Just before the holidays, the NBA decided to spoil us with this clash between the Sixers and the Clipperswhich kept all its promises.
It must be said that the superstar had the good idea to put themselves in the spotlight last night, both Joel Embiid (44 points, 7 rebounds) and James Harden (20 points, 11 rebounds, 21 assists) on one side, that Kawhi Leonard (28 points, 5 assists) and Paul George (22 points) on the other.
On arrival, it is in any case the players of Philadelphia who managed to win on the wire (119-114), going back to do this a deficit of 20 points and winning their seventh victory in a row. On his side, Los Angeles loses after two consecutive successes.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
— Joel Embiid and James Harden, the two-headed monster. What a performance from the All-Star tandem of the Sixers, involved in almost all of the team’s points (scoring or assists). With disconcerting ease when it comes to scoring baskets or picking up fouls, Embiid continues to destroy NBA racquets one after the other. As for Harden, his chief balloon provider, he makes people forget his clumsiness (6/17 on shots) by putting the right baskets and proving to be indispensable in the other compartments of the game. The 2018 MVP equals, by bonus, a franchise passing record (Mo Cheeks and Wilt Chamberlain).
— Each team was entitled to its half-time. Outrageously dominated by the Clippers, in demonstration on each side of the floor, the first period saw the Sixers take the water in front of the attacks of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George & co (in particular at 3-pts). When there was +20 (58-38), we even thought that this part was going to turn blow out. Except that halftime arrived and the Philadelphia players came out of the locker room with a completely different face. Confident and successful from afar, Joel Embiid, James Harden and the substitutes toppled Los Angeles, before Philly folded the deal with a 10-0 in the money time.
— Philadelphia a hit at home. Seven games, seven wins. Such is the record of the Sixers, since they returned home two weeks ago now. Imperial on their land, the players of Doc Rivers have perfectly negotiated this series of meetings in Pennsylvania, just to move up the rankings in the East and above all to inflate their morale to the limit, before playing four away games (the first in New York on Christmas Day).
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Kawhi Leonard. Evening after evening, “The Klaw” confirms that he finds all his feelings on the floor, posting nearly 24 points and 7 rebounds on average for five games (53% on shots). That night, he in any case honored his status as leader of the Clippers, first stepping back to let Paul George speak before the break, then taking the reins of the team when he returned from the locker room. that “PG13” disappeared. As often, we will appreciate all the mastery displayed by the double MVP of the Finals at half distance, as well as his ability to flex his muscles to get his points close to the circle.
✅ Philadelphia role players. In addition to Joel Embiid and James Harden, perfect team leaders, the Sixers were also able to count on the valuable contributions of Tobias Harris (14 points, 8 rebounds), De’Anthony Melton (13 points), Shake Milton (13 points) and Georges Niang (11 points). In attack, but also in defense, they all had their importance in the comeback of Philadelphia in the second half, thanks in particular to their ability to stretch the game around Embiid or convert those 3-point baskets that Harden created for them.
✅⛔ Paul George. Mixed performance for a “PG13” with two faces. First beaming to show the Clippers the way in the first half (17 points, 6/12 on shots and 3/7 from 3-pts), he then completely disappeared in the second (5 points, 1/6 on shots and 0/3 to 3-pts). Fortunately, Norman Powell (21 points off the bench) was there to replace him at least after the break, in support of Kawhi Leonard. But this drop in the All-Star winger’s diet, well provoked by De’Anthony Melton, handicapped Los Angeles quite a bit…
⛔ Reggie Jackson. As the Clippers are almost complete (only John Wall was missing last night), this means that they benefit from a good depth of bench and that a new hierarchy is established in attack. For the moment, it seems that it is their titular leader who suffers the most from the returns of Kawhi Leonard or Paul George (to name a few). Author of 4 small points in 25 minutes against the Sixers, 2/6 on shots (including 0/4 at 3-pts), Reggie Jackson therefore never really weighed on this meeting in attack, especially since he also suffered in defense ahead of James Harden.
THE FOLLOWING
Philadelphia (19-12) : trip to New York, Sunday evening (6 p.m.).
Los Angeles (19-15) : trip to Detroit, on the night of Monday to Tuesday (04:30).
