Three reasons the Sixers beat the Golden State Warriors
The Sixers' dominance on the boards helped lead to a 13-point advantage in second-chance points.
In a game with big swings, the 76ers used a late surge to defeat the Golden State Warriors, 108-98, and earn their third straight win and fifth consecutive on the road.
Once leading by 24 points, the Sixers trailed by six in the fourth quarter before turning it into overdrive just before the midway point of the quarter. Here are three reasons for the win:
Sixers on the glass
Golden State, especially in the fourth quarter, got very few second chances. The Warriors had just one fourth-quarter offensive rebound. For the game, the Sixers outrebounded Golden State by 51-38, including 13-6 on the offensive glass. Dwight Howard had five offensive rebounds, just one fewer than the Warriors.
Here is an example of the Sixers’ relentless work on the boards, with Tony Bradley — who was 8-for-8 from the field — turning this offensive rebound into a score.
Because of the Sixers’ work on the boards, they outscored Golden State, 21-8, in second-chance points.
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Tobias late
Tobias Harris was effective all game, but he turned it up a level over the final 12 minutes. In the fourth quarter, Harris scored nine of his 25 points and took over when it mattered the most. He made this floater to give the Sixers a 98-96 lead, one they wouldn’t relinquish.
He then hit another floater that extended the lead to 100-96, and the Sixers were off and running.
Harris played all 12 fourth quarter minutes, shooting 3-for-5 from the field and hitting all three of his foul shots. He also had two rebounds and a plus-15 rating.
Dialing up the D
The Sixers allowed Golden State to get back into the game by surrendering 40 third-quarter points. In the fourth, the Sixers flipped the switch, outscoring Golden State, 28-13.
The Warriors forced several shots in the fourth quarter. They hit just 1 of 7 threes. The Sixers were not allowing them to have the open looks that were there in the third period.
The Warriors had four total turnovers in the first three quarters but committed nine in the fourth quarter, leading to 11 Sixers points.