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The Philadelphia 76ers picked up their second straight win Tuesday night, beating the Toronto Raptors by a final score of 114-109. This victory did not come easy, as Toronto made a strong push in the second half to make the game interesting in the final minutes.
Like the rest of the NBA, the Raptors have been hit hard by health and safety protocols. They received some reinforcements before their matchup with the Sixers but were still without multiple key players. Despite those circumstances, they managed to hang around and almost steal a victory on their home floor.
After the game, Doc Rivers was asked his thoughts on the Sixers not putting shorthanded teams away more easily. He did not hold back his frustration by the question.
“It's funny when we were undermanned, and we won a couple games, and we had close games that we lost. I didn't hear that in reverse. Think about that stretch where we had all those guys out and lost four or five games by one point, three points. Do you think their coach was worried that they won by one or three points? These guys play hard. This is the NBA. Every single guy in this league can play,” said Rivers.
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Looking at this from both sides, each has a fair argument. When the Sixers were first hit hard by protocols, they stayed competitive on a nightly basis. Even against high-profile opponents like the Milwaukee Bucks, each matchup was winnable down to the final buzzer. “Moral victories” don't mean anything in the standings, but the Sixers had their fair share when they were the depleted team.
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On the reporter's side, asking the question is also valid. The Sixers had full control of this game early on and allowed Toronto to slowly creep their way back in. Not putting opponents away for good has always been an Achilles' heel for the Sixers.
There is also the team's recent stretch to look at when discussing this topic. The Sixers are not far removed from dropping games to the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks when they were without their stars. Whether they'd like to admit it or not, the Sixers have had their trouble taking care of shorthanded opponents.
Rivers' final point is the key one to zero in on. Depleted roster or not, there is still NBA talent on the floor every night. No matter the circumstances, every team gives their best night in and night out.
In the end, the Sixers walked out of Toronto with the result they wanted. It might not have been pretty, but it was a win nonetheless. After some missed opportunities they wish they could have back, the Sixers are starting to take advantage of the current NBA landscape.
