Technically the definition of the word team is "a number of persons associated together in work or activity."
On Sunday, the Sixers redefined it as "what it takes to beat the Celtics."
Players one through 10 contributed to the Sixers' 105-99 victory over the Celtics, their first win against the C's since April 2014.
"It's a team that keeps reminding us of the importance of being a team," Brett Brown said.
Each reserve scored at least eight points. Between Richaun Holmes, Gerald Henderson, Nik Stauskas, Sergio Rodriguez and Shawn Long, the bench combined for 43 points, 22 of the Sixers' 42 rebounds, 17 of the 29 assists, four of the six blocks and four of the nine steals.
"It has to be (effective), that is the phrase, it has to be," Brown said of the second unit. "With the group that we have, there is zero margin for error, almost, when you're playing especially against a team that has a chance to play in the Eastern Conference championship."
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Brown credited the reserves for reclaiming the momentum at the close of the third, where they overcame a 13-point deficit and went on a 6-0 run to end the quarter. He praised Rodriguez (nine points, seven assists, three rebounds, one steal) for changing the mood inside the arena.
"What stood out to me the most was how our bench came in and really gave us that momentum in the third," Robert Covington said. "They came in with tremendous energy from both sides of the court. Our defense got amped up and it trickled to our offensive side and we made a big run to finish out the quarter."
The reserve big men had to step up when Jahlil Okafor did not play in the second half because of right knee soreness. Holmes filled the stat sheet with eight points, seven rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals. The sporadically utilized Long added eight points and three rebounds in seven minutes (he also picked up five fouls).
"It's a great win," Holmes said. "That's a top team in the East. For us to band together, be able to get a win like that, it means a lot."
Part of playing as a team also meant looking to one another, not the coach, down the stretch. Covington recalled Brown telling the Sixers they were going to have to learn how to win games on their own. The Sixers pulled together, didn't crack under the pressures of a veteran playoff team, and applied what they had learned in recent close losses to this victory.
"He just let us play," Henderson said. "We were in one the other night in Golden State. I don't know if there's more pressure than that. It's our maturation as a team, being able to handle ourselves, take care of the basketball, come up with stops."
The Sixers are going to be shorthanded for the remainder of the season. In order for them to piece together victories, it will take all hands on deck.
"Each and every guy that stepped the court, they made a big contribution to it," Covington said. "That's what made it that much more better."