Following a full weekend off, the Philadelphia 76ers continued their road trip for the first of two meetings against the Charlotte Hornets. Despite the Hornets being without a handful of players, they still managed to make things interesting. It took an extra five minutes of play, but the Sixers managed to walk away with a 127-124 victory. Here are some observations from the matchup.
1) Tobias Harris showing signs of life
The first quarter of the season has not been easy for Tobias Harris. Coming off a career year last season, injuries and protocol has derailed his play in the opening months. That being said, the 29-year-old showed some flashes of his All-Star level self we've seen in the past.
Harris ended the night as the Sixers' second-leading scorer with 21 points to go along with 11 rebounds and four assists. His overall shooting numbers weren't anything to write home about, but there were multiple stretches where he was making quick decisions and generating good looks. One area that does stand out from Harris' performance is his three-point shooting, where he connected on two of his five attempts.
This performance might not be considered Harris bouncing back, but it is a step in the right direction. If the 76ers are going to stay in the win column, they will need him to keep slowly inching back to the player we are accustomed to seeing.
2) Joel Embiid puts on MVP-Esq showing
The player of the game for this matchup is Joel Embiid, and there is no debate. After a strong showing against the Hawks on Friday, the All-Star center was even more dominant Monday.
When all was said and done, Embiid racked up 43 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. In 40 minutes of action, he missed just five shots and two free throws. This performance is undoubtedly his best of the season. Embiid went out and reminded everyone why he was deserving of the MVP trophy last season.
In true superstar fashion, Embiid put the 76ers on his back and got them over the finish line. He accounted for seven of the team's 24 points in the fourth quarter and scored or assisted on every made basket in overtime.
For the second game in a row, Embiid stepped up and delivered when the team needed him most. The franchise cornerstone has been a man determined to get his team's season back on track.
3) Missed opportunity
To put it simply, this game should not have been as close as it was. The 76ers had a great chance to keep their momentum going while exerting little energy but let it slip away. Instead, they had to play an extra period and needed a masterclass from Embiid to squeak out a three-point victory.
The Hornets were missing five rotation pieces and playing the second leg of a back-to-back. They should not have been the ones bringing the fight and energy to the team who had two full days off.
If a couple of possessions had gone differently, it would have completely changed the story of this game. Charlotte will still find themselves heavily depleted for round two on Wednesday, and the 76ers have to take advantage of it.
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