NBA In-Season Tournament: Where 76ers Stand After Win vs. Hawks
The Philadelphia 76ers dropped just their second game of the season earlier this week. Unfortunately, the stakes of the regular season matchup were higher, considering it was an In-Season Tournament matchup against the Indiana Pacers.
Going into Friday’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse considered the battle a must-win, since a loss would’ve sent them further down the standings. Fortunately for Philadelphia, they won’t have to worry about that.
The Sixers and the Hawks put together a tough battle. In the first half, the lead changed over 14 times, with the Sixers out in front 57-56 by halftime. Neither team could find separation, and it seemed as if the game could go down to the wire.
However, the Sixers started to pull away in the second half. After outscoring the Hawks 37-31 in the third quarter, the Sixers acquired the biggest lead of the game, up by eight at one point. Then in the fourth quarter, they extended their lead to as many as 16 points.
In the end, the Sixers collected an impressive 126-116 victory over Atlanta. With that win, the Sixers collect their ninth victory of the year and their second In-Season Tournament victory. Sitting at 2-1 in the Eastern Conference’s Group A, the Sixers are in second place.
The Standings
| Team | Record | PD |
|---|---|---|
Pacers | 2-0 | 5 |
76ers | 2-1 | 4 |
Cavaliers | 1-1 | 2 |
Hawks | 1-1 | -2 |
Pistons | 0-3 | -8 |
At this point, the Detroit Pistons don’t stand a chance to make it to the bracket. Sitting at 0-3, they have a point differential of minus eight.
The Hawks didn’t do themselves any favors with a ten-point loss on Friday against the Sixers. Picking up their lone loss, they went from out in front of Philadelphia to trailing in fourth place with a points differential of minus-2.
The Sixers’ Tuesday night matchup against the Cavaliers has a lot on the line. With the Cavs at 1-1, two points behind the Sixers in the standings, a win for Philadelphia could leave it all up to the Pacers and the Sixers to win the group. The 76ers will also want to root hard for the Hawks on Tuesday, as they are set to host the Pacers, who currently haven’t lost an In-Season Tournament game.
