The 76ers (9-3) visit the Brooklyn Nets (6-6) Sunday afternoon seeking their 10th win of the new season.
The Nets last played Thursday, a 122-115 loss to the Heat in Miami. Jimmy Butler scored 36 points (12-19 fg, 2-5 3fg, 10-11 ft) for the Heat, while Mikal Bridges and Lonnie Walker IV both scored 23 points for the Nets.
One night later, the Sixers defeated the Hawks in Atlanta, 126-116. While collecting their second victory of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, the Sixers got a game-high 32 points from Eastern Conference Player of the Week Joel Embiid and a 29-point, 10-rebound performance from Tobias Harris, plus key contributions throughout the lineup.
“Defensive intensity,” Tyrese Maxey (19 pts, 8 ast) said of the turning point. “Shoutout to [Danuel] House [Jr.] and Jaden Springer – came in and gave us a lot of defensive intensity. Changed the game.”
The Sixers took a 57-56 lead into halftime.
“I think a lot of things are new to him, especially once you become a star – a superstar – in this league,” Embiid said of Maxey. “Everything changes. People are game planning for you. He saw a lot of double teams… Like I was telling him, welcome. That happens. Once you start putting your name out there, people are going to react and make sure they do everything in their power to stop you.”
Embiid’s seven 30-point games matched Dallas’ Luka Dončic and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the most in the NBA through Friday.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 22 points (5-14 fg, 2-6 3fg, 10-10 ft) and a game-high 13 assists.
FRIDAY’S KEY PERFORMANCES
- Along with his game-high 32 points (10-19 fg, 1-3 3fg, 11-11 ft) in Atlanta, Embiid grabbed seven rebounds and tied a season-high with eight assists in 37 minutes.
- Harris scored a season-high 29 points (12-20 fg, 3-5 3fg, 2-2 ft) and collected his second double-double of the young season with a team-high 10 rebounds in 38 minutes of work.
- Harris, who has scored at least 15 points in every game, also has two nine-rebound performances in addition to his two double-doubles.
- In a game-high 40 minutes of action, Maxey posted 19 points (5-13 fg, 3-6 3fg, 6-6 ft), four rebounds, eight assists, and two steals.
De’Anthony Melton/Danuel House Jr.
- Melton and House Jr. added 14 points apiece against the Hawks. Melton is 12-for-19 (.632) from 3-point range over the last three games.
The Sixers shot 27-for-28 (.964) from the free-throw line as a team.
76ers Head Coach Nick Nurse on winning another In-Season Tournament game Friday in Atlanta…
“I think everybody understands the importance of trying to get through [to the Knockout Rounds]. We put ourselves in the situation where we were done if we didn’t win. So, it doesn’t mean we’re going to go through now, but at least there’s some possibility. It’s going to be difficult because the team that’s 2-0 [Indiana], we lost to. Even if they drop one and we both end up 3-1, they’re going to get the nod. But hopefully we can sneak in. Hopefully they’ll drop two, or hopefully we can sneak in [as a wild card].”
The Sixers host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the IST on Tuesday. Indiana can clinch East Group A with a win in Atlanta that night.
Sunday’s contest is a 3 p.m. ET start in Brooklyn.
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Brooklyn will be in their black city edition uniforms, with the Sixers in their white association edition uniforms.
