Doc Rivers Sounds Off After Sixers Lose to Grizzlies: ‘Burn It’

Tobias Harris

Getty Sixers forward Tobias Harris scored 12 points (5-of-12) in 25 minutes against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Sometimes you just have to forget certain games. Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers thought the best way to deal with a 35-point loss was to break out the incinerator. And literally burn the tape.

There were no lessons to glean or learn from after a 126-91 road defeat in Memphis. The Sixers found out that Seth Curry (right shoulder soreness) and Joel Embiid (right rib soreness) would miss the game about 35 minutes prior to tip-off. They were sitting ducks as no one outside of Tyrese Maxey could buy a bucket.

The Sixers shot 44.6% (37-of-83) from the field, including 18.2% (4-of-22) from three-point land. They turned it over 15 times and got pummeled on the boards 50-38. Burn it and move on.

“This is a burn-it film. Throw it away and move on to the next game,” Rivers told reporters after the game. “I thought the late scratches kind of threw us off. It’s funny because at halftime we were still shooting at 54% but we couldn’t get stops all night. It was just the theme all night. I think they had [101 points] going into the fourth quarter. You’re not supposed to win any games like that.”

Philadelphia was only down 12 at halftime, then the last-minute scratches to Embiid and Curry caught up to them in the second half. Maxey scored a team-high 23 points, with Tobias Harris and Shake Milton adding 12 points each. The lone bright spot was Charles Bassey, who recorded his first double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds). The rookie big man was dominant in 22 (mostly) garbage-time minutes.

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Sixers Youth Foundation Makes Hefty Donation

The Sixers will make a $50,000 donation to benefit the Sickle Cell Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) on behalf of the Sixers Youth Foundation. The check will be presented by Marjorie Harris (Sixers Youth Foundation chairwoman) and Elton Brand (Sixers general manager) during the Sixers-Heat game on December 15 at the Wells Fargo Center, according to a press release.

“We’re honored to support CHOP in their mission of finding a curative therapy for sickle cell disease, something that impacts thousands of children in Philadelphia and around the world,” Harris said. “With this donation, we hope to accelerate the amazing work that CHOP is doing, which will undoubtedly improve outcomes for children and enable them to lead happier, healthier lives.”

The Sixers will also be matching donations up to $10,000 at Wednesday’s game. Fans in attendance will be given a QR Code and donation tables will be set up around the concourses.


City Mandate Requires Proof of Vaccination

The City of Philadelphia has issued a new mandate requiring Sixers and Flyers fans to show proof of vaccination upon entering the Wells Fargo Center. The rule applies to various indoor facilities around Philly and goes into effect on January 3, 2022. City officials have seen a recent rise in COVID-19 cases and are trying to slow the spread in the winter months.

“As an organization, we have strongly supported vaccination efforts,” a spokesperson for Wells Fargo Center told CBS3, “but we also know that we’re able to continue providing a safe environment for our guests by ensuring that everyone who enters the arena is either vaccinated or verifiably negative for COVID.”

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