January 15, 2024
Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports
After missing three straight games, NBA MVP Joel Embiid returned to action for the Sixers on Monday afternoon.
Looking to ride the momentum of Friday night's win over the Sacramento Kings, the Sixers hosted the Houston Rockets in a Monday matinee. The bonus: after missing three straight games due to a knee injury, reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid made his return to the floor. Embiid powered the Sixers to a 124-115 win in his return. Here is what jumped out from this one:
• The Sixers got off to a nice start in this one, establishing their physicality early. In fact, it took just 77 seconds of game time for the Sixers to force Rockets head coach Ime Udoka to call a timeout. In just the first seven minutes of the game, the Sixers were able to force five Houston turnovers — four of which belonging to Rockets ascending star big-man Alperen Sengun, who serves as the hub of sorts for their offense.
• Embiid got right to work in the first quarter, casually knocking down three quick mid-range jumpers, driving to the basket for an and-one over a Rockets double-team and firing off a few nifty assists -- one of which was a no-look dime out of the post to a cutting Patrick Beverley.
• When Sengun was out of the game, the Rockets went extra-small with Jeff Green and Jae'Sean Tate — two wing-sized players — manning the middle. Embiid was exactly as aggressive as he needs to be in this kind of situation, establishing deep positioning around the basket and forcing Houston to send hard double-teams at him. Embiid's ability to manipulate defenses once he garners their complete attention is one of the skills that has defined his rapid improvement.
• After a brief spurt of successful offense for the Rockets, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse called his first timeout and got to work. After the timeout, the Sixers' defense reached an even higher level than it exhibited in the opening minutes. They swarmed the ball and forced Houston to take all of the shots a defense wants to allow. These were some of the best defensive minutes the Sixers have played in recent memory.
• With De'Anthony Melton (back) and Robert Covington (knee) unavailable in this one, Danuel House Jr. returned to the rotation and was able to give the Sixers a spark against his former team. House knocked down a corner three and then scored on an impressive and-one put-back layup and converted at the line. He pulled down five total rebounds his first half stint. House still needs to prove he can consistently give the Sixers good minutes on the wing, but he likely has the most upside of any of their bench wings due to his athleticism and shooting ability.
• After receiving his customary rest over the course of five and a half minutes to start the second quarter, Embiid returned to the game and got in an even better groove. Not only was he spraying jumpers around the floor, but he did what he does perhaps better than any player in the NBA: getting to the free throw line. Embiid shot 11 free throws in the first half alone, and he also made 11 free throws. Embiid finished the first half with 26 points in all — a ridiculous feat that he somehow made seem ordinary.
• The Sixers' lead peaked at 28 at one point in the second quarter, but towards the end of the period they let up a bit thanks to some turnovers combined with improved Houston shooting. They entered intermission with a 19-point lead.
• Nic Batum had yet another performance in this one in which he did little to appease the box score-watchers, but a lot to impact winning. His defense, per the usual, was top-notch. He was the primary defender on Rockets veteran point guard Fred VanVleet, and Batum made VanVleet work for every single point he scored. Batum tracked his man across all 94 feet of the floor, a trick of his that seems to pay off with positive results just about every time. Even by face-guarding the point guard effectively for just eight seconds or so, Batum forces the other team to have a different player initiate their sets and actions. That is meaningful.
• Embiid typically plays the entire third quarter of each game. But in this one, he picked up his fifth foul with about five minutes left in the period. Nurse, who is often unafraid to leave his guys on the floor despite foul trouble, gave his superstar the hook and brought Paul Reed into the game. However, Reed was able to do a nice job and help the Sixers maintain their comfortable lead.
• Maxey, who struggled to score on two-point tries for most of the game, finally broke through and converted a tough and-one at the rim to open up the fourth quarter, and soon followed it up with a thunderous dunk. Maxey did more good than bad in this one — particularly thanks to his excellent three-point shooting — but it was not his best all-around performance of the season. Yet, still, he finished with a solid line and did quite a bit of damage. Maxey's floor is absurdly high for a fourth-year, 23 year-old guard.
• Embiid's streak of games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds was extended in this one, with little doubt ever existing that it may be broken. It was Embiid's 16th consecutive game with at least 30 and 10. But, more importantly, it was the Sixers' second straight win. They are 25-13.
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