Joel Embiid loves playing the Los Angeles Lakers, but they were able to steal the victory from this rising 76ers team.
Joel Embiid - 33 points, seven rebounds, six assists, five blocks
The last time Joel Embiid and the Los Angeles Lakers met, it was a historic performance form the second-year big. He finished with 46 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocks. This outing, while less voluminous, was still remarkable. Los Angeles, however, found a way to pull out the win despite collapsing in the fourth quarter (they can thank Brandon Ingram for that). Embiid, as usual, was a monster on the block, bullying his defenders and wiggling around them with a variety of step-throughs and spins. He capitalized on a Lakers defense that took away his outside shot, and Embiid only settled for three triples all night long.
Bradley Beal - 34 points, four assists
Bradley Beal continues to torch the west coast. After laying waste to the Portland Trail Blazers with 51 points, he came right back and hung 34 on the reeling Phoenix Suns. It was an array of mid-range shots and layups that came that came from Beal being patient. With John Wall’s absence, Beal is looking to attack, keeping defenders on his hip and waiting for the opportune time to explode to the basket. By the night’s end, he attempts just five triples. Washington has won the last two games since getting butchered by the Utah Jazz, and Beal’s rise has continued to be promising. He’s holding the ship steady with Wall out, and that’s all Scott Brooks can ask of him.
Caris LeVert - 21 points, 10 assists, five rebounds
To say the Brooklyn Nets were depleted is an understatement. They’ve been without Jeremy Lin and D’Angelo Russell, but they also missed Trevor Booker on Thursday after trading him to the Philadelphia 76ers. On top of that, Isaiah Whitehead wasn’t with the team and Spencer Dinwiddie spent the entire game in foul trouble. Therefore, it’s only right that Caris LeVert — of all players — stepped up the play point guard. I’m a big fan of LeVert and felt like he could occupy that secondary playmaker spot, but usage like this is unprecedented. It worked, though. He manipulated the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s defense and repeatedly zipped passes right past the ears of his defenders. The most impressive part, however, was that he didn’t commit a single turnover.
Honorable Mentions:
- Chris Paul - 18 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds, three steals
- Ryan Anderson - 23 points, six rebounds
- James Harden - 29 points, five rebounds, three assists
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