Sixers Bell Ringer: Game 64 - Road woes resurface late in 118-114 loss to Golden State

For a refresher on our Bell Ringer series, take a look back at our first post of the season.

Bell Ringer Standings

Ben Simmons - 16
Tobias Harris - 12
Joel Embiid - 11
Josh Richardson - 8
Furkan Korkmaz - 6
Matisse Thybulle - 3
Shake Milton - 3
Al Horford - 1
James Ennis - 1
Raul Neto - 1
Glenn Robinson III - 1

The Sixers had control for much of the evening Saturday night against the Warriors and looked to be on their way to a second-straight road win. However, Golden State erased an 8-point fourth-quarter deficit to tie the game at 106 with 3:42 remaining, setting up a strange final few minutes.

With the Sixers holding a one-point advantage with a minute left, the refs called Tobias Harris for a 3-second violation. After two Eric Paschall free throws gave Golden State the lead, the Sixers had three unsuccessful shot attempts on their next possession, most prominently a Mike Scott lay-up that was blocked by Marquese Chriss. Then, down three, the Sixers looked to run a similar play for Furkan Korkmaz as his game-winner against Portland, but he stepped out-of-bounds before he could even get a shot attempt off. It was as dispiriting a loss as you could have possibly imagined for a team missing three starters. This 118-114 defeat is a game Philadelphia should have had, shorthanded or not. Let’s choose a Bell Ringer.

Al Horford: 22 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers

Big Al was a man down in the painted area, routinely outmuscling Warriors defenders for good looks near the basket. Golden State threw a number of double teams at him, and Horford made sharp decisions, delivering a pass on-the-money outside the arc or a bounce pass to an open cutter. He also connected on several jumpers, including a 2-of-5 mark from 3. Horford’s defense wasn’t stellar, but no Sixer’s was on a night they gave up 118 to the Warriors’ B squad.

Tobias Harris: 24 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers

Harris was brutal in the first half, shooting 3-of-14 and routinely flinging up wild shots off drives to the basket. His final 10-of-23 line looks that much more impressive, then, as Tobias nearly carried the Sixers across the finish line in the final minutes. He went 4-of-5 in the fourth quarter for 10 points, converting on a drive to put the Sixers back ahead after Golden State first tied the game at 106, then tallying a three-point play and a long 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to give Philadelphia the lead each time inside the final two minutes. If one of about three separate things had gone differently in the final minute, we would likely be talking about Tobias’ late-game heroics.

Shake Milton: 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers

Shake had just 10 shot attempts, converting five of those, but really reaching into his bag of tricks in the process. He tear-dropped home a gorgeous floater after going between-the-legs on a drive from the top of the key, and scored on some more conventional forays to the rim. I also really like his pump-and-go move on a possession that ended with him missing the floater, but getting his own miss and putting it back up and in. He only made one 3 (on three attempts), but it was a long one he launched with no hesitation. Milton has DEEP range and he’s confident in that shot, as he should be.

Glenn Robinson III: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 0 turnovers

Usually, the revenge game narrative is just something the media likes to play up. But you could tell Robinson at least had his old club on his mind during a quick sequence in the third quarter. He hit a 3-pointer and then scored an and-one to push the lead to double digits, all while peppering in some good-natured trash talk to his former teammates on the Golden State bench. It was part of a very efficient night for Robinson where he shot 4-of-5 from the field, 2-of-2 from 3, and 5-of-5 from the foul line.