The BroadCast: 2/24/18 - Rewind vs. Magic

Sixers dot com. We are hopeful, fingers crossed that we might be able to pull up Brett Brown's postgame press conference feed. We are efforting that right now, but in the meantime we will recap some of the important developments from tonight's game. I mean, there were some very impressive efforts and contributions, no doubt about it, Joel and be dominant twenty eight and fourteen, Ben Simmons with seventeen, four

and seven. But honestly, going back and thinking about how this game unfolded and got on track for the Sixers, you cannot overlook Rashaun Holmes and what he did tonight. He was only on the court for about four minutes in the opening period, but man his two way contributions, highlighted by a couple rebounds, a block on Nick Fusovic, and a big time alley oop set up by t J McConnell, that set the holistic tone for the seventy Sixers, which fell behind fifteen to six in the early going

and were in vital need of a spark. It was ironic because Brett Brown was talking before the game about how you know, you never know when you get up for these postseason runs when you might need someone from your bench to step up and step in, and because of that, you try and keep them fresh as often as you can. Seemed like Rashaun Holmes, not surprisingly given the way we've seen him play over the years, took that message to heart. He was ready when Brown went

to him and the Sixers they got going. After that, they read things up, and pretty much after Holmes helped light the spark for a thirteen to three run to give the Sixers the first lead, the Sixers were off and running after that. They outscored the Magic twenty one to three to end the first quarter and never look back. From there. They led by eighteen points at the break and wanted to go up by as many as twenty

three points in the second half. This was a night where the Sixers really shooting fifty two percent from the field, nine to twenty seven from outside the arc, just seem to be able to do whatever they wanted on the offensive end, thirty one assists on forty two baskets and bed there was no answer for him. Whether it was Nick Vussevich or Bismack Biambo or Kem Birch, no one could slow him down. A great effort for him. Ben Simmons a calm, cool and collected customer one sixteen one

fifteen Sixers beat the magic. Let's go to Brett Brown right now. You know, he's also a sort of a glue guy in relation to the culture that we're building, as you know, like he's been with me, you know,

a little less than Joel has. Joel and I've been with each other the longest, and so I see some things that really don't show up on a stat sheet that I just feel as the coach, but I hear you, you know, making some shots and him stepping in like he used to be in his old world a college foreman, and him going into the basket, going toward the basket instead of like pinned down, JJ is different coming away from the basket. That's when he is at his best.

Cut the leads under ten the minutes a player, even as they started to do that with the huns up. Why did you decide to go with your bench guys and not bring the starters back in. We talked about that in the locker room. You know what if his owning a shot went in, you know, I think it would have cut it to six with about a minute thirty. And I wasn't going to do it. I was gonna go with those guys. And you know, again some of his just gut feel, maybe some of its stubbornness, but

you know, we have to grow up, bench. We have to give those guys confidence that they can close out games. They did and my intention was going to be is to let them see it through. And it ballooned out at the end, but I would have handled it that way. It's one of the seven consecutive victories for you guys, or was it really important for you guys to get a win like this going into this road? For I think it's what we spoke about it and the pre

game press. I can inflate the importance in my mind of every game, and I'm trying to stay with these guys behind me, nice and steady in relation to what matters most, what's most important, and so it's always a defense and the pieces to our defense. So it's not like a global statement of oh, we got to play defense. It's the intricacies of the accountability in the execution of

a defense that interests me the most. There are pieces is of us screen setting and how we're going to score and what are you gonna do, you know, behind Joel once he gets the ball Joel had zero turnovers tonight, and how you're going to space out of that, and so to come in and like to clear like this is the only end of game, and tomorrow it's going to be the Washington game, like they really all matter.

And in my mind, it's trying to take that approach in our remaining games so that we can become hardened and I hope well drilled when when it matters most in a playoff situation. Right, you talked about playing playing well for longer periods of time to fight you guys complished that tonight. You know, I thought in the second half it was kind of trading baskets. I thought defensively, forty points in the first half was a really good effort. I think this sixty five points in the second half

is way too many. You know, I thought for a while, it's just sort of like trading baskets. And so no, not to the level that I'm talking about. No, And you know that again is the same sort of answer that I'd give to you that keech, you vocal boat. That's the holy grill, you know, just playing harder, smarter, longer. That's the word longer, harder, smarter, longer. And tonight I thought was okay, not great. Seventy Sixers over the Orlando

Magic one sixteen to one oh five. A dramatic turnaround from the Sixers after falling behind early fifteen to six, keyed by Rashaun Holmes, and then a whole lot of help from the likes of Joel Embid, Ben Simmons, JJ Reddick, Marco Belinelli. With fifteen off the bench and the rest

of the seventy Sixers rotation. At this stage of the season, we're able to get them to their seventh consecutive win, again, their longest since January of two thousand and nine, when they also won seven games in a row and taken care of business at home before setting out on the road. Tom McGinnis is standing by. He has some thoughts. We know they'll be good ones. Stay tuned for that. Next is the postgame showing the Sixers Raider Network seventy Sixers

and the Orlando Magic at the center. Tonight, Sixers were trying to stretch their winning streak, which began before the All Star Game break and continued Thursday in Chicago. Early on, Orlando had the upper hand, but the Sixers got a nice little lift from the bench and things changed from there in a big way. One sixteen, one oh five over the Magic. Brian Seltzer with you from Sixers dot com. Tom mcguinnis is ready to roll on south down to Washington, DC.

A quick wardrobe change by coaching outfit on from earlier our CYO game. So yes, a season veteran, but that was a nice win. These the last three between the Heats, the Bulls and this one tonight, they have not come with that. Perhaps certuitous roots the finish line, but the finish line has been reaching really and Bead was fantastic, and I tend to agree with what you said that this is maybe the most comfortable he looked in his one and a half season so far. But Holmes was

the one that got him going. Absolutely. But let's go back to your initial comment, Brian, because you're right. The Sixers, down twenty four, come from behind win here Wednesday, February fourteenth, without Joel mb their fifth straight win at home, fifth overall. Then they begin the second half, or the last portion of the schedule as they go to Chicago up eighteen, win by one, basically steal a victory, and then as you say early in this game, down nine, and then

win comfortably. It gets a little tighter down the stretch. But again, these are the types of games the Sixers. Any one of those three games, the Sixers might have lost this game even earlier this year, or any one of these games this year, or at points certainly in years pass. So that's the maturity and growth where they're punching through. And even though they had a sluggish start, they come back and score the last thirteen points and outscore them twenty one to three. At the end of

the first and dominate the game. Now Joel and bead I thought he was. They were funneling the offense through him. He was moving the ball quickly. He didn't have a turnover in the game. He was dominant. Vussovich couldn't guard him. Beyambo comes in and gets three fouls. They didn't have a guy that could guard him, and he was moving that ball with precision. Covington gets on fire. He's he's struggled a little bit of late, but he makes four

first half threes. Ben was aggressive and dominant. JJ Reddick was extremely efficient after a sluggish start from the field. Bella Notlli comes in. He's played in Philadelphia twice. He had seventeen points in that Miami game and fifteen here tonight. And then Rashawn Holmes for the first time this year, to my knowledge or recollection, he's the first big guy off the bench. A Mirror Johnson doesn't play, and you know,

we'll have to hear from coach. I don't know if it was posed post game, but you know now a mirror is raring to go against Washington, and Rashaun Holmes was a big part of that comeback against Miami. Comes with energy and bounce. Physical. He got really knocked around here in this game, but he has eight rebounds four well, eight points of rebounding assists was very good. He's an energy and along with TJ he brings such fight and scrap if you will, off the bench. And again one

of those games, all five starters in double figures. Nineteenth time they've done that where everybody that played, Trevor Booker played well, contributed in spurts, and it all added up to a nice overall victory over the Magic. The final scoring this one tonight one sixteen one oh five. Who

was funny? Brett Brown has asked before the game in his press conference to kind of give a self scout of the Sixers at this point, and essentially the line of questioning got to, well, how would you defend yourself? And Brett was like, I know how, but I'm not sure if anything. I mean that, you know, It's like I respect for that reporter, but as he's asking, then I'm like, what coaching is right, man? Mine, Let's see, I would let Simmons shoot. What else do you need?

Of course he's not going to share that with the media. Let's run that right down to Frankie Vogel, frank, here's a blueprint, so no doubt. But how he did answer,

maybe this is where you're going. You will know where I was going, was like Brett Brown might know, but I'm not sure if there are many of the teams right now, at least based on the ones and the Sixers have played lately, that know how to do it because the options have been so multiple and balanced that the Sixers have been able to get just about whatever they want. Well, Brian Colangelo did a good job of

adding pieces to the team in the offseason. You get the likes of Reddick, who gives you that spacene element and the ability to knock down shots. You had another threat like that in Bell and Nellie. You've got now they're starters according to coach, the number one ranked first five in the NBA. So that might you'd say, well, maybe the bench needs to step it up, but again you've got pieces, pivotal players that come in and make

a difference. But again, to reiterate what coach said was, I can tell you what we are, and that's what he's tried to establish since he came to Philadelphia. It's been five years, and that is we're going to play with pace. They're like three or four in terms of playing fast in the NBA. They're gonna share the ball, we're gonna move it. Their number one in passing, and

we're gonna guard and their number four in defense. And tonight, to your point, they did all of those things and they're interspersing in which I would say even well, what we mentioned earlier more than interspersing in they're going through the posts with maybe the best big man in basketball in Joel and Bad and he's moving that ball, and that is that's And then you got a six ten point guard who's gonna ram it down your throat. You're

right there. There are some things that are big that they are some difficult matchups and like that's those are two questions like that. The opponents have to come. Who's Garden Simmons? And how are we going to handle them? Beat?

Every night the Sixers play. This is the fun part now, as the Sixers, after tonight's win one sixteen one on five, get ready to head south to Washington, DC, a big three game road trip against clubs that, like themselves, are in the mix and thick of this Eastern Conference playoff picture. You got Washington first tomorrow, Miami two, Cleveland Thursday, and you just got to feel good for the fans following this team out there, because when was the last time

there was this much excitement and anticipation checking scoreboards? I mean, they're a game behind Washington for fourth place in the conference going into the matchup at Capitol. I want to read in them orrow night. Well, and I said that a few weeks ago, and that is now. You can watch the scoreboard and I know you mentioned it pregame

and the other night after the game as well. But you know, as a fan in years pass, you're you're looking up at the standings and you know, you look around the NBA and it really didn't matter as to whom was winning and whom is losing. Now every single night I look at the who's playing, and you're I got a team. I'd like that team to lose. You know, last night, I'm listening to the New Orleans Miami game.

Come on, Drew Holiday, you know what I mean, And they beat Miami and they're waiting seconds with an outstanding game by Davis. And so you're right, I mean, and Washington has played well. The Sixers have beaten them here twice. I thought in that first game, even though they lost the open are down there in Washington, they had their chances, but they turned the ball over down the stretch. They

seem to have graduated from that, grown from that. Not to say that it would never come back where they would have a costly turnover, but it'll be a great matchup. And then as you say, down to Miami, the Sixers have played and beaten them twice here to Cleveland or rejuvenated calvs team. And the only thing other thing I would say, Brian is Orlando and the Sixers. You know, they were in this mix with a lottery picks over the last few years and they basically started the rebuilds

at the same time. Well, look where the Sixers are, and Orlando's eighteen and forty one, and they've had some high picks and it's just you know, so say what you want, but this is the moment. This has been the process. It's working for the Sixers. Well, put seventy Sixers knock off the Magic one sixteen one oh five primetime game on a Sunday Tomorrow at eight pm DWAN in DC versus the Wizards talk to you just before then, mister McInnis, good night, Brian, thank you seventy Sixers. When

they're seventh straight. They're thirty two and twenty five on the Sea and a game behind the Wizards now for fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. We'll hear more about this game with some of Tom's highlight calls coming up. On the other side, it's the postgame show on the Sixers Radio Network. Three Fitch stop in South Philadelphia for the seventies Sixers before beginning a long stretch on the road over the next two weeks, going in the middle

of the month of March. Game's all important this time of year, Sixers trying to keep a winning streak alive. Brian Seltzer with you from Sixers dot Com. Here's how it went tonight is called by the one and only radio voice in the seventy six Ers, Tom McGinnis. It was not in a very good place the first six minutes of place. The seventy Sixers fell behind fifteen to six. At that point, Brett Brown went to his bench. He

was looking for a boost. He got one from Rashaun Holmes, so he has helped the Sixers off the bench he've actually fared better with him in there. Here's McConnell in the name. McConnell breaks free lobs and shot slams it. McConnell the Holmes laun That was in the midst of a big one for the Sixers. They were down by one, fifteen to fourteen, and moments later they would get over the top three balls short. No Dario taps it, It

goes to Holmes, out to Covington. Three is good. Robert Covington puts first chuple four, the Sixers second chance opportunity set up by the back tap by old Dario, and it was also the Sixers first lead at nineteen to eighteen. Shortly after that, Holmes would be brought back the bench in favor of him b. But while Holmes was on the court, the Sixers outscored the Magic by ten, putting them in front, setting the tone for the rest of

a big first half. The Sixers outscored the Magic twenty one to three, going into the second lead in twenty seven to eighteen. A lot of good things in quarter number two will go to the very end and Joel En b just capping off a monster opening first stanzing and we're in the final forty seconds of the first half, Joellen b with the ball, he dribbles, he gets a screen and jims it. Orlando a two car pile up in the hey Joel the beat throws it down. Yeah.

Nick Vussevich and DJ Augustine ran into one another at the elbow, freeing up inbad for that big jam. Joel with nineteen points and eight rebounds, which would be an excellent night from your mortals. But that was by the half for the All Star Sixers up eighteen fifty eight to forty. Going in to the break onto the third, Sixers seeing things open up, Dario's charge with the stroke up top, Dario for three and charge knocks it out. Sixers's that is right there, good to great. In other words,

coming to Ben had a shot coming. It had a really good look, but it opened three and that's the great and answer. The Sixers are a potent passing team. Made it a twenty point lead, sixty seven forty seven. Magic got the depsit down to a Baker's dozen middle of the third. The Sixers were ready to answer and come back with some more. Joel Embad at the head of the snake, standing with a right and dribble fee

to beat down low. They run to double Joel split the traff and jams and oh man, how about that. You think he's handling doubles better. He jumped right through the double team and dunked it eighty seven at seventy one Sixers after three onto the fourth. We should give Ben Simmons a bit of a highlight forum here. He was just steady threat the night and he did a little bit of everything for the Sixers. He has it on a drive against Jonathan Simmons, jumps it up with

a hook and that's good against. There are certain aspects of that play that are unguardable Ben Simmons with fourteen, he calls his own number and scores again, you know, and Simmons the other Simmons, Jonathan Simmons, he really tried to get up in physical on Ben tonight. Whether it was him or Aaron Gordon, Simmons was still able to find his opportunities on the interior, scoring and the Sixers would move on to win it one sixteen, one oh fives.

We heard Brett Brown talk about during his press conference comfortable letting some of the reserves handled the home stretch of this game necessary for their long term development heading towards the postseason. Some final stats. In the Sixers victory tonight, they shot just under fifty two percent from the field the magic forty five percent six or nine to twenty seven from outside the arc Orlando with thirteen threes. Sixers were plus seven in terms of free throws made tonight.

That helping their cause answered the performance on the glass, the best rebounding team in the NBA plus twelve on the backboards tonight, Sixers, with thirty one assists on forty two made baskets, kept their turnovers relatively in check, especially after the first three minutes of the game. They finished

with fourteen cough ups on the night. Individual notes dwell Embead game high in both points and rebounds with twenty eight and fourteen, respectively, thirty double doubles on the season for him, twenty ninth time in franchise history a player has reached the thirty double double mark, first time since

five oh six when Chris Webber did it. Ben Simmons seventeen points, four rebounds, seven assists, and we should also mention with Joel Embiid no turnovers for the first time in about seven weeks that another important stat for him. Sixteen for JJ Reddick on six of eight shooting, fifteen for Marco Belinelli off the bench came on strong in the second half point six for twelve overall with one

three pointer. The Sixers had all five starters in double figures, finishing out that contingent Dario Schartz with eleven point six rebounds, four assists, Robert Covington with a couple three pointers four of them, twelve points, five boards and four dimes. Seventy Sixers took this one, which is two hours, seven minutes to play in front of a sellout crowd of twenty thousand,

five hundred and ninety four. With the win the six or seventh straight through Now thirty two and twenty five, the Sixers play the Washington Wizards tomorrow night, eight o'clock at Capitol One Arena, only a game between the teams now for fourth place or sheaf of it, at least in the Eastern Conference standings for some of our six

Er Rady Network affiliates. Pregame coverage underway at seven to fifty with the pregame show Big Thanks the guys back at the studio Carl Namoleon Alan Yates, Marty Dickerson here now for the radio voice in the seventy six or Tom McGinnis, Brian Seltzer saying so long for now one final time. The final score seventy six ers one sixteen Magic one oh five. Have a great rest of your

night from all this yet the Sixers Rating Network. Following the Sixers win, Tom mcguinnis had a chance to catch up with one of the players afterwards, Ben Simmons, with a tremendous game and he's going to join us courtside. Ben, thank you for your time, great win here tonight, dominant in parts up twenty three holding on and you guys have been just excellent here at home, your thoughts in general. Thank god. We got off to the rough start. I think the person I really had a bass star like

that in a while, but we kept it together. I got the lead back and I think we played a well overall. You know. Again, so they were up fifteen to six. You mentioned their start early. Coach Brown takes time out. What's the general gist of a timeout? What's the message by him to you guys at a point like that? For us, I think we're in the stage. Well, we know what we need to do, and it's us coming together again on the floor doing that. We stayed

together as a team. I think that's all it really matter. So you were attacking aggressively again. There was one sequence in the first half where you had Aaron Gordon on him. Yeah, and you just to me like watching it, You're like, I've been waiting for a chance like that. You're just driving it right at him. Tell me what's going on for me? Um, I knows we're down, and so you know,

I was getting kind of frustrated with that. I'm trying to get, you know, a little bit of energy going with the teams, and I think we got that back after a few quick buckets and then we'll have one. Then there are times, in fact in the in the second half, fourth quarter, you're guarding Bussevic, which by the way, you're the point guard and there he's the center. You're the same height, and then Simmons comes on a drive.

You were like you beat, You're guarding the big guy, and then coming over on the driver he scored, but then you come right back and hit a bank shot. That that is you're that's like dominance at both ends. Do you feel that definitely. UM, I know coaches talked a lot about it for me to be dominant on the defensive end, and I'm taking a lot of pride in that. I feel like I'm getting a lot better, um, guarding the perimeter and also, you know, the bigger guys

in the hope. Last thought, but your confidence, your team's confidence. Seven straight wins, it's got to just be percolating bubbly as you go down to Washington. We're gonna wait to get down there and play. So, you know, back to back game tomorrow, looking forward to I think teams ready and uh, you know, we know we have to do great job. Thank you, Benn, all right, thank you. Ben Simmons of the Sixers. Sixers beat the Magic by eleven one sixteen, one oh five.