The meeting between Philadelphia and Denver lived up to the event and the duel between Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic kept all its promises. At the end of a particularly close match, it was ultimately the Philly pivot who got the better of the MVP of the last NBA finals (25 points, 20 rebounds, 3 assists) at the cost of a very great performance, 41 points, 7 rebounds and 10 assists.
Both teams showed their arms during a very balanced and intense first half. With on one side the Murray-Jokic pair and his lieutenants Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr and also Christian Braun, and on the other the Maxey-Embiid tandem, accompanied by Pat Beverley, Tobias Harris and Nicolas Batum in scoring. Sixers and Nuggets continued to challenge each other with great efficiency, resulting in a crazy score at the break after a 3-pointer at the buzzer from Jamal Murray: 78-78!
Philadelphia took the lead in the third quarter, driven by the omnipresence of Joel Embiid, scoring or passing for 3-pointers from Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris (97-89). But Denver quickly rectified the situation, and in what way!
Nicolas Batum decisive!
The Nuggets closed the period with a 15-2, with 3-pointers from Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and two baskets from Nikola Jokic to conclude (99-104). The atmosphere had just changed, but the Sixers did not admit defeat.
The locals indeed attacked the last act with a 10-2 to regain the “momentum”, between the 3+1 of Marcus Morris and the “Euro-step” of Joel Embiid in transition in front of Nikola Jokic to allow his team to regain the advantage (115-113). The series extended to 18-2 thanks to three baskets from an untenable Joel Embiid, including a 2+1 at mid-distance and a 3-pointer in front of Jokic (123-113).
Nicolas Batum gave himself the final exclamation point of this high-level meeting with a chasedown block on Jamal Murray, and Philly ended up securing the victory (126-121).
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
–An exceptional first half. The two teams lived up to the challenge with, behind the Embiid-Jokic duel, a real opposition which produced some big sequences in the first half in particular. With each scoring 78 points at the break, the two teams had their best half of the season. Or the worst defensively…
– Joel Embiid still makes an impression. Like last season except for a few days, Joel Embiid marked the occasion for the arrival of Nikola Jokic in Philadelphia. In the game from the start of this “back-to-back”, he managed to hold his duel with Nikola Jokic by staying away from mistakes and being omnipresent and effective in attack. His series of 8 points in the “money-time” completed the last hopes of the Nuggets. Another very high-level match for his part, the second in a row at 41 points!
– The series continues. 17th game in a row with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds for Joel Embiid. He overtakes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and there is only Wilt Chamberlain in front of him!
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
