Inside Sixers: Clippers reunions, holiday cheer, and more behind-the-scenes moments from a 7-0 homestand

The song “Only You” by 112, Mase, and the Notorious B.I.G. blared from the 76ers’ weight room late Friday. Paul Reed walked into the locker room, wearing the “Big Energy’' chain following a surprise second-half appearance. Doc Rivers departed carrying an early Christmas gift — a bottle of James Harden’s brand of red wine.

That postgame scene captured the continued mood around these Sixers, after they rallied from 20 points down in the first half to beat the Los Angeles Clippers at the Wells Fargo Center in one of their more impressive victories of the season. That capped a 7-0 home stand that primarily consisted of “take-care-of-business” outings (with a couple overtime scares) before clinching a marquee win to improve to 19-12.

“We said it right before we came [into the homestand]: We knew these games were going to be extremely important for our season,” All-NBA center Joel Embiid said after his 44-point outing. “We knew we needed to go on a run.”

That sets up an intriguing Christmas Day matchup at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. Before that, here are some behind-the-scenes moments that defined the Sixers’ week.

Brief mingling between opposing players and staff is common before any regular-season NBA game. But the Sixers and Clippers looked like they were at an unofficial holiday gathering about two hours before Friday’s tipoff.

Clippers coaching associate Cameron Hodges, who was a player development coach with the Sixers in 2019-20, sat courtside with Matisse Thybulle. Sixers assistant Brian Adams conversed with Clippers coaches on the opposite side of the floor. And Sixer-turned-Clipper Robert Covington was truly a man of the people, chatting with staff and even some courtside fans as the building began to fill.

The congenial feel was understandable, given Rivers’ history with the Clippers — and that some staff joined him in Philly while some stayed behind as former assistant Ty Lue took over as head coach. Lue and Rivers remain close, though Rivers quipped, “You always want to beat your friends.”

Twelve players in Sixers history have worn No. 17.

For veteran forward P.J. Tucker, the digits are a source of motivation and a sign of how far he has come.

Tucker only played in 17 games his rookie season with the Toronto Raptors in 2006-07 before carving out a five-year career overseas. When he re-entered the NBA with the Phoenix Suns in 2012, picking his number “was easy.”

He has worn it continuously since 2019, with the Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, and Sixers.

“It was me getting back in the league,” Tucker said. " … I wear it around my neck every day. [My] jersey. All my logos have my number in it. It’s kind of just a constant reminder.”

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A chant of “Mon-trezl! Mon-trezl!” rang through the gym at Northeast Community Propel Academy Thursday morning, before the elementary-school students roared as the Sixers’ reserve big man entered through a side door and walked onto the stage.

Harrell’s appearance was part of a collaboration with the Student Health Impact Project designed to “help educate, advocate and connect children and adolescents in Philadelphia to health and wellness opportunities so they remain healthy all year long,” according to a release.

Harrell spoke about his journey from a small town in North Carolina to the NBA, emphasizing the hard work it took to reach his goal and maintain his high-energy style of play. He also visited E.W. Rhodes Elementary School earlier this month, and will have more stops on his tour into February.

“You never know what it could do for a kid’s life,” Harrell said. “You never know what this day right here could spark. … I never met an NBA player [as a kid]. I had never been to an NBA game. I didn’t really go to college games.

“I didn’t really have any of this at all, honestly. So just to be able to come out here and be a part of it and see the kids’ faces and interaction with them, it’s a blessing.”

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A particularly wholesome moment occurred when one clearly flabbergasted young boy asked how Harrell juggles between eight and 10 business ventures with his playing career. Following the Q&A session, Harrell sat on the stage as students swarmed him for photos and autographs.

“I signed arms today,” Harrell joked.

Harrell’s appearance was one of several community engagements for Sixers players during the holiday season.

Harden hosted a group of middle-school girls for Wednesday’s win over the Pistons as part of his Impact 13 Foundation. Tucker, a devout sneakerhead, partnered with Snipes to provide Vaux High School students with a surprise shopping spree, and also joined Foot Locker and the Shane Victorino Nicetown Boys and Girls Club to gift shoes and toys to children at the center.

Earlier this week, Tyrese Maxey was honored with the NBA’s Community Assist Award for November following his turkey drive in West Philly before Thanksgiving.

Before Wednesday’s victory over the Detroit Pistons, Harrell playfully tossed the paper stuffed in a new pair of sneakers at De’Anthony Melton at his locker. His less-than-stellar aim, Melton joked, was evidence that Harrell had never played football.

Melton was a versatile star in that sport until his freshman year of high school, when he opted to focus on basketball. Tucker overheard the exchange, then dropped that NFL teams inquired about him after he declared for the NBA Draft following his junior season at the University of Texas.

Really?

“Mack Brown called me in his office,” said Tucker, referring to Texas’ former football coach. “I haven’t told a lot of people that story before. It really happened.”

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Apparently, some NFL teams viewed the burly Tucker as a future Antonio Gates. Gates played basketball, but not football, in college at Kent State and, after signing with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent, developed into an eight-time Pro Bowl tight end.

But Tucker said considering the NFL went “nowhere” after that initial conversation with Brown. He had only played football “when I was, like 6,” and had “no desire” to try to pursue the sport professionally.