The Sixer Sense
Fansided

RECAP: Philadelphia 76ers 115, Los Angeles Lakers 109

By Jason Dandy

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 15: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers boxes out against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 15, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 15: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers boxes out against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 15, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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In a battle of two teams on the rise, the Philadelphia 76ers pulled out a late victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in a thriller.

Wow. Let’s all just step back for a moment and process (no pun intended) what we all just watched. That very well might be the game of the year.

There was passion, hustle, intensity, drama, and production at the highest level, all during a random Wednesday night matchup in the middle of November. The fact that ESPN covered this game makes it even sweeter for fans of the NBA, as the whole country was able to sit back and watch the future forces of the league battle it out.

Elite talent was on display for both teams tonight, and the crazy thing is that none of said talent is even above the age of 25. Joel Embiid is 23, Ben Simmons is 21, Brandon Ingram is 20, Kyle Kuzma is 22, and Lonzo Ball is 20 years old. The future looks bright for both squads, but tonight the 76ers were able to pull out the close win on the back of the best performance of Joel Embiid’s young career.

Philadelphia 76ers. BEN SIMMONS. A. 39 mins | 18 pts | 9 reb | 10 ast | 5 stl | 1 blk | 1 TO | 8-13 FG | 0-0 3PT| 2-4 FT | 1 PF | +19+/-| Summary: Ben Simmons orchestrated the offense with ease all night. The pick and roll between him and Joel Embiid was being worked with ease, which is how Simmons racked up a majority of his 10 assists. He attacked the rim with purpose, and besides a few missed off-hand floaters, he was difficult to stop.. PG

A+. <span style=. C. Philadelphia 76ers. JOEL EMBIID

C-. <span style=. PF. Philadelphia 76ers. DARIO SARIC

ROBERT COVINGTON. B. 30 mins | 12 pts | 6 reb | 1 ast | 0 stl | 1 blk | 2 TO | 5-9 FG | 2-5 3PT| 0-0 FT | 4 PF | +16 +/-| Summary: After getting into early foul trouble, Covington bounced back in the fourth quarter to contribute some very valuable minutes. His defense down the stretch helped slow down a scorshing hot Brandon Ingram, and his three point shot with about two minutes left in the game gave the team a six point lead, which helped the team begin to separate from the Lakers.. SF. Philadelphia 76ers

C. <span style=. SG. Philadelphia 76ers. J.J. REDICK

The Philadelphia 76ers instantly set the pace of the game from the opening tip. They attacked the basket, moved the ball, and created a lot of open looks for each other. In the matchup that everyone was most looking forward to watching, Ben Simmons dominated Lonzo Ball any time the two guarded each other. Ball could not get a shot to fall all game, and with Simmons having been the primary defender on him for numerous possessions, he is the one to credit. Simmons even followed through on his promise to dunk on Lonzo, as he maneuvered by Ball for the slam as if he wasn’t even there.

https://twitter.com/hashBasketball/status/931005884393836544

Not everything was working for the Sixers tonight, however. Defensively, there were stretches where the Sixers couldn’t rebound the basketball, and players like Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, and Andrew Bogut feasted on second chance points. There were also instances where the Sixers would fall asleep defending off the ball, and the Lakers did very well executing back-door cuts to the basket for easy points as a result.

Putting all of that aside, the difference in this game was that the 76ers had a player have a historically elite performance and the Lakers didn’t. Joel Embiid became the first player in NBA history to every put up a stat line of 46 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 7 blocks. In one of the best performances in 76ers history, Embiid played as close to a flawless game as he possibly could. His jump shot was falling, he was working his defenders in the post, he was finishing through contact, and he was dominating the paint on defense.

When the game was close in the final minutes, Embiid came through time and time again making clutch basket after another. He scored 11 of the team’s final 19 points, and had 20 points total in the fourth quarter.

Overall, this was a solid win on the big stage of national television. In what was advertised as a peak into the future, Embiid and Simmons proved that they are ready to dominate right now. This win moves the Sixers to 8-6 on the year, making them tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Next: Sixers vs. Lakers: 5 Best Prospects

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