76ers youth movement unexpectedly puts fans on notice in win over Jazz

Heading into tonight’s matchup, the Philadelphia 76ers and Utah Jazz ranked in the bottom five in their conferences with their sights seemingly set on the NBA draft lottery. With Utah down eight players and Philadelphia without six players, this game essentially shaped into a tank-off. 

With less than six minutes remaining in the first quarter, the 76ers found themselves down 16 points to the Jazz. For a brief moment, it seemed that Philadelphia would prevail in the tank war, but its young prospects spear-headed a 38-5 run that ultimately guided it to a 126-122 win. The 76ers snapped their four-game losing streak and improved to 22-41, which regained them the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference.

When Philadelphia began its downward spiral, I repeatedly wrote about how it would serve as an opportunity to evaluate its influx of youthful talent and that fully came into fruition tonight. The 76ers recorded 84 bench points, which is the second-highest amount in franchise history and that was largely due to the energy provided by their young players.

Lonnie Walkers IV continues to shine

Lonnie Walker IV – who came off the bench – led the effort with 25 points on 8-18 shooting from the field, 11 rebounds, and five assists. This marked Walker’s best game with the 76ers in his eight-game tenure. In his last three games, Walker is averaging 16 points on 42.1% shooting from the field, 4.7 rebounds, and three assists. 

Walker appears more comfortable in Philadelphia’s system and his aggressiveness has increased as a result. In his first few games with the 76ers, Walker settled for spot-up threes and while that is still a staple of his game, he ferociously attacked the rim tonight, especially off close-outs. Such aggression rewarded him with six free throw attempts and created advantages for his teammates as well. 

Adem Bona's career night

Another player who had a career night was Adem Bona. He recorded his first career double-double of 14 points on 5-8 shooting from the field, 14 rebounds, five blocks, and two steals, all of which are career-bests aside from his efficiency. In a game where Guerschon Yabusele and Andre Drummond failed to record more than 12 minutes, Bona rose to the occasion and showcased his glaring potential as a two-way center.

Bona thrived off rim penetration — especially that from Ricky Council IV – which opened up lanes to the rim where he’d cut through to connect on a series of dunks. His aggressiveness off the offensive glass earned him a pair of put-back layups. The rookie center shined the brightest defensively where he disrupted Utah’s actions as a devastating shot-blocking help defender. He also showcased his versatility as he switched to guards and held his own one-on-one.

Production from top to bottom

Quentin Grimes had another solid outing with 25 points on 6-13 shooting from the field and six assists as he continues to develop into a dynamic two-way wing. Jared Butler produced a near double-double consisting of 15 points on 5-8 shooting from the field and nine assists – showcasing his ability to run the second unit. Alex Reese is developing a reputation as a stretch four who does the dirty work as he contributed six points, nine rebounds, and three steals.

It’s understandable why 76ers fans may feel upset about their victory considering the draft lottery implications. Still, fans can’t be mad at Philadelphia’s prospects for competing since they’re trying to cement themselves into the NBA, and with Utah missing more than half of its roster, out-tanking it was nearly impossible.