Fired-up Embiid powers 76ers over Jazz
Simmons scores a game-high 27 points in 107-86 home win
PHILADELPHIA » Ben Simmons scored 27 points, a fired-up Joel Embiid added 15 points and 10 rebounds despite a sore knee, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the cold-shooting Utah Jazz 10786 on Monday night.
Embiid skipped the morning shootaround because of pain his surgically-repaired left knee. But he posted his seventh double-double and got under Utah’s skin in the fourth quarter.
After swatting away rookie Donovan Mitchell’s layup, Embiid turned and said something to the fallen Mitchell, who got up and shoved Embiid to the floor. Mitchell drew a technical foul.
Embiid got up and motioned to the fans, who started to chant “MVP” and “Trust the Process,” the team’smantra during a lengthy rebuild. Embiid got a standing ovation as he exited with 1:50 left in Philadelphia’s second win in five games.
Mitchell scored 17 points on 6 of 19 shooting, Rodney Hood added 13 while making 5 of 17 shots, and the Jazz shot 35.3 percent from the field in losing for the eighth time in 10 games.
After blowing a 22-point halftime lead with a miserable third quarter Saturday againstGolden State, the Sixers took control in that period this time. Simmons hit 7 of 10 shots as Philadelphia built a 21-point edge.
J.J. Redick shook off a poor first half to finish with 20 points.
The Sixers didn’t know they’d have Embiid until about 45 minutes before the game after he successfully tested the knee on the floor.
Embiid sat out a win at Utah two weeks ago for what the Sixers called “loadmanagement” as
they try to keep him healthy after a number of injuries. Hemade just 7 of 16 shots, but again proved the team’s emotional leader.
The Jazz, at the end of a fourgame trip, have been struggling as they deal with injuries to four key players. But even without Rudy Gobert, they were coming off a 40-point rout of Orlando on Saturday for their first road win.
The offense remained stuck in Florida early, as Utah shot 30.4 percent in falling behind 47-36 at halftime.
TIP-INS
76ERS » G Jerryd Bayless (wrist) had five points in his return from a six-game absence. . The 36 points allowed in the first half were the fewest since Dec. 11, 2016 at Detroit. . The team began selling Australian beef pies at concession stands in a promotion tied to Simmons, an Aussie.
UP NEXT
The 76ers play Portland on Wednesday in the third game of six straight at home.
The Jazz face Chicago on Wednesday to begina three-game homestand.