The shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers took the floor Monday night, looking to keep their win streak alive against the New York Knicks. Despite a strong push in the second half, they would come up just short. The Knicks hit just enough shots down the stretch to keep the Sixers at bay and walked away with a 103-96 victory. Here are some observations from the matchup.
76ers Observations After Shorthanded Loss To Knicks
1) Andre Drummond comes up big in Joel Embiid's absence
Prior to the matchup, Joel Embiid's name got added to the growing list of Sixers who have been sidelined due to health and safety protocol. Because of this, Andre Drummond found himself inserted into the starting lineup.
Situations like this are why the Sixers went and got Drummond in free agency, and his showing against the Knicks showed how beneficial of a pickup he was. The former All-Star center ended the evening with a double-double, racking up 14 points and an incredible 25 rebounds.
The Knicks are one of the most physical teams in the NBA today. Having Drummond man the middle in Embiid's absence provided much-needed physicality around the rim on both ends of the floor. He was a force on the offensive and defensive glass all night.
Being without Embiid for the coming weeks will not be easy for the 76ers, but having a starting-caliber backup like Drummond waiting in the wings certainly makes life easier.
2) Three-point shooting down the stretch
After finding themselves down double-digits heading into halftime, the 76ers stormed back to make things interesting in the game's final minutes. The Knicks did not lose their composure and managed to knock down multiple tough shots to keep them at arm's length.
Any time the Sixers went on a quick run to cut the deficit to one possession, New York had an answer for it. Julius Randle had a pair of tough three-pointers that he managed to connect on to halt any sort of comeback from the Sixers. The Knicks connected on five of their 12 attempts from beyond in the final quarter to steal a win on the road.
Given the circumstances, the Sixers did all they could do. Part of it can be attributed to fatigue, but the lack of size created some mismatches on the defensive end. They did their best to make life as tough as possible for the Knicks. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to players knocking down big shots.
3) Bend, but don't break
Even though the Sixers didn't walk away with a victory tonight, they should hold their heads high. Moral victories might not count in the standings but are a testament to the fight within this shorthanded group.
Between being without their big three, missing some key role players, and being on the first half of a back-to-back, the Sixers had every reason to mail this game in. Instead of just going through the motions once the Knicks broke out to a big lead, they regrouped at halftime and continued to play their hearts out. Truly a valiant effort for a team facing so much early-season turmoil.
The Sixers have made it clear that no matter the circumstance, they intend to play their hardest every night. Doc Rivers deserves a ton of credit for the culture he has built and the way he's been able to lead this team in a time of need.
There's no telling when the 76ers will get back to full strength, but they will certainly compete on a nightly basis no matter which team is across from them.
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