Joel Embiid, 76ers Beat Russell Westbrook, Lakers as LeBron James Sits with Injury
The Philadelphia 76ers continued their strong road play with a 126-121 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.
Joel Embiid led the way with 30 points and 10 rebounds as Philadelphia improved to 45-27. James Harden added 24 points, Tyrese Maxey had 21 points and Tobias Harris finished with 20.
The Sixers, who have now won four of their last five games, are now 24-11 in road games this season. The only team in the NBA with fewer road losses this year is the West-leading Phoenix Suns.
The Lakers fell to 31-42 after their seventh loss in their last 10 games. Los Angeles was without star forward LeBron James, who sat out with knee soreness. Russell Westbrook and Dwight Howard tied for the team high with 24 points apiece in the loss.
Notable Stats
C Joel Embiid, PHI: 30 points, 10 rebounds
G James Harden, PHI: 24 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists
G Tyrese Maxey, PHI: 21 points, 7 assists
F Tobias Harris, PHI: 20 points, 7 rebounds
G Russell Westbrook, LAL: 24 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists
C Dwight Howard, LAL: 24 points, 8 rebounds
G Malik Monk, LAL: 23 points (off bench)
F Carmelo Anthony, LAL: 20 points, 7 rebounds (off bench)
Tyrese Maxey Sparks Sixers in Key Moments
While much of the focus for Philadelphia this season has been on Embiid and Harden, much of the team's success can be attributed to the emergence of Maxey. The second-year point guard has developed into a reliable offensive option, and the Sixers needed him Wednesday.
Despite facing a short-handed Lakers team, the Sixers had stretches where they just weren't clicking on either end of the floor. Philadelphia trailed by three after the first quarter after allowing Los Angeles to shoot 50 percent from the field.
Harden struggled with five misses in his first six shots, but Maxey was there to pick up the slack. While leading the second unit, he asserted himself more and helped ignite a 21-9 run to close the second quarter and take a nine-point lead going into halftime.
The Sixers opened up a 14-point lead in the third quarter, but the Lakers clawed their way back into the game and cut the lead to two heading into the fourth. In crunch time, Maxey shone.
The 21-year-old came up with timely buckets and helped Philadelphia hold off every Los Angeles run. Maxey had eight of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. It's the sixth time that Maxey, Harden and Embiid each scored over 20 points in 12 games played together.
Philadelphia is set to be one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference in the postseason. If Maxey can continue to contribute the way he has all season, the Sixers will be in line for a deep playoff run.
Short-Handed Lakers Compete Hard but Can't Finish
Despite playing with a short-handed roster, Los Angeles put forth a valiant effort against one of the best teams in the East.
The Sixers looked a little sluggish to open the game, and the Lakers took full advantage. Stanley Johnson scored all 13 of his points in the first quarter on 5-of-5 shooting.
While Los Angeles played with a ton of heart Wednesday, the team had stretches where it just couldn't keep up with Philadelphia. The Lakers shot 39.1 percent in the second quarter and connected on just one of their nine three-pointers.
The opening of the third quarter saw much of the same, with Philadelphia building a lead of as many as 14. But the team took its foot off the gas and allowed the Lakers to get back into the game. Los Angeles ended the third quarter with a 20-8 run to cut the deficit to two heading into the final period.
But the Lakers just couldn't finish, never taking the lead in the fourth quarter. Westbrook made things interesting and scored 12 points in the final period, but it was too little, too late.
The Lakers will have to play with maximum effort for a full 48 minutes each time out as the season winds down. Even when the team is back at full strength, any lapses could result in Los Angeles not making it out of the play-in tournament.
What's Next?
The Sixers will remain in Los Angeles to take on the Clippers on Friday. The Lakers will have some time off before beginning a three-game road trip on Sunday against the New Orleans Pelicans.
