IV. The game delivered playoff pressure, and the entire roster learned a valuable lesson.
Some things you can’t coach, teach or recreate in a classroom nor in the gymnasium. Game pressure is real, and the Philadelphia 76ers got their first taste of post-season pressure. They struggled under the weight of the contest, but now they know what to expect. While the likes of Justin Anderson, Richaun Holmes, nor Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot made it onto the court, they were there.
This game had it all. Thrilling moments. Frustrating failures. Lots of highlights and huge lessons. Ben Simmons delivered another triple double in one of the biggest games of the season. Joel Embiid scored 29 points to lead all scorers. Enough of a reason to head back to the gym and prepare hard for the next opportunity.
And while the starting five outhustled the Pacers starters, it wasn’t enough. On a night when the team needed solid performances from each and every player on the court, the team did not deliver. A winnable game did not land as a W for the team, and now the team must find the humility to learn what they did wrong, and to work that much harder to get it fixed.