Here in Philly, the 76ers’ game against the NBA-best Phoenix Suns might have been the furthest thing from fans’ minds.
A lot of the focus was on Thursday’s NBA trade deadline and whether the Sixers will send Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden.
Heck, even the Sixers’ players are wondering about what could happen, especially since some have been mentioned as possible pieces in a deal.
But there was a game on Tuesday night against the hot Suns. It was a game in which the Sixers put up a tough fight before losing, 114-109, at the Wells Fargo Center.
The loss dropped the Sixers to 32-22 and marked their third setback in four games. Meanwhile, the Suns improved to an NBA-best 44-10. They have won 14 of their last 15 games.
Joel Embiid finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds. The MVP front-runner made 13 of 25 shots. Tobias Harris added 30 points with 17 coming before intermission. Tyrese Maxey had 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists. He made just 5 of 16 shots.
But Seth Curry had a night he would love to forget.
The Sixers shooting guard was held to three points on 1-for-9 shooting, missing five of six three-pointers.
Suns All-Star Devin Booker finished with a game-high 35 points. Former Great Valley High and Villanova standout Mikal Bridges had 23 points against the team that drafted him 10th overall in the 2018 draft before trading him to Phoenix. All-Star Chris Paul had 16 points and 12 assists and reserve center JaVale McGee added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Suns.
Down the stretch
Paul split a pair of foul shots to give the Suns a 100-99 lead with 3 minutes, 39 seconds remaining. Harris grabbed the rebound on Paul’s second attempt but had the ball stolen by Jae Crowder.
Crowder in turn passed the ball to Paul, who buried a 26-footer to put the Suns up four points. But Curry, who missed his first eight shots, responded with his first basket: a three-pointer to close the gap to one.
The Suns went on to take two six-point leads. The second one came on Paul’s 19-foot jumper to make it 110-104 with 1:55 left.
After Harris closed the gap to three points 22 seconds later, the Sixers combined for three turnovers and one missed shot over the next four possessions. Then Booker made a pair of foul shots to put the Suns up 112-107 with 20.1 left. Embiid pulled the Sixers within three (112-109) with 13 seconds left.
But as he did on his last trip to the foul line, Booker buried a pair of free throws to make it a five-point game with 11.4 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Harris had a layup blocked by Booker. The Sixers regained possession as the ball went out of bounds. Then Embiid missed a three-pointer with 0.8 left.
Dealing with trade rumors
But this is definitely a day and a week when games are secondary.
Doc Rivers was asked before the game if he had to speak to his players, who might see trade rumors on social media.
“Everybody is different, each individual,” Rivers said. “There’s just so many bad rumors, honestly, and so much noise and talk with every team, I guess — obviously us with the Ben situation. You talk to guys individually — you don’t do a lot of team talk because I think that’s the [best] way and you just go out and play.”
