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In The Post: Sixers Survive A Comeback By The Cavs

Total domination in the first half by the 76ers allowed them to set the tone early. They sent a message to the Cavaliers with a 27-point lead in the third…

Joel Embiid vs The Cavs

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – FEBRUARY 15: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives past Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center on February 15, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Total domination in the first half by the 76ers allowed them to set the tone early. They sent a message to the Cavaliers with a 27-point lead in the third quarter. But Cleveland wasn’t having any of it in the second half. They battled back to within four late in the fourth. A valiant effort by the Cavs. But Philadelphia picked up the 118-112 win in the final game before the All-Star break. With the win, the Sixers even the season series at 1-1 with both teams winning on their home floor. A little payback from the blowout Cleveland handed them in late November. Philadelphia is now two games in front of the Cavs in the standings and has now won four games in a row overall and are 38-19 on the season.

Here’s what stood out: 

  • 11 assists on 13 made baskets in the opening quarter for the 76ers. Including six made threes that helped them lead by 14 in the first, 38-24. Philadelphia led by as much as 25 points at halftime.
  • Tobias Harris got the first crack defending All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. He did a superb job on him in the first half. Never an easy assignment for anyone, Harris held Mitchell to just eight points on 3 for 11 shooting from the field. The Louisville product turned it up in the second half to help Cleveland fight back as he finished with 33 points. Cavs guard Darius Garland was tough to keep out of the lane as he contributed 27. Evan Mobley added 23. 
  • Harden had 15 and 9 assists in the first half and was in full control as he ran the team. He finished the night with 19 points, 12 assists, and four rebounds. 
  • Joel Embiid put together a double-double of 29 points and a game-high 14 boards. Coming into the game, the 6-time All-Star needed just five points to reach 10,000 career points and he eclipsed that number very early in the first. A great career from where things began with the big fella dealing with early injuries. 
  • The Cavaliers did make a few runs, the biggest coming in the fourth as they cut the lead to 10 fueled by an 11-1 run. Much credit goes to Cleveland for not giving up. But Philadelphia certainly took their foot off the gas, relaxed a little by fouling and turned the ball over at a high rate in the second half. The Cavs will be a tough matchup for anyone in the playoffs. 

Philadelphia is in a good spot heading into the All-Star break. They’ll be back on the floor next Thursday at home to host the Memphis Grizzlies. 

NBA Trade Deadline Recap- Shams vs Woj

Thursday afternoon marked the NBA’s Trade Deadline with a ton of movement across the league. Beyond the trades themselves, this day always marks a clash of two titans, Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania, in the battle of breaking the deals first.

Here’s a look at each deal and who reported on it first, organized by the Sixers first and then in chronological order starting Thursday at midnight.

Sixers trade Matisse Thybulle in three team deal to acquire Jalen McDaniels

Sixers acquire: Jalen McDaniels, two second round picks Hornets acquire: 2023 second round pick, Svi Mykhailiuk

Trail Blazers acquire: Matisse Thybulle

Woj or Shams? Woj

Toronto Raptors acquire C Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs

Raptors acquire: Jakob Poeltl

Spurs acquire: Khem Birch, a protected 2024 first-round pick, and two second-round picks

Woj or Shams? Woj (ESPN had a graphic ready for him too)

Phoenix Suns acquire Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Net

Suns acquire: Kevin Durant, TJ Warren

Nets acquire: Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first round picks and a 2028 pick swap

Woj or Shams? This is an interesting one. Woj had the report that the deal was close, but technically, it was Shams that had the final report of the deal and its details first. Point for Shams.

Boston Celtics acquire Mike Muscala from the Oklahoma City Thunder

Celtics acquire: Mike Muscala

Thunder acquire: Justin Jackson and two second-round picks

Woj or Shams? Shams.

Milwaukee Bucks acquire Jae Crowder from the Brooklyn Nets

Bucks acquire: Jae Crowder

Nets acquire: Five (!!) second-round picks

Pacers acquire: Jordan Nwora and two second-round picks

Woj or Shams? Shams.

Denver Nuggets acquire Thomas Bryant from the Los Angeles Lakers

Nuggets acquire: Thomas Bryant

Lakers acquire: Davon Reed and three second-round picks

Woj or Shams? Woj (he even got an Adam Schefter retweet)

Indiana Pacers acquire George Hill and a second round pick from Milwaukee Bucks

Pacers acquire: George Hill and a second-round pick

Bucks “acquire”: A free roster spot and free up $4 million

Woj or Shams? Woj.

Los Angeles Clippers acquire Bones Hyland from the Denver Nuggets

Clippers acquire: Bones Hyland

Nuggets acquire: Clippers’ 2024 and 2025 second-round picks

Woj or Shams? Woj

Phoenix Suns acquire Darius Bazley from the Oklahoma City Thunder

Suns acquire: Darius Bazley

Thunder acquire: Dario Saric

Woj or Shams? Shams.

Golden State Warriors trade away James Wiseman in three-team deal

Warriors acquire: Five (!!) second-round picks, Kevin Knox

Pistons acquire: James Wiseman

Hawks acquire: Saddiq Bey

Woj or Shams? Woj.

Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets trade bench players

Hawks acquire: Justin Holiday and Frank Kaminsky

Rockets acquire: Garrison Matthews and Bruno Fernando

Woj or Shams? Woj.

Los Angeles Clippers acquire Eric Gordon from the Houston Rockets

Clippers acquire: Eric Gordon, three second-round picks

Rockets acquire: John Wall, Danny Green, pick swap

Grizzlies acquire: Luke Kennard

Woj or Shams? Shams tweeted about the trade first. He also provided the Kennard and Wall pieces of the trade first. Woj did, however, report on the second-round picks and Danny Green. Tim MacMahon gave us the pick swap. Shams got more details first so we will credit him.

Los Angeles Lakers trade Patrick Beverley to the Orlando Magic for Mo Bamba

Lakers acquire: Mo Bamba

Magic acquire: Patrick Beverley, second round “compensation”

Woj or Shams? Shams. Shams got this by so much that he accidentally tweeted that Beverley was being traded by the Clippers, not the Lakers, in his first attempt at this tweet.

New Orleans Pelicans acquire Josh Richardson from the San Antonio Spurs

Pelicans acquire: Josh Richardson

Spurs acquire: Devonte’ Graham and four (!!) second-round picks

Woj or Shams? Shams.

Los Angeles Clippers acquire Mason Plumlee in exchange for Reggie Jackson

Clippers acquire: Mason Plumlee

Hornets acquire: Reggie Jackson

Woj or Shams? Woj.

Golden State Warriors acquire Gary Payton II from the Portland Trail Blazers

Warriors acquire: Gary Payton II

Trail Blazers acquire: Five (!!) second picks, Kevin Knox

Woj or Shams? Woj.

Final Totals

Woj: 9

Shams: 7

Second-round picks traded: 38, pending the “second-round compensation” that the Magic received.