By: Kylan Watson
After beating the Miami Heat on Monday night, the Philadelphia 76ers started their last West Coast Road trip of the season in Phoenix. Facing a Suns team that is trying to rediscover their rhythm and right the ship to avoid the Play-In Tournament. Both teams struggled offensively throughout this game, but the Suns started hitting their shots and Philly had no answers as they fell 115-102.
The Sixers struggled early in this contest on the offensive side they could not find the bottom of the net, but they did not let that affect their defensive intensity. As they made Phoenix work for every point, and they struggled to make them pay for that strategy. However, Philly could not grab a rebound and Phoenix got multiple opportunities (14 offensive rebounds) to make a basket and the possession would end with a back breaking made shot. The Sixers single-handedly woke up a struggling Suns squad and once they got going, they erased a three-point Philly advantage. Phoenix made it rain from the three-point line. They made 19/39 three-pointers and that gave them enough of a cushion to win this game. Grayson Allen scored 32 points and made nine/15 three-pointers; he was the difference maker in this game. When his team needed a big bucket, the ball found him, and he cashed in on the opportunity. Philly just did not have enough to deal with him, and the lack of pressure allowed him to step in to wide-open high percentage opportunities that he made. With every game mattering down the stretch, it is inexcusable the Sixers could leave a dangerous three-point shooter like him wide open. He has enough in his bag to make a difference in a game like he did tonight.
Despite the Grayson Allen offensive explosion this game was very winnable for the Sixers they held Phoenix’s big-three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal in check throughout this game. Additionally, they forced Phoenix to turn the ball over 23 times, which led to multiple fast break opportunities for Philly that they did not cash in on enough in this contest. Combine that with Tyrese Maxey struggling from the field and that was a recipe for disaster for Philly in this contest. Maxey cannot struggle like he did tonight if the Sixers are going to survive these last 13 games of the season and avoid the Play-In Tournament. Everyone has to do their job if the Sixers want to get back in the win column on Friday night.
Philly will now prepare for their final game of the regular season against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. They will need to cash in on the high-percentage shot opportunities created off their ball movement, a thing they did not do enough of tonight. If they can get those shots to fall and Tyrese Maxey can find his offensive touch again the Sixers should be able to keep up with the Lakers explosive offense. Additionally, Philly has to play better on the defensive end and limit the Lakers to one possession they cannot allow the Lakers to get multiple opportunities to score and impose their will on the game. If they can implement these things into their game plan on Friday, they can get their 39th victory of the season.