The Devon Givens Show

6:00pm - 10:00pm

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.

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

    Sixers Move Matisse Thybulle in a 3-Way Trade
  • 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.