Eric Gordon’s buzzer-beater sinks the Sixers: 3 takeaways

Eric Gordon’s 3-pointer at the end of regulation was enough for the Rockets to escape Philly with a win.

The drama surrounding the Sixers with their handling of Markelle Fultz took a nice backseat to the drama of their game against the Rockets.

It was back-and-forth and tight until the very end, when the Rockets rode a 9-0 run to steal the game. Eric Gordon made a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer to seal the victory, 105-104.

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The difference between good and not good teams is the ability to make baskets down the stretch. The Sixers struggled in that department, culminating in a shot clock violation on their final possession of the game. Ben Simmons, wonder rookie, held the ball for the majority of the shot clock, and when his drive was denied by P.J. Tucker, he made a last-second pass to a cutting Jerryd Beyless, who had his shot blocked. Simmons is the unquestioned point guard on the team, but his inability to shoot is a problem for the Sixers in late-game situations.

As for the Rockets, well, they just keep winning. Despite not having Chris Paul, and inefficient nights from Gordon, who is the primary option with the second unit, the Rockets were able to put together just enough to beat the Sixers. Though some will say a team that good should be able to handle a building team, a win’s a win and these are the wins that will make the road easier for the Rockets once Paul comes back. As for James Harden, well, he was simply James Harden, finishing 10-20 from the field for 27 points. He finished with 13 assists, despite eight turnovers.

Here are three takeaways from Rockets-Sixers.

Takeaways

Three shots were the difference: The Rockets finished with a 9-0 run to end the game, but what really sealed their victory were the final two minutes. Over that stretch, the Sixers were 0-3 from the field. The Rockets were 3-3. The three who made those shots for the Rockets? Harden, Gordon and Clint Capela.

The Sixers will struggle this season as they figure out their crunch-time lineup and the players who will take shots at the end of the game. Had Redick hit his final 3-pointer, then there is not Gordon game-winner. But that’s how it happens. The best players always seem to make the best plays. Harden was able to get a goaltending call on a late possession. He sunk the free throw to bring it within two points. For all the rightful criticism he gets for his lack of defense, what a player to have when you need a bucket in crunch time.

The Sixers picked up where the Grizzlies left off: On Monday, the Grizzlies held the Rockets to a 33-point half. They limited Harden to eight free throws and Houston to only nine 3-pointers.

The Sixers offense struggled, too, especially in the second half and were beneficiaries of a fast pace and bad Houston defense.

The Sixers defense wasn’t as stingy as Memphis, but they had some similarities. They limited Harden to only four free throw attempts. The Rockets shot 30 percent from beyond the arc.

Throughout, the Sixers were aggressive in their 3-point closeouts. Down the stretch, they hounded Harden from well beyond the 3-point line and were determined to deny him a clean look, something he was able to snag in the first half. The usual risk that comes with hyper-aggressiveness is mitigated for the Sixers because Embiid is always lurking to protect the rim. Embiid suffers from an inclination to chase blocks, so he can bite on pump fakes or make wild runs and swats at the ball, getting careless fouls or leaving him out of position. But just his size and presence are enough to hold him over as he gets more experience and stifles some of those tendencies.

The defense wasn’t enough, but it’ll be a solid foundation for the team until the offense catches up.

T.J. McConnell is a teammate all teams need: No player on the Sixers was affected more by Fultz than McConnell. Prior to the draft, he was already the third point guard on the team behind Simmons and Jerryd Beyless. With the Fultz injury, McConnell was able to slide back into his guard role — though with Simmons taking up the power forward spot, McConnell is the second point guard, technically — and spent Wednesday destroying the Rockets offense.

In the first quarter, McConnell stole an inbounds pass; he deflected a pass and ran and dove for the loose ball, and you could hear the screech as his elbows skid across the court; and he grabbed an offensive rebound.

In the third quarter, Amir Johnson missed a dunk and fell down under the basket. The Rockets grabbed the board and tried to push upcourt. McConnell stole the outlet pass and had a wide open lane to the basket, but instead dropped it off to Johnson who slammed it.

McConnell was tenacious, aggressive and the best playmaker on the floor for the Sixers. He was the first one up from the bench when a teammate made a nice play. He deserves his own statline to be used for the rest of NBA history: a player finishes a game with more assists and steals (at least six each) than points and he has to dive to the floor at least 10 times.

Next: Ben Simmons is already making passes like a veteran point guard

McConnell will never be an All-Star. He’ll never be the starting point guard on a championship team. But don’t get it wrong. He will outwork your starting point guard on your championship team and your All-Star.