76ers beat Hornets to sweep road trip

[February 04, 2021]  Joel Embiid scored 34 points and Tobias Harris added 26 to help the Philadelphia 76ers complete a perfect three-game road trip with a 118-111 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Embiid showed no ill effects of a balky back that forced him to sit out Philadelphia's 119-110 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. The Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games in December and January scored 20 points in the first half while Harris had 18 in the second.

Danny Green finished with 16 points, Ben Simmons scored 15 along with nine assists and Shake Milton added 13 off the bench for the 76ers, who made 25 of 45 shots from the field (55.6 percent) to secure a 64-42 lead at halftime.

Philadelphia staved off a late rally to win its third meeting with the Hornets this season and 14th straight in the series dating back to the 2016-17 campaign.

Gordon Hayward and rookie LaMelo Ball each scored 22 points and Devonte' Graham had 18 points and seven assists for the Hornets, who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt. Ball and Miles Bridges (16 points, eight rebounds) were inserted into the lineup in place of Terry Rozier (ankle) and P.J. Washington (foot).

Philadelphia bolted out of the blocks and rode a 20-2 run to secure a 25-9 lead with 2:25 left in the first quarter. Embiid made 5 of 8 shots -- including 2 of 3 from 3-point range -- to score 13 points, while Hayward and Graham were a combined 1-for-10 from the floor as the 76ers built a 30-13 lead after one quarter.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) gets a dunk against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

The Hornets scored the first five points of the second and trimmed their deficit to 11 after Hayward's 3-pointer midway into the quarter. Philadelphia answered with a 25-14 run to secure a 22-point lead at intermission.

Charlotte benefited from a spirited third quarter, with Hayward's mid-range jumper cutting the 76ers' lead to 81-74. Philadelphia responded by scoring 12 of the next 14 points, highlighted by Matisse Thybulle's 3-pointer.

--Field Level Media
 

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