Sixers Bell Ringer: no time to hide in an icy hole, Sixers drop the blow on Thunder

Sixers Bell Ringer Season:

Joel Embiid – 18

Tobias Harris – 13

Ben Simmons – 7

Skud Milton – 5

Matisse Thybulle – 2

Danny Green – 2

Tyrese Maxey – 2

Dakota Mathias – 1

Furkan Korkmaz – 1

Tony Bradley – 1

While most teams are probably not in ecstasy to have to play the second of a back-to-back on the road, one almost got the feeling that the Sixers did not have a chance to taste the spoiled lobster gombo with a game tonight against the Thunder tanks. To be sure, Philadelphia was short-lived. Danny Green missed his first game as Sixer with hip pain. Ironman Tobias Harris also got a free night to rest his sore knee. That left Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Seth Curry as typical entrees, along with Matisse Thybulle and Furkan Korkmaz. It was not a wire-to-win victory as the ball game was tied at 8 early in the first inning, but the Sixers never left behind. They performed well just an hour and ten minutes drive from Marlow, Oklahoma, where former Sixers team president Sam Hinkie once grew up and played both defensive rugby and point guard for the Outlaws. He had something to do with the landing of the Sixers two All-Stars. He also did a trade or two that helped land a certain Turkish Flamethrower to Philadelphia, one of our candidates here. But I will not share who, but you will have to guess.

The good guys took this one 117-93, and none of their regular beginners carved more than 30 minutes. Let’s go to tonight’s bell ringing.

Joel Embiid: 27 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 assists, 10-17 fg, 7-9 ft

Photo by Zach Beeker / NBAE via Getty Images

Doc Rivers hinted last night that due to the awkward fall that Embiid experienced in New Orleans, there is a chance that Jo will not be able to play tonight. But the process appropriated and calmed concern. Here the double splits on the way to a thundering ring:

Embiid definitely approached a bunch of flat bricks against the massive Māori Steven Adams yesterday. So it was nice to see him start rediscovering his middle touch tonight.

And to patrol the paint here, Embiid needs no dull hole to hide from this spinner, and send it back:

He has a day to rest before a big game against the Dallas Mavericks Monday.

Ben Simmons: 13 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, a game high +22, and not one but two midrange pull ups ?!

Photo by Zach Beeker / NBAE via Getty Images

Ben hadn’t had a distinctive game for a few weeks, so it was nice to see him play well and experiment with a few jump shots tonight. In the past of the year, it was clubs like the Cavaliers or the Knicks, where he could take out the odd three-pointer. Tonight, as a good favorite, it was a chance for him to test some of these elbow lengths:

And this one:

It would be interesting to see how Simmons experiments with a few more of these against a tougher competition as he gets comfort. As much as it discusses and too much is discussed, it will make him a bigger threat to the half court if defenders have to respect that kind of appearance, in addition to the rest of his arsenal.

Furkan Korkmaz: 20 points, 4-10 from deep, career high 5 stolen, 1 block, a few edge rockers

Photo by Zach Beeker / NBAE via Getty Images

I’m not sure what the Furk was this morning in this guy’s fried okra, but he took the term 3rd very seriously tonight. Korkmaz scored four tries, helped himself to 5 swipes, 1 block and a few edge shakes.

Korkmaz had a type of Robert Covingtonesque game tonight and continues to impress on this roadtrip, shooting the ball well, but also getting into passing lanes and playing the role of disruption. Is it me, or does he like to frolic on west coast rides?

Matisse Thybulle: 3 steals, 2 blocks, 3 rebounds, 1-2 from downtown, +12 plus-minus, and other things like Matisse

Photo by Zach Beeker / NBAE via Getty Images

It’s such a Matisse-like line that it’s simple. While other shooters were able to collect 14 points in one spot, Matisse only broke up the stocks or locks or any abbreviated version of steal and blocks you prefer. For the love of beating the Nets, please get this guy more minutes! He is such a unique and fun player and turns the average offensive possessions for the opponent into a quick chance for Sixers. He is a momentum swinger of one man:

Mike Scott: 13 points, 1 steal, 2 rebounds, 3-6 from 3, 5-9 off the field, and a +9 off the bench

Photo by Jonathan Bachman / NBAE via Getty Images

If there was one man on the Sixers who could use a great game, it was Mike Scott. The team today signed a major contract in Anthony Tolliver, who may see minutes in the course of his ten-day contract. But if he were to, Scott is one player who could presumably lose minutes. With the looming team, Scott certainly felt no signs of pressure. The former UVA Cavalier has had one of his best outings for a while, his highest points total since January 12’s overtime victory against the Heat. In + just 9 minutes of action, his long-range bombs helped keep the lead in hand while buying a key rest for the starter. If Tolliver thought the turn in the rotation would be a funnel cake walk, the Threegional manager had something to say about it tonight.