriving in Delaware and turning some heads in the process. His hot start earned him G League Player of the Week honors after averaging 35 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. He is currently second in the G League in scoring at 29.5 points per game.

The early returns have been promising, and it looks like the Sixers may have found a gem in Shayok. Hopefully, the injury won’t sideline him for long and he can get back to developing his game as he tries to become a contributor for the Sixers. [lawrence-related id=19474,19331,19121,18971,18790]