One of the areas the Sixers really struggled in last season was closing out tight games with just a few minutes to play. At times they lacked a player who could step up in the final moments.
In Tuesday night's preseason win over the Wizards, Jrue Holiday -- who finished the night with a game-high 24 points -- looked confident with the ball in his hands in a tight game. He hit two big pull up three pointers in the final minutes, a really nice sign that the third-year point guard could be poised to step into a closers role for a team that desperately needed it a year ago.
In his post game chat with reporters, Jrue played it off as simply being his night to step up, giving credit to Lou Will as being a solid closer as well.
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Jrue's play down the wire also created one of the more humorous moments of the evening, when he found himself on the free throw line with just seconds to play. The Sixers point total stood at 99 and Jrue had one shot left to push the total into triple digits which would give every fan in attendance a free Big Mac.
Holiday missed the free throw as the sparse crowd got rather vocal, cheering "Big! Mac! Big Mac!"
Holiday got lucky, however, as the ball bounced right to him on the rebound and he was quickly fouled, sending him back to the line for redemption.
This time he delivered, pushing the Sixers into triple digits and providing (delicious?) free cheeseburgers tomorrow to all ticket-holders.
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Did Jrue realize that so much free meat and special sauce was on the line?
"Thad was chomping," Jrue said in the locker room while doing a bite-down motion with his hand and mouth. You could see him smiling as he stood on the line and the fans got louder. That's when he realized.
"I had to thank the fans for coming out," Holiday said.
A Sixers win to cap off the abbreviated preseason and a free Big Mac for lunch tomorrow. Just Jrue Holiday showing his love for the Philly fans.
Happy Holiday.