PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers needed a spark out on the floor. They had lost two in a row, dropped to two games under .500, and they were searching for answers as they hosted the red-hot Phoenix Suns on Monday.
Enter Joel Embiid. The big fella had missed three games in a row with the flu and he made a big impact leading Philadelphia with 33 points and 10 rebounds with five assists as the Sixers were able to come away with a 100-88 win at home over a very good Suns team. It was an impressive win considering the circumstances as they continue to work their way through the James Harden injury.
Tobias Harris had 21 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, Tyrese Maxey had 11 points and six assists with five rebounds, and Georges Niang had 21 and tied his career-high with seven 3-pointers made. De’Anthony Melton had six points and seven rebounds.
Here are the player grades following the win:
This was a good assist game for Maxey as he was able to get his teammates involved. He had a tough time shooting the ball, but considering the Harden situation, it’s time for Maxey to be a playmaker and get the team going offensively. Overall, Maxey had a solid night, but it wasn’t his best considering the poor shooting night and he wasn’t able to get to the line.
This was a tough assignment for Melton to start the game as he had to defend Devin Booker while also having to contribute on offense. He did so admirably as he knocked down a triple off of movement and he was able to bother Booker on the defensive end and force him into tough shots. Melton does have to shoot the ball better on the offensive end, however.
The offense Harris continues to supply for the Sixers is encouraging to see. Even with Embiid back in the lineup, he provided 11 points in the first quarter in order to get them off on the right foot. He continues to be an underrated part of this team on offense and one of their most important players. After his hot start, however, he too fell victim to poor shooting after halftime. To his credit, he continued to do other things in order to help the team win this one.
It was a good start for Tucker on the glass as he was battling the taller Suns down low. However, he did get called for a moving screen when he got bulldozed by Booker which led to him getting called for a technical foul as he was frustrated with the officiating. His first bucket came…
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