Sixers Down The Hornets For 2nd Time In 3 Days, 118-101
By Connor Thomas
The Sixers have started out the NBA Season as hot as any team in the association, and outside of a slow 1st quarter, last night was no different. In anticipation of the first instance in Sixers franchise history of the team playing the same opponent in back to back regular season home games, there was some speculation that this second game could be closer than Saturday’s comfortable 15 point win.
A 1st quarter that saw the Sixers shoot only 10 for 27 (37%) from the floor seemed to lend some validity to that theory. Though Doc Rivers’ squad held a 23-20 advantage after that opening frame, recent Sixers history would suggest that a let-down game might have been in the cards. This year’s edition of the Broad Street ballers continued to separate themselves from previous years, however, as they outscored Charlotte 35-23 in the 2nd quarter, taking a 58-43 lead into the half. The Sixers scoring was well spread in the first half, with Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid, and Danny Green all in double figures, and 12 points off the bench.
With a comfortable lead coming out of the break, the Sixers continued to throttle the Hornets in the 3rd thanks to a red hot Tobias Harris. Harris, who was just named Eastern Conference Player Of The Week for last week’s efforts, scored 11 of his 22 points in the quarter to help keep the Hornets at bay. So much so, that the Sixers were able to empty the bench in the 4th quarter, with Ben Simmons being the only starter to see action in the final frame.
Charlotte, who had Terry Rozier score 35 in the first end of the 2 game series, did not have a player score above Gordon Haywards 18 on Monday night, and never were particularly close to giving the Sixers trouble. The Sixers finished with 7 players in double figures, including all 5 starters as well as Shake Milton, and rookie Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers moved to an NBA best 6-1 while the Hornets fell to 2-5 on the young season. Philadelphia will stay home to take on the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, who the Sixers downed 113-107 opening night.
