PLAYER GRADES: Philadelphia 76ers 149, Minnesota Timberwolves 107
The Philadelphia 76ers easily had their best game of the season in an absolute blowout win against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Philadelphia 76ers match up against the Minnesota Timberwolves was suppose to be a hard fought match up for Jimmy Butler versus his former team, as well as a home coming for Dario Saric and Robert Covington. However, to say this was a competitive game would be a mistake.
The Sixers had a 40-27 lead at the end of the first and by half time Philly had a 83-58 lead over Minny. The half time score for the 76ers was only 3 points away from tying a franchise record of 86 points in the first half. Both clubs scored 32 points a piece in the third but the Sixers went on 34-17 run in the fourth quarter. The final score was 149-107 with the Sixers on top.
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After giving up a big lead to the New York Knicks in the previous game, it was great to see Philly not only maintain a lead, but increase throughout the game. That was impart due to the great performance of the team’s bench.
Jonah Bolden made it rain from the 3-point line going 4-5 from downtown and scored a career high 14 points. T.J. McConnell had eight assists and even newcomer Corey Brewer got in on the action with a 3-pointer, he also got to ring the bell after the game. Amir Johnson even looked like his old self when he got in the game late.
There’s no doubt that this was a team win, but the starters get the grades tonight. Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Butler, Wilson Chandler and J.J. Redick helped set a tempo that sparked the bench to continue the dominant play.
A+. <strong>26 mins | 20 pts | 11 reb | 9 ast | 1 stl | 3 blk | 3 TO | 7-10 FG | 0-0 3PT| 8-7 FT | 1 PF | +24 |</strong><p>Simmons started with energy on defense that invigorated the rest to the team. He was aggressive attacking the rim and getting rebounds on both sides of the ball. He was hitting cutters and open 3-point shooters. The only things that fans could have asked for was that Simmons tried a shot from outside the paint. Still, this was excellent performance from Simmons.</p>. PG. Philadelphia 76ers. BEN SIMMONS
JOEL EMBIID. A. <strong>27 mins | 31 pts | 13 reb | 3 ast | 0 stl | 1 blk | 4 TO | 10-17 FG | 4-6 3PT| 6-7 FT | 4 PF | +20 |</strong><p>Embiid took Karl-Anthony Towns to town in the low block. He also held the opposing center to 13 points and three rebounds on 4-10 shooting from the floor. Embiid took good wide open 3-pointers and only forced one or two bad jumpshots all together. While turnovers continue to be an issue for Embiid this season, there’s little doubt that he was a complete monster in the paint tonight.</p>. C. Philadelphia 76ers
A-. <strong>28 mins | 19 pts | 3 reb | 4 ast | 2 stl | 1 blk | 2 TO | 8-10 FG | 3-4 3PT| 0-0 FT | 2 PF | +21 |</strong><p>Maybe if this game was ever close, then Butler would have been more aggressive in finding his shot. However, that wasn’t the case and Butler took his shots within the flow of the offense. Defensively, he was switched onto almost everyone and even in the post playing defense against Taj Gibson. It seems that Butler’s slowly finding his fit on the offensive side of the ball.</p>. SF. Philadelphia 76ers. JIMMY BUTLER
B. <strong>26 mins | 15 pts | 0 reb | 3 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 1 TO | 5-11 FG | 3-9 3PT| 2-2 FT | 2 PF | +16 |</strong><p>It wasn’t a great shooting night for the veteran shooter, but Redick still did the job the Sixers needed him to do. He was moving well with the ball, slashing to the rim or getting open spots on the floor. Redick may have had the least spectacular night of all the starters, but he still had a pretty solid night overall.</p>. SG. Philadelphia 76ers. J.J. REDICK
B+. <strong>26 mins | 14 pts | 5 reb | 4 ast | 0 stl | 1 blk | 1 TO | 5-7 FG | 4-6 3PT| 0-0 FT | 3 PF | +16 |</strong><p>Chandler hit a transition 3-pointer off of a Simmons pass early in the game. After that, Chandler just continued to hit corner outside shots throughout the game. This game marks the eighth time this season that Chandler has scored in double-digits. The Sixers are 5-3 in <a href=. PF. Philadelphia 76ers. WILSON CHANDLER
In other notes, head coach Brett Brown used the Butler and Embiid combo without Simmons and Redick tonight and it produced positive results. After the game, Noah Levick of NBCSPhilly reported that Brown noted that the duo will be used a lot more often moving forward.
In garbage time, Brown had Landry Shamet as the point guard, which he played during college and he ended with four assists against the T-Wolves. Shamet isn’t going to see a lot of time at the spot moving forward, but it was good to see that Brown was comfortable enough to allow the combo guard to run the offense.
There was a fun exchange between McConnell and Saric during the game. Saric was guarding McConnell in the mid-range area and then the point guard drained a shot right in the power forward’s face. Then, McConnell proceeded to tap his former teammate on the bottom after the shot out of good fun.
Next. Sixers add much-needed perimeter defender in Brewer. dark
The Philadelphia 76ers next contest will be against the Indiana Pacers and hopefully’ the Sixers can carry this momentum into their next game.