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PHILADELPHIA – In their first game of the 2022-23 season without Joel Embiid and James Harden, the Philadelphia 76ers lost. The New York Knicks came from behind to win 106-104. The Sixers were able to generate shots — shooting 18 more attempts from the field than the Knicks — but couldn't convert, shooting 37.8 as a team.
After the Sixers outscored the Knicks 30 to 16 in the third quarter, they were outscored 32 to 21 in the final frame. Rivers explained that the Knicks' decision to run with a frontcourt of Obi Toppin and Julius Randle played a part in New York's ability to steal the win. But he also explained why Embiid and Harden were missed so badly.
“They went small and they started switching everything and we stopped attacking,” the Sixers head coach said. “I thought we did a great job of drawing and kicking and they’re a help-defensive team. We did that for three quarters. In the fourth quarter, I thought we tried to hold onto the game and hold onto the ball and it cost us. End of games, you need closers. You really do. And that’s where the Joels and the Hardens come into play. When you don’t have them, you have to try to make plays.”
While Tyrese Maxey is now being looked to as the key scorer with Harden and Embiid out, he had a rough shooting night. His game-high 31 points came on 29 shots from the field. He made 10 of his attempts and scored only four points in the fourth quarter. The Knicks came back from a 12-point deficit in that frame and held Philly to 6-22 shooting.
Maxey still made plenty of big plays but eventually lost his rhythm, as did the entire Sixers offense in crunch time. Tobias Harris tallied 23 points on 9-15 shooting, nine rebounds and four assists in the Sixers' defeat. He explained that defense was also a key culprit in the loss.
“They started to cut into the lead, at some point it was like seven points and myself and Tyrese got in the game, and we just wanted to get enough quality stops to get out and run because that’s where it started for us,” Harris said. “Even in the first half, first quarter, I thought we were getting good looks because we were getting stops which allowed us to get out in transition and gave us some flow. In the fourth quarter, we did not get as many stops as we needed to win the game.”
The Sixers have a lot to figure out with Harden sidelined for a month and Embiid battling an illness. They will face the Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks in their next two games.
