By: Kylan Watson
The Philadelphia 76ers were looking to rebound after losing to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night. They faced a hungry Indiana Pacers squad that was looking to continue Philly’s misery. They were able to ride an offensive explosion to beat the Sixers 118-113.
It started out well for Philly they were able to hit their shots early to get out to an early lead. They were led by forward Tobias Harris who 17 of his 32-points by half-time. He was able to get what he wanted against the under-sized Pacers defenders. He made them pay from the three-point line, perimeter, and the paint. Harris’ return will continue to be important as Philly continues to look to regain their early season form, as they are still missing Matisse Thybulle and Joel Embiid who are under health and safety protocols.
Despite Harris offensive explosion the Pacers were able to weather the storm. Late in the first quarter was the difference maker in this game as Justin Holiday single-handedly brought his team back and erased a six-point Philly lead. He scored 27-points and hit six three-pointers. It did not matter if there was a hand in his face or not. He made it rain from beyond the arc and Philly just could not recover. The perimeter defense was not good for Philly. They lost their man multiple times during this game, and it just snowballed from there.
Philly was able to fight their way back into the game, but Indiana hit some late buckets to pull-away from the Sixers. The losing streak for Philly extends to four-games. The road trip does not get any easier as they prepare for the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. They will need to have an improved performance on the defensive end if they want to beat the Jazz and get their ninth win of the season.