Sixers Bell Ringer: Game 26

For a refresher on what constitutes a Bell Ringer, please reference the initial post.

Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Joel Embiid - 9
Ben Simmons - 6
JJ Redick - 4
Jimmy Butler - 3
Robert Covington - 1
Dario Saric - 1
T.J. McConnell - 1

Quick thoughts: Tonight’s Sixers game against the Toronto Raptors momentarily encourages one to convert to the nihilistic way of life. But alas, the temptation has passed. The truth is, the Raptors are a very, very good basketball team — maybe the best at this current point in time. The Sixers are less than a month removed from major roster turnover. Don’t get me wrong, the Sixers played like garbage, no excuses. They are clearly a tier below the Raptors. But Joel Embiid isn’t going to be completely gassed every night (although tonight has certainly raised questions about Jo’s usage) and more importantly, I don’t believe the Sixers’ roster is final. (Wilson Chandler is not responsible for the team’s futile play tonight, but sheesh, the guy does nothing at an above average level right now. Elton Brand and Brett Brown need to find a way to push him down the rotation where he’d be much more useful as a 2nd unit role player.) The loss was painful to watch, but let’s reserve the doom and gloom until the team featuring Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid is failing on a regular basis.

On to the Bell Ringer. When Joel Embiid can’t even find his way onto the ballot, you know the Sixers had a rough night. While there weren’t many bright spots, there were... maybe two?

JJ Redick: 25 points (9/16 FGs), 4 assists, 1 rebound

Redick, as per usual, shot the ball well tonight, making 5 triples. The Sixers have been able to consistently rely on Redick on the offensive end — this season, he’s averaging a career high in points per game (shout out to ESPN’s broadcast team for pointing that out). But he did turn the ball over three times. That and Joel’s rough outing contributed to his -21 plus-minus. But hey, if you value floor spacing!

Jimmy Butler: 38 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block

Butler was impressive this evening despite the team’s overall lousy performance. He fought hard through the very end, and refused to lie down and accept inevitable defeat. Anyone who did watch the game until the very end, was likely watching solely for Butler (or is a Raptors fan).

Ben Simmons: 8 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists, 1 steal

Simmons started off aggressive, and looked like he was going to be a crucial part of an impressive win early on in the game. But part of Simmons’ game relies on his teammates ability to make plays, and Ben’s teammates weren’t great tonight, though Ben was able to rack up double digit assists. Simmons turned the ball over, uh... seven times. He did, though, have some really incredible passes.

(Editor’s note: this post has been edited since it was first published, after rewatching portions of the game I had missed.)