The marquee matchup between Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis in the end lived as much as expectations. Davis has arguably been the very best participant within the NBA over the previous three weeks however was anticipated to be in a dogfight in opposition to Embiid.
After the sport, basketball followers, who watched the time beyond regulation thriller between the LA Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers, despatched of their ideas on the matchup:
“AD can’t guard him it’s unhappy”
This one in all probability stung:
“ANTHONY DAVIS CLUTCH CHOKE”
Joel Embiid began like a home on hearth that even Anthony Davis’ all-world protection couldn’t put out. “The Course of” scored 20 of his 38 factors within the first 12 minutes of the sport. He additionally compelled Davis to commit two fast fouls inside the primary 4 minutes to compromise the Lakers’ recreation plan on each ends of the ground.
Embiid had as many factors as the whole Laker roster may muster when the primary quarter ended 31-20. “JoJo” completed the primary half with 25 factors, whereas Davis put up a meek six factors on simply three photographs. It appeared like Embiid would run away with the matchup early on.
Anthony Davis began the third quarter the identical approach as he dedicated his fourth foul with about 9 minutes left in that interval. With AD in foul hassle, the Lakers resorted to placing LeBron James and Thomas Bryant on Embiid.
The fourth quarter, nonetheless, was Davis’ flip to dominate. He exploded for 21 of the Lakers’ 37 factors to almost pull his torpid staff to an enormous come-from-behind win. AD’s heroics went down in the previous couple of seconds of the sport when he stole an inbound go meant for Joel Embiid.
Davis was fouled with 3.7 seconds remaining within the recreation, with the Lakers nonetheless trailing 120-119 in opposition to Philly. AD made the primary free throw to tie the sport however missed a possible game-winning second freebie.
Basketball followers had been anticipating extra of the Embiid-AD slugfest in time beyond regulation.
The LA Lakers stopped going to Anthony Davis, whereas the Philadelphia 76ers saved Joel Embiid concerned in time beyond regulation
The Wells Fargo Area simply witnessed Anthony Davis blister the Philadelphia 76ers with Joel Embiid within the lineup for 21 fourth-quarter factors. Bewilderingly, the LA Lakers went to AD simply 3 times within the five-minute time beyond regulation interval.
The 76ers finally bludgeoned the Lakers with a 13-2 distinction within the additional interval, beginning with an Embiid bucket. Even when “The Course of” gave solution to James Harden in time beyond regulation, he was on the heart of the whole lot the 76ers did.
Harden took over after regulation with 9 factors through a number of pick-and-roll performs with Joel Embiid. “The Beard” completed with 28 factors and 12 assists to assist Philly’s famous person heart carry the staff to victory.
For some motive, as they’ve finished in earlier video games the place they’ve misplaced, the Lakers virtually stopped going to Davis.
The LA Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers will meet once more for the second time on January 15. If each Davis and Embiid are wholesome, NBA followers can count on one other explosive encounter between two of the sport’s finest massive males.