Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Wells Fargo Center on December 11, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images/AFP
Defensive ace Matisse Thybulle harassed Stephen Curry into 3-for-14 shooting on 3-pointers and Joel Embiid stole the show with a game-high 26 points Saturday night as the Philadelphia 76ers rolled past the visiting Golden State Warriors, 102-93.
Needing nine 3-pointers to tie Ray Allen’s all-time NBA career record, Curry came up six short and now takes his pursuit to Indiana on Monday night, where the Warriors will continue a five-game trip against the Pacers.
Shooting 6-for-20 overall, Curry finished with 18 points, five fewer than Jordan Poole, the team leader with 23.
Thybulle, who played the entire second half in foul trouble, blocked two of Curry’s 3-point attempts to spur a defensive effort that saw the 76ers limit the Warriors to 12-for-48 on 3-pointers.
Embiid’s 26 points were boosted by 11-for-11 accuracy at the free throw line, where the 76ers outscored the Warriors 23-13.
🔥 @JoelEmbiid (26 PTS, 9 REB) takes over late as the @sixers close with a 41-20 run! pic.twitter.com/TV1AtVH8ZP
— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2021
Seeking a third straight win, the Warriors led 78-76 after a Nemanja Bjelica 3-pointer in the second minute of the fourth quarter.
But Andre Drummond, who tag-teamed effectively with Embiid with nine points and nine rebounds off the bench in 15 minutes, slammed down a Shake Milton lob to tie the game, and Thybulle bombed in his second 3-pointer of the night to put the hosts up for good.
A Draymond Green free throw with 5:57 to go had the Warriors within 85-83, but Seth Curry nailed a 3-pointer before Embiid and Tyrese Maxey followed with consecutive hoops, allowing the 76ers to pull away en route to the fourth victory in their last five games.
Tobias Harris backed Embiid with 16 points for the 76ers, while Maxey finished with 14, and Seth Curry and Milton 10 apiece.
Andrew Wiggins added 20 points for the Warriors, who were outshot 46.1 percent to 40.0 percent.
Stephen Curry found time for nine rebounds, which tied Embiid, Drummond and Harris for game-high honors. He also had a game-high five assists.
The 76ers led by as many as 10 in the first half, during which Stephen Curry went into the 23rd minute before making his first 3-pointer. He connected on two in the final 1:45 of the second period, leading a late rally from a 42-38 deficit into a 49-46 halftime advantage.