By: Kylan Watson
The Philadelphia 76ers were riding a two-game winning streak as they faced the Indiana Pacers after having six plus days off. Both teams traded blows throughout this game, but thanks to a first quarter explosion the Pacers were able to beat Philly 121-107.
The Sixers looked like a team that had six plus days off, as they just could not get it in gear on either side of the ball against a Pacers team that was ready to play from the opening tip off. The Pacers were able to go on a 16-0 scoring run to take a commanding double-digit lead by half time. Tyrese Haliburton was responsible for that run, he scored 32 points, had 11 assists and hit 7/12 three-pointers in this game. Philly had no answers for him once he got going, he was hoisting up shots and attacking the rim and getting his defender foul trouble.
Haliburton got a lot of defensive attention in this game and that opened up easy basket opportunities for his teammates. That combination doomed the Sixers defensive scheme despite the fact they were playing a sone defensive scheme. All it took was a couple passes around the court and a wide-open shot was created and then they would get an offensive rebound. To create another offensive possession and that opportunity put points on the board. No matter who is on the court, Philly cannot continue to give up so many rebounds and wide-open shooting opportunities to an opponent and expect to win the game.
At the end of the second quarter the Sixers lost Joel Embiid who caught a forearm from Bennedict Mathurin on the right side of his face. That ended his night and with his absence went any chance the Sixers had of putting up any kind of defensive resistance to the Pacers. They were able to cut Indiana’s 17-point lead to four points, but Philly missed too many opportunities at the free throw and three-point lines to have any chance of beating Indiana tonight.
On the defensive side the Sixers have to improve their communication and defensive discipline. Too many times tonight an Indiana possession was saved by an overaggressive double team that created a wide-open, three-point opportunity, dunk, or lay-up for Indiana. Communicating better will decrease those weaknesses in their defensive scheme.
The Sixers cannot be outhustled in games where they are missing one of their pieces. Record wise they are already behind the eight-ball, and they cannot give a team more hope by turning the ball over or getting out rebounded. Tyrese Maxey (22 points), Paul George (15 points), Ricky Council IV (14 points), and KJ Martin (13 points) did everything they could but could not overcome the turnover and rebound disadvantage to beat Indiana in tonight’s contest.
The one bright spot for the Sixers is that they have hit a softer spot in the schedule, but they let tonight’s game slip away because they gave Indiana too many chances to get momentum on both sides of the ball.
Philly will now prepare for a two-game home and home series with the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers will need to play a better and more communicative defensive scheme if they want to win this series against the Hornets. In addition, Philly will need to cash in on the high-percentage shooting opportunities created off their ball movement in order to stay ahead of a hungry Hornets squad. Implementing these things into their game plan should put them in great position to win the first game on Monday night and get their eighth win of the season.