Postseason Bell Ringer Recipients
Ben Simmons (3): BKN Game 2, BKN Game 3, TOR Game 1
Jimmy Butler (3): BKN Game 1, TOR Game 2, TOR Game 4*
Joel Embiid (2): BKN Game 4, BKN Game 5
* - I was on vacation over the weekend and we did not have an official Bell Ringer survey. In absentia, I awarded Game 4 to Jimmy Butler for his 29-point, 11-rebound, 4-assist performance.
Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, the Sixers let a chance to put a stranglehold on this series slip through their fingers. Still, they had a chance to regroup and regain the series lead back in Toronto. Instead of rectifying things, though, the Sixers simply got wrecked in Tuesday night’s 125-89 defeat.
A second quarter that saw the Raptors outscore Philadelphia 37-17 essentially put the game out of reach early. “Led” by 13 combined turnovers from Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, the Sixers coughed the ball up nine more times than the Raptors; they were also outrebounded, 42-37, and sank 10 fewer 3-pointers. The Sixers’ backs are now officially against the wall, as the Raptors will look to close out the series in Game 6, Thursday night in Philadelphia. First, let’s take a look at the short list of guys who competently laced them up tonight.
Jimmy Butler: 22 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover
Jimmy Butler was the proverbial port in the storm for the Sixers, at least until the storm of ineptitude from the majority of his teammates grew large and fierce enough to wipe out the entire coastline. Butler kept the Sixers in the game for the bulk of the first half, continuously earning trips to the free throw line (10-of-11 from the foul line for the game), either via confident drives to the rim or getting fouled on 3-point attempts.
His 7:1 assist-to-turnover ratio also warrants him a gold star on a night when every other pass the Sixers threw landed either in the hands of a waiting Raptor or the third row. Butler was the on-court proxy for Sixers fans’ frustration, on multiple occasions looking visibly exasperated by some dumb turnover, foul, or missed defensive assignment by one of his teammates. Jimmy has been a rock of consistency in this series. Hopefully, the rest of the Sixers can join him Thursday night.
Tobias Harris: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 turnover
Looking to put his horrific Game 4 shooting performance behind him, Harris proved he had turned the page in the early going, hitting his first shot (and the first make for the Sixers) on a 3-pointer from the wing two minutes into the game. While that was the only triple Tobi would knock down on the evening (1-of-3 from 3), he did have a solid game navigating in the mid-range and getting to the rack, finishing 6-of-12 from the field. Harris could have done more, particularly defensively, but his name is very close to the bottom for reasons why things went wrong for the Sixers Tuesday night.
Silky smooth
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 8, 2019
@tobias31#PhilaUnite | #HereTheyCome pic.twitter.com/7uy9cOVhfS
Mike Scott: 10 points, 4 rebounds, 0 turnovers
Philadelphia’s newest folk hero had a fine shooting performance off the bench, finishing 4-of-5 from the field and 2-of-2 from 3. Scott did more than his usual spot-up duty, however, knocking down one step back jumper off the dribble, and also finishing off a cut into the lane with a pretty finger roll. The Threegional Manager was the only viable bench option among the regulars Tuesday night, as James Ennis went 0-of-4 from the field (with all those attempts seemingly WIDE open), and Greg Monroe turned back into a pumpkin.
Poll
Who is your Bell Ringer from the Game 5 disaster?
This poll is closed
-
86%
Jimmy Butler
-
3%
Tobias Harris
-
9%
Mike Scott