Deprived of Joel Embiid, injured, then suspended, and now of Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers leave Los Angeles with two new defeats in their bags. Beaten 116-106 at the Crypto.com Arena, the Sixers are dead last in the NBA with one victory in eight games! This night, LeBron James and his teammates returned to their room after a complicated “road trip”, and they jumped at the Sixers’ throats.
After five minutes, there is already an 11-point lead with a 5 out of 6 3-pointer, signed in particular by Austin Reaves and Cam Reddish, while the Sixers come up against a great Anthony Davis. On the same possession, the Sixers are blocked three times! Caleb Martin is the only one to survive, and he revives his teammates. But Davis is untenable: 15 points in the first quarter to give a seven-point lead (36-29).
Gabe Vincent and D’Angelo Russell, used as a 6th man, drive the point home, and the Lakers regain their 11-point lead. Austin Reaves is hot at 3-points, and he brings rhythm to the attack. As for LeBron, he plays like a boss. He makes others play, and doesn’t try to score.
The problem is that the Lakers cannot kill the match, and Jared McCain then Guerschon Yabusele allow the Sixers to get back on track, and even go ahead! A reminder for the Davis-Reaves-LeBron trio who finished the half perfectly to return to the locker room with an eight-point lead (68-60).
Yabusele from midfield!
The rest really gets complicated for the Sixers, especially as Rui Hachimura wakes up. LeBron is still as precise in the distribution of the game, and the Sixers increase the number of fouls on Davis, who are penalized on free throws. The gap climbs to +17, and Russell enjoys the shifts of LeBron James, who multiply the passes behind the back, even on the ground. The two return the favor, and only Guerschon Yabusele, with a prayer from the scorer’s table, stops their show at the last second of the 3rd quarter (96-81).
The last quarter is just a formality for the Lakers despite McCain’s efforts. LeBron goes for two more rebounds to validate his triple-double, and JJ Redick’s players return to victory (116-106), while the Sixers sink deeper and deeper…
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– D’Angelo Russell out of the five. Surprise in between with the presence of Cam Reddish in place of D’Angelo Russell in the starting five. A winning decision since the playmaker contributed 18 points coming off the bench on 8 out of 12 shots, while Reddish weighed in on defense, stifling Paul George.
– LeBron still sees triple. With 21 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds, the Lakers winger signed his 114th career triple-double. Here he is with another challenge: achieving one at 40 and over. Only Karl Malone has achieved this in history.
– Davis reassures and assures. Top scorer in the NBA despite persistent pain in the arch of his foot, Anthony Davis signs his 6th game with 30 points or more. Andre Drummond had a nightmare on both ends of the pitch.
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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.
