Sixers rally to defeat Pacers without Joel Embiid

For the first time this season, the Philadelphia 76ers found a path to victory without Joel Embiid by defeating the host Indiana Pacers, 119-110, on Sunday, January 31 (Monday, February 1, Manila time).

Tobias Harris finished with 27 points and 8 rebounds, while Ben Simmons had 21 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 steals to help the Sixers erase a 20-point second-half deficit and win their third consecutive game.

The Sixers outscored the Pacers, who dropped their second consecutive game, 37-15, in the 4th quarter.

Philadelphia had gone 0-4 in games where Embiid did not play. Embiid played through his back issue on Friday in a 118-94 win over Minnesota, scoring 37 points and finishing with 11 rebounds in 27 minutes.

Philadelphia switched to a 2-3 zone on defense in the 4th quarter, which frustrated Pacers shooters during a scoring drought that lasted 4 1/2 minutes until Myles Turner hit a pair of late free throws.

Trailing by 16 points in the 4th, the Sixers used a 21-2 run to come back, taking the lead on a jumper by Furkan Korkmaz with 2:30 left.

Philadelphia started Tony Bradley in Embiid’s place with Dwight Howard rotating in off the bench as he has this season.

The Sixers outrebounded the Pacers 44-41 and were only outscored in the paint 60-56 despite Embiid’s absence. Turner was held to only 9 points, with 6 of those coming on free throws.

Korkmaz scored 17 points and Howard finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds as the Sixers’ bench outscored the Pacers’ reserves 54-37.

Malcolm Brogdon led the Pacers with 25 points on 10-for-21 shooting and Damontas Sabonis totaled 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Jeremy Lamb finished with 12 points.

Doug McDermott (lower back) did not start, but returned to the Pacers’ rotation and finished with 8 points and 5 rebounds in 21 minutes. Aaron Holiday led Indiana’s bench with 17 points. – Rappler.com