The Sixers didn't melt

In the spotlight against a fellow top-tier team, Philadelphia took the blows, stood their ground and came out ahead in the clutch.

Good morning. Let’s basketball.

With 7:02 left in the second quarter, Jaren Jackson Jr. did this to Joel Embiid.

That put the Grizzlies up 17 in Philadelphia. At that point, Embiid was 1/9 from the floor. It appeared that with a chance to make a statement on national T.V. against a top opponent coming out of the All-Star break, the Sixers were poised to melt in the spotlight again.

Except they didn’t.

Embiid still didn’t have the most efficient night, but he found a way to get the job done with 27 points, 19 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 blocks. James Harden exploded. Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey provided the necessary supplemental offense. The rest of the supporting cast helped out on defense, limiting the Memphis core (with the exception of Desmond Bane) to inefficient work. The Sixers came all the way back and won.

This was an absolutely wild comeback, capped off with quite possibly the most encouraging crunch time performance you can imagine from your main Sixers characters.

In the final 90 seconds we had: a clutch bailout corner three from Harden, one of the wildest blocks of the season courtesy of Embiid, a near-turnover saved by Embiid leading to a clutch Tobias Harris corner three for the lead, James Edward Harden Jr. diving in a thicket of bodies for a defensive rebound which he then bounces ahead from his ass to a fastbreaking Embiid to extend the lead, clutch free throws from Harris and, to cap it off, Harden ripping Dillon Brooks’ last-second attempt ~~ yes that’s Dillon Brook’s last-second attempt ~~ to clinch the win.

That was all in 90 seconds. The NBA clipped up the final 2:05 uncut if it pleases you.

(Kevin Harlan, blessings to you. Great Reggie Miller performance, too. And a tip of the hat to the Philly crowd.)

This was a perfect opportunity for the Philadelphia 76ers to melt in the spotlight. Embiid is dealing with foot pain. Embiid and Harden had exceptionally busy weekends, one presumes, in Salt Lake City. Memphis seems deeply annoying to face, not just because of extracurricular activity from Brooks (more on him in the Scores) but because they are relentlessly present in the paint on both ends, ready to run at a moment’s notice and physical. Going down big in the first half? That’s an invitation to chill. The Sixers didn’t do that. I don’t believe Embiid ever requires additional motivation. But that beautiful JJJ block on Embiid — and Embiid having to eat the Grizzlies’ celebration of it — just might have sparked something.

The Sixers needed big plays from Harden in the clutch. You know what Harden provided? Big plays in the clutch. It’s February, not May. Your skepticism is acknowledged as valid. But for the calendar, though, this is what you want, right? Effort, execution, creativity, toughness. Harden had it. He looks at home. He looks at peace alongside Embiid.

The last time Joel Embiid had an elite guard on his team it took Kawhi Leonard four bounces of the ball to knock Philadelphia out of the playoffs. I’m just saying.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me every single year, shame on me. I’m willing to be shamed for this team. I’m not saying I think the Sixers will win it all — Boston and Milwaukee are so good — but I am in full belief that Philadelphia has the capability to do it.