The Philadelphia 76ers kicked off the new year on their home floor with a matchup against the Houston Rockets. Facing off against one of the league's worst teams in terms of record, they had a great opportunity to extend their winning streak. After pulling away in the third quarter, the Sixers managed to easily put Houston away, winning by a final score of 133-113. Here are some observations from the matchup.
76ers Observations
1) Three-point shooting
Over the last few weeks, the 76ers have struggled to find the range from beyond the arc. A team-wide cold spell made them reluctant to let it fly from deep, and they plummeted to the bottom of the league in attempts per game. Since then, they have started to work their way back to form.
Ball movement played a key role in the Sixers' win over the Rockets. Despite being without their starting point guard, they managed to rack up 33 assists on 50 made field goals. This constant swinging of the ball generated a ton of good looks, especially from deep.
As a team, the Sixers got up 40 attempts from beyond the arc Monday. Five different Sixers made two or more threes, and all together they shot 42.5%. The biggest standout was Isaiah Joe, who knocked down five triples en route to scoring 18 points.
Hunting threes is essential for the 76ers, even more so when the shots are falling. This type of production will be hard to sustain, but this uptick in attempts is something they need to prioritize moving forward.
2) Furkan Korkmaz comes alive on offense
After going through a cold stretch that forced his minutes to be cut, Furkan Korkmaz has slowly worked through his slump. Due to circumstances, he was inserted into the starting lineup against the Rockets and did not let the opportunity go to waste.
In 36 minutes of action, Korkmaz recorded his first career double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds. The 24-year-old also dished six assists and knocked a trio of threes. Whatever had him in a rut was a non-issue on Monday night.
Finding themselves shorthanded yet again, the 76ers need players to step up and increase production. Korkmaz has always been known for the rare offensive explosion, and this performance was a testament to that. Getting a showing like this under your belt should be a confidence boost for Korkmaz as he attempts to repeat the strong stretch he had to open the season.
3) Joel Embiid continues to elevate his game
It's becoming obnoxiously repetitive, but the run Joel Embiid is on his other-worldly. The All-Star has been a man possessed recently, and opponents have no answer for him. Embiid notched only the third triple-double of his career against the Rockets. Posting a monster stat line of 31 points, 15 rebounds, and ten assists.
Early on, it was clear Embiid was going to continue his hot streak. Houston was without their starting center Christian Wood and is heavily undersized in the frontcourt. Daniel Theis was tasked with guarding Embiid, and we all know how that matchup goes.
“Whatever I'm asked of, that's what I'm gonna do,” Embiid said postgame. In true superstar fashion, Embiid is putting the Sixers on his back and doing it all on a nightly basis. He has shown no signs of slowing down and looks determined to get the 76ers back near the top of the standings.
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