Still without Joel Embiid, James Harden and the Sixers quietly beat the Pistons

No Joel Embiid for the Sixers, but that didn’t pose a problem against the Pistons, the worst team in the East.

James Harden was actually close to a triple-double at halftime, and Doc Rivers’ troops quickly took control of the game, behind an aggressive defense that caused a lot of turnovers from Michigan’s young players, and good ball circulation. to find the unmarked player.

On several occasions, the Pistons still came close, but Tyrese Maxey and his family each time managed a small push that allowed them to quietly slip to victory (123-111).

WHAT YOU SHOULD REMEMBER

– Philadelphia’s defensive pressure. Montrezl Harrell is not Joel Embiid as a defense libero, but the first defensive line has done a good job of harassing the opponents outside, being very dynamic and active. Result: 22 bullet losses for Killian Hayes and his teammates…

– The Sixers stepped up when needed. Three small boosts were enough to allow Philadelphia to live a quiet night. In the maneuver, James Harden first used Montrezl Harrell to create the first gap. “The Beard” still led the second quarter while Tyrese Maxey was the star of the final outburst. In any case, that’s good enough for the Sixers.

TOPS/FLOPS

✅James Harden. A game on his hands for the Sixers’ leader, who was almost in a triple-double at halftime and did what he wanted from the Pistons’ defense. 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists without forcing.

✅ Paul Reed and Montrezl Harrell. Without Joel Embiid, both interiors brought their dynamism and opportunism. They compiled 38 points and 18 rebounds.

✅⛔ Killian Hayes. His 26 points on 11/17 and 6 assists is a bit of a trompe l’oeil because the Frenchman mainly produced his statistics at the end of the match, against the coastal Sixers. Before that, he was first at the service of his teammates but the opposing mobile defense hindered him, and his passes were often missed by Philadelphia.

Jaden Ivey. The beginner is constantly hot and cold. Heat is this energy and the ability to continuously strike. The cold is that he often just thinks about it and it becomes too predictable. 10 points on 4/13 shooting, 6 rebounds, 6 assists but 4 ball losses and the worst +/- (-14) of the match.

THE FOLLOWING

Philadelphia (24-15) and Detroit (11-32): the two teams meet again on Tuesday, this time in Pennsylvania.