Incredible scenario in this meeting between the Sixers and the Clippers. With Nicolas Batum back and perfect in the first quarter, Los Angeles started strong but Joel Embiid then regained control.
Behind their superstar pivot, the Sixers took off, with a 24-point lead (68-44) in the third quarter and seemed to be heading for an easy victory. Except that Tyronn Lue multiplied the tactical traps, and he managed to cut the “momentum” of Philadelphia to revive his team in the match.
Increasingly tense to see their lead melt like snow in the sun, Doc Rivers’ men were unable to turn the tide, and Tyrese Maxey’s missed final shot can only leave regrets (101-102).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Philadelphia is off to a bad start. Sixers failed start to the game, with an awkward Isaiah Joe from afar and a Joel Embiid not yet back in his game. Conversely, Nicolas Batum came back as hot as he left and Reggie Jackson was aggressive to give the Clippers the lead. The visitors thus pointed to +13 (11-24) three minutes from the end of the first quarter, before Tobias Harris launched his own a little.
– Joel Embiid takes control. It was then the Pennsylvania MVP who took the game on his own. Too powerful, too technical and too confident, he scored 24 points in the second and third quarters, the game then tilting in favor of the Sixers, who took a 24-point lead (68-44).
– Tyronn Lue has the edge over his mentor. But as the Clippers coach said after the game, this Los Angeles team, without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, is a team of “scratchers”, who will do absolutely whatever it takes, until the end, to win. Facing Doc Rivers, his mentor, Tyronn Lue applied this philosophy by multiplying defensive strategies, with in particular the “small ball” which sent Nicolas Batum to defend on Joel Embiid, or from the zone. Little things that disturbed the Sixers, deprived of defenders on the wings, and which left the Clippers regaining confidence to finally win. A loss that hurts a lot…
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Joel Embiid. 40 points at 15/25, 13 rebounds, 6 assists. Admittedly, there are 5 ball losses but given the general activity of the pivot, it is not very serious. Above all, “The Process” is the alpha and omega of this team, especially with the absences. For two quarters he has shown that his dominance can win, but even being so strong and powerful he needs more support.
✅ Nicholas Batum. A “false positive”, a bit of isolation but the Frenchman hadn’t lost his mojo. His perfect first quarter in shooting got the Clippers off to a good start, but it is above all his activity in his team’s “run” that we will remember. Defense on Joel Embiid (with more or less success), offensive rebounds, interceptions, assists… The Frenchman was once again the perfect “glue guy” for Reggie Jackson and company.
⛔ The Sixers’ lack of composure. It’s kind of become the specialty of Doc Rivers’ teams and it’s booming among Sixers fans. Leading by 24 points in the 3rd quarter, Philadelphia therefore collapsed, failing to calm things down to regain control of the game. A defeat that hurts and which further highlights the fact that the Doc’s teams lack nerve. It is all the more obvious that this setback takes place against the one who succeeded him on the Los Angeles bench, his own pupil, Tyronn Lue…
DOC RIVERS ANnoyed
The illustration of this lack of nerves also took place in a press conference, when Doc Rivers was asked how much this defeat could be attributed to his coaching. A legitimate question but one that the head coach of Philadelphia took very badly…
“Would you ask Pop (Gregg Popovich) that question? No, you wouldn’t.” he was thus annoyed. “So don’t ask me that question. I have earned this right. “
THE FOLLOWING
Philadelphia (26-19) : precisely, the Sixers visit the Spurs tomorrow evening
LA Clippers (23-24) : Los Angeles continues its “road trip” to New York, tomorrow evening
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