Field Level Media
Feb 24, 2020
Joel Embiid scored a career-high 49 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lift the host Philadelphia 76ers past the Atlanta Hawks 129-112 on Monday.
Embiid produced 22 points in the fourth quarter and shot 14 of 15 overall from the free-throw line as the Sixers improved to a league-best 27-2 at home. It was also their 13th consecutive home victory.
Tobias Harris added 25 for the Sixers, who won again without injured All-Star guard Ben Simmons. Multiple media outlets reported that Simmons could be out for an extended period of time with more tests to be run on his ailing lower back.
Philadelphia's Furkan Korkmaz also contributed 15 points, and Josh Richardson had 13.
Trae Young paced the Hawks with 28 points and 10 assists while De'Andre Hunter added 22 points. John Collins had 21 points and nine rebounds while Bruno Fernando and Cam Reddish each came off the bench to score 10 points.
The Hawks had their two-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 6-25 on the road.
The Sixers dominated the first half, bolting to a 21-point lead in the first quarter and holding a 41-24 edge at the end of the opening 12 minutes.
Korkmaz converted a four-point play with 1:20 left in the second for a 67-48 advantage. The Sixers led 69-52 at halftime thanks to Embiid's 21 points and Harris' 14.
Young was the only Hawks player in double figures by halftime with 10, as Atlanta committed 11 costly turnovers that led to 17 points.
When Young dropped in a 30-foot trey with 6:10 left in the third, the Hawks closed within 78-70. Hunter hit a shot in the paint and followed with a 3-pointer to cap a 10-0 run and cut the deficit to 78-75.
Young knocked down a 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in the third, and the Hawks led 92-91 after the quarter.
Embiid made two free throws with 9:32 remaining to put the Sixers ahead 100-98. Embiid stayed aggressive and hit another pair of free throws for a four-point Sixers advantage one minute later.
After an empty Hawks possession, Harris hit a trey for a 105-98 lead, enough of a cushion to propel the Sixers to another home win.
Embiid's previous career high was 46 points, set on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 15, 2017.
--Field Level Media