Game Recap | Team Comes Up Short in OT Thriller

Snapshot:

The 76ers (2-2) and Detroit Pistons (3-0) have designs on playing deep into the spring, and the fierce competitiveness of Tuesday’s game reflected those ambitions.

It was a wild finish at Little Caesars Arena, with former teammates factoring into the critical moments of a hard-fought, back-and-forth overtime battle.

In the end, after 12 ties, 25 lead changes, and five free minutes of hoops, it was Blake Griffin and his career-high 50 points (20-35 fg, 5-10 3fg, 5-11 ft) that put Detroit over the top, 133-132.

Griffin’s successful and-1 on a driving lay-up down the lane with 1.8 seconds to go proved to be the difference.

The clutch deposit spoiled the latest round of late-game heroics provided by JJ Redick, who, prior to joining the Sixers in 2017, spent four seasons alongside Griffin with the LA Clippers.

Just moments earlier, the veteran marksman Redick had used one of his signature four-point plays to put the Sixers up by two. But Griffin and the Pistons answered.

“It was a great game, it was a fantastic game for fans to watch,” Brett Brown said.

The Sixers, unfortunately, wound up on the wrong side of the result.

Like the Pistons, they were aided by the contributions of an All-Star big man. Joel Embiid cranked out a season-high 33 points (11-20 fg, 11-14 ft), 11 boards, seven assists, and three blocks

Not only was the performance the latest in his season-opening double-double streak, but his third straight 30-point, 10-rebound effort as well.

The last Sixer to compile such a streak? Charles Barkley, during the 1990-91 campaign.

(Barkley holds the team record with four consecutive 30-point, 10-rebound games)

“That’s a tough loss,” said Embiid, who had a potential game-winning 3-point attempt drift wide to the left as time expired. “We’ve got to rebound tomorrow [at Milwaukee].”

While the margin between the Sixers and Pistons, a pair of Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls, never grew wider than the Sixers’ 10-point edge late in Tuesday’s third quarter, the visitors controlled the lead for most of the evening.

Thanks in large part to Griffin’s dynamic showing, though, Detroit never lagged too far behind. The former no. 1 pick’s bankshot with 34.6 seconds left in the fourth frame tied the tilt at 120-120, and ultimately prompted overtime.

Also contributing to the Pistons’ cause Tuesday was the guard trio of Reggie jackson (23 pts), Ish Smith (21 pts), and Reggie Bullock (17 pts).

For the Sixers, Redick dropped 30 points (9-21 fg, 6-15 3fg, 6-7 ft), while Markelle Fultz matched a career-high with 13 (6-9 fg, 1-2 3fg).

Notable Nuggets:

Whole Lot of Griffin

While it might be a stretch to say that Blake Griffin had a game like Tuesday coming his way, the forward had been trending in quite the prolific direction.

He tallied 26 points in Detroit’s opener versus Brooklyn, then 33 more two days later against Chicago.

His 109 combined points is the highest total ever for a Piston through the first three games of a season.

“Blake had a hell of a game, and was very difficult for us, obviously, to defend,” said Brett Brown.

No one involved in Tuesday’s game had a better understanding of Griffin’s evolution than JJ Redick, his old LA Clipper teammate.

Redick’s’ praise was high.

“He was phenomenal tonight. He did a little bit of everything - just ultra aggressive. I don’t mean to hyperbolize here. He may be, of every player I’ve ever been around in the NBA, I can’t think of anyone who works harder than Blake - both on his body, and on his game. The guy takes his craft very seriously."

Redick’s Run

There’s a lot JJ Redick has done over the course of his 13-year career - a lot of statistically noteworthy things - but prior to Tuesday, never before had he reached the 30-point mark in consecutive games.

That changed, thanks to him pouring in an even 3-0 versus Detroit.

Three days earlier, Redick scored 31 points and the game-winner in a one-point victory over the Orlando Magic.

While Brett Brown appreciates that the 34-year old Redick continues to perform at a high level, the head coach isn’t necessarily surprised.

“He just is so prideful on everything - his body, his preparation, his detail,” Brown said. “The NBA is hard, to back it up...and he’s as good as anyone I’ve ever been around that acts that, does that.”

Fultz In, Simmons Out

Markelle Fultz got the starting nod Tuesday as the Sixers’ primary ball handler, and played arguably his smoothest and most complete game as a pro.

In addition to his 13 points on an efficient 6 for 9 shooting, he supplied six rebounds, and generated a plus-2 rating in 21 minutes. 

Yes, Fultz had started each of the Sixers’ three previous games, but at the beginning of those contests, Ben Simmons initiated the offense, mostly.

Simmons, however, was missing in action Tuesday due to back tightness. It was just the second time the reigning Rookie of the Year has been sidelined.

‘Gram of the Game:

Wide open corner look for three?

Take the shot, make the shot.

Up Next:

A tough, midwestern, Eastern Conference back-to-back finishes up for the Sixers Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. As of Tuesday morning, Milwaukee was undefeated, at 3-0. In addition to opening up a new downtown arena this season (Fiserv Forum), the Bucks hired a new head coach, Mike Budenholzer, who worked with Brett Brown in San Antonio, and had previously coached the Atlanta Hawks.