Sixers Bell Ringer: Philadelphia destroys San Antonio in return

Sixers Bell Ringer season ranking:

Joel Embiid – 17
Ben Simmons – 7
Tobias Harris – 6
Milton Shake – 4
Matisse Thybulle – 2
Tyrese Maxey – 1
Dakota Mathias – 1

The city of Philadelphia received the happy news on Saturday night that Joel Embiid’s knee injury was just a bone bruise and would require no more than a few weeks’ absence. The Sixers then celebrated Sunday night by presenting their remarkable performance for the third time after the All Star Break, the team’s fifth consecutive victory overall.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich waved the white flag and emptied the bench in the third quarter. And who can blame you? The Sixers recorded an incredible 46 points in the third, scoring 22 out of 23 possessions in the period, and converting it into 21 consecutive possessions that continue in the fourth period. The Philadelphia leadership hovered around 40 points for some time in a final victory by 134-99. It was the worst loss in the history of the Spurs franchise. What a nice gift for the more than 3,000 fans who were finally able to return to the Wells Fargo Center. Who did you buy for Bell Ringer?

Tobias Harris: 23 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 return

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Tobias is one of the players who will have the ball most in his hands while Embiid is away, so it makes sense that he drew a high point of the season with his seven assists against Spurs, including a perfect lob for Dwight Howard in the transition. Harris also scored the score for the club, pitching 10 of 18 on the field and finishing the team’s best score + 36. The striker could-have-been-an-All-Star from the Sixers dropped his jumpers, tore Spurs’ defenders into his way to the edge and sent Lonnie Walker through the rotation cycle.

Seth Curry: 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 turnovers

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Seth was another guy who filled the void without Joel, setting a record for the season with 16 attempts. The strategy worked perfectly for the Sixers, with the best Curry hitting nine of those shots, including a 3 of 6 mark behind the hoop. Curry prepared his teammates too, especially finding Tony Bradley under the basket with a beautiful pass to his left hand. Seth going back to pre-COVID form would be very useful for the Sixers, as they seek to be without Embiid first for a while.

Ben Simmons: 14 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, 3 turns

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After losing a few games due to his barber’s positive test for COVID-19, Simmons returned to the court and was in full BenJammin ‘mode. The Spurs absolutely wanted nothing to do with slowing Ben down in the transition and he threw more than one titanic slam with one hand. I also liked the little sweet hook that Simmons threw for three buckets. It was a solid return to action for Ben, finishing 6 of 9 on the field and providing his usual high level of distribution.

Danny Green: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 turnover

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Danny kicked things off tonight, hitting his first four shots, three of them 3s, and also converting a rare dribble floater. He would end the night on 4 of 7 in the city center, while also playing a solid defense with a couple of blocks. I could only remember a “Danny Green move”, which shook his head, when he gave the wing a pass in the transition and, instead of making an easy tray, dribbled for a turn. Otherwise, nothing but high marks for Mr. I Have 3 Rings.

Matisse Thybulle: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block, 0 turnovers

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Matisse Thybulle is the ghost story that opposes offenses told around the campfire. The smiling Philadelphia ninja was once again a terror on the defensive end, doubling down at the perfect moment, flying out of nowhere on a block or skipping the overtaking lane for the middle dunk. Oh, and Matisse apparently doesn’t miss any more shots. He hit 4 out of 4 on the field (now 13 out of 15 in his last three games), including two trebles.

Dwight Howard: 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 return

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Nobody has benefited more from the return of the fans than the man who still gestured to the empty arenas before the game throughout the season. Dwight brought the energy up again, continuing a good stretch to play for him, hitting the boards and ending with his buried thunder. He also had an excellent high-low find for Mike Scott, and I don’t know how new it is, but I hadn’t seen his celebration of the “glasses” before for a good pass alone or with a teammate. Just delicious Howard minutes all the way around.