The 76ers had to rely on others to win the game On Friday against Atlanta. Seth Curry scored 12 points on Philadelphia's 14-0 run to start the third quarter. The 76ers won a close game 104 to 99.
Trae Young is carrying the Hawks as he put in 34 points and had 12 assists.
The Hawks had strong support from Kevin Huerter (17 points, 11 rebounds), Danilo Gallinari (16 points off the bench), and Clint Capela (14 points, 11 rebounds).
Joel Embiid scored 22 points on 9-for-24 shooting and 13 rebounds with a partially torn right lateral meniscus. His healthy teammate, Ben Simmons, only scored six points (2-6 FG, 0-0 3P, 2-4 FT).
Seth Curry scored a team-high 24 points to help the 76ers avoid elimination on Friday.
Tobias Harris had a big night scoring 24 points on 9-for-20 shooting. Harris knocked down two triples to help Philadelphia get the win.
“We really showed him a lot of film on the ways to go at guys, quick decisions,” said Rivers. “I thought the last two games, we’ve gotten back into that old, sluggish, hold the ball. Tonight, it was quick. It was attacks downhill. That’s who he is. I keep telling him Bernard King, Bernard King more times I can use that name because that’s who he plays like and that’s what we want him to be.”
Harris said, “That’s a great comparison when you’re talking about a player of Bernard King’s stature. That’s a huge compliment to myself. One of the things that he tells me is really quick decisions, get to your spots, be efficient, just to be a winner.”
The Hawks did a good job using the Hack-a-Ben strategy that worked for the Hawks in Game 5 with their 26 points come from behind victory. As the Sixers' double-digit lead dwindled for a third straight game, 76ers coach Doc Rivers played rookie Tyrese Maxey on offensive possessions in favor of Simmons. Simmons has not attempted a fourth-quarter shot since Game 3.
With their season on the line, the 76ers played Maxey, a late first-round pick and rookie. He was picked over the athletically gifted 6-foot-11 point guard Simmons who the 76ers drafted No. 1 overall in 2016 and committed $177 million to through 2024.
"He's ready. Tyrese is ready," Sixers coach Doc Rivers told reporters following the victory.
Simmons was the runner-up Defensive Player of the Year, and he is brilliant in the open floor. He was the second-best player on a team that won nearly 70% of its games but he is not bringing his A game in this series of the playoffs where the 76ers own the East's No. 1 seed.
When Simmons missed free throw shots he said, "Definitely mental."
Stephan A. Smith stands by his message about Ben Simmons
I’ve had this conversation with Doc Rivers at the beginning of the season. I’ll say it again, I said it to him, I said to everybody who would listen, Ben Simmons can’t shoot and as a result, that’s why the Philadelphia 76ers ain’t gonna win the title. When your primary ball-handler and decision maker is not a threat to shoot the ball beyond five feet, that is a problem.
When you listen to Stephan A. Smith before, he tells the truth. Now the 76ers will have to see if his prediction is true.
Here's an overview of game 6 if you missed it.
The final game is Sunday evening in Philly. This is a big game for the 76ers to win this game.
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