For the first time in a week, NBA games were on Thursday’s sports schedule. And two of the best teams in the league, the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers, put on a show in the first game back from the All-Star break.
Memphis dominated the first quarter and led for nearly the entire game. But the 76ers chipped away at the big deficit, which set the stage for a bonkers finish.
Trailing by two, Joel Embiid chased a loose ball down, preventing a backcourt violation. He passed the ball to teammate P.J. Tucker, who quickly dished it off to Tobias Harris. Harris drained a corner three, giving the 76ers the lead. In the process, he whipped the Philadelphia fans into a frenzy. They were just getting started.
Trailing by one, Memphis naturally looked to Ja Morant to regain control. His shot missed, which created a loose ball. James Harden emerged from the scrum on the ground, but with the ball and dished it off to Embiid. Embiid controlled the ball at around midcourt and went in for an uncontested dunk. Again, the Philadelphia fans went nuts — as did TNT’s Kevin Harlan calling the game.
Memphis still had a chance to tie, getting a trio of three-point shots off on one possession. But Desmond Bane missed the first two and Jaren Jackson Jr. missed the third. The 76ers finally got the rebound. From there, Harris sunk a pair of free throws to ice the game, giving Philadelphia a 110-105 win.
The NBA Twitter account had a great reaction, tweeting simply, “What a game.”
Fans were also impressed with the thriller.
Sixers/Grizzlies is going crazy right
— JustinTinsley (@JustinTinsley) February 24, 2023
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