Sixers Bell Ringer: Third-quarter surge propels Sixers past Brooklyn – Liberty Ballers

Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Joel Embiid – 11
Tobias Harris – 5
Shake Milton – 3
Ben Simmons – 2
Tyrese Maxey – 1
Dakota Mathias – 1

Brooklyn’s chances of taking down the first-place Sixers took a hit when Kevin Durant (medical protocols) and Kyrie Irving (finger) were both ruled out. Still, the game was close for much of the night, until the Sixers broke things open with a 14-0 third-quarter run that turned a 79-79 tie into a 93-79 lead, part of a 43-point third quarter for the Sixers. Then, Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash threw in the towel kind of early, as James Harden didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter, and Philadelphia kept the Nets at arms-length to collect the 124-108 victory. Now, who’s your Bell Ringer?

Joel Embiid: 33 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 5 turnovers

I wouldn’t even call tonight a particularly outstanding Joel Embiid game, which shows how ridiculously high he has raised the bar. Joel settled for the outside shot too much, finishing 1-of-7 from 3. And yet, he was the guy who set the tone early, with 15 points in the first quarter, and then paced the team with 14 points in the third when the Sixers broke the game open. At the end of the night, Embiid became the first Sixer to record eight straight 25-plus-point games since Allen Iverson in 2006. It’s only fitting that Joel starts matching marks put up by AI, as he bids to become the franchise’s first MVP since The Answer two decades ago.

Tobias Harris: 21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2 turnovers

There was never a stretch when Tobias was overwhelming the focal point of the offense, but he consistently chipped in, filling the margins with a series of hooks, floaters, and pull-up mid-range jumpers. Harris was extremely active on the glass, collecting a season-high 12 rebounds, and three of his four offensive boards he immediately put back for buckets. The All-Star hopeful was also stout on the defensive end as part of another terrific all-around performance.

Ben Simmons: 16 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, 6 turnovers

Ben was largely responsible for the turning point of the game, as the team’s pivotal 14-0 run coincided with Simmons finally getting the Harden defensive assignment. He was excellent on that end of the court, hounding Brooklyn into some steals, a couple leading directly to slams on the other end. Ben barked right in Tyler Johnson’s face after one dunk, which drew a technical foul, but you’ll take that trade-off every night if it means we get this level of aggressiveness from him. Offensively, Simmons took charge as well, driving hard to the rim for a lay-in or sweet little turnaround bank shot. After the team struggled from downtown in his absence Thursday, he also got right back into the swing of things setting up his teammates for 3-pointers, collecting five more 3-point assists on the evening. Aggressive Ben and a fun, random Tyler Johnson feud; sign me up for more!

Shake Milton: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 turnovers

After a hot start to the season, Shake’s play had tailed off a bit in recent weeks. Tonight, Milton turned the clock back some with a 6-of-13 night from the floor; the six made field goals were his most since his 28-point game against Memphis on January 16. Shake was up to his usual tricks, banking in high-arcing lay-ups, and hitting mid-range jumpers and floaters. The stars certainly carried their share of the load tonight, but the Sixers need this level of production from their bench as well to reach their potential.