Paul Reed

Matt Murphy

The No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers took a 1-0 series lead over the No. 6 Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference First Round with a 121-101 home victory on Saturday afternoon.

The Sixers connected on a franchise playoff-record 21 3-pointers (21-43, .488) and never trailed in the contest.

“I've been in the playoffs a couple times,” said first-year 76er De’Anthony Melton. “But the Philly crowd is different.”

“It was a good feeling,” Paul Reed said of hearing the crowd chant his nickname ‘Bball Paul’ during a pivotal second-half stretch. “It was a special feeling. It let me know... They like me a lot.”

As of Sunday evening, the injury report for Game 2 once again listed one player as out: Brooklyn’s Ben Simmons (back; nerve impingement).

In Saturday’s win, Philadelphia corralled 14 offensive rebounds and put up 21 second-chance points. The home team committed only nine turnovers, compared to 20 turnovers for the Nets that led to 31 points.

Offseason acquisition P.J. Tucker grabbed five of those offensive boards for the Sixers.

“Playoff basketball is just about every possession,” Tobias Harris (21 points) said. “And P.J., he gave us more possessions out there. Crashing the glass, being physical, his presence defensively... Five steals, five offensive rebounds - that's huge.”

76ers Head Coach Doc Rivers credited his “energy guys” – including Tucker, Reed, Melton, and Jalen McDaniels – after the game.

“I thought Paul Reed and [P.J. Tucker] had an amazing impact on the game. P.J. was great… I thought our energy guys played a big part in our game. Those guys had a huge imprint on why we won.”

MVP finalist Joel Embiid delivered a team-high 26 points in the face of countless extra defenders sent his way.

“He's gonna get us buckets no matter what,” James Harden said of Embiid. “That's how good he is.”

Harden drilled five of his seven total 3-pointers – which tied a playoff career-high – in the game’s first half.

Mikal Bridges scored 23 of his game-high 30 points for the Nets in the opening half.

The Sixers swept the regular season series from Brooklyn, 4-0.

Monday’s game is a 7:30 p.m. ET start in South Philly.

Another notable stat line is that of veteran starter P.J. Tucker, who played his 92nd career playoff game and first as a 76er. Tucker contributed six points on a pair of threes, plus seven rebounds, two assists, and a playoff career-high five steals.

P.J. Tucker on giving some constructive criticism to Paul Reed at halftime of Game 1:

“I felt like he didn't have the energy. Then he came out in the second half and responded. So I told everybody I'm gonna curse Paul out every halftime... We need him, and I'm gonna always stay on him.”

Watch: TNT, NBC Sports PhiladelphiaListen: 97.5 The Fanatic

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76ers, Brooklyn Nets Meet Again Monday for Game 2 | NBA Playoffs Gameday Report

Lauren Rosen

In a special miniseries from the 76ers Insiders podcast ahead of the 2022-23 NBA playoffs, Sixers players joined the show to help you get to know them better before the journey begins.The in-depth interviews cover a variety of topics ranging from their own sports fandom to how they want their careers to be remembered. Listen to the full episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts for more subjects, such as dream dinner guests.

Below are some excerpts from the conversations:

P.J. Tucker: “My wife’s second wedding ring. I designed it and went through this whole thing – yeah, it was a big deal. The first one was really modest because I was young. I was 23 or 24, so it was nice, but it wasn’t great. So the second one – ten years later – was a big deal in designing it and the whole process. She was almost crying when I gave it to her, after we had already been married for a long time. That was pretty cool.”

Paul Reed: “I got my mom a house. I think that’s my greatest gift so far.”

Shake Milton: “Maybe just like a little piece of art that kind of is like an inside joke, or something like that. I feel like I would say that, yeah.”

Most memorable sporting event you’ve been to as a fan?

Tyrese Maxey: “Last summer, I went to watch the first round of Serena [Williams] at the US Open. That was my first time at a tennis match ever in my life. For it to be so inspirational that I come home and I start playing tennis, and was actually sitting on my couch at 2 a.m. watching the [semifinals] – women’s and men’s – that’s like second-to-none. That’s amazing. That it can change somebody like that. I had never watched a tennis match ever in my life. I go to hers and watch one first round of the US Open, and now I’m watching tennis and going to play tennis on off days with Shake Milton and [76ers skill development coaches] Tyler Lashbrook and Spencer Rivers. That’s really cool.”

Georges Niang: “My senior year of college, I signed with an agency that was in LA and I got to go to Kobe Bryant’s last game. It was poetic. I think he shot 70 shots and every time he got the ball in the second half, it was like a pickup game. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.”

De’Anthony Melton: “It would have to be one of the USC [football] games. I remember first getting there, you get to do a little tailgate and they walk you through the school. I got to do that, walk through all of the students and stuff like that. Then go onto the field and see them dudes warm up. USC it’s like – it’s pros, so you’re seeing these dudes, they’re big, they’re ready. So it definitely had to be one of those USC games. Those were fun. Got to stand in the stands with the fans and students, do the cheers, all that.”

Reed: “I went to a WWE match recently and that was kinda lit, no cap. In Philly. I think that's the most memorable so far.”

Milton: “I remember when I was little, my pops used to take us to the Texas Longhorns games. So we went to one at Oklahoma State and in the second half, Vince Young came out and ran like 80 yards for a touchdown. That was really cool.”

What is something you think is misunderstood about you by the public?

Tucker: “I think, more times than not, they almost get everything wrong about me… I think I’ve done almost too good of a job of how I present my play and what I do on a night-in, night-out basis, rather than people really seeing the way I change the way I play based on who we play and what we need to be able to win.”

Maxey: “I’m a human being, so everybody struggles. Everybody goes through their moments, whether it’s behind closed doors or on the court. But, for the most part, this is who I am. I don’t smile because it’s fake. I smile because I really enjoy being out there, competing, and playing at the highest level. That’s fun to me.”

Melton: “I’m a quiet person until I really get to meet you. And then I’ll be joking a lot. Probably on the court, people don’t see me show as much emotion. I would probably say that. But I think most of the time [off the court], I’m laughing, joking, playing around.”

Milton: “That everybody thinks I’m just so quiet. Like, yeah I’m laid back and calm, but I feel like everybody in my circle be telling me to shut up more than anything else.”

When you retire, what do you want people to say about you?

Tucker: “I want [teammates] to say that I was the hardest working, most unselfish player they ever played with.”

Maxey: “When I retire, I would hope people would say Tyrese was somebody who outworked a lot of people, who earned everything that he got – all of the accolades he got in the league. There was nothing given to him. And that he somehow got one percent better, literally, every single day and found ways to reach the maximum level of his potential.”

Niang: “I’ll be serious for one time in my life. I think just [for] people to respect the hard work that I put in every single day. I may not have been the fastest, jumped the highest, but at the end of the day I came in and gave my all. Affected the game in a positive way and affected my teammates in a positive way. I think the biggest thing for me is I like to be a team guy, get along with everybody, and make sure the vibes are always up. De’Anthony can attest to this, I probably talk too damn much, but just someone that is always trying to bring energy. Came in and did his job to the best of his ability…and a 3-point sniper.”

Melton: “Man, that he was a real one. He got it done. Nah, I’m playing. Somebody that worked. He ain’t have nothing handed to him. I had to go get everything and I did it my way. I didn’t have to change up or nothing like that. The same person from the time I got into the league until the time I leave.”

Reed: “I want people to say that he is one of the best players to ever play the game. I want people to say that he is a great human being off the court, as well as on the court. One of them dudes that just gives back to his community and really changes people’s lives.”

Danuel House Jr.: “That this guy gave us more life than you can ever imagine. That whatever you think or say about him doesn't really matter because I know the real him.”

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How The 2022-23 Sixers Want to Be Remembered: 76ers Insiders Interviews

The 76ers (51-27) host the Boston Celtics (54-24) on Tuesday night in the finale of the four-game, regular season series between the two teams. The Sixers currently sit three games back of the second-place Celtics, with Boston trailing the Milwaukee Bucks (56-22) by two games.

The Celtics last played Friday. The time off followed back-to-back wins over the Bucks and Utah Jazz. On Thursday at Milwaukee, a 140-99 Celtics’ win, they led by 28 points at halftime and by as many as 49 in the game.

Leading scorer Jayson Tatum went for 40 points (12-18 fg, 8-10 3fg, 8-8 ft) in that first game, while Jaylen Brown posted 30 points (13-20 fg, 3-5 3fg, 1-2 ft), five rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Tatum followed it up with 39 more points (12-17 fg, 5-8 3fg, 10-11 ft), 11 rebounds, three assists, and three steals the next night in a 122-114 win over the Jazz.

Tatum averages team highs of 30.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest. Brown contributes 26.7 points and 6.8 rebounds on average.

Brown (low back pain) was listed as questionable on the Monday evening injury report, alongside a pair of teammates: Robert Williams III (out - left knee injury management) and Danilo Gallinari (out - left knee ACL repair).

Boston concludes the regular season with Philadelphia (A), Toronto (H), Toronto (H), and Atlanta (H). The Sixers end the season against Boston (H), Miami (H), Atlanta (A), and Brooklyn (A).

Philadelphia seeks its first win against the Celtics this regular season. The two teams met on opening night in Boston (126-117), again there on Feb. 8 (106-99), and most recently on Feb. 25 when Tatum connected on a game-winning 3-pointer at The Center.

The Sixers dropped their most recent game, 117-104, on Sunday night in Milwaukee. The Bucks shot 58-percent (46-80 fg) from the field and were led by 33 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and three blocks from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Tyrese Maxey drilled six triples on seven attempts, the near 44-percent 3-point shooter’s eleventh game of the season with at least five makes from beyond the arc. Maxey’s 43.6% mark leads the Sixers and ranked sixth in the NBA through Sunday.

“Just figuring out how we’re going to play every single night,” Maxey said of the team’s focus leading up to the playoffs. “I think we’ve done that for the most part. Figuring out what we’re going to do if a team switches, what we’re going to do if a team is in drop coverage… Just keep trying to trend in the right direction, step in the right direction.”

The Sixers’ G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, advanced to the NBA G League Finals for the third consecutive season with a 108-94 win over the Long Island Nets (Brooklyn Nets) on Sunday night. 76ers assignment player Jaden Springer tallied 21 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, and three blocks in 40 minutes. 76ers two-way contract players Louis King (20 points) and Mac McClung (16 points) combined for 36 points.

The G League Finals are a rematch from last season, albeit with different paths this time around: The second-seeded Blue Coats meeting the No. 6 seed from the West, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston Rockets).

Game 1 in the best-of-3 series is Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET at Chase Fieldhouse in Wilmington, DE.

Tuesday’s 76ers vs. Celtics game is an 8 p.m. ET start in South Philadelphia.

76ers Head Coach Doc Rivers on what he liked about how his team opened the second half against the Bucks:

"We moved the ball. We were organized. We got downhill. We made simple plays, simple passes. Nothing was late-clock.”

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76ers Welcome Boston Celtics for Tuesday Tipoff | Gameday Report 79/82

The 76ers (49-26) return home to face the Dallas Mavericks (37-39) in their next game, following four straight on the road during a stretch that saw them play 12 of their first 15 games this month away from home.

The Mavericks, currently in the midst of a five-game road swing themselves, snapped a four-game losing streak on Monday at Indiana. Through Monday’s slate of games, Dallas was on the outside looking in for the Play-In Tournament in the West, which includes the conference’s top 10 teams.

Luka Dončić tallied 25 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and one steal in 28 minutes during the Mavericks’ recent 127-104 victory over the Pacers. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid remains in front of Dončić in the race for the NBA scoring title, 33.3 points per game compared to 32.9 points per game. Dallas’ 24-year-old All-Star also averages a team-high 8.6 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest.

Kyrie Irving, meanwhile, holds averages of 26.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 16 games as a Maverick. Dallas has a losing record, 7-9, in those games.

Neither Embiid (right calf tightness) nor James Harden (left achilles soreness) suited up for the Sixers in a loss at Denver on Monday. The Tuesday evening injury report listed both players as questionable, in addition to the following Mavericks: Maxi Kleber (questionable - right hamstring injury recovery) and Frank Ntilikina (questionable - right knee sprain).

Back on March 2, the second half of an unusual Miami-Dallas road back-to-back for the Sixers, the Mavericks took the opening meeting between the two clubs by a 133-126 count. Dončić (42 points) and Irving (40 points) combined for 82 of those 133 points, and the Mavs drained a season-high 25 3-pointers on 48 attempts (.521).

The Sixers – even without Embiid and Harden – nearly overcame a 22-point deficit in their last outing, falling 116-111 to the Nuggets on Monday in Denver.

“I feel like we fought,” said Tyrese Maxey, who led all scorers with 29 points. “That group at the end, they fought their tails off to get back in it. I think what we can take from this is – in the first half, we were in the game big time. [Another] thing we can take from this is how deep we are. Guys like [Danuel] House, who hasn't played in a couple games, come in and contribute. P [Paul] Reed had a hell of a game. De'Anthony [Melton] started. The list goes on and on.”

Maxey’s 20 second-quarter points are the most he’s ever scored in a single period in his career.

The 76ers bench netted 59 points, and the team ended the game on a 20-6 run.

“I think that after we got adjusted after the first seven or eight minutes of the game, other than that I thought we played well,” 76ers Head Coach Doc Rivers said. “Overall, I’m very proud of my guys though, they kept fighting.”

Wednesday is a 7:30 p.m. ET start in South Philadelphia.

Paul Reed upon completing the long stretch of road games:

“It's definitely exciting to be able to go home back to our dogs. I know Tyrese has one, I have one. They're like our kids, so I'm looking forward to that. We are looking forward to it.”

Watch: ESPN, NBC Sports PhiladelphiaListen: 97.5 The Fanatic

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Game 76 for 76ers Brings in Dallas Mavericks | Gameday Report 76/82

In the second half of a road back-to-back, the 76ers (40-21) head to Dallas to face Luka Dončić and the Mavericks (32-31) for the first time this season. The Sixers won Wednesday in Miami, 119-96.

Joel Embiid (left foot soreness) did not suit up in the most recent outing against the Heat. After an evenly played first quarter, James Harden — who scored 15 of his 23 points in the second quarter — and the Sixers opened things up for a 71-53 halftime lead. They made 11 threes in the first half and committed just three turnovers.

Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 27 points, while Paul Reed notched the fifth double-double of his NBA career with 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds.

“It felt amazing,” Reed said. “Honestly, coming into this game, I was taking it personally. We lost to this team in the playoffs last year and the other night. I really had a chip on my shoulder tonight, and I really wanted to prove a point.”

Thursday night in Dallas will mark the first meeting between the Sixers and Mavericks this season.

“It’s kind of cool, I get to see a lot of family,” said Maxey, a native of Garland, Texas. “It’s always great to see people that grew up watching me, like in high school and then all the way down to when I played my first basketball game at four [years old]. It’s going to be great to see them in the stands… Get to hang out with them a little bit. Life will be great.”

The Mavericks fell to the Pacers, 124-122, on Tuesday. Dončić, the leading scorer in the NBA — just 0.2 points per game (33.2) ahead of Embiid — posted 39 points in the loss.

Kyrie Irving is averaging 24.7 points and 6.9 assists over seven games played with Dallas.

Dāvis Bertāns is out with a left calf strain.

Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra in between the two games against the Sixers:

“It was an amazing environment up there in Philly… They are a team that is really tough to be disruptive against.”

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76ers Defeat Heat, Head to Dallas to Meet Mavericks | Gameday Report 62/82

Following a 123-111 road win over the Pistons (11-32) on Sunday afternoon, the 76ers (24-15) host Detroit for a return game on Tuesday night. Arriving at the midpoint of the NBA schedule this week, the Sixers have won 12 of their last 15 games.Six 76ers scored in double figures last time out, led by Tyrese Maxey’s 23 points and an efficient, 28-minute triple-double from 10-time All-Star James Harden: 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. Harden is the lone Eastern Conference guard with multiple triple-double performances this season (Sunday and Dec. 23 vs. LAC).“Every single guy that stepped on the floor was ready,” 76ers Head Coach Doc Rivers said. “It tells you how deep we are, and guys are buying into their roles.”Joel Embiid (left foot soreness) and P.J. Tucker (non-COVID illness) did not suit up. The Pistons played without Jalen Duren (right ankle soreness), Isaiah Livers (right shoulder sprain), and Rodney McGruder (non-COVID illness), while Cade Cunningham (left tibia stress fracture) and Marvin Bagley III (right hand metacarpal fractures) remain out as well.Tucker was upgraded to probable and Embiid was upgraded to questionable on the injury report as of Monday evening. Livers was listed as questionable on that report and Bojan Bogdanović – Detroit’s leading scorer averaging 21.0 points per game – is now out due to left calf soreness.

With a win, the Sixers will sweep the three-game season series with the Pistons. The first meeting was a 113-93 home result on Dec. 21. Both of the Pistons’ season-high turnover games were against the Sixers (23 on Sunday, 22 in Dec.).

Detroit’s Killian Hayes tied his career high with a game-high 26 points (11-17 fg, 4-8 3fg) on Sunday. Matisse Thybulle came away with a game-high five steals for the Sixers.“It was a good team win,” Tyrese Maxey said postgame. “Defense was pretty good, we moved the ball well, and I think everybody competed hard. Everybody who played tonight and stepped on the court competed at a high level.”“At this point, I think they were just passing it to him,” Maxey added about Thybulle’s steals total.

Tuesday is a 7 p.m. start in South Philadelphia.

Quote to Note:76ers Head Coach Doc Rivers on James Harden and Montrezl Harrell’s two-man game:&nbsp;“Montrezl has great hands and James knows it. They [Detroit] were really helping with Trezz on pick-and-rolls and we had shooting behind him. It was great.”

Follow Along Tuesday:Watch: NBC Sports PhiladelphiaListen: 97.5 The Fanatic

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76ers and Pistons Matchup Shifts to Philadelphia | Gameday Report 40/82

Following a 133-103 road win over the Orlando Magic on Sunday night, the 76ers (11-9) return home to play the Atlanta Hawks (11-9) on Monday in the second half of a back-to-back for both teams.Philadelphia’s 133 points Sunday marked their new season-high.The Hawks lost the front end of their back-to-back at home,106-98, to the Miami Heat. John Collins (23 points, season-high 14 rebounds) and Trae Young (22 points, season-high 14 assists) each recorded a double-double in defeat, with 13 of Young’s points coming at the line (13-13 ft) on a 4-for-16 shooting night. Clint Capela (dental pain) missed his second consecutive game.Young averages 28.2 points and 9.4 assists per game. All-Star teammate Dejounte Murray – who shot 5-for-16 against Miami – adds 20.8 points and 6.7 assists per contest.The Hawks are 4-6 in their last 10 games and have lost two straight, while the Sixers have won seven of 10, including their last two – both in Orlando.In the second win, the Sixers were again without Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle, and Jaden Springer due to injury. The team announced during the third quarter that P.J. Tucker (left ankle soreness) would not return to the game. The Magic played without five players and had two more leave with injuries in the second half.

Four Sixers posted season-high scoring totals in the victory: Shake Milton (game-high 29 points), Tobias Harris (25 points), Danuel House Jr. (19 points), and Furkan Korkmaz (17 points)."Guys are stepping up,” House Jr. said postgame. “Names are being called. Guys are stepping up and showing that they’re forever ready. Our motto is ‘stay ready’ because it’s a ‘We’ Season. We all are just trying to come in and put it together and win games.”The Sixers shot a sparkling 64.9 percent (50-77 fg) as a team. They connected on 11 of their 27 3-point attempts (.407), while also scoring a season-high 72 points in the paint (72-44 advantage).

“We came out and played with pace right out the gate and with that pace we were moving the ball,” Shake Milton said. “The ball was really hopping tonight. Everyone got a touch and everybody was able to get into a rhythm. Our defense really helped our offense. We were able to get stops and get the ball up and get some numbers.”Milton averaged 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 8.7 assists during the three-game road trip.Paolo Banchero scored a team-high 18 points (7-17 fg, 1-4 3fg, 3-6 ft) for the Magic on Sunday.Newest Sixer Saben Lee made his team debut and scored down the stretch.

Monday’s meeting with the Hawks in South Philadelphia is a 7 p.m. start.

Quote to Note:Danuel House Jr. on Shake Milton’s recent performances:“He is playing. Playing the right way. The hole is as big as the beach. Keep shooting it. That’s the only thing we want him to do. Keep playing the way you have been playing.”

Follow Along Monday:Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBA TVListen: 97.5 The Fanatic

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76ers Host Hawks After Another Win Over Magic | Gameday Report 21/82

The 76ers’ (9-9) Thanksgiving trip continues in Orlando Friday, facing the Orlando Magic (5-13) for the first time this season.Friday’s meeting marks the front end of a two-game set with the Magic, with the teams facing off once again Sunday in Orlando.The Magic will be well-rested, after falling in their most recent outing versus Indiana on Monday, 123-102. The Magic have dropped four of their last five contests.Franz Wagner was Orlando’s leading scorer in each of the team’s last two contests - both losses to the Pacers - scoring 20 points Monday and 29 points Saturday in Indianapolis. Wagner is Orlando’s second-highest scorer this season, averaging 19.3 points per game.Rookie and 2022 first overall pick Paolo Banchero is averaging a team-high 23.5 points per game, but has been out since Nov. 7 (ankle).The Sixers, still significantly shorthanded, got a well-earned rest day Thursday, after winning the front end of their back-to-back over Brooklyn, 115-106, on Tuesday, and falling narrowly to the Hornets in Charlotte Wednesday, 107-101.With foot injuries sidelining Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey on both ends of the back-to-back, the Sixers saw strong contributions across the roster, headlined by Tobias Harris’ 24 points and De’Anthony Melton’s 22 points in Tuesday’s win over Brooklyn.In Embiid’s absence, Paul Reed notched a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double versus Brooklyn, and Montrezl Harrell totaled 16 points and seven rebounds against Charlotte.Embiid (left mid-foot sprain), Harden (right foot tendon strain), Maxey (left foot fracture), Matisse Thybulle (left ankle tenosynovitis), and Jaden Springer (right quad strain) remain out for Friday’s matchup.Cole Anthony (right internal oblique tear), Markelle Fultz (left big toe fracture), and Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury recovery) are out for Orlando, while Wendell Carter Jr. (right plantar fascia strain) and Chuma Okeke (left knee soreness) are questionable.

Quote to Note:Shake Milton on backcourt-mate De’Anthony Melton:“He’s easy to play with. He’s so versatile, and does so many things offensively and defensively. He’s really easy to bounce ideas off of.”

Follow Along:Watch: NBC Sports PhiladelphiaListen: 97.5 The Fanatic

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76ers Open Series in Orlando | Gameday Report 19/82

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