Furkan Korkmaz scores career-high 34, Sixers beat Memphis to snap four-game skid

Home is a happy place for the 76ers.

It’s where they can erase all of their bad memories from being on the road. Friday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies was the latest example.

The Sixers rolled a 119-107 victory at the Wells Fargo Center after being swept in a four-game road trip. They didn’t just lose those games; they lost by an average of 18.25 points.

“We thought even last night’s game we had good energy to us,” Tobias Harris said of Thursday’s 112-101 loss in Milwaukee. "We didn’t want to [focus] on the loss. We wanted to come out here and kind of build on something, and use our crowd to fuel us.

“But I thought from the start we made a stance of how we were going to play and how we were going to impose our will.”

The Sixers led by as many as 33 points. It was refreshing for them to take a 12-point victory, even though Joel Embiid didn’t return after intermission due to neck stiffness.

In addition to snapping their four-game skid, the Sixers improved to 32-21 and 23-2 at home. On the road, they’re 9-19.

Friday’s game also marked the return of two players.

Josh Richardson played in his first game after missing the last six with a hamstring strain, and Norvel Pelle rejoined the team after his two-way contract was converted into a standard deal.

On this night, the Sixers shot 56 percent from three, going 14-for-25.

Sixers reserve guard Furkan Korkmaz finished with a career-high 34 points on 13-for-17 shooting. He made a career-high seven three-pointers in nine attempts.

“First of all for us, it was a tough week,” Korkmaz said. "Then today everybody was focused. Everybody was [focused] when we stepped on the court, we tried to play hard. I was also one of those guys to step in and try to give my best to the team.

“Today everybody came and gave that spirit to the court.”

Ben Simmons also starred with 22 points (9-for-14), 10 assists, and 3 steals. He had seven turnovers. Harris had 21 points while making 3-of-4 three-pointers.

Embiid finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, a block, and 3 turnovers in 15 minutes, 52 seconds.

Richardson, who usually starts, entered the game with 1:04 left in the first quarter. He had four points in 14:57. Pelle (5 points, 2 blocks in 7 minutes) made his first appearance with 3:12 remaining in the third.

Earlier in the day, the Sixers converted his two-way contract into a standard one. The team waived Jonah Bolden to create space for Pelle on the 15-man roster. The contract is for the rest of the 2019-20 campaign with a team option for 2020-21. Next season will become guaranteed for $1.5 million if Pelle is not waived by July 6.

Converting Pelle’s contract had been the plan since the 45th and final day of his two-way contract passed on Jan. 22. Instead of waiving a player at that time to create a spot, the Sixers chose to first see if they could make a trade to create an opening. As a result, Pelle and his agent had to remain patient with the Sixers, hoping something would eventually work out.

The trade deadline passed Thursday, and the Sixers created an opening for Pelle.

Rookie point guard Ja Morant finished with a team-high 15 points for the Grizzlies (26-26).

The Sixers, including coach Brett Brown, received some boos during pregame introductions.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Brown said. “It’s part of the passion of this city that makes it unique, and you move on. I mean that with all of my heart.”