The Philadelphia 76ers took the floor on Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets, looking to put an end to their current drought. Facing off against reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, this was going to be no small task. After suffering a blowout loss to the Utah Jazz in their previous game, the Sixers came out determined to not suffer a similar fate.
In the end, they managed to get back in the win column by beating the Nuggets, 103-89. Here are three observations from their impressive win.
3. Charles Bassey stole the show
With the Sixers still being shorthanded at the moment, an opportunity has arisen for some players who typically find themselves out of the rotation. Coach Doc Rivers has dug deep into his bench recently to try and lessen the load of guys who have been asked to play big minutes over the past two weeks.
One player who got an extended look against the Nuggets was Charles Bassey. At first, it was to give Andre Drummond a breather, but then the second round pick began to dazzle on both ends. Most importantly, he slowed down Jokic.
In 19 minutes of action, Bassey totaled 12 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, which are all career-highs. The Sixers have embraced the “next man up” mentality this season, and Bassey is the latest player to provide a lift when needed. For a guy who has played sparingly to start his career, the Sixers should be pleased with his performance.
2. Limiting the supporting cast
Similar to the Sixers, the Nuggets find themselves without a pair of key players. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are two of their top scorers and are currently out rehabbing injuries. This has left Jokic to lead the charge almost singlehandedly.
Players like Jokic are always going to get their numbers. It's a given when facing off against a top-level talent such as him. That said, the Sixers did a good job making sure no other players went off for a big night.
The Nuggets finished with just three players scoring in double figures, and four of their eight rotation players scoring five points or less. This is rather impressive, considering Jokic is known for his elite-level passing ability and getting others involved.
The Sixers came into the matchup with the right defensive plan, and it paid off for them. Even with Jokic racking up a near triple-double, the lack of production from the rest of his teammates was enough for the Sixers to pull off the W.
3. Return of the balanced attack
When the Sixers first took a hit from injuries, their balanced offensive attack is what kept them afloat. They have struggled to score collectively in their recent matchups, but that was not the case against the Nuggets. Scoring came from all over, and it came in bunches.
When all was said and done, six Sixers reached double figures in points, led by Tyrese Maxey and Seth Curry, who finished as the top two scorers with 22 and 20 markers, respectively.
Replacing the offensive output of Joel Embiid is a daunting task, but the Sixers have cracked the code on how to rack up points in his absence. When everyone is involved and the scoring is spread out, the group can hang with just about any team in the NBA.
Follow Us
Subscribe