Last night, the Sixers had a more Warriors-esque 3rd quarter than the actual Warriors did. It was SENSATIONAL. They went on a 21-2 run to start the half, finished the quarter with 51 points on a Mike Scott buzzer beater, and every started dominated in some form or fashion. They flat out destroyed the Nets. The only thing I can equate this to is when you’re playing Call of Duty at Nuketown and kids throw grenades right over the house to start the game and kill you immediately.
But where did this onslaught come from?! Jimmy Butler’s post-game press conference hinted at the cause:
First things first, I love that Jimmy was about about Brett Brown berating them and cursing at them. Jimmy seems like the kind of “all that for a drop of blood” guy who would enjoy getting punched in the face.
But more importantly, good for Brett Brown!!!
I’m not a Big analytics guy. But, the math is telling me that if Brett Brown screamed/cursed at the team, then they scored 51 in a quarter… he should scream and curse at them again. If Brett Brown has to take a bite out of Furkan Korkmaz neck pregame in Brooklyn, that is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Just go full Rick Grimes in The Walking Dead when a biker gang came after his son.
Brett Brown has been continuously accused this year of being too much of a player’s coach. He cuts them too much slack and the players are too comfortable. He saw the writing on the wall as he angrily walked back to that Wells Fargo Center locker room and lit them up. After all the times cursing the Sixers through my television, I’m actually kind of jealous of Brett.
Message received loud and clear by the squad. That third quarter was so beautiful, it might just have been season saving. Let ESPN babble on about elbows and cell phones. I’m focused on the intensity this Philly team displayed during a 21-2 run that I haven’t seen from them in months. Get me to Thursday already.