Looking back at the Sixers’ best wins and worst losses of the first half | Off the Dribble

With the news that Joel Embiid will miss at least one game and Ben Simmons at least two due to contact tracing, the 76ers are beginning the second half shorthanded.

It’s a second half that will have the Sixers play 36 games in 67 days, so depth will be key.

Whatever the second half brings, the Sixers have put themselves in a good position with a 24-12 record that has them on top of the Eastern Conference.

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— Marc Narducci (offthedribble@inquirer.com)

According to ESPN’s schedule strength monitor, the Sixers were tied for the 14th-most-difficult schedule in the NBA’s first half. The winning percentage of the Sixers’ opponents was .500. According to ESPN, the Sixers’ expected won-lost record was 23-13, so they exceeded expectations.

The Sixers have the sixth-easiest schedule in the second half, according to tankathon.com. The winning percentage of teams in the final 36 games is .488.

Here is the breakdown of the Sixers’ first-half wins:

Record in games decided by seven or fewer points: 9-4

Record in games decided by 8-12 points: 5-3

Record in games decided by 13-20 points: 8-4

Record in games decided by 21 or more points: 2-1

» READ MORE: Should the NBA All-Star Game have been played? | Off the Dribble

In looking at best wins and losses, we place emphasis on who was or wasn’t available for the Sixers and their opponents.

1. March 3 vs. Utah, 131-123 OT. The Sixers prevailed even though they shot 8-for-25 from three-point range (32%) and the Jazz shot 21-for-44 (47.7%). The Sixers tied the game at 118 on Joel Embiid’s step-back three-pointer, arguably the top basket in the season’s first half. Tobias Harris then scored 11 of his 22 points in overtime. Embiid led the way with 40 points and 19 rebounds.

2. Jan. 27 vs. L.A. Lakers, 107-106. The Sixers had a 12-point lead with 3 minutes, 7 seconds left and then held on for dear life. Harris’ 15-footer with three seconds left provided the winning margin. This was a Lakers team at full strength, with LeBron James and Anthony Davis combining for 57 points. Embiid scored 28 points, Harris added 24, and Ben Simmons recorded a triple-double: 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.

3. Jan. 31 at Indiana, 119-110. The Sixers were 1-5 without Embiid, and this was the one victory. The Sixers outscored Indiana, 31-6, in the final 8:16 for the comeback win. Harris scored 27 points, Simmons added 21, and Dwight Howard was a plus-23, adding 11 points and 15 rebounds in 25:16.

4. Feb. 6 vs. Brooklyn, 124-108. Unlike earlier in the season, the Sixers didn’t have a letdown against the Nets without Kevin Durant (health and safety protocols) and Kyrie Irving (right index sprain). Any win over the Nets has to be considered big for the Sixers, regardless of the circumstances. Embiid led seven Sixers double-figure scorers with 33 points. The Sixers used a 43-30 third quarter to lead by 16 entering the fourth. James Harden had 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists for the Nets.

5. Jan. 6 vs. Washington, 141-136. Rarely has a team overcome a 60-point performance and still won. The 60 points were a career high for Washington All-Star guard Bradley Beal. The Sixers finally were able to stop Beal in the fourth quarter, when he shot 1-for-6 and scored just three points. With the score tied at 131, the Sixers went on an 8-0 run, capped by Embiid’s three-pointer with 1:55 left. Embiid led the Sixers with 38 points, and Seth Curry added 28.

1. Feb. 27 vs. Cleveland, 112-109 OT. Even though the Sixers played without Harris, who had a right knee bruise, Cleveland was so depleted that the Cavs dressed just nine players. The young Cleveland backcourt of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland combined for 53 points. After the game, Doc Rivers said that the Cavs simply wanted it more and that was evident by the fact that Cleveland outscored the Sixers, 62-42, in the paint and outrebounded them, 53-46. Embiid finished with 42 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks.

2. Jan. 7 at Brooklyn, 122-109. We included a win without Durant and Irving, and here is a loss without them. Durant missed the game due to health and safety protocols and Irving for personal reasons. Plus, this was before the Nets acquired James Harden, so it was a really depleted team. This was the game Curry missed with an ankle injury and then found out before halftime that he had tested positive for COVID-19. The Sixers committed 20 turnovers, leading to 35 points. Shake Milton, starting in place of Curry, led the Sixers with 24 points.

» READ MORE: NBA All-Stars call Joel Embiid’s, Ben Simmons’ All-Star Game absence ‘unfortunate’

3. Feb. 4 vs. Portland, 121-105. The Sixers were missing Simmons (left calf tightness), but Portland was without a half-dozen players, including its starting backcourt of Damian Lillard (abdominal strain) and C.J. McCollum (left foot fracture). Embiid led the Sixers with 37 points, but he had a minus-23 rating. Gary Trent led six Portland double-figure scorers with 24 points.

Keith Pompey writes that Doc Rivers looks to keep the Sixers healthy through a grueling second half of the season.

Here is how the Sixers match up against the Eastern Conference’s best in the season’s second half.

The Sixers have moved up to No. 2 in the latest Inquirer NBA power rankings.

A judge says officers who allegedly shared Kobe Bryant crash-scene photos can be identified.

David Murphy writes that the numbers say Embiid, Simmons and the Sixers are the best they’ve been ... since their first year together.

The NBA is a veteran league, and it is difficult for many young players to make an immediate impact. This season, just seven rookies are averaging double figures in points.

Here are the rookie scoring leaders, courtesy of Basketball-reference.com:

1. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte, 15.8 ppg.

2. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota, 14.9

3. Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento, 13.2

4. Immanuel Quickley, New York, 12.2

5. James Wiseman, Golden State, 11.8

6. Cole Anthony, Orlando, 11.2

7. Patrick Williams, Chicago, 10.2

8. Saddiq Bey, Detroit, 9.9

9. Jae’Sean Tate, Houston, 9.9

10. Desmond Bane, Memphis, 9.6

11. Isaac Okoro, Cleveland, 8.1

12. Tyrese Maxey, Sixers, 8.0

Maxey’s playing time has decreased lately. He has not played in three of the last six games and has averaged 9.9 minutes in the other three.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ play in clutch situations a major factor in their first-half success

That said, he is among the rookie leaders.

At the midway point, Ball looks to be the clear leader for rookie of the year. In addition to being the scoring leader, he is also No. 1 among rookies in rebounds (6.0) and assists (6.3).

This class is considered below last year’s, when 17 rookies averaged 10 or more points for the season, led by Zion Williamson, who averaged 24.3 points, and Rookie of the Year Ja Morant (18.3 ppg.).

Thursday: Sixers at Chicago Bulls, 8 p.m., United Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus

Friday: Sixers at Washington Wizards, 8 p.m., Capital One Arena, NBC Sports Philadelphia

Sunday: Sixers fans are back at the Wells Fargo Center — San Antonio Spurs at 76ers, 6:30 p.m. NBC Sports Philadelphia/NBA TV

Tuesday: New York Knicks at Sixers, 8 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia

March 17: Milwaukee Bucks at Sixers, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, NBC Sports Philadelphia/ESPN

Question: Will the bench be able to hold the game when Doc goes full bench in the playoffs? — Daniel Nicholas from Facebook

Answer: Thanks for the question, Daniel. Rivers has said that he is going to cut down his bench in the playoffs. That said, I have maintained that they are at least one player short. They could use a scorer off the bench.

As for bench scorers, the only person who is dependable has been Milton, and even he is shooting just 31.3% from three-point range. So while the bench won’t likely be needed as much in the postseason, it still needs at least one upgrade.