In a game where the Washington Wizards’ superstar, Bradley Beal, was unable to play, the Sixers could not afford to have a let-down game like they did against the Atlanta Hawks last week. Although Philly had several players of their own absent, Washington had to bring their A-game if they wanted to take down Joel Embiid and company.
In recent weeks, Embiid would get off to slow starts and warm-up throughout the game. Against the Wizards tonight, he was hot early. He scored from multiple spots on the floor, showing aggression no matter who was guarding him. Whether it was Daniel Gafford or Montrezl Harrell, Embiid established his dominance in the paint and on the perimeter.
For Washington, Spencer Dinwiddie was hot early and was able to help his team go on an early run. Gafford got in foul trouble at the nine-minute mark. That actually helped the Wizards when they brought in Harrell off the bench, who gave quality minutes and needed energy.
The first Sixers off the bench were Georges Niang and Tyler Johnson. Both players provided offense, hitting open jump shots. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Furkan Korkmaz started heating up. For weeks he had been in a slump, but tonight he appeared locked in and determined to contribute offensively.
Despite not having Bradley Beal, Washington seemed to get shots wherever they wanted in the paint. Wes Unseld Junior’s team executed multiple scoring plays because of excellent weak-side cutting.
The second quarter saw Korkmaz stay hot, while Davis Bertans also upped his game from the perimeter. Because of second-chance opportunities, the Sixers took advantage of hustle and activity on the boards. Tobias Harris, particularly, was determined to follow up his own shot on multiple possessions where he scored put-back layups.
Although Tyrese Maxey did not put up impressive numbers early, he stayed aggressive and kept the defense honest as he drove the lane, scoring multiple layups while getting to the foul line on others.
By the end of the first half, both teams were shooting 49% from the field or higher and kept turnovers to a minimum. It was a slow paced game as there was a total of only six fastbreak points.
The start of the third-quarter saw the Sixers put on a defensive clinic with Joel Embiid and Matisse Thybulle leading the way. As the game progressed, they frustrated Gafford and Dinwiddie in the paint and on the wing. Offensively, Tyrese Maxey and Seth Curry hit back to back three-pointers, causing Washington to call timeout.
When play resumed, Tobias Harris kept having his way, getting to his spots, being decisive, and converting on his offensive possessions. During a run where the Sixers were dominating both sides of the court, Joel Embiid scored his 7,000th point. Ironically, it was on a triple doink three-pointer from the top of the key. The Sixers’ effective play even forced the Wizards to go into a zone defense.
Then, things got chippy between the Sixers’ All-Star Center and former Sixth Man of the Year, Harrell. After one minor scuffle between the two led to technical fouls, a separate incident caused Harrell to be ejected. His frustrations were probably felt by his entire team as they saw the Sixers’ lead balloon to 20.
Once the fourth quarter arrived, the Wizards attempted to climb back into the game, but Thybulle put clamps on whoever he defended, and the Wizards still had no answer for Joel Embiid. As the game became clearly out of reach, benches were emptied and the starters sat. A well deserved early rest for the Sixers’ key contributors will help them start getting ready for their next opponent, the Toronto Raptors.
Grades from the Sixers’ 117-96 win over the Washington Wizards
Tyrese Maxey: B-
33 mins | 13 pts | 3 reb | 4 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 0 TO | 5-11 FG | 1-2 3PT| 2-2 FT | 1 PF | +31
Although the second-year guard had a quiet first half, Tyrese Maxey contributed in areas where the team needed him. He was aggressive with his shot and played under control. In 33 minutes, Maxey had zero turnovers. In addition, he used screens effectively and converted on several plays, which should help continue building chemistry with Joel Embiid.
Joel Embiid: A+
31 mins | 36 pts | 13 reb | 1 ast | 1 stl | 2 blk | 1 TO | 12-17 FG | 2-5 3PT| 10-11 FT | 1 PF | +25
The Sixers’ most valuable player showed why the team had such a hot start to the season before he went out with Covid. He displayed an array of moves throughout the game that showed glimpses of last season’s dominance. He completely got Gafford out of his game and protected the rim better in the second half. He feasted at the free throw line as much as he cleaned the glass for boards. A stellar game this was for Embiid.
Tobias Harris: A
30 mins | 23 pts | 7 reb | 3 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 1 TO | 10-16 FG | 0-0 3PT| 3-4 FT | 4 PF | +16
Clearly, this was Tobias Harris‘s best game in while. It seemed like he couldn’t break out of his funk since returning from Covid protocols. He played under control and scored from pretty much anywhere he wanted. He did not take any three-pointers this game, but hopefully he will pick up those numbers in the next.
Furkan Korkmaz: B+
15 mins | 14 pts | 4 reb | 1 ast | 1 stl | 0 blk | 1 TO | 5-9 FG | 2-6 3PT| 2-3 FT | 1 PF | -14
The other Sixer who’d been in a slump lately was Korkmaz. He was in a groove though from the moment he stepped on the floor against the Wizards. He provided much needed three-point shooting to slow down an early Wizards run. When he is on, he is on, and Korkmaz looks fantastic. A difficult fade away baseline jumper is well worth stumbling upon in a Twitter highlight. Ideally, we will see this version of the Turkish Sensation more often.
Seth Curry: B-
35 mins | 11 pts | 5 reb | 9 ast | 0 stl | 0 blk | 3 TO | 4-14 FG | 3-8 3PT| 0-0 FT | 2 PF | +29
It was not his best shooting night, but Seth Curry stayed aggressive and remained a threat whenever he was on the floor. On two occasions, he nailed transition, three-point daggers to help maintain a Sixers lead. There was a scary moment when he was on the floor grimacing in pain after a rib blow, but he finished the game no problem. His nine assists were a game high for both teams.
The Philadelphia 76ers go to 17-16 on the season, holding the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. They play their next game on the road in Toronto. The game will start at 7:30 PM EST.