The Philadelphia 76ers jumped out to an early 47-28 first-quarter lead over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, then turned it into a 75-52 lead at the half.
Are the 76ers still up big on the Warriors?
Philly jumped out to a huge early lead, but as expected, Golden State is raging back.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
But the Warriors haven’t won two championships in three years for no reason. Because they thrive in the face of adversity, Golden State has bounced back to cut Philly’s early mammoth lead to just single digits midway through the third quarter.
The 76ers aren’t the laughing stock of the NBA anymore; that much is certain. But no one could have foreseen their piping-hot opening quarter against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.
The Sixers pounded the Warriors in the first, jumping to a commanding 19-point lead early on. It was the most points Golden State has given up in a quarter this season and was eerily reminiscent to Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals, when the Warriors gave up an unheard of 49 first-quarter points to the Cavaliers.
Philadelphia got there by shooting 8-of-12 from three, including Robert Covington’s unconscious 5-of-5 from downtown. The Sixers also shot 73 percent from the field as a team, while their physical perimeter defense held the Warriors to just 1-of-4 shooting from three.
The 76ers were able to keep a firm hold on their first quarter in the second lead thanks to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, who have combined for 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting. Here is what Simmons did to Omri Casspi.
And you know things are going well when Draymond’s yapping:
The 76ers took a 75-52 lead into halftime.
But Philadelphia started losing its momentum after the half, committing a few sloppy turnovers early into the third. Then after a freak accident in transition that sent Embiid crashing into the stanchion, the 76ers’ star big man is sitting until further notice.
Will Philly’s lead hold? Probably not.
The Warriors are the reigning champs for a reason, and a team with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green isn’t laying down to a squad of youngsters without a fight.
But it held for one half. And man, watching the 76ers pelt the Warriors has been a lot of fun.
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