Field Level Media
Mar 11, 2018
Joel Embiid collected 21 points and eight rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers took control early in the first quarter en route to a 120-97 victory over the host Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night at Barclays Center.
Embiid shot 9 of 17 from the field and likely would have recorded his 34th double-double of the season if Philadelphia did not pull away in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.
Robert Covington added 19 points as Philadelphia won for the fourth time in its past 12 road games. Dario Saric contributed 18 on a night when the 76ers shot 52.6 percent from the floor and placed eight players in double figures.
Marco Belinelli added 13, JJ Redick contributed 12 and rookie Ben Simmons finished with 11 as Philadelphia avenged a Jan. 31 loss to Brooklyn. Ersan Ilyasova finished with 11 and T.J. McConnell chipped in 10.
D'Angelo Russell scored 26 points but had little help as the Nets lost for the 17th time in 20 games since Jan. 21. Spencer Dinwiddie added 13 while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson contributed 12 but Allen Crabbe and DeMarre Carroll were a combined 2 of 13 from the floor.
The Nets shot 38.8 percent on field-goal attempts and committed 18 turnovers while getting dominated on points in the paint by a 58-38 margin.
Philadelphia sprinted to a 10-2 lead and shot 80 percent in the opening quarter, which ended when Redick hit a 3-pointer just before the buzzer for a 37-25 lead. The 76ers shot 66.7 percent in the first half and carried a 70-60 lead into halftime.
Russell scored 12 points in the first 6:02 of the third quarter, and the Nets pulled within 82-74 on his 3-pointer. Philadelphia opened a 15-point lead on a fadeaway by Belinelli with 3:27 left and held a 96-83 advantage going into the fourth.
Philadelphia opened the fourth with a 13-2 run and was on top 109-85 after a layup by Belinelli with 6:38 remaining. The Nets never trailed by less than 23 the rest of the way.
--Field Level Media