The Los Angeles Lakers, who had won seven of their last nine games, faced a stiff test when they played the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. It would be a much more rigid challenge than they possibly could’ve expected.
After playing the Sixers competitively in the opening minutes of the game, the Sixers went on a 20-8 run to open up a sizable lead, and from there on, they launched an extended blitzkrieg on Los Angeles.
They did most of their damage from 3-point range, where they shot 22-of-46 and came within one make of a franchise record. It didn’t matter whether they were open or covered — they simply couldn’t seem to miss from downtown, and they likely could’ve made 10 treys had they played the entire game with blindfolds on.
The Lakers simply got completely outplayed in this 138-94 loss. They were outrebounded by a wide margin, which led to 26 second-chance points for Philly, and they had half as many free throw attempts as Joel Embiid and company. In addition, L.A. couldn’t hit from the outside itself — it went just 7-of-28 from that distance.
This game was tied for the fifth-most lopsided loss in its illustrious history.
The Lakers’ road trip will continue on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons, as they look to improve their 10-8 record on the season.