Joel Embiid runs down Thompson for chase down swat
To no one’s surprise, the Golden State Warriors blew out the Philadelphia 76ers 135-114 on Saturday night. Although reigning champs routed the upstart Sixers, the inexperienced squad put up a laudable effort in the first half matching Golden State shot for shot.
They fought admirably through two quarters, but the Warriors championship pedigree was too much for the young team to handle as they fell behind by as much as 26 points in the final frame of action. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons gave Philly great minutes, but like many teams that’ve fallen victim to the Warriors’ deadly pacing and ball movement, the Sixers were forced to pull their stars from the game or risk injuries in garbage time.
While Embiid made several silly mistakes with the ball on his way to seven turnovers, he also flashed the invaluable intangibles and incredible playmaking abilities that make him such a special player at the center position. The Cameroonian superstar’s vaunted defensive prowess was on full display in the play shown above as he came out of nowhere to chase down Klay Thompson and erase two easy points from the scoreboard.
By all means, the 76ers are overachieving. Despite projections to fall in the lottery once again, they’re 6-6 and look like a legitimate playoff team. Veteran additions J.J. Reddick and Amir Johnson have bolstered their rotation and their young stars have carried the team past the horizon of mediocrity.
With Simmons, Embiid and Markelle Fultz to build around, even if the Sixers fail to compete for a championship today, they are more than set for the future. Simmons and Embiid are already stars and they’ve yet to reach the final stage of their development. If Fultz can return from his nagging shoulder injury and flip the script on his rocky rookie year, the City of Brotherly Love may be in line to make some noise earlier than expected.
