For a refresher on our Bell Ringer series, take a look back at our first post of the season.
Bell Ringer Standings
Ben Simmons - 15
Tobias Harris - 10
Joel Embiid - 9
Josh Richardson - 8
Furkan Korkmaz - 5
Matisse Thybulle - 3
Al Horford - 1
James Ennis - 1
Raul Neto - 1
Shake Milton - 1
Making a move long-awaited by legions of Sixers fans, Brett Brown shifted Al Horford to the bench, first bringing Furkan Korkmaz into the starting lineup, then Glenn Robinson III to start the second half. The result was an abundance of spacing, and even on a night the Sixers didn’t shoot the ball particularly well (just 8-of-27 from 3), there were plenty of driving lanes and the offense appeared to flow much better. Joel Embiid and Al Horford finished with 10 minutes on the court together, with just six of those minutes also including Ben Simmons (for context, the trio played together nearly 12 minutes against Chicago).
Bully Ball was still in effect though, as the Sixers grabbed 11 offensive rebounds and won the battle on the glass. Philadelphia also took great care of the basketball, turning it over just six times as a team. Add it all up and it was good enough for a 110-103 win over the Clippers, with the Sixers moving to 25-2 at home on the season. Bell Ringer time, ladies and gentlemen.
Ben Simmons: 26 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers
Another triple-double, and another game where Ben Simmons gave as much consistent energy as anyone on the court. Ben played 43 minutes, and took the challenge of guarding Kawhi Leonard. Sure, Kawhi dropped 30 points, but he shot 6-of-12 with Simmons as the primary defender, which is good enough against the Finals MVP at the peak of his powers.
Meanwhile, Simmons was in full attack mode on the offensive end, putting up a season-high 22 field goal attempts. Surround him with more spacing via one fewer center and Ben is happy to bulldoze his way to the rim. The second quarter belonged to Simmons, with 12 points in the frame, and he finished all game long with an endless array of acrobatic reverses and finger rolls. Ben even hit a pull-up mid-range jumper with the shot clock winding down to satisfy that crowd! Just an outstanding performance from the man with the candy kitchen.
Ben Simmons
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) February 12, 2020
Triple Double
26 points
12 rebounds
10 assists
pic.twitter.com/cwyEemrdei
Joel Embiid: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover
It took just 38 seconds for boos to turn to cheers, as Embiid fought inside for an and-one in the opening minute of the game. By the time he had his tussle with Marcus Morris, Philadelphia fans had fully embraced the big man back into their hearts. Playing fewer minutes with Horford definitely helped Embiid navigate the interior with less resistance, leading to better position and 13 attempts at the free throw line. Joel just looked to have more energy, more like his old self, and his huge block of Morris was simply the capstone of the evening.
Joel Embiid's swat sets up the Matisse Thybulle triple to extend the lead!
— NBA (@NBA) February 12, 2020
: @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/nmL1Ndee9n
Josh Richardson: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 1 turnover
The less-publicized lineup change was J-Rich getting his starting spot back from Shake Milton following his recovery from a hamstring injury. The Sixers were sure glad to have a full-strength Richardson back on the court. The former Heat wing exploded for 17 points in the fourth quarter to help the Sixers pull away. He shot a perfect 3-of-3 from 3 in the period, and had an and-one against Kawhi that made it a double-digit game with a few minutes left and got the crowd on its feet. Josh also did a great job defending Paul George, holding the Clippers star to 1-of-7 shooting when he was the primary defender, including a pair of blocks.
Josh Richardson with a strong drive to the hole, PLUS the foul pic.twitter.com/CukRCpqL1N
— ClutchPoints NBA (@ClutchPointsNBA) February 12, 2020
Tobias Harris: 17 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 0 turnovers
Though everyone wanted to talk about how moving Horford to the bench would benefit Embiid and Simmons, Tobias looked like the biggest beneficiary early on with 11 first-quarter points. At the four, Harris is afforded those open looks from behind the arc that Big Al used to get, and he has someone like JaMychal Green defending him rather than a quicker wing. Suddenly, Tobi is able to drive and get to his spots with ease. He certainly looked invigorated by this slam late in the opening period:
I swear Tobias Harris was a layup guy in LA. pic.twitter.com/nJbbcM1lmt
— Louis Keene (@thislouis) February 12, 2020
Poll
Who is the Bell Ringer for the win over the Clippers?
This poll is closed
-
72%
Ben Simmons
-
11%
Joel Embiid
-
14%
Josh Richardson
-
0%
Tobias Harris