76ers vs. Jazz: 3 Things That Stood Out on Saturday
In Utah for the first and only time this season, the Philadelphia 76ers looked to bounce back after one of their toughest losses of the year, which came on Thursday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The last time the Sixers faced the Jazz, a career night from Philly’s star big man Joel Embiid allowed the 76ers to pick up a win on their home court. This time around, the Sixers had to take care of business on the road in what became the first matchup of their West Coast trip.
A hot start made it seem as if a blowout was brewing in Utah. Firing off 41 points in the first quarter, the Sixers had a 20-point advantage over the Jazz.
But Utah wouldn’t allow the Sixers to get away easily. For most of the game, the Sixers had control of the scoreboard, but a late lead by the Jazz teased a potential comeback in favor of the home team. However, the Sixers closed out the matchup with two strong final possessions, one each on both ends of the floor.
Following a 118-117 win over the Jazz, here’s what stood out for the Sixers:
Maxey’s Night From Deep
The most notable factor about Tyrese Maxey’s growth with the Sixers since he’s been drafted is the young guard’s improvement from beyond the arc. When he started the season, Maxey knocked down 42 percent of his threes in 15 games.
Then an 18-game absence happened as a result of a fractured foot. Since Maxey returned, he’s appeared in seven games leading up to Saturday’s game. In that time, the veteran guard knocked down just 31 percent of his threes. Over the last three games, Maxey hit on just three of his 17 shots from deep.
On Saturday, Maxey caught fire from beyond the arc. Confident in his shot, Maxey attempted 11 three-pointers, five of which went down. While Maxey still wasn’t so sharp from the field as a whole, making just seven of his 20 shots, it’s good to see the young guard is getting his confidence back from deep.
Heating Up Off the Bench
There wasn’t a revenge game in store for the former Jazz forward Georges Niang. Typically one to get up for a high-energy matchup, Niang entered the game under the weather. Playing for just 12 minutes, Niang attempted three shots from the field, none of which dropped successfully.
Niang is usually a reliable reserve for the Sixers, but Shake Milton picked up the slack as the bench’s lone star on Saturday. Checking in for nearly 29 minutes, Milton had one of his best performances as of late in Utah.
Throwing up 12 shots from the field, Milton knocked down seven of his shots and hit on three of his five threes. He finished the game with 17 points, accounting for 68 percent of the Sixers’ bench points. Milton has proven on many occasions this year that he can be relied on. Saturday in Utah was another prime example.
A Fourth Quarter Masterclass
When the Sixers need somebody to take over and close out games in the final quarter, the game usually gets placed in the hands of Joel Embiid, who is currently one of the NBA’s best scorers.
But the Utah Jazz found out they shouldn’t sleep on Harden in that situation. Going into the fourth quarter, Harden was having a so-so-scoring night. On 11 shots, the veteran had 13 points and missed all four of his threes. Once again, Harden’s value was in the playmaking department, as he had nine assists in three quarters.
Once the fourth quarter rolled around, The Beard flipped a switch. Suddenly, Harden nailed four three-pointers. Six of his eight shots in the final 11 minutes were successful. While Joel Embiid hit the dagger shot to get the Sixers ahead with four seconds left, Harden made sure the Sixers didn’t lose control.
And credit needs to be given where it’s due on the other side. Harden put on a fourth-quarter masterclass, but so did Utah’s Jordan Clarkson. Checking in for the entire quarter, Clarkson drained three threes and knocked down six of his nine shots from the field for 17 points. Clarkson and Harden traded baskets in the fourth, giving the game a ton of juice. Fortunately for the Sixers, they came out on the right side of the fourth-quarter battle.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
