NBA 2018-19: 3 Talking Points from the Sixers' Win Over the Wizards
The Philadelphia 76ers seem to get stronger with every passing game. They had just come off of season-high 26-point rout of the New York Knicks and were thirsty for more. Apparently, the ruthlessness hadn't faded away. They dropped 31 points in the first period itself, and led by 68-46 at the break, finishing 123-98.
The 25-point blowout win over the Wizards was one containing many positives for the home team. This was their third consecutive win as they have now won 8 out of their last 10 games. Following this win, Sixers have now solidified their third spot in the East with a 16-8 win-loss record while Wizards slide down to the 10th spot in the same conference with an 8-16.
Let's discuss the three prime takeaways from this dominant Sixers win over the short-handed Wizards.
#3 TJ McConnell contributed heavily coming off the bench
Coming off the bench, McConnell had not scored more than 6 points in the Sixers' last four games. But this one was a stark contrast to all his recent performances.
For a player who went undrafted in 2015, TJ has been quite impressive. He got 22 minutes of playtime(same as starters Wilson Chandler & Joel Embiid) in this matchup against the Wizards, and shot a fairly noticeable 6-10 from the field.
His defensive tenacity didn't fail him as he managed to pick-pocket Wizards' ball twice in the game, committing three turnovers in the process. The man is averaging less than 5 points on the season, and for him to step up and drop 15 on a team that has one of the best backcourts in Wall & Beal, only goes to show that he is not intimidated by legit competition if the moment calls.
Let's not forget that this man holds the honour of being the first player in franchise history to record a triple-double off the bench, when he recorded 10 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists against the Knicks in February 2018.
Clearly, he can be effective for Philadelphia down the stretch, making the bench even deeper and reliable in times of need.