Recap:
Saturday’s pairing between the 76ers and Indiana Pacers was noteworthy on a couple fronts.
On the collective level, it paired together two young, up-and-coming, playoff-hungry Eastern Conference clubs jockeying for improved positioning in the standings.
Breaking down the contest in terms of its individual participants, the spotlight was very much on a high-impact 7-footer, who, prior to tip off, had never before been cleared to play twice in as many nights.
Completing the first back-to-back of his career, Joel Embiid battled, providing the Sixers with a physical, active presence throughout the night. The big man’s game-high 24 points (9-19 fg, 0-4 3fg) and 10 rebounds weren’t enough, as the Pacers pulled out a 100-92 victory.
Following a loss Friday that saw Indiana give up 133 points, the Pacers came out with purpose Saturday, particularly on the defensive end. They held the Sixers to 35 points in the second half, and forced 7 fourth-quarter turnovers.
The Sixers trailed by one point, 76-75, heading into the final frame, but Lance Stephenson went on a tear, factoring in 15 straight points, and fueling a 22-9 run that put Indy in the driver’s seat.
In the loss, Ben Simmons registered his 20th double-double of the season, tying the second-highest total ever for a Sixers’ rookie. He had 10 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and went a second straight game without commiting a turnover.
Stephenson finished with 14 points (5-11 fg, 2-5 3fg) and 9 boards for the Pacers, which received 19 points apiece from All-Star Victor Oladipo and Bojan Bogdanovic.
Indiana entered Saturday tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference, 2.0 games in front of the Sixers.
Sixers Social:
It was All-Star x All-Star on a collision course to the rim during this first-quarter sequence, and Joel Embiid, who will play for Team Stephen in this month’s superstar showcase, got the better of Indiana’s Victor Oladipo, picked as a reserve for Team LeBron.
Up Next:
After a demanding stretch during which they were required to play five of six games on the road, the Sixers will be able to look forward to a home-heavy chunk of the schedule. With Tuesday’s nationally-televised clash with the Washington Wizards, the Sixers will open a five-game homestand that carries them into the NBA’s annual All-Star break. As of Saturday, Washington ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference, riding a three-game winning streak, but just 2.0 games in front of the Sixers. Last week, the Wizards announced that All-Star John Wall would miss six to eight weeks following a left knee procedure.