The 76ers had to adapt - that’s just the way it is when you’re without your leading scorer and rebounder.
As for where the extra contributions were going to come from, Brett Brown was curious to find out heading into Thursday’s match-up with the Miami Heat.
Not only was the outing the Sixers’ first since the All-Star Game break, Joel Embiid wouldn’t be available, due to knee soreness.
Thanks to several players rising to the occasion, the night ended with a positive result, as the Sixers grinded out a tough victory over an always-feisty and physical opponent.
Here’s a look at who stepped up - and how they did so - in the Sixers’ 106-102 win.
BOBAN MARJANOVIC
With the Sixers missing their 7-foot All-Star, checking in on the stat line of his fill in would be an obvious place to start when breaking down Thursday’s box score.
Well, it turned out Boban Marjanovic was fantastic, thank you very much.
The 7-foot-3 Serbian scored the Sixers’ first five points, and had 11 points and seven rebounds to his name BY THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER.
Logging the 15th start of his NBA career, Marjanovic finished the first half with an eye-catching plus-18 rating, which, up to that point, was a fully representative number.
For the game, he matched season-highs of 19 points and 12 rebounds, while playing a season-high 27 minutes.
All in all, Marjanovic offered the rim-protecting presence the Sixers needed; scored on the block, in the paint, and from the elbow; used his rebounding prowess to give the team extra possessions; ran the floor well; and displayed a deft passing touch.
On top of that, Marjanovic hit a pair of free throws in Thursday’s fourth period that put the Sixers in front for good with 96 seconds left.
He staked his claim to some history, too.
“I thought he was really good,” said Brett Brown.
T.J. McCONNELL
Entering Thursday’s final frame, T.J. McConnell had played less than three minutes. The eight minutes he got from there - and the tenacity he competed with - helped to change the course of a tight, tense game.
Things went as follows...
With the Sixers trailing by two, 88-86, and Miami threatening to score again, McConnell managed to chase down Dwyane Wade in transition, and come away with a steal that yielded a Tobias Harris-game tying lay-up.
Moments later, following a missed jumper by the Heat, McConnell snagged a rebound, then fed JJ Redick for a go-ahead 3-pointer, 91-90.
Two possessions later, McConnell punctuated the Sixers’ quick blitz by generating another steal, and feeding Ben Simmons for an impressive aerial lay-up that widened the gap to 96-90.
McConnell was plus-8 in 11 minutes, and tallied six points, five assists, and three steals.
TOBIAS HARRIS
With 23 points in the win over Miami, Tobias Harris paced the Sixers in scoring. He also supplied 11 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season, a total that ties a career high (from the 2015-16 campaign).
For as much as Harris made an impact Thursday with quantity, he did the same with quality.
Over the course of the contest, he shined brightest at timely junctures - a tie-breaking floater in the third quarter, seven straight fourth-quarter points to force multiple ties, and a big triple with just over five minutes remaining in regulation that gave the Sixers a 94-90 edge.
On a shorthanded night, the newcomer did not disappoint.
JIMMY BUTLER
At one point in Thursday’s second quarter, Miami went on a 22-11 run to take a one-point lead. Jimmy Butler then emerged to wrest momentum back.
Attacking the basket with deliberate purpose, the four-time All-Star used his interior drives to create opportunities both for himself, and others. Twice, he broke ties - first with a lay-up, then with free throws - before diming out Mike Scott for a 3-pointer that gave the Sixers a two possession advantage, 41-37, after a lengthy stretch of lead-changing.
Butler also kept the Sixers close by notching four straight free throws early in the fourth quarter, when Miami was leading.
BEN SIMMONS
Donning a 76ers uniform for the first time since he repped the franchise in the All-Star Game, Ben Simmons came up big in Thursday’s third quarter.
Miami had just taken a 69-65 lead via a 15-4 run, but Simmons - on Australian Heritage Night, no less - issued an important response, rattling off eight points in a row to steady the ship.
Against the Heat, Simmons scored 14 of his 21 points in the second half. He also notched seven rebounds and four assists.
JJ REDICK
He may not have had his most efficient shooting night of the season, but Redick delivered Thursday when it mattered most.
After opening the game 1 for 7 from deep, the sharpshooter connected on two of his three 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter. The first deep ball flipped the scoreboard in the Sixers’ favor, 91-90.
The second one essentially sealed the victory.