The Philadelphia 76ers continued their winning streak here at the AT&T Center against the Spurs. Friday was one of those nights where San Antonio lacked excessive support. With no point guard, no Jeremy Sochan, and Devin Vassell still in recovery, fans knew this would be a complicated win to pull off. They were accurate because the Spurs would fall to the 76ers 137-125.
A 10 Point Deficit
It started as a shot-for-shot battle. The score inched up on each side of the court. The teams tied at the end of the first quarter at 26. With about four minutes left in the second quarter, the Spurs began to lose sight of the pace they established. This allowed the 76ers to go on a scoring run. Philadelphia was able to knock down five shots before the home team could get a bucket.
As soon as the Spurs entered into the 10-point deficit category it was hard to make it out. The young team trailed behind their opponents for the remainder of the game. Malaki Branham exchanged his name with Keldon Johnson as the leading scorer of the game. The rookie had 26 points, three assists, two rebounds, and one steal. Johnson managed 18 points, three rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
In the last two games, @MalakiBranham has a combined 48 points🔥👏
Most points by a Spurs rookie in a two-game span since Timmy in 1998 (56) pic.twitter.com/LXz7ejnwMk
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) February 4, 2023
Still… The Next Man Up
The Spurs may have entered into the fourth quarter 21 points under the competition, but it did end that way. Coach Popovich stacked the court with newbies. Blake Wesley, Dominique Barlow, Isaiah Roby, and Branham helped close the gap with a veteran squad. Philly even felt the need to insert key players like Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey back into the game in the final minutes.
The biggest issue the Spurs faced was not taking care of the ball. They acquired eight more turnovers that Philly turned into 26 extra points. Coach Popovich described it as the “bad part of the game”. “Their grunt and ability to just play the game are super, but taking care of the basketball is pretty important and we didn’t do that tonight.” He said in the post-game media session.
Rodeo Road Trip
Although this night didn’t afford them the win, the team is in good spirits. They are ready to take the road for the Rodeo road trip. The current mentality is maintained as being ready at all times. Their first competition is with the Chicago Bulls Monday at 7 pm. Will this be the win that breaks the losing streak for the dedicated bunch?
