The Philadelphia 76ers are trying to have a strong run in the playoffs this year and possibly even make the NBA Finals.
They have made promises to fans for years and they are attempting to finally deliver on them.
But if they are going to do that, they’ll need to perform better than they did against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.
I’ve watched this clip probably 30 times this morning. pic.twitter.com/iqvtjnZioy
— Boomtown Hoops (@BoomtownHoops) January 13, 2023
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his team were able to sail past the 76ers in Philly on Thursday night, beating Joel Embiid, James Harden, and the rest of the team, 133-114.
Perhaps no moment better summed up the evening than when Gilgeous-Alexander was able to move with such speed and efficiency that he seemed to confuse and tire Harden, who just couldn’t keep up.
This play shows a number of things: it proves that Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best young players in the league and that he has a bright future ahead of him.
But it also shows that Philadelphia’s defense has to improve in the next few months.
Harden has repeatedly been called out for his lacking defensive skills and they were on full display against the Thunder.
But he’s not the only one who was having problems against OKC.
As for Gilgeous-Alexander, he really is having a major season that has put him on the radar of millions.
For the season, he is averaging 31 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 50.4% from the field.
The Thunder are still far from being great but Gilgeous-Alexander has become an All-Star player who is quite literally putting other superstars to shame night after night.
Thursday’s game was great for him and painful for his opponents.
