Before Thursday night, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons had never before played in a posteason series that went longer than five games. The Philadelphia 76ers' stars acquitted themselves extremely well in Game 6 against the Toronto Raptors nevertheless, as Embiid dominated on the interior despite struggling to shoot and Simmons responded to widespread criticism with 21 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.
Despite their success in the biggest game of their careers to date, though, Embiid and Simmons still don't know what it's like to play in a game when the backs of both teams are against the proverbial wall of elimination. But Mike Scott does, and, when asked, Philadelphia's sharp-shooting forward told his young teammates what they will need to do come Sunday at Scotia Bank Arena to steal Game 7 on the road.
“I just told them you got to man up, grow some balls,” he said, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It's gonna be hostile, it's gonna be a hostile environment. We gotta take care of the ball, make sound decisions. It's gonna be tough, but [the Raptors] are worried, too. I know they're worried.”
Mike Scott, by the way, previously played in a Game 7 with the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2014 playoffs. He scored 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting off the bench, as the Indiana Pacers outlasted the Hawks 92-80.
There's no telling how Sunday's game will play out. Neither the Sixers nor the Raptors have been able to muster any type of lasting rhythm in this series, and Philadelphia has already proven it can win on Toronto's home floor.
Regardless, the Sixers will obviously have the best chance to win and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals if Embiid and Simmons heed Scott's advice.
Follow Us
Subscribe