Rewind | Recapping Seeding Play

four in seating play. They're the sixth seed in the East, and of course they have the Boston Celtics starting on Monday in the opener of the Eastern Conference quarter finals. Sixers kind of like, at least as far as what the Rockets try to do. Out rocketed the Rockets. They knocked down eighteen three pointers, and they got off to a really great start, outscoring Houston by thirteen thirty nine

to twenty six in the first quarter. The Sixers then outscored Houston by eleven in the second quarter, and their offense was humming tonight, especially with the regulars on the court. I was pretty surprised. I feel like probably a lot of other people were two with the extent to which some of the main stays for the Sixers played. Joel Embiid log twenty three minutes. He finished with fourteen points, six of twelve from the field, six rebounds for the big man, he was plus nine. That was a high

mark among the starters. Eighteen points for Tobias Harris, six of ten from the floor for him, two for three from outside the arcs, seven rebounds and four assists for Tobias Harris. Al Horford with ten points, three rebounds, four dimes. Eleven for Shake Milton behind three three pointers. Alec Burke's a great finish for him inside the bubble in terms of seating games. Sixteen points for him, four of six from the perimeter, fourteen four Howell Nato, who just played

terrific this past week. I thought Matisse Steibel had a really strong game. Seven points. He was three for four from the field. He had four steals and two block shots, two rebounds, one assists, and a handful of great cuts that led to dunks. He had a great few moments on James Harden, one that resulted in a steal that then led to a Sixers basket, and then he forced

another turnover in Harden in the second half. So I think the Sixers in terms of a launching point into the playoffs, this is a really good showing for them tonight. They shot fifty six percent overall. They certainly used their size to their advantage, crushed the Rockets on the glass fifty one to twenty seven, and Houston just did not seem to have it tonight. James Harden finished with twenty seven He was nine of sixteen from the field. Jeff

Green added seventeen points. Eric Gordon knocked down three to three pointers to finish with thirteen. But yeah, the Sixers, I think tonight was a perfect case in point. I feel like we saw it a lot during the regular season, especially when the team was at home, when they can shoot threes, and when Joe Ellen beat his playing. Those factors combined for a pretty auspicious result one thirty four to ninety six to seventy Sixers over the Rockets. Here

is head coach Bret Brand. We've all come back from from the break here in Orlando, and all good teams need one and he has provided that. And he's also along that path provided a secondary ball handle it, you know, really a backup point guard if you will. And so I think out of anybody there or out of our team, there's nobody that stands out more than he does in the role that he has sort of embraced. Thanks coach,

it's got a serena. Next to follow up on Alec coach, what do you think has enabled him to have so much success in the bubble? Is it? Is it just the opportunity, you know, with the injuries. Has there been a different mentality him getting to know the guys more. Just what do you think has contributed to that? I think it's I think it's a hybrid. I think it's a combination of all the things that you just said. There is there is a comfortability, there is a role

recognition slash opportunity. And we put him in a place right from the get go where he had the ball the second he get off of plane at a bus and went into very first day of practice, I had him with the ball, Like we had a chance to revisit a lot over the pandemic as a staff myself, like if he had to do it again, what would you do? That was one of the things we talked about, is let's give him the ball, Like he's very creative with the ball, and I hope that that has had

something to do with it, that we've empowered him. But in general, I give him credit where his mentality from the very beginning has been one of remembering who he is, like Reda's resume, like when you look at what does he do? He has a very unique NBA game and that he can create his own score scoring opportunity. He can create his own shot and he has been doing that. He has been making them. And also like being the secondary sort of point guard, a primary ball handled with

that second group, he's been exceptional. Thank you, Keith, You're up next. Hey, how you do on Breton Brett? You know all year that I guess they're not the model, but everybody kept saying this team is built for the playoffs. I mean, the playoffs are here. I know that Ben Simmons down And do you still feel that way, Like, do you still think like this is a team the roster that you have that you guys could be successful,

you know, and go deep in the playoffs. I do, I do, and I think I think that for a few reasons. I think the defensively, we are starting to understand how to play with each other. We're starting to understand switch groups. We we clearly need a healthy Joe Olmbi. Nobody denies that. We can't dismiss that you need a healthy Joe ol Embi to make the run that we

need to make. And I think that defensively, there is a spirit, there is a connection amongst our group that makes me say that I feel like offensively there is a path like it it's a it's a different path than it used to be with Ben, but there is a path. And I think that our scoring opportunities. I think that our symmetry has been pretty clean and clear since the loss of Ben Um and I think that both sides of the ball and the spirit, I believe that we are built for the playoffs and I look

forward to playing Boston. They're well coached, they're a great team. They've had an exceptional year and we've been beaten up. And you know, now is our moment. Now is our time to be recognized, and I think that the group has the ability to do that as it since I'm happy with the way that you know, we're playing the game. I think that there's a great sort of unity within

the group. Seventy sixers head coach Brett Brown. After tonight's landslide victory over the Houston Rockets by the final score of one thirty four to ninety six. Seventy Sixers fell behind by one midway through the first quarter of the

Sixers called a timeout. They trailed twenty one. Twenty came back from the timeout, and then it was bang, bang bang, Josh Richardson a three, another triple from fur con Quark miles after the stop, the Sixers got another defensive stand and that led to a Tobias Harris three pointer, and just like that, the seventy Sixers snapped off nine straight points on three consecutive three pointers. They never looked back. They were great from outside the arc, as I mentioned,

eighteen triples in the game. When you've got that and Joel and beat in a good place, seventy Sixers are tough out, especially when they're playing defense, which they did as well. Tonight, Sixers dominate the Houston Rockets. They're four and four to wrap up seating play, and now, as Brett Brown said, the moment is here. The Boston Celtics wait. On Monday, seventy Sixers a convincing victory over the Houston

Rockets won thirty four to ninety six. Joel Embiid played twenty three minutes, almost finished with fourteen points six or rebounds for the big Man on six of twelve, shooting eighteen four, Tobias Harris Alec Burks with sixteen off the bench for Concorkmiles with a dozen, whole Nato with fourteen, and some good contributions on both ends of the floor

by Matisse Steibel. Tom McGinnis called this one tonight, Tom and all around well rounded, convincing effort by the seventy sixers to put a punctuation on seating play with the playoffs limon no doubt and convincingly, you know, winning over Houston in a shocker who knew that it would at one point be a forty point lead, and the Sixers out shooting the Rockets from deep and got contributions from multiple players and just put this one out of reach.

So you know, like you say, a confidence filder. Good to get back into the win column. You go four and four during the seating games, and now everything attention wise shifts to Monday evenings game with Boston to tip off that playoff series with the Celtics, what are some of the things time you're looking forward to seeing carry

over from the seating phase into the postseason. Well, like you know, we've talked about X factors and variables and again, like I just this is simple, and you know, in this world of analytics, it's probably is a small little nugget. But just to me, I think the Sixers have got to make twelve or thirteen threes in a game to be able to a match Boston and then secondly that'll

give them the best chance. And as Brett Brown says, you know you've got an explosive score off the bench now in Burke's forkon had it going the night, you know, you get some good play from Howel Netto and m matise thy ball. I mean, you're gonna ask Marcus Smarts coming off their bench, and as we've stated before, he's the you know, the heart and soul of that ball club.

And you know, but I think Brett Brown said it pretty succinctly and obviously very apt, and that is you need a healthy and effective and dominant Joel and be that. That's how the Sixers took three out of four during the regular season with Boston. You know, the matchups in other areas, you could go this way or that way, but it's certainly even, you know, like in terms of Tatum versus to Buy or however you want to shake

it out. But the spot where the Sixers clearly have an advantage is their all star center in bed against Tye and against Cantor, and Joel, you know, has been a little banged up with the ankle in the hand. He was clenching that hand a couple of times in this game, that right risk after taking that shot from Gasol early in that game with Toronto. And he needs

to be more efficient. He was pretty good in the first few games in terms of moving that ball out of Travis, but he's got to get a little bit better. He had some air prone passes in this game and

five turnovers, as we mentioned in the previous game. And Boston's gonna come, and they come in multiple forms, and they change it up in terms of doubling from the top, doubling off the dribble, doubling on the catch, coming from a block to block, and they're gonna come with a steady diet and like I said, a varied recipe if you will to attack that and he's got to find those shooters, and again, just move it out of the post.

You don't have to make the cross court pass. Move it out to the perimeter, and then get that swing. Swing to the opposite side and make them pay, because that's the whole idea of NBA basketball is try to get the odd man situation and make the opposite If you've got a player good enough that they have to put two players on them, then you've got to make

them pay. And that right there is really in essence part of what this thing is going to boil down to in this series seventy six or Searched Past the Rockets one thirty four, ninety six postseason on the horizon and especially time with that Ben Simmons, you alluded to Tobias har So the course of that explanation right there in the question about him, Beaden talking about him, I really think Tobias is going to be in the spotlight on both ends of the court. Seventy sixers obviously think

very highly of him. He played mostly very well in the bubble during the seating phase, but this could be a really big moment I think for Tobias well and as well it should be. You know, he's a max player. He's been so consistent, twenty points per game played in almost every single game. And unless I'm mistaken, I think he started out on Harden tonight. I don't think those

were Ala switches. And I think that's important too, because you know, when you have like three or four perimeters slashers like Tatum, like Brown, like Hayward, and then you're gonna have you know, Kemba Walker wheeling and dealing off the bounce out top. You need Tobias to be able

to guard certainly one of Brown, Hayward or Tatum. And you don't expect him to lock up Tatum for forty eight minutes six or seven games, but he's gonna have to be able to stay in front and keep the man in front of him to help the Sixers defensively, like you say in the appsence to Ben, who you could no doubt pencil in to guard one of those, including Walker. But yeah, no, this is a this is a big series for Tobias, here's no question about it already.

Time we will talk on Monday prior to game one of the opening round matchup between the seventy Sixers and the Celtics. All right, good night. Celts up a great weekend, apping up seating play inside the bubble ahead of the playoffs Sixers. It was competitive a little bit to the first six minutes or so, but then they were able

to find a spark from outside the arc. After falling behind by one, Sixers called a time out and then they got going Burks, Harris, Cork, Boss, Richardson, had Horford, Rett Brown, Burkson, Levaine Day Blockett and now he splits a trap to get it back out to Tobias. He's open for three and the Sixers with three straight triples out of the time out. Started with Richardson, then Furkon Cork Moss hit one, followed up by that tray from Tobias Harris gave the Sixers twenty nine twenty one lead.

They were up thirty nine to twenty six on Houston after the first quarter of play. They had two big runs in that first quarter, and they really were able to seize control from the outset of tonight's game. In the second quarter, the Sixers built up a twenty one point margin midway through the frame, taking advantage of a

three and a half minute Houston Rockets scoring drift. It's forty five thirty one Sixers with eight oh eight to go Netto with a drive at acrobatic attack and it's good how Netto scores the ball netto now two for three. Seventy Sixers were in front forty seven thirty one, and about eight minutes later the Sixers gap had grown that much more. Looking for seventy one or more here as they get it to the corner Richards it beat is fronted by Green Horford though with a great entry feed

in a layout by and beat hel Horford. That high low that pass from out front, that is really well done by him. And for all the talk about him beating Horford playing alongside each other throughout the season before the suspension, they look for he darned good together ever since Ben Simmons injury. A great example of that right there. Seventy one forty seven seventy sixers at that point and

that was the score at intermission. Fourth time this season the Sixers hit seventy by the break, their third highest scoring total in a first half this season. Third quarter, the Rockets came at the seventy sixers with a three point garage midway through the frame, dwell Embe left the game with about six minutes ago. That was the last bit of action for him, but some of the backups were able to make sure the seventy six ers stayed comfortably in front. Harris with a rebound for the Sixers.

Battle of the boards, decide an edge on the glass thirty one fourteen Sixers. Harris spins finds table and that duo another set up for mccase with a two hands slam. Sixers eighty eight, the Rockets seventy three. Alec Burks has been awesome in Orlando, and he was again tonight. Burks plays into Kylo Quinn. He's guarded by Clemmens. You gotta try to take him down low. Instead, he goes to Mike Scott hasn't knocked away. Six Ers, do du game

it back five to shoot Burkes one. I wanted to corner fires for three and it's good Alex Perks, He's hot. Sixers advantage was ninety nine to seventy five. Their leader was one of three seventy seven after three, and they got a bucket from Batist to open the fourth one old three seventy seven. The Sixers actually up their lead in the thirty Yers, but tis for three at Thibald knocks it out his first three in the game. He's got three field goals total. Three is worth the theme.

Seventy Sixers all over Houston one thirty four ninety six. Six Er shot fifty six and a half percent from the field, Houston held to just under forty four percent. Sixers controlled things from outside the arc eighteen for thirty eight, or the seventy six ers from three point territory that's good for around forty seven and a half percent. Houston was held to twenty five percent shooting from three twelve

for forty eight. The Sixers destroyed Houston on the glass fifty one to twenty seven to seventy Sixers allowed just one offensive rebound to the Houston Rockets the entire game. That is really really good thirty one for the Sixers on forty nine baskets. Tobias Harris led a balance scoring

sheet for the Sixers. He had eighteen points on six of ten shooting two for three outside the arc, four for four from the line, with seven rebounds fourteen for Joel Embiad in twenty three minutes six of twelve from the field, two for three from the stripe, six rebounds for Joe, sixteen points for Alec Burks off the bench, four for six for him from the perimeter, fourteen for how Oil Nato. In the game he got to the line, drove for the basket, another nifty performance. He had five

assists and no turnovers. Mike Scott with ten points, seven rebounds, three assists for con Cork Miles with a dozen batises Thible he finished three four for seven points. He also had four steals and two blocked shots. He was great, I mean, just all around the board. It was good stuff for the Sixers. Al Horford ten points, three rebounds, four assists, Shake Milton eleven points and two rebounds plus one assist, five points four Josh Richardson tonight for the

Sixers twenty seven and ten. That's talking about points and assist for James Harden. Other than that, you know, seventeen for Jeff Green. Houston just did not have enough to surround James Harden tonight, and they also just did not shoot the ball well enough to keep up with the red hot seventy Sixers. So the Sixers open up their first round series against the Boston Celtics six verses three, six thirty on Monday night from Orlando, Florida. Cannot wait.

We are finally here. This has always been this phase of the season with the seventy Sixers. It would be their judgment day. They said, it's all about the postseason. They're built for the playoffs. Now we get to find out exactly what they are. You've been listening to rewind look out for fresh episodes the day after every seventy Sixers game this season.