In The Post: Sixers 129, Pacers 126
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 04: Bennedict Mathurin #00 of the Indiana Pacers drives to the basket against James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers in overtime at the Wells Fargo Center on January 4, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Pacers 129-126 in overtime.
Without the Eastern Conference Player of the Month, the Philadelphia Sixers picked up a thrilling overtime victory on Wednesday night over the Indiana Pacers. After so many ups and downs through 37 games this season, the Sixers are now nine games over .500 with a record of 23-14. Here’s what stood out in the win:
- Backup big Montrezl Harrell stepped up in a huge way with Embiid out of the lineup. Harrell, who shares time with Paul Reed off the bench, brought his usual energy to the floor. He provided a huge spark once he checked in during the first quarter. Harrell finished with 19 points in 28 minutes, adding five rebounds and four blocked shots. Not known for his defense, the veteran provided enough paint protection to help secure the win.
- Tyrese Maxey was back in the starting lineup for the first time since he returned from his foot injury. He looked pretty good and more comfortable with the added minutes. He still has a little ways to go to be completely back. But these steps are good as he continues to get his game legs underneath him. 17 points, five boards and six assists were his finishing stat line. Add the key steal at midcourt to cut the Pacers’ lead to two with 37 seconds in regulation. Then he attempted a layup to tie the score by attacking the basket. While he missed the shot, Tobias Harris didn’t give up on the play and followed his miss with an offensive rebound layup to tie the score and force OT.
- The Sixers have gotten back to being a tough team at home. That’s a great sign for this group. With this win, they have now won 11 straight at The Center and are 15-1 over the last 16 at home. Philadelphia has been a tough place to play for years and they’re really protecting their home floor with regularity. This will absolutely be needed during the playoffs.
Philadelphia has now won three games in a row, including the first two of their three-game homestand. Next up will be the Chicago Bulls, who snapped the red-hot Brooklyn Nets 12-game winning streak, on Friday night in South Philadelphia.
Dylan MacKinnon is The Digital Content Coordinator For 97.5 The Fanatic. he has been an Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, and Flyers fan his whole life. He graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelors in Journalism. Dylan has worked at the Fanatic since 2016, starting as an Intern, moving to the Street team, and eventually was hired as an Associate Producer before settling into his current role in the Digital Department. You may hear him referred to on-air as "The D-Train."
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