Another win in the books for the Sixers, who have now brought their magic number down to two before they clinch the top seed in the East.
The Philadelphia 76ers have almost clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference after knocking off the Detroit Pistons. Joel Embiid led the way in scoring for Philly, scoring an impressive 29 points in only 23 minutes. It was a surprise to see Embiid play in the second game of a back-to-back, but he was still able to enjoy some “old school load management.”
Embiid led the team, but Tyrese Maxey was the highlight scoring 22 points on seven of eleven shooting. Maxey also shot 2/3 from three. The Sixers’ young guard has now shot 54.5% from three over his past three games. It’s exciting to see Maxey get solid minutes as he continues to look like a steal in the 2020 NBA draft.
Maxey’s performance showcased the depth that Head Coach Doc Rivers loves about his team. Rivers truly believes that his team can go beyond the traditional shortened playoff rotation should the need arise.
It’s a bold statement, to say the least, but it’s not completely unmerited. The Sixers’ bench is 13th in the league in scoring (9th among playoff teams), but that’s not the whole story. Since the All-Star break, the team has ranked third in the league (second among playoff teams). Clearly, the bench has found its way since then. The idea that we could see a deep playoff rotation isn’t out of the question.
The Philadelphia 76ers will have a couple of days off and then go on to play Domantas Sabonis and the Indiana Pacers. Tip-off is at 8:00 PM EST, and you can catch the game on NBC Sports Philadelphia or NBA League Pass.
