For the first time in a week, NBA games were on Thursday’s sports schedule. And two of the best teams in the league, the Memphis Grizzlies and Philadelphia 76ers, put on a show in the first game back from the All-Star break.
Memphis dominated the first quarter and led for nearly the entire game. But the 76ers chipped away at the big deficit, which set the stage for a bonkers finish.
Trailing by two, Joel Embiid chased a loose ball down, preventing a backcourt violation. He passed the ball to teammate P.J. Tucker, who quickly dished it off to Tobias Harris. Harris drained a corner three, giving the 76ers the lead. In the process, he whipped the Philadelphia fans into a frenzy. They were just getting started.
Trailing by one, Memphis naturally looked to Ja Morant to regain control. His shot missed, which created a loose ball. James Harden emerged from the scrum on the ground, but with the ball and dished it off to Embiid. Embiid controlled the ball at around midcourt and went in for an uncontested dunk. Again, the Philadelphia fans went nuts — as did TNT’s Kevin Harlan calling the game.
Kevin Harlan calling this crazy sequence in the final minute of the Grizzlies-Sixers game 🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/hCtQmOCvVh
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 24, 2023
Memphis still had a chance to tie, getting a trio of three-point shots off on one possession. But Desmond Bane missed the first two and Jaren Jackson Jr. missed the third. The 76ers finally got the rebound. From there, Harris sunk a pair of free throws to ice the game, giving Philadelphia a 110-105 win.
The NBA Twitter account had a great reaction, tweeting simply, “What a game.”
What a game.
— NBA (@NBA) February 24, 2023
Fans were also impressed with the thriller.
Sixers/Grizzlies is going crazy right 😳😳😳😳
— JustinTinsley (@JustinTinsley) February 24, 2023
This Sixers Grizzlies game is CINEMA
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) February 24, 2023
The annual Grizzlies/Sixers game at WFC is basically just guaranteed chaos at this point, it should be a holiday
— Matt Carey (@RealMattCarey) February 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/MambaSZN/status/1628954057233637376
FINAL: Sixers 110, Grizzlies 105.
Not even sure how to describe this game in a sentence or two. Absolute madness.
Harden was fantastic. Embiid was awful and then he was terrific. Tobias Harris knocked down big shots.
Somehow, some way, the Sixers are 39-19. Unbelievable.
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) February 24, 2023
