It took more than a little magic in this one.
JJ Redick hit one of his eight three-pointers with 17.0 seconds remaining to give the Sixers a 116-115 win over the Orlando Magic. The Sixers improved to 2-1 with the victory.
Which Sixers duo continues to do damage? What mistake does Markelle Fultz keep making on the court? We dive into it all in our observations.
• It's becoming clear that the Sixers' defense needs to set a reminder for game time each night.
After allowing the Chicago Bulls to score 41 points (60.7 percent shooting from the field and 55.6 percent from three-point range) in the first quarter on Thursday, things started just as bad on the defensive end Saturday night.
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The Magic scorched the nets for 32 points on 59.1 percent field goal shooting and 62.5 percent three-point shooting in the first quarter.
The Sixers are good enough to overcome those slow starts against teams like the Magic and Bulls, but that won't always be the case against stiffer competition.
• Markelle Fultz being elevated to the Sixers' starting lineup has robbed us a little bit of one of the NBA's best two-man games. Joel Embiid and Redick play so well off another, you would think they've been doing it for five years.
Embiid was Redick's best two-man partner a season ago as the pair was plus-12.6 points per 100 possessions.
They had their rhythm clicking again on Saturday as Embiid and Redick literally ran circles around the Magic with their horns/curls actions.
Embiid finished the night with with 32 points and 10 boards, while Redick poured in 31 points with four rebounds and four assists. The duo combined to make 11 of 18 attempts from long range.
• As for Fultz, it was another up-and-down showing for the guard.
He did get an opportunity to be the Sixers' primary ball-handler with Simmons sidelined with a back injury (see story) and looked a bit more comfortable in that role.
However, it was one situation that the second-year guard constantly ended up in that had to drive Brett Brown mad: fouling shooters. Fultz fouled several players in the act of shooting, including a pair of times from three-point range.
That simply can't happen.
• T.J. McConnell is going to get a hefty raise next season.
McConnell, in the final year of his contract with the Sixers worth $1.6 million, continues to open eyes with his play. The spark plug provided the sluggish team with a much-needed boost in the first quarter to get back in the game.
McConnell's energy helped the Sixers shave a 15-point deficit when he entered the game at the 5:13 mark of the first quarter all the way down to two by the start of the second.
There's a reason he's been coveted in trade offers over the past couple of seasons. Even without big numbers, teams know what he brings to the table.
• It's easy to forget that former Sixer Nik Vucevic still mans the middle for the Orlando Magic. But when you do see him play, his game always leaves a lasting impression. That's especially the case against the Sixers.
Vucevic has always made his former team pay with career averages of 18.9 points and 12.3 boards vs. the Sixers coming into Saturday's game.
He turned in yet another dominant showing with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his second career triple-double.
