Sixers fall to Oklahoma City Thunder in unexpected setback, losing, 133-114, at home

It was an obvious question.

Thursday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder marked the 76ers’ 41st game of the season. Before the game, coach Doc Rivers was asked what he knows about the Sixers that he didn’t before the season.

“I think we are going to be really good, a work in progress,” Rivers said. “Other than that, we had a lot of injuries, work in progress, and we have work to do.”

» READ MORE: Former Sixer Isaiah Joe finds success with Oklahoma City Thunder and sticks in rotation

This game at the midpoint showed they’re not above dropping games they have no business losing. They suffered a 133-114 setback to the Thunder at the Wells Fargo Center. This game was supposed to be nothing more than a tune-up for the Sixers’ upcoming five-game West Coast trip, but now it serves as a wake-up call.

The loss dropped them to 25-16.

This loss came after the Sixers defeated OKC, 115-96, on Dec. 31 at Paycom Center.

Back then, the Sixers had their way with the youthful Thunder (19-23) despite playing without James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and P.J. Tucker. In that game, Oklahoma City standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander struggled and his team followed. On Thursday, the opposite was true for Gilgeous-Alexander and his teammates against a Sixers team at full strength.

The point guard had 37 points on 10-for-16 from the field and 16-for-16 from the free-throw line to go with eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and a steal. As a team, the Thunder shot 51.2% from the field, including 43.8% from beyond the three-point line.

The Sixers defense was nonexistent.

Gilgeous-Alexander had his way with Maxey in the beginning. Then he did the same to De’Anthony Melton and just about every defender the Sixers put on him. In the first game, Matisse Thybulle had a lot of success as the primary defender. However, the two-time second-team All-Defensive player was a game-worst minus-27 in 10 minutes, 57 seconds.

“Shai beat our best defenders tonight over and over again,” Rivers said. “We lost coverages. We told them. We tried to tell them this team plays hard. They move the ball. This is not the team you just played.

“This team has players, not just Shai, but all of them. if you’re not prepared to play this team, you will lose to them.”

Joel Embiid had 30 points, 10 rebounds, and one block. Harden added 24 points, 15 assists, and six rebounds. Maxey (17 points), Tobias Harris (13), and Georges Niang (10) were the Sixers’ other double-digit scorers.

Gilgeous-Alexander began the game like someone determined to erase memories of last month’s poor outing. In that game, he was held 14 points on 4-for-15 shooting. He had 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the first quarter Thursday. Following his lead, the Thunder shot 50% from the field, including making 4 of 8 three-pointers, and all seven of their foul shots in the first quarter.

The Sixers somehow managed to overcome that and head into the second quarter tied at 35.

However, the Thunder built a 64-49 cushion with 1:17 remaining in the half.

The Sixers tied the game at 78 midway through the third quarter, but the Thunder outscored them 23-7 to end the quarter and retake control of the game.

“They got whatever they wanted,” Embiid said, “breaking us down, obviously stretching the floor. We just couldn’t guard the ball tonight.”

Isaiah Joe played in his first game back at The Center after being waived by the Sixers on Oct. 13. The third-year guard didn’t display his trademark three-point shooting, going 0-for-4 from deep. However, Joe finished with seven points, three rebounds, and a team-high two steals.

“Really coming in here, I tried to calm myself, treat it like any other game,” Joe said, “because at the end of the day, each basketball game is the same. You don’t want to go in too high or too low. You want to be even keel.

“So that was my mindset coming into this game.”

Harris had a scare early in the second quarter.

The Sixers forward appeared to bump knees with a Thunder player with 8:58 left in the quarter. He immediately turned around and hopped on his right leg before falling in the corner. Rivers, trainer Kevin Johnson, and several of his teammates came to his aid. After touching his knee, Harris got up and walked gingerly to the locker room. He left the game with four points on 2-of-3 shooting to go with a rebound and an assist. But after being checked out, Harris returned to the court with 7:20 left in the half.

Harris did not speak to the media following the game.

The Sixers will travel to Salt Lake City Friday for Saturday’s game against Utah Jazz. Afterward, they’ll play the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Sacramento Kings.