Sixers Ownership Deserves A Standing Ovation

It has been a controversial year for the 76ers ownership group ever since they announced their plans to build a new arena in Philadelphia. No matter what side of the debate you are on, you can always find someone who feels the opposite. When it comes to the actual basketball team, we know it is never a dull moment being a Sixers fan.  

Leading up to the season we had Joel Embiid talk about winning championships either in Philly or anywhere else. The James Harden saga included him publicly calling Daryl Morey a liar. Then we get to the actual season, which included Harden on the roster, with more unknowns of who will be on the team come playoff time.  

The 76ers were in need for some good PR and they absolutely hit it out of the park yesterday when it was announced that Josh Harris, David Blitzer, David Adelman, and Michael Rubin teamed up to buy 2,000 tickets for tonight’s Game 6. Those tickets will be distributed to first responders, health care professionals, community groups, and other Philadelphia-based organizations.  

We all know why they are doing this. Games 3 and 4 were sad when Knicks fans had most seats in the lower bowl of the Wells Fargo Center. Although it wasn’t talked about much after the game 3 win, it was a major topic after the game 4 loss when Joel Embiid addressed the media and expressed how disappointed he was with the turnout.  

That was not your fault Sixers fans. It was the fault of ticket investors. I refuse to call you a fan if you are buying tickets just to try and make a profit come playoff time. You do you, but you can’t be a “big fan” and not go to the games that matter most. I give the Knicks fans who make the trip credit, but we shouldn’t even have gotten to this point.  

The ownership group and Michael Rubin are not only giving 2,000 Sixers fans an incredible opportunity tonight, they are also showing that they have the back of Joel Embiid and the rest of the team. Just because Embiid was the only one who seemed really frustrated in his press conference about the crowd, I am sure the rest of his teammates felt a similar way. This was a great PR move, but also one that could actually make an impact in the building. 

We always talk about how great Philadelphia sports crowds can be, so why shouldn’t this be celebrated? I know people think this is a “bad look”, but if you are actually complaining, go outside. This is a no-lose situation for the Sixers management, and they needed that.  

Tyrese Maxey had a game for the ages Tuesday night. With the Sixers on the brink of elimination, he stepped up to force a game 6. Not only did he score 46 points, and play nearly the entire game, plus OT, but he hit this shot from WAY beyond the arc to force overtime.

They were down 6 points with under 30 seconds to go. Many Sixers fans were already writing their angry Tweets about how the season ended. Little did they know Tyrese was not about to go down without a fight.

First, he hit a 3, despite being fouled by Mitchell Robinson. He went on to convert the 4-point play, making it a 2-point game. They fouled Josh Hart, sending him to the line, where he went 1 for 2, to make it a 3-point game. Then, from what at the time I thought was way too deep and way too early in the shot clock, he unleashed a 3 for 34 feet and nailed it.

I was floored. I was one of those people who thought the game was over. No team ever comes back from a deficit like that. But maybe that was because no other team has ever had Tyrese Maxey.

That was one of the best games we have ever witnessed. Not just for the overall stat line, but for the impact, and the moment it came in. The Sixers were dead in the water, and he brought them back to life. We saw him go from star to Superstar, in real time.

And his performance did not go unnoticed. Between NBA players other Philly athletes, media personalities, and NY Celebs, there were some great reactions to what Tyrese Maxey did.

LeBron James for one was a fan of Maxey's big night. Which is certainly interesting, given the rumors surrounding LeBron. There is a chance Lebron is not in a Lakers jersey next year. Now that we know how big of a fan LeBron is of Maxey, is this a hint?

I am a big fan of Jon Stewart. but seeing him slackjawed and flabbergasted after what Maxey did, makes that moment so much iconic. That is a man who has seen some things working for the Daily Show. But in all my years watching his show, I never saw him look that stunned. The NYC celebrity contingent has been exceptionally annoying this whole series, so it was nice to see them suffer for a bit.

I can handle the likes of Ben Stiller, Jon Stewart, and Spike Lee talking trash. They are super accomplished. But Turtle? The dude is the worst character in his own show, and that is all anyone knows him for. And yet every came I have Jerry Ferrara's opinions shoved in my face as he runs his mouth on Twitter. I haven't even thought of him since Entourage ended, and hopefully I will never hear from him again once this series ends. I could handle Johnny Drama, Ari Gold, or Vincent Chase talking trash. but not Turtle.

So seeing him devastated like this, felt pretty good.

Speaking of Ben Stiller, I dont think I have ever seen someone as angry at a basketball game as he is here. It looks like he is hissing at Maxey. He hasn't been this angry since the reviews and box office numbers for Zoolander 2 came out. Also of note, Tracy Morgan giving Maxey a not-so-kind gesture. Great stuff.

One NYer was taking it a bit better, at least the next day. MSG is a special place. But Knicks fan Greeny was willing to put Maxey's performance up there amongst the best performances in MSG history. He was probably still hurting from seeing his Knicks get beat, but credit to him for giving Maxey his proper props.

Some other Philly athletes weighed in as well. Slay took to Twitter to praise his fellow Philly star. He also made sure to mention that the man needs to be paid. I would not worry about that part Slay. Maxey is going to be paid what he is worth.

Ramona asks a good question here. has anyone else ever done this? Lifted Embiid up while he struggled? In past playoff runs the Sixers needed Embiid to be great, or they lost. Embiid did great things on defense last night, but his offense was severely wanting. But Maxey had his teammate's back, and went off to make up for it.

We never saw Ben Simmons or James Harden do that.

I am not a Mad Dog fan. But I did get a lot of enjoyment from him trolling Stephen A Smith this morning. Smith has been obnoxious with his Knicks love. The fact he was on the ESPN pre-game shows for the games, made it even worse. So seeing him get back what he was giving, was nice to see.