Sixers talk fighting the fatigue factor after Game 1 loss to Knicks

NEW YORK -- The challenge for the Philadelphia 76ers now as they continue Round 2 against the New York Knicks is evening the series before things shift to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4. The Sixers were blown out by the Knicks 137-98 in Game 1 on Monday night and they now must find a way to respond in Game 2.

In their defense, the Sixers had to battle through the fatigue factor on Monday. They finished off a historic comeback against the Boston Celtics by winning Game 7 on Saturday on the road to complete the 3-1 comeback before then having to head straight to New York to begin Round 1 with the Knicks. Only one day off clearly bothered the Sixers a bit in terms of their play.

"I would say so," Kelly Oubre Jr. said on Tuesday in terms of fighting fatigue. "It was a quick turnaround, and we got to travel. We didn't have a full practice before the game, and things like that. So, I definitely thought—you know, in my time, I remember in the playoffs, you always having, like, at least a practice before the game, but I think with the in-season tournament now, I think that it kind of pushes things a little closer together."

It can be such a mental and physical toll to go from one incredibly tough series to another and the Sixers had to battle that against the Knicks. One has to believe a rest and recovery day would have been in order for Philadelphia after the win over the Celtics.

"So yeah, if we were able to kind of get some rest, get some recovery, and then get a good practice in to kind of have a day before shootaround and go over their stuff, I think, yeah, we would have been a little bit more prepared, but we don't make the schedule," Oubre added. "We just got to go out there and play now. We got to go figure it out. So today's a good recovery day, though."