The Philadelphia 76ers outscored the Los Angeles Lakers by two points in the paint, a margin that tells much less about the game than it appears to.
Philadelphia (13-10) saw Luka Doncic and LeBron James manipulate its defense to their advantage in its 112-108 loss to Los Angeles (17-6) at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday night. The Lakers’ downhill pressure exploited the 76ers’ lack of rim protection, proving to be the swing factor in a game that wasn’t determined until the last four seconds of regulation.
When a team faces an offense headlined by Doncic, James and Austin Reaves, it will have to live with at least one player having their way. Philadelphia’s point-of-attack defense held up as well as someone could expect for a unit that is ranked in the middle of the pack in defensive rating. It wasn’t until one of Los Angeles’ elite ball-handlers beat a 76ers defender off the dribble that the real issue arose – rim protection.
Doncic, who finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, routinely picked on Joel Embiid in drop coverage. The guard had little problem forcing Embiid to commit to him off the dribble, allowing him to effortlessly set up a lob pass to Deandre Ayton, whose eight of 14 points stemmed from Doncic’s gravity. The former Dallas Maverick had his fair share of mid-range pull-up jumpers as well.
The same could be said for James, as he tallied 29 points, 12 of which he scored in the fourth quarter, seven rebounds and six assists. He found success no matter who on the 76ers guarded him and routinely forced their defense into rotation off the bounce.
Fans were concerned with how Embiid (16 points on 4-21 shooting from the field) would look offensively after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on April 11th. The biggest concern was how much juice he had left defensively, however. The nine-time all-star has increased his defensive activity as the season unfolded. Still, his limited mobility has prevented him from defending at the level of screens, helping or switching at the rate he used to.
The 76ers rank 15th league-wide in defensive rating and it’s difficult to believe their efficiency will improve without a consistent paint presence, regardless of their collection of quality point-of-attack defenders.
Here’s how it happened:
1st Quarter
The 76ers jumped to an eight-point lead less than five minutes into the quarter behind an impressive offensive effort. Philadelphia’s star collective of Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George thrived off the dribble as the 76ers hit seven of their first 11 field-goal attempts.
But, Maxey was the first player to reach double-digit scoring, delivering 10 points on 4-7 shooting from the field in the frame. Many have discussed the Lakers’ need for more perimeter defenders and Maxey only heightened the concerns, scorching Los Angeles in isolation. He led the 76ers in scoring with 28 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and four stocks (steals and blocks).
Los Angeles trimmed Philadelphia’s once 10-point lead to six with three minutes remaining in the period, nevertheless. The 76ers threw the kitchen sink at Doncic defensively, supplying gap help and double teams, but he was inevitable. The superstar dissected Philadelphia’s defense with his three-level scoring and playmaking.
Doncic accumulated 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in the frame, giving way to a 12-4 Lakers run that leveled the score at 30 points heading into the second period.
2nd Quarter
VJ Edgecombe may have converted the 76ers’ first field goal in three minutes to begin the frame, but it was Jared McCain who stole the show. He knocked down his first three shots for eight points, with his perimeter talents fully displayed. McCain and Embiid ran two-man actions to a tee as the guard’s off-ball relocation got the better of Los Angeles.
Edgecombe got back in the action, however, forcefully attacking Ayton at the rim off an action with Embiid. Philadelphia’s usage of its guards and Embiid’s screening talents allowed Maxey to rest and regain the 76ers an eight-point lead midway into the period.
The Lakers’ offense struggled without Doncic, but he quickly revitalized it with a floater that concluded a four-minute field-goal drought. Los Angeles trimmed its deficit to as little as two points, but Philadelphia concluded the first half with a 60-53 advantage.
The 76ers tried to extend their lead, letting Embiid operate within the arc to no avail. The center missed 10 of his first 11 shot attempts as a gaggle of Lakers defenders constantly swarmed him, forcing contested shots. Still, Embiid’s ability as a screen-setter allowed Maxey, McCain and Edgecombe to get downhill.
3rd Quarter
While Doncic headlined Los Angeles’ first-half efforts, James took the initiative coming out of the locker room. He scored seven points less than three minutes into the quarter to cap off a 12-3 Lakers run. James thrived in transition, scoring with and without the ball and finding a cutting Rui Hachimura to cut the 76ers’ lead to one.
That turned out to be only the beginning.
Los Angeles ballooned its run to 23-7 to take an eight-point advantage with just under five minutes left in the frame. Doncic and Austin Reaves’ dribble penetration warped Philadelphia’s defense, and Hachimura reaped the rewards. He scored seven points in the quarter, all of which came from the gravity of the Lakers’ three marquee ball-handlers.
Meanwhile, the 76ers’ offense stagnated, shooting 33.3% from the field in the period. Their first-half offense featured variety and off-ball movement, but that was nowhere to be found. Instead, Philadelphia reverted to isolation or drives that featured a lone ball-screen. The 76ers regained form, however, ending the frame on an 8-1 run to cut Los Angeles’ lead to 87-84.
4th Quarter
Much of the same trends bled into the last 12 minutes as James and Reaves’ downhill creation collapsed Philadelphia’s defense to generate offense. But, Embiid sank a baseline jumpshot to conclude the 76ers’ three-minute stretch without a made shot. Philadelphia gradually chipped away at its deficit from there and sliced the deficit to two points with seven minutes left.
The Lakers kept the 76ers at arm’s length, nevertheless, as their offense kept rolling. Los Angeles relied upon Doncic pick-and-rolls and all he needed was one dribble to pull Philadelphia’s defense inwards to create an open shot for a teammate. He already reached a triple-double just eight minutes into the period.
Maxey drew two defenders, creating a foul-line jumper for Embiid who knotted the score at 105 points with less than two minutes left in regulation. That’s when James tallied five consecutive points to bury Philadelphia’s hopes of a late comeback and hand the 76ers their 10th loss of the season.
The 76ers will have a five-day intermission before facing the Indiana Pacers (5-18) at Xfinity Mobile Arena on December 12th at 7 p.m. EST.