On the heels of the All-Star break, the 76ers (38-21) overcame the Miami Heat (26-31), 106-102, Thursday at The Center.
Without Joel Embiid (knee soreness), big man Boban Marjanovic came up huge, with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Important contributions were to be found across the rest of the roster as well.
Here are some quotes of note:
As all five starters finished in double-digits, Jimmy Butler recorded 18 points (a perfect 8-8 from the line), six rebounds, and six assists. Butler commended his team’s fight:
Marjanovic tied season-highs in scoring and rebounding, with his 27 minutes well above his 11.1 career minutes per game average. The next day, following a practice session, a smiling Marjanovic described how his body felt:
T.J. McConnell’s impact on Thursday’s contest was bigger than his six-point, five-assist, three-steal stat line, bringing his signature energy in 11 minutes on the court. Tobias Harris (23 pts, 11 reb) discussed McConnell’s impact:
Thursday’s contest also marked what was likely 13-time All-Star Dwyane Wade’s (19 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast) final game at The Center during his farewell season. Ben Simmons (21 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast) described what Wade means to him:
Wade’s entrance to the game from the bench was met with a standing ovation and a tribute video featuring Sixer legend Allen Iverson. Wade discussed the significance of the moment: