PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Basketball returned to South Philly on Tuesday with the Sixers’ 108-99 preseason win in an empty Wells Fargo Center.
It was the first sporting event inside the arena since March 11, and, obviously, the first time a game was played in Wells Fargo without fans. Sixers tarps covered much of the lower level.
Artificial crowd noise was thrown in, along with regular game night features and entertainers. Still, new head coach Doc Rivers said it felt more like a home game than anything he experienced in the Disney bubble.
“Whoever was running game-ops did a great job of understanding when we needed defense,” he said. “You could hear the crowd noise. You felt like you were at home better than you did when you were in a bubble. I felt like this was a home game for us, and that was nice. I thought having the band and the cheerleaders and stuff was a good touch.”
“Even the piped-in noise, I appreciate Philly when they announced our starting lineup,” said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. “They did the ‘you suck’ chant anyways — that made it feel a little bit more like Philly.”
Joel Embiid only played in the first half, but he still scored 18 points in 17 minutes. Rivers said Embiid played phenomenally.
“We ran our stuff but we didn’t run his stuff, and he still had 18,” Rivers noted. “We can run continuity offense and not even run any plays for you, but you’re still gonna end up with the ball because you’re the best player.”
Shake Milton made 19 points off the bench, 15 of which came in the third.
“And that’s what we need from him,” said Rivers. “We need him to be Shake every night. I tell him literally every day, ‘Be Shake. Be Shake.’ I probably have said that 15 times already.”
Milton agreed: “Him putting the ball in my hands and then challenging me offensively and defensively just to be aggressive and to be out there playing loose and playing free, it definitely it feels good. It feels like there’s a weight off your shoulder. You’re able to go out there and play loose.”
Tobias Harris dropped 16 points with nine rebounds, and rookie Tyrese Maxey scored eight points in his fourth-quarter action.
Ben Simmons, who had 10 points and six assists, was pleased with their first game under Rivers.
“For not really having any plays put in or calling any plays, I think we did pretty well,” he said. “Doc, so far, has been a great coach in terms of just letting us play but giving us instruction on how you want to play.”