It’s done, Philadelphia has won its first game! A convincing victory (120-106) against a modest opponent since it was the Pacers, promised one of the last places in the Eastern Conference. What we will remember is that the Sixers had decided to share the ball from the first seconds, and that changes everything. Movement, passes, the search for the best shot, and it gives a very good first quarter (33-23) with an effective bench (18 points already).
The continuation is of the same barrel with an Embiid which takes action, near the circle or at 3-points. He does not force anything, and the Pacers have every difficulty in containing him. At his side, Tobias Harris shows up (finally), and at the break, the Pacers are already very far (64-48).
The second half is more balanced with the Pacers defending much higher. This pressure makes it possible to steal balloons, but… it also leaves gaps in the back. It’s Embiid who still takes care of everything to avoid any comeback attempt. But be careful because Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin have a lot of talent and nerve. They disrupt Philly’s defense, and Indiana comes back to -8 thanks to its rookie. Except that Harden takes things in hand, with a basket symbol: this step-back where he sends Mathurin on the buttocks. The 3-pointer is clean, and with a raised hand, Harden celebrates the Sixers’ first win of the season.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
— Finally collective. What a contrast with the first three matches! Of course, it was only the Pacers in front but the players of Doc Rivers had a real desire to share the ball and we will highlight the game without the ball from James Harden and Joel Embiid. They rarely remained static after giving the ball away.
— The beginnings of Shake Milton. The rotation of Doc Rivers remains as enigmatic as ever, but it should be noted that Shake Milton made his big debut. It wasn’t folichon but he played six minutes, and that’s more than Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Kurzmaz combined.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ James Harden. We have confirmation that it is not the same James Harden as last season. He runs, he positions his defender, he raises his head, and he makes the others play. He squarely borders on the triple-double with 29 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds.
✅ Joel Embiid. He let the game come to him, and that’s good. He didn’t force anything, and physically he was much better than in the first matches. At no time did we say that he felt discomfort in his foot, or that he was short of breath.
✅ Tyrese Haliburton. What a handsome player! He’s so easy in his dribbling and shot selection. He always has his head up and he thinks first of getting others to play. A true leader.
✅⛔ Bennedict Mathurin. Big, big, big offensive talent! Character and magnificent attacking qualities. But be careful not to overdo it, or turn a match into a one-on-one. We will remember that it was he who made the Sixers doubt in the last quarter.
THE FOLLOWING
Philadelphia (1-3) : double confrontation against the Raptors at home, Wednesday and Friday.
Indiana (1-3) : new trip, this time to Chicago on Wednesday evening.
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