Sixers 126 vs. 121 Lakers summary: stats, and highlights | NBA
The Philadelphia 76ers are just a game and a half back of the Miami Heat for top spot in the Eastern Conference after holding off the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. MVP candidate Joel Embiid paved the way for the Sixers with 30 points in the 126-121 win.
LeBron-less Lakers started game well
The struggling Lakers didn’t need any more bad news coming into tonight, but LeBron James was a late scratch. Frank Vogel’s team put up a fight without James and Anthony Davis who is close to a comeback but didn’t suit up for the game against Philly.
It was Stanley Johnson who filled James’ spot in the starting five, and it was Stanley Johnson that got the Lakers off to a hot start. The former Arizona Wildcats hit three 3 pointers and scored 13 points in the first quarter to give the Lakers a three point lead after 12 minutes.
As strange as it sounds, the Los Angeles offense looked good without LeBron to start the game. There was more passing, and movement off the ball with their star out. Sometimes the Lakers can be guilty of LeBron gazing.
Maxey makes up for Harden's cold start
While James Harden had a rough start to the night in his hometown, hitting just one of his first seven shots, Joel Embiid and Tryrese Maxey carried the load to take the lead in the second quarter.
Embiid needed 38 points to take the lead in the race against LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the scoring title.
It was the defense that picked up for Philly in the second quarter allowing LA just 22 points. With LeBron and Davis on the bench, Russell Westbrook would be the one that had to lead the Lakers, but he had an ice cold start going 3-11 in the first half. Philadelphia would take a nine point lead into the halftime break.
Howard's best night since 2018
For much of the third quarter Embiid and the Sixers were keeping the Lakers at an arms distance as the advantage stayed in double digits. In the final minutes of the third quarter the Lakers vets gave us a blast from the past as Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard took over and brought the home side to within two points thanks to a 14-4 run.
Howard would go on to score a season high 24 points while Anthony chipped in another 20.
At the end of the third quarter James Harden was involved in a collision with two defenders and stayed on the ground for an extended period. He went to the locker room to get checked out, but would eventually come back in the fourth quarter.
Sixers in striking distance of Miami Heat
Embiid did what he always does in the fourth quarter, control the game and get to the free throw line for easy points. Meanwhile Maxey proved once again that he an be a reliable scorer late in the game. The Lakers would get within three points in the final 12 minutes, but could never take the lead as the Sixers finished off the job, taking the 126-121 win.
Maxey finished the game with 21 points and seven assists, and Harden caught on in the second half posting a total of 23 points and seven assists. Joel Embiid had another night to add to his MVP resumè with 30 points and 10 rebounds.
Philadelphia have now won five of their last seven and are inching closer to the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers on the other hand, drop another game and sit just a half game above the New Orleans Pelicans and two games about the San Antonio Spurs who are in the 11th spot outside of the postseason picture.
With all eyes on his, Embiid finds Mattise for the easy bucket to seal the game.
The more you watch Maxey play, the better he gets.
Thybulle sniffed out the pass and slamed it after the steal.
It can look too easy for Embiid at times.
Harris wanted it, and Harris got it.
How about the fade away jumper from Embiid? That's an MVP move right there.
Niang got the party started for the Sixers with three quick triples.
Philadelphia holds on for the win, and they have their first win of three game road stretch.
Embiid back to the line and he hits both. He is right on his average of 29.8 with 30 points.
High pressure from the Lakers leads to an easy dunk for Thybulle and that should do it from the Cryto.com Arena.
Embiid to the line, and he drill both. One minute left in LA
Carmelo on the spin move and pull up from the elbow, and banks it in. When it's your night, it's your night. Don't think he meant to do it, but he'll take it.
Embiid has been very quiet in this quarter, but Harden gets that floater to go to put the Sixers back up 10
Maxey with one of those beautiful scoop lay ups high off the glass and that's starting to become his trademark. He follows that up with a three and the Sixers lead by 9. Maxey has 21 on the night.
Reaves sneaks in down low and gets the put back to cut the lead to three.
Howard has been important for the Lakers tonight, but if he gets the ball down low, the Sixers aren't shy to send him to the line to earn points at the line. He made both on his last trip to the line .
James Haren is coming back into the game after suffering a minor injury that sent him to the locker room at the end of the third quarter.
Thisi s the time the Sixers have to go to their MVP. Keep banging it to Embiid down the stretch.
Korkmaz with a big three to take some of the steam out of the Lakers engine. Timeout LA with 7:30 to go in the fourth quarter.
Harris finds Jordan after the big guys were getting a bit too agressive down low looking for the double team and Jordan throws the alley oop down.
Is Melo about to take this game over? He's looks like he's got the green light and as long as he keeps hitting those shots, the Lakers will keep feeding him.
Melo with the old school step back bank shot like it's ten years ago.
We are headed to the fourth quarter and we have a two point ball game as the Lakers end the third on a 14-4 run.
Harden is heading to the locker room
Harden tried to split a double team down the paint, but lost the ball and worse for the Sixers, hit the ground and stayed down. Timeout Philly. We will keep you posted on Harden.
Philly laid off Westbrook, daring him to shoot the three, so he does and knocks it down.
Melo with the three ball off the catch and shoot, and the Lakers are getting a blast from the past with Howard and Anthony producing tonight.
Howard continues to bang, and he is proving he's still got some gas in the tank. Finally the Lakers cut the lead to single digit.
Monk on a little personal run which forces the Sixers to take a timeout, but the Lakers can't seem to get the lead under ten points.
Harden is starting to warm up in this third quarter. He's had a couple lay ups and just went to the line and knocked all three down.
Embiid is in pursuit of the scoring title, he needs 38 points to overtake LeBron.
Dwight Howard has 15 pionts and has been the recipient of some matador defense from Embiid and the bigs down low.
All the talk about Harden and his cold night, but Westbrook is 3-11 on a night where the Lakers need him to step up.
Harris with a mismatch on Gabriel blows right past him for the easy dunk and the Lakers need a timeout down by 9.
We are back in action from LA, and Embiid is on the court for Philly as his back looks ok coming out of the break.
Harris knew it was coming from halfcourt
The post up, the turn around and the fade away. Unstoppable. Take notes big men of the future.
Niang started the game with three quick 3s
Stanley Johnson came out scorching, netting 13 points in the first quarter after starting from the injured LeBron James. He goes to half at 13 points. Dwight Howard and Carmelo have 9 a piece.
Embiid leads all scorers with 16 points, to go along with his 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Maxey has 11, while Harden struggled to find his shot in the first half going 2-10 for 5 points.
The first half comes to an end with the SIxers on a run, but the story coming out of the break will be Embiid and his back. He went to the locker room strething it out and he will want to keep it loose during halftime.
Embiid fouled by Johnson, and he's a little slow to shake off the contact. He was clutching his back for a moment and it's certainly something to keep an eye on coming out of halftime.
Howard with the and 1, and he and Gabriel are having productive minutes on the offensive end against the potential league MVP.
There's Harden finally seeing the ball go through the basket with a lay up after starting 1-7.
Maxey starting to heat up, first with a high arching floater of the backboard, and then with a short range jumper on the baseline. Timeout Lakers who trail by 4.
Harris in the corner for three off the assist from Harden, who has shyed away from shooting after starting the night 1-6
Philly bring it to within one with a little spurt, and that will provoke a timeout from Frank Vogel and the Lakers.
It can sometimes be difficult for teams to play an opposing team without their star. Just ask the Miami Heat, who played the Sixers without Harden and Embiid. Right now Philly is having trouble with the new look Lakers team.
Great movement on the defensive end as the Sixers were working the ball around, but LA had it covered resulting with a Westbrook lay up off the rebound and fast break.
Niang is on a bit of a hot streak too! He's got 9 points on three made 3 pointers and that brings us to the end of the first quarter. That was a promising half from the Lakers who looked good with out LeBron.
Johnson with three 3 pointers in the first quarter, and he's got 13 points already. Talk about someone stepping up with no LeBron, Johnson wants all the smoke.
Niang bangs a three home from dead center and that cuts the lead in half
Harden has started cold, he's just 1/6 from the field and the Lakers are starting to creep ahead off the bad shooting from Phily
Joel Embiid is a mastermind at getting to the line, and he's alrady shot four free throws.
I dare to say, the Lakers offense looks a little more fluid then it has lately with LeBron on the floor. A lot of times players get caught watching LeBron, and a lot of times LeBron just takes it upon himself to score which takes away from the flow of the offense.
Look at Embiid running the break!! That shouldn't surprise us, he does everything for the Sixers, why not play the Point guard role in transition.
Three is better than two! Howard missed the dunk down easy street, but Johnson hits the three ball on the long rebound. Timeout Philly, as Doc Rivers doesn't like how his team has come out to start this game.
How will Tyrese Maxey look tonight with the Philly stars back on the court? He was the top scorer without them against the Heat. He hit his first two FT's of the night.
Embiid getting the scoring started almost two minutes into the game.
With no LeBron, the weight of the Lakers performance is on the shoulders of Russell Westbrook who is in the midst of one of his worst season's of his career, but is averaging 21 points over the last three games.
Here we go! We are underway from Crypto.com Arena
LA's starting five
Philly's starting five.
Sixers stars back
Embiid and Harden missed the game against the Heat, but both are expected to play tonight. Doc Rivers’ decision to give Philly’s two stars was more for rest reasons than it was for injury reasons.
AD close, but not back yet
Anthony Davis is close to returning from a sprained foot, but will not be available for Frank Vogel and the Lakers tonight. Davis went down on February 16th and the LA has won just four of ten games since then.
LA showing some drip, lets see if they look as good on the court with no LeBron
All eyes on Embiid.
Sixers are surging
The Sixers have climbed to just two games back of the Miami Heat in the East since the arrival of James Harden. They are in great position for home court in the first round, but that won’t do it for Doc Rivers and the Sixers. They have their eyes set on the top seed in the brutal Eastern Conference.
Lakers still way down in the West
The Lakers are currently ninth in the Western Conference after winning two of their last three. While the sixth spot in the West looks like an unreachable the Lakers can aspire to 8 seed, which would put them in a win and in situation in the Play-In. They sit four games back of the Clippers in 8th, a game in front of the Pelicans in 10th, and just three games above the Spurs who are currently out of the post season picture.
Philly stars back
Philly got a big win over the Eastern Conference leading Miami Heat, and they did it without Joel Embiid and James Harden. Doc Rivers is trying to persevere his MVP candidate and the Sixers newest acquisition who is still getting back to 100% from a hamstring injury. Tyrese Maxey stepped up in their absence with 28 points while Shake Milton dropped 20.
James out tonight
James went for 38 points as part of a triple-double performance in the place he used to call home. In the absence of Anthony Davis, The King has carried the Lakers all the while taking the lead for the scoring title over Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but will sit tonight due to knee soreness
Are the Lakers starting to turn it around?
Don’t call it a comeback, but the Lakers have two of their last three. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but LA will take anything they can get at the moment. Without big man Anthony Davis the Lakers have plummeted down the standings, but they have strung together a couple wins over the last few days including the win over the Cavs in LeBron James’ homecoming.
We are live in LA
Hello everyone and welcome to Los Angeles where the Lakers return home after a successful road trip out East and the Sixers come into LaLa land looking to continue their climb up the Eastern Conference standings.
Heat vs. Lakers
We’ve got a massive inter conference matchup that means a whole lot to both teams for very different reasons. It’s the Lakers hosting the Sixers and AS English will be with you every step of the way with live updates, stats, highlights and analysis from the Crypto.com Arena.