The Philadelphia 76ers are back to full strength after the return of Embiid and George. A dramatic and important win against direct play-in rival Charlotte Hornets. The deciding factor was a defensive play by star center Embiid.
With seven seconds remaining, Philly had taken a +3 lead after Maxey’s free throws (114:117), LaMelo Ball laid the ball off for Brandon Miller at the three-point line. Embiid quickly rotated to the outside line and blocked his opponent’s shot attempt.
It was the scene that ultimately led to his 76ers’ second win in a row. An impressive comeback had already been achieved beforehand. Philadelphia trailed by as many as 15 points in the third quarter before reducing the deficit to -5 by the end of the period (92:97) and finally winning the final period by nine points.
Philadelphia’s entire starting trio scored more than 20 points: In addition to top scorer Embiid (29 PTS, 8/19), Tyrese Maxey and Paul George added 26 points each. Brandon Miller was the most successful player for the Hornets with 29 (8/17) and eight rebounds.
This was an important success for the 76ers in the race for a direct playoff spot. The gap to the top six remains constant at half a game, while the lead to the chasing pack increases to one-and-a-half games. The defeat is doubly bitter for the Hornets, as it means they slip to 10th place. However, there is no threat from below. The top 10 in the Eastern Conference are already safely qualified for the play-in games.