PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers needed big nights from up and down their lineup in order to get the job done at home to kickstart their 7-game homestand. The Los Angeles Lakers and their star-studded lineup were in town and Philadelphia was looking to end a 3-game skid.
The Sixers were able to come away with a 133-122 overtime win over the Lakers after a chaotic ending to regulation and they got a huge boost from De’Anthony Melton.
Melton had a career night as he went for a career-high in points with 33, a career-high in steals with seven, and a career-high in 3-pointers made with eight. He was absolutely terrific all night long and he drew respect from Lakers superstar LeBron James after the win.
“We didn’t lose him,” said James. “He made shots. He’s a very good player. A good signing for them in the offseason. We have a game plan and we know who the head of the snake is. We didn’t lose him. We were out and contesting a lot of his shots. He played extremely well and he was definitely an X-Factor for them.”
The Sixers probably don’t win this game on Friday without Melton’s efforts. As James mentioned, he has been a terrific signing for Philadelphia as somebody who can step up on a nightly basis and provide elite play on both ends of the floor as he did in this one.
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