Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images
The Philadelphia 76ers bounced back from an 88-87 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday with a 98-96 win over the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Friday night.
Philly had lost three of its last four games entering Friday’s contest, and Joel Embiid played an important role in helping the team get back on track. With the win, the Sixers improved to 12-11 on the season.
Notable Stats
Trae Young, PG, ATL: 25 PTS, 4 REB, 10 AST, 1 BLK
Joel Embiid, C, PHI: 28 PTS, 14 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK
John Collins, PF, ATL: 18 PTS, 8 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK
Seth Curry, SG, PHI: 18 PTS, 2 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL
Trae Young Continues to Impress Despite Loss
Young will always be a topic of discussion when the Hawks play, and he was arguably the best player on the court on Friday night. The 23-year-old opened up the first quarter with six points, two rebounds, three assists and one block, which led the team.
He added another eight points and two assists in the second quarter. However, Danilo Gallinari was Atlanta’s most effective player in scoring just before halftime, notching nine points off the bench to close out the half.
Young continued his dominance in the third quarter, adding seven points, two rebounds and five assists before closing things out in the fourth quarter with just four points.
The former All-Star entered Friday night’s game having scored at least 30 points in each of his last five games, tied for the longest streak of his fledgling career. He failed to reach the 30-point mark against the 76ers.
Young continues to have a significant impact for Atlanta. He entered Friday’s game averaging 26.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from deep.
If the Oklahoma product continues to play well, the Hawks could become one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference. However, it’s also important to note that John Collins and Gallinari were effective against Philadelphia, which is a big reason why they even had the chance to win their second straight game.
Joel Embiid Helps Lead Fourth Quarter Comeback
While Embiid is still very clearly trying to find his footing after missing nine games following a positive COVID-19 test, the veteran big man had an impressive performance on Friday night.
He returned to the Sixers’ lineup on Nov. 27 and dropped 42 points, but Friday’s game marked his best performance since then. The 27-year-old opened up the game with eight points, five rebounds and one assist.
However, Embiid wasn’t as effective in the second quarter, putting up just four points, one rebound and an assist just before halftime.
Embiid continued his impressive night into the third quarter, putting up 10 points, four rebounds, one assist and a block before finishing the fourth quarter with six points, two rebounds and an assist.
All things considered, Embiid had a great night, and it was once of his best games since returning from a battle with COVID-19.
While Embiid was impressive on Friday, the Sixers needed more out of Tyrese Maxey and Danny Green despite the win. The duo combined for 21 points, six rebounds and five assists.
However, it should be noted that Philadelphia was without Tobias Harris in Atlanta due to a non-COVID-19-related illness, and the 29-year-old has been one of the team’s best players thus far. He’s averaging 19.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field.
What’s Next?
The Hawks will host the Hornets on Sunday, and the Sixers will be on the road again to face Charlotte on Monday.
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