Sixers Bell Ringer: Philadelphia keeps In-Season Tournament hopes alive with win over Hawks

Bell Ringer Season Totals:
Tyrese Maxey - 5
Joel Embiid - 2
Tobias Harris - 1
Kelly Oubre Jr. - 1
De’Anthony Melton - 1
Jaden Springer - 1

Coming off their first two-game losing streak of the season, the Philadelphia 76ers rebounded in Atlanta with a 126-116 victory over the Hawks. Nick Nurse shifted his rotations a bit in this contest, playing Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey both the full 12 minutes of the third quarter as the Sixers extended a one-point advantage to seven. Then, going against script, the non-Embiid, non-Maxey lineup actually stretched the lead to 12 points before Tyrese checked back in with around eight minutes left in the game. With the win, the Sixers are now 2-1 in In-Season Tournament action. They’ll have one more Eastern Conference Group A game on Tuesday at home against the Cavaliers. A win there will keep their dreams of Vegas alive, of hoisting the NBA Cup and giving Paul Reed more money to print sweatshirts. For now, though, let’s focus on tonight’s Bell Ringer.

Danuel House, Jr.: 14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover

Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images

D House perfectly harnessed his chaotic energy tonight and had lightning shooting out his fingertips. The veteran forward had a strong first half stint and then was a pivotal piece of the group that extended the lead early in the fourth quarter. Danuel was a racing gazelle up and down the court, finishing in transition and making sharp cuts to the rim off the ball. We had a classic House bow-and-arrow celebration towards the Atlanta bench following a corner three, and he also saved his teammate Joel some money by stopping Embiid from doing the DX chop. The Sixers have needed a wing to step up with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Nic Batum out and House answered the call in a big way in this win.

Joel Embiid: 32 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 4 turnovers

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

After a couple down performances, Joel came out of the gates firing on all cylinders in Atlanta, tallying 11 points and four assists in the first quarter. Really, it was one of the better games as a passer I’ve seen from Embiid, who had complete control finding cutting and relocating teammates from his position in the mid- or high post. He threw a one-touch feed to House after getting a feed as a roll man that yielded an audible “Whoa” from me. His scoring wasn’t absent either, though. We have to credit Embiid’s work at the foul line, where he is now 32-of-32 over the last three games. Down the stretch, Joel’s jump shot, which had been hit or miss in the early part of the game, caught fire and he carried the team over the finish line.

Tobias Harris: 29 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 turnover

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Tobias has been a model of consistency this season, now dropping 15 or more points in every game on the year. But he also reached a new ceiling tonight with a season-high 29 points, shooting 12-of-20 from the field, including 3-of-5 from behind the arc. The 20 field goal attempts tied a season-high, as Harris was often the fulcrum of the offense, operating in iso situations and bullying his way into his comfort zone jumpers. But he did more than that, also knocking down some catch-and-shoot jumpers and finishing off smart cuts. Tobias was the guy the team turned to in the half court during the non-Embiid, non-Maxey minutes, and he did not disappoint.

Jaden Springer: 8 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images

After making the case for more playing time with a strong performance against Boston, Springer saw his minutes jump to 22 in Atlanta, including the last 16 minutes of the game. The 21-year-old provides an infectious energy on both ends, tracking down loose balls with a fervor and causing havoc for the opposition defensively. Offensively, I was especially impressed tonight by his baseline drive game, where his good center of gravity and lower body strength allows him to muscle his way around the rim. He also made a poised pass to the opposite corner to an open shooter. I can’t see how Jaden doesn’t remain part of the rotation going forward.