NBA: Joel Embiid paces 76ers to easy win in Portland
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, left, shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Joel Embiid scored a season-best 37 points to guide the Philadelphia 76ers to a clinical 125-103 win over the host Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA on Monday night.
Embiid went 12 of 21 from the floor and 12 of 13 from the free-throw line and had nine rebounds as the Sixers won their fourth straight game.
Article continues after this advertisementTyrese Maxey posted 23 points, Guerschon Yabusele had 16 off the bench, and Kelly Oubre Jr. combined 15 points with a career-high eight steals.
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Anfernee Simons scored 25 points for Portland while Deni Avdija’s 17-point haul was offset by 10 turnovers.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Blazers misfired from deep, shooting 8-for-36 from 3-point range, while also coughing up 26 turnovers as their two-game winning run came to an emphatic end.
Maxey burst out of the blocks to pilot the Sixers to an early eight-point lead before Deandre Ayton and Avdija led a Portland comeback to trim Philadelphia’s advantage to 33-31 at the end of one period.
A Simons 3-pointer put the Blazers in front briefly before big men Embiid and Yabusele combined to put the 76ers in control.
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Embiid scored 14 second-quarter points and Yabusele had 11, the pair spearheading a 20-3 burst to turn a 38-all tie into a commanding 58-41 Sixers buffer with five minutes left in the second quarter.
Embiid’s pick-and-roll combination with Maxey was causing Portland issues on defense, while Philadelphia’s zone defense forced the home side into six turnovers for the quarter.
Avdija coughed up seven turnovers in the opening two frames, while Oubre had six first-half steals.
Toumani Camara inspired the Blazers to finish the half on an 8-2 run to trim Philadelphia’s cushion to 64-54 at the main interval.
Portland conceded nine more turnovers in the third and were 5 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc with a quarter to play.
The Blazers’ offensive woes, combined with Embiid and Oubre doing as they pleased at the other end, saw the 76ers dominate the third frame 27-18 and march to a 91-72 lead.
Embiid and Maxey paced another 13-2 Philadelphia burst to blow the margin out to 27 points and keep Portland well out of contention. –Field Level Media
