Desperately needing a win, the Philadelphia 76ers answered the call Monday night, earning a 120-113 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center.
It was a true team effort from the Sixers, who had nine players score and six reach double figures.
The first quarter was tightly contested, with the teams playing to a tie. The second quarter brought much of the same until the Sixers were able to rip off a 16-5 spurt to finish the half to carry a 10-point advantage into the break.
Philadelphia pushed the lead to 13 several times in the third quarter, but Oklahoma City wouldn’t go quietly and closed to within four heading into the fourth.
The teams played much of the final quarter within a possession of each other with the Sixers managing to stay just ahead despite the Thunder closing within a point at the 7:44 mark. However, the Sixers had the answer each time and were able to put some distance between themselves and the Thunder down the stretch to earn the seven-point victory.
The Sixers enjoyed a solid shooting night, which was a welcome sight after recent struggles. The team finished the game connecting on 51.1 percent of their field goal attempts, including an even 50 percent from beyond the arc.
Josh Richardson led the way for Philadelphia with 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting.
Joel Embiid and Tobias Harris chipped in 18 points each, with Embiid adding nine rebounds and eight assists despite playing with a dislocated finger. He also committed just two turnovers. Harris added six rebounds and four assists.
Ben Simmons was big for the Sixers with 17 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists. He was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. Al Horford chipped in 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Trey Burke once again provided a nice spark off the bench with 12 points. Mike Scott added eight points, while Furkan Korkmaz had six and James Ennis III had five.
The Sixers committed just 10 turnovers and the overall focus was much better. It was great to see everyone get involved, with every starter reaching double figures and also each attempting at least 10 field goals. The Sixers assisted on 31 of 46 made shots, and Embiid’s eight assists were particularly impressive.
All-in-all it was a solid effort from the Sixers, and it was huge for them to break their four-game losing streak. The win moved the Sixers to 24-14 on the season and an impressive 17-2 at home.
The Sixers will look to start a new winning streak when they host the rival Celtics on Thursday.