THE MEME LIVES TO SEE ANOTHER DAY #sixers pic.twitter.com/bc673sq1q7
— A (@aidan_34_powers) March 17, 2021
In what was a classic, grind it out, Tom Thibodeau defensive affair, the Sixers outlasted the Knicks on Tuesday night 99-96. That game had first round playoff matchup written all over it. Games like that aren’t supposed to be pretty, but they are supposed to be wins.
The Knicks busted ass, played physical and were up by 8 at halftime. Down the stretch, the Sixers flexed their muscle and completely took over the 4th quarter on both ends of the floor. They gave up TWO field goals in the last nine minutes of the game.
That late run in the 4th was sparked on both ends by Tobias Harris. It was has been fantastic to see him blossom into a closer late in games. He played the same role last night as the Sixers empathized isolating him on Reggie Bullock who had five fouls. Harris would finish with 30 points.
But the real story of the night has to be the clamps he put on someone who actually was named to the All-Star Game in Julius Randle. Harris went mano y mano and forced him into tough fade-away shots all quarter. He wouldn’t let Randle physically impose his will on him and often made the Knicks forward kick out on wild passes to unsuspecting, inexperience guards.
This was a statement game for a guy who probably shouldn’t have had to have one. He should have been an All-Star. There should be some respek on his name. But instead of bitching and moaning about the snub, he has come out, dominated and accepted a larger role in the absence of Joel Embiid.
I, for one, am glad I never doubted that 5 years, $180 million dollar contract!
Also, there was no logical place to put this clip of Dwight Howard blocking Julius Randle’s dunk attempt until there was a crater in the Earth, but here you go anyway:
https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1372006722772955136?s=20