Joel Embiid accomplishes rare 76ers feat, and Matisse Thybulle continues to lock down opponents | Sixers-Rockets best/worst
Embiid became the first Sixer to score 34 or more points in 25 or fewer minutes since Cliff Robinson had 35 points in 24 minutes at Seattle on Nov. 11, 1986.
HOUSTON — This best thing about this game for the 76ers was it extended their cushion over the Brooklyn Nets to two games atop the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Other than that, there really wasn’t much to take away from Wednesday night’s 135-115 victory over the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.
Here are the best and worst awards from the game:
Best performance
Joel Embiid gets this. The Sixers center finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds in 24 minutes, 38 seconds. He went 14-for-16 from the foul line. Seventeen of his points came in the third quarter. He and the Sixers’ other starters sat out the fourth quarter. The last Sixer to score 34 or more points in 25 or fewer minutes had been Cliff Robinson with 35 points in 24 minutes at the Seattle SuperSonics on Nov. 11, 1986.
Worst performance
Avery Bradley gets this. The Rockets guard made just 1 of 6 shots and scored two points. He was a minus-18.
Best defensive performance
Matisse Thybulle wins this. The Sixers reserve guard had three steals and three blocks.
Best statistic
This goes to the Sixers’ shooting 53.2%. Some will point out that the Rockets have allowed opponents to shoot 52.1% over the past six games. However, the Sixers have shot 50% or better in six of the past nine games. They’re actually shooting 49.5% over the past nine. So this wasn’t just a result of playing a horrible team with a limited number of players.
» READ MORE: Sixers beat up on injured Rockets, 135-115, and extend their lead over Nets to two games
Worst statistic
This goes to the Rockets’ allowing opponents to shoot 52.1% over the past six games. I couldn’t totally let Houston off the hook.
Worst of the worst
This goes to the Rockets’ having only seven available players at the start of the game. D.J. Augustin was listed as available. However, he was had a sprained left ankle and didn’t play. Houston’s number of available players dropped to six when Kevin Porter Jr. sprained his left ankle in the third quarter.
Best of the best
The Sixers (45-21) secured a two-game cushion over the second-place Nets (43-23) in the conference on a night they rested their starters in the fourth quarter.