Joel Embiid's 35 Points Not Enough as Damian Lillard Leads Blazers Past 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers may be atop the Eastern Conference, but they have yet to figure out the Portland Trail Blazers this season.
Portland defeated the 76ers seven days ago and won Thursday's rematch at Moda Center 118-114. Damian Lillard, Carmelo Anthony and Gary Trent Jr. led the way for the victors, who improved to 14-10 on the season and 4-1 in the last five games.
Impressive showings from Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were not enough to prevent Philadelphia's two-game winning streak from coming to an end as the team dropped to 18-8 on the campaign.
The 76ers had a chance to tie or win the game after Anthony's two free throws with 3.1 seconds remaining, but Simmons' inbounds pass was intercepted.
Notable Player Stats
- Damian Lillard, G, POR: 30 PTS, 7 AST, 2 STL
- Carmelo Anthony, F, POR: 24 PTS, 4-of-5 3PT
- Enes Kanter, C, POR: 10 PTS, 14 REB
- Gary Trent Jr., G, POR: 19 PTS, 4 REB, 5-of-7 3PT
- Joel Embiid, C, PHI: 35 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST, 2 BLK
- Ben Simmons, G, PHI: 23 PTS, 11 REB, 9 AST
Dame's Start, Melo's Finish Give Blazers the Win
It's no secret where the offense has to come from every time the Trail Blazers take the floor.
With CJ McCollum, Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic sidelined, Portland games are often determined by just how dominant Lillard is as a scorer and creator. He has been dialed in of late and has now scored 30 or more points in nine of his last 13 games.
Thursday was no different, as he quickly found his stroke from deep and poured in 19 points in the first quarter alone. He seemed destined to put his team on his back throughout the contest, but the 76ers started swarming him in an effort to make someone else beat them.
Trent took advantage of some of that space with early threes, Anfernee Simons provided a spark off the bench, and Enes Kanter notched a double-double down low while battling Embiid.
The secondary contributions helped the Trail Blazers stay within striking distance even though Lillard scored just seven points in the second and third quarters.
The fourth quarter is supposed to be Dame Time, but Anthony went into takeover mode with three consecutive triples, an off-balance shot off the glass and multiple mid-range jumpers. His outburst gave Portland the lead during a throwback stretch for one of the league's best all-time scorers, and he finished with a head-turning 17 points in the fourth.
His final two came from the free-throw line and were the most important because they broke a tie with 3.1 seconds left after Philadelphia pulled even with a quick 5-0 spurt.
76ers Waste Impressive Showings From Embiid, Simmons
Everything is on the table for the 76ers.
The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference has the talent and opportunity to make the NBA Finals and challenge for a championship this season. Embiid is also in the thick of the MVP race and had a chance to make a statement against a Western Conference contender during a national broadcast.
He jumped at that chance out of the gates and caught fire while overpowering Portland's frontcourt on the blocks, mixing in outside shots and demonstrating soft touch around the rim. He had 23 points by halftime and was essentially unstoppable unless the Trail Blazers sent multiple defenders his way.
It was far from a solo effort, though, as Simmons knifed through the lane whenever Embiid's dominance created openings and either finished himself or facilitated for others all while battling for boards from the backcourt.
Seth Curry also balanced out some of Portland's shooting, and Tobias Harris' ability to get to the line and serve as a passer helped the visitors maintain the lead for extended stretches.
Still, Philadelphia's bench couldn't keep that lead, especially when Anthony went off with Embiid and Simmons on the bench in the early portion of the fourth quarter. Their return to the floor helped the Sixers answer, as Embiid's jumper and Simmons' assist on a Curry three tied the score in the final seconds.
But Harris' foul on Anthony and the inability for anyone to get open before Simmons threw the ball away on the ensuing inbounds pass spoiled notable showings from both stars.
What's Next?
The Trail Blazers host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, while the 76ers are at the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
