Sixers escape Detroit with a victory as Joel Embiid angers Pistons in In-Season Tournament opener

DETROIT — Humility went looking for the 76ers and nearly found them.

After upending the NBA title-favorite Boston Celtics, they didn’t envision a letdown against the lowly Detroit Pistons. They barely avoided one, winning, 114-106.

“Were we coming off an emotional win and not geared up and ready to go? Probably,” said Sixers coach Nick Nurse, whose squad struggled in the first half. “We looked a little half-step slow, and they looked two steps fast, right?

“Give them credit. I thought [Pistons coach] Monty [Williams] really had them ready. They had a really good game plan.”

Friday’s game at Little Caesars Arena marked both teams’ first appearance in the NBA In-Season Tournament.

With the win, the Sixers improved to 7-1 and 1-0 in the tourney’s East Group A pool. The Sixers and Pistons (2-8, 0-1) are in the same pool with the Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers, and Cleveland Cavaliers.

The game ended as the Pistons took exception to Joel Embiid attempting a three-pointer in the final second with his team up eight points. The shot went in but was waved off because the buzzer had already sounded.

But Embiid was well aware of what he was doing. Rubbing it in wasn’t part of it.

“The only thing I noticed was people trying to fight me because they don’t know the rules,” Embiid said of the IST rules. “When it comes to the tournament, points matter. I wish that shot would have counted — and I actually didn’t know that they was trying to fight me. So I wish I would have seen that, but everything counts.

“It’s fun to challenge for something else on the team. Wherever that takes us, we’ll take it.”

Embiid heard that Pistons players and coaches were trying to follow him back to the Sixers locker room. Several Detroit players and coaches were seen yelling at Embiid after the game. He was also booed by the fans in attendance.

“I guess there’s the unwritten rule,” Embiid said. “I guess in basketball that you’re not supposed to shoot the ball when you’re up, but then again, I’m like the other team, they were down 17. They didn’t give up. They were scoring the ball.”

He ended up with game highs of 33 points and 16 rebounds for his sixth consecutive double-double of the season. Tyrese Maxey added 29 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds, while Tobias Harris had 24 points. It marked the third time this season that Maxey has recorded double-digit assists.

» READ MORE: How does De’Anthony Melton plan to break his shooting slump? Keep shooting.

Reserve point guard Patrick Beverley went to the locker room at the end of the first quarter with right-side neck pain and didn’t return. Meanwhile, Pistons center Jalen Duren, a former Roman Catholic standout, suffered a right ankle injury that ended his night prematurely.

Killian Hayes was serenaded with MVP chants while scoring a team-high 23 points. Cade Cunningham added 21 points and seven assists.

But this game was like the old heads playing the young bouls at the rec center. Embiid appeared confused and frustrated by the no-calls while young bouls, primarily Duren and Marvin Bagley III, kept being physical with him on defense. Nor did they appear to care that Embiid was the reigning MVP or that the Sixers were heavily favored to win.

Offensively, the young bouls kept running circles around him and the Sixers. But the Sixers leaned on their experience and eventually figured things out.

After trailing as many as 16 points in the first half, the Sixers came out with more offensive focus and defensive intensity in the second.

They outscored the Pistons, 24-15, over the first eight-plus minutes of the third quarter. That enabled them to take their lead with 3 minutes, 22 seconds left in the period, 72-71, on a pair of Embiid foul shots.

The Sixers went on to extend to their lead to 17 points in the fourth quarter.

With the win, the Sixers remain in first place in the Eastern Conference. They also extended their NBA-best winning streak to seven games. Meanwhile, the conference’s last-place Pistons are heading in the opposite direction, extending their league-worst losing streak to seven games.

Now, the Sixers head home for a two-game series against the Pacers (6-3) on Sunday and Tuesday. Tuesday’s contest will serve as the In-Season tourney game.

Marcus Morris made his second appearance as a Sixer since being acquired with Nic Batum, Robert Covington, and KJ Martin from the Los Angeles Clippers last week.

The power forward first came into the game with 2:38 left in the first quarter

» READ MORE: Sixers promote Jameer Nelson to general manager of Delaware Blue Coats

The power forward finished with no points on 0-for-1 shooting to go with a rebound and two fouls in 6:02.

“I still think he’s got a spot in the rotation,” Nurse said pregame. “He, of all the people, has played the least, right? So it’s just a little trickier with him, so I’m just waiting for my moment here to give him a chance to see how he looks out there.”

Covington and Batum are regulars in the rotation. On Friday, Batum had three points, three rebounds, and three assists while Covington added three points and four steals in 14:25 of court time.

“They fit in there just really well,” Nurse said. “Obviously, they were playing in great rhythm. Again, Marcus hadn’t played at all [with the Clippers before the trade]. That’s just a little tricker thing to maneuver.”

The Sixers have, for the most part, stayed with a steady rotation. Nurse is happy with how Covington and Batum have been able to work into the rotation.

“I think faster than I expected, a bit,” Nurse said. “But we certainly do want to get Marcus a look as well and see where he fits in.”