PHILADELPHIA – Tobias Harris had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Joel Embiid added 19 points and the Philadelphia 76ers routed the Atlanta Hawks 122-94.
Philadelphia carried a 60-36 advantage over the Hawks in the paint while outscoring Atlanta by a 34-14 margin on fast-break points.
Six different Sixers finished in double figures with, Tyrese Maxey (16), Seth Curry (15), Matisse Thybulle (11) and Shake Milton (11) all adding to the scoring party in the first game between the teams since Atlanta’s seven-game ouster of the Sixers in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals.
“When we go out like we did last season, this was a good test for us early this season to know where we stand,” Harris said according to AP. “There was obviously more to this game than just a regular-season game.”
Most of what Philadelphia was able to do against Atlanta was breakout on transition, pushing the action and getting open looks inside, shooting 30 of 36 from the paint.
“We kept moving the ball and the paint points came from just moving the ball and eventually shots will fall,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. “When we play like that, we’re pretty good offensively.”
Harris was 9 of 13 from the floor and had four assists. Embiid – who has been forced to play at the perimeter and away from the post because of nagging knee issues left over from last year’s postseason – shot 5 of 13 and grabbed five rebounds.
“The defense allowed us to increase our pace, feel good running, get a stop and helped us all around,” Harris said.
Cam Reddish led the Hawks with 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the floor. Trae Young and Bogan Bogdanovic each had 13 points, but Young struggled at 5 for 15 from the floor and only got to the foul line four times.
“Our offense is out of sync and that’s leading to no defense at all,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said.
“We’re turning the ball over. Our shot selection – we’re taking quick shots and it’s leading to transition baskets. We have no rhythm right now.
Jimmy Butler scored 27 points; Tyler Herro added 22 and the Miami Heat used a strong shooting performance to rout the Memphis Grizzlies 129-103 on Saturday night.
Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry scored 15 points apiece. Lowry added eight assists and the Heat made 21 3-pointers, one short of the franchise record set last May at Milwaukee.
“We´ve got a lot of guys who can score the ball,” Butler said. “We know that. But we´re also picking it up on the defensive end. Guys are just gaining more and more confidence.”
The performance was particularly satisfying for Robinson, who has struggled from outside the arc this season.
Entering the game, Robinson was shooting right at 28% from 3-point range, making only 12 of 43 shots. That included going 2 of 11 from distance in Friday night´s win over Charlotte.
He made 5 of 10 3-pointers against Memphis.
“The way I started this year, obviously not up to what I know I´m capable of,” Robinson said. “With that being said, and I can see a couple go (in), it helps with some confidence.”
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