Without Joel Embiid, Sixers still crush Spurs
FILE – Head coach Doc Rivers of the Philadelphia 76ers speaks with Tobias Harris #12 and Ben Simmons #25 during the second quarter against the Utah Jazz at Wells Fargo Center on March 03, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Tobias Harris had 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as the host Philadelphia 76ers routed the San Antonio Spurs 134-99 on Sunday.
Seth Curry added 21 points, while Furkan Korkmaz and Danny Green each had 16 points for the Sixers, who won their fifth consecutive game. Ben Simmons returned from a two-game absence due to COVID-19 contact tracing and produced 14 points with nine assists.
23 PTS / 9 REB / 7 AST@tobias31 came out with the guys and put on a show.
📹 presented by @IBX pic.twitter.com/HUYIsSWtws
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 15, 2021
It was the Sixers’ largest margin of victory ever against the Spurs.
The Sixers cruised to the win despite playing without Joel Embiid, who has a bone bruise on his left knee. Embiid is expected to be out for a minimum of two weeks.
This was the first Sixers home game all season with fans, with about 3,100 in attendance.
Derrick White and Drew Eubanks led the Spurs with 17 points apiece, Lonnie Walker IV added 15 and Dejounte Murray had 14.
The shorthanded Spurs, who opened a five-game road trip, were without LaMarcus Aldridge, who’s seeking a trade and will no longer play for the organization. DeMar DeRozan also missed the game following the death of his father.
Green knocked down a tough jumper from the corner to give the Sixers a 51-45 lead with 4:05 remaining in the second quarter.
When White dropped in his third 3-pointer, the Spurs pulled within 52-48 with 3:09 left in the half. The Sixers led 60-52 at halftime thanks in large part to 13 points from Green on 5-of-6 shooting.
White kept the Spurs close in the half with 15 points while Walker contributed 13 off the bench, also going 5 of 6 from the field.
The Sixers came out aggressive in the third quarter and quickly went ahead 70-55 after Curry’s long 3-pointer with 10:01 to go in the period.
The lead ballooned to 83-63 after Harris capped a 9-0 run with a 3-pointer.
The Spurs looked completely out of sync offensively and trailed 106-73 at the end of the third. San Antonio, which missed 14-of-18 3-pointers through three quarters, was outscored 46-21 in the third quarter alone.
Korkmaz made 3-pointers on the first two possessions of the fourth and the Sixers’ advantage increased to 112-73. The Sixers breezed to the victory from there.
