Wednesday night went as well as the Philadelphia 76ers expected. Facing a struggling Detroit Pistons team, the Sixers wanted to make sure they avoided a trap game on the road and took care of business to secure their fourth-straight win.
From the jump, the Sixers stomped on the competition. Outscoring the Pistons 39-26 in the first quarter, the 76ers never looked back during the matchup. For the remainder of the game, the Sixers held a lead and kept it in the double-digits.
After putting the Pistons away with a 129-111 victory, the Sixers advanced to 16-7 on the year. They wrapped up the night with a flight back to Philly and having a two-for-one birthday celebration while up in the sky.
Sixers’ starting guard De’Anthony Melton assisted the reserve center Mo Bamba with the celebrations. As Bamba hopped on the plane’s intercom, he took the lead in singing Happy Birthday for the veterans Nic Batum and Robert Covington.
Both players were born on December 14, just two years apart. Fortunately, they got to begin their birthday, celebrating with their teammates after a major victory.
On Wednesday, Batum checked in for a little under 20 minutes. Although he attempted just two shots from the field, he hit both and collected five points. The French veteran also came down with a rebound and dished out two assists.
As for Covington, he checked in off the bench for a 17-minute shift, he went 2-4 from the field, scoring five points. Defensively, he came down with six rebounds.
Despite slower nights for the birthday boys, the ultimate goal was accomplished. Now, the Sixers are back in Philadelphia and getting prepared for their Friday night rematch against the Pistons.
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