Down two to the Golden State Warriors at halftime Friday night, the Philadelphia 76ers stepped things into high gear coming out of the locker room, quite literally. The Sixers outscored the Warriors in the third quarter, 33-24, to take control of the game, and a big component of their success that period was their decision to push the pace.
The Sixers aren’t typically a fast team. On the season, they rank just 26th in the NBA in pace. A large reason is certainly that the team’s offense runs through a 7-foot center, while missing both James Harden and Tyrese Maxey for large chunks of the young season is likely also a factor.