Joel Embiid compelled to depart sport, Sixers lose sloppy contest to Pacers

Remember the literal one sport when issues had been trying up for this crew? That was enjoyable.

The Sixers fell to the Indiana Pacers 121-107 Friday evening. Philadelphia additionally misplaced Joel Embiid after he was hit within the face within the second quarter.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers in scoring with 22 factors on 7-of-15 taking pictures, however solely took one shot within the fourth quarter. Paul George had a quiet first three quarters, ending with 15 factors on 5-of-12 taking pictures. Tyrese Haliburton led all scorers with 32 factors.

Here are some ideas on the buzzer.

First Quarter

• After a 3-of-4 begin from the sector, the Sixers’ offense received into an early funk. They dedicated foolish turnovers together with Kelly Oubre Jr. simply stepping in bounds attempting to inbound the ball, and Guerschon Yabusele fumbling a bounce go that gave him a large open path to the basket.
• They did begin to get higher seems to be however they only didn’t fall as they fell right into a scoreless stretch that lasted practically 5 minutes. Embiid had a jumper and a layup each go midway down and out. The first quarter has not been variety to him to this point this yr. He discovered a large open KJ Martin on the baseline to snap the drought.
• Despite rolling out some inverted zones with their bigs up high, the Pacers shot it properly from deep all quarter. Even with the heave on the finish, they had been 6-of-14 from past the arc. On the opposite finish McCain checked in and received a fast 5 factors, a team-high for the Sixers as they trailed by 9 after the primary.

Second Quarter

• KJ Martin and Ricky Council IV had some strong moments on offense, but it surely was nonetheless a wrestle to shut the hole. Martin appears to have discovered his area of interest on offense — he knocked down a nook three and was discovered for one more layup off a reduce. Council had a pair profitable drives, together with a wild up-and-under layup.

• They had been capable of chip away a bit as they seemed barely higher on protection. George wasn’t as much as a lot on offense however blocked a few photographs. Embiid received going a bit with a mix of jumpers and journeys to the free throw line.
• Despite that, it was robust for the offense to get right into a groove as a result of they couldn’t cease giving the ball away. They had 12 turnovers because the Pacers had a 13-5 edge in quick break factors. Meanwhile the Sixers solely had 11 assists on their 18 made subject objectives within the half. To pile on, Embiid left the half seven seconds early after getting inadvertently smacked on the face by Benedict Mathurin. The Pacers led by 11 on the break.

Third Quarter

• It simply doesn’t cease this yr, does it? Embiid was not on the market to begin the second half — McCain crammed in and Yabu slid all the way down to the 5. He was dominated out minutes later resulting from “affect to the correct aspect of the face.”

• Things began to slide away on the courtroom in addition to the Pacers began the half 6-of-9 from the ground. The Sixers had been nonetheless making photographs, simply not practically on the similar fee. Then Jared McCain took a tough fall on a drive and hit his head on the bottom fairly onerous. He needed to take the free throws however the Sixers properly had him return to the locker room. Thankfully it was a fast journey for him as he was shortly again on the bench and checked again in minutes later.
• The Pacers’ lead swelled as Haliburton was capable of get something he needed to on the rim on high of getting a superb evening from three. The Sixers stored combating and had been in some way capable of finish the quarter on an 11-2 run to maintain it a seven-point sport.

Fourth Quarter

• It was a fairly passive sport for George who had solely taken six photographs by way of the primary three quarters. He received a fast six factors as much as begin the quarter, however all of his seems to be proceed be what he creates for himself. Life could be a lot simpler in the event that they discovered a option to get him extra catch-and-shoot seems to be.

• At the speed he’s going, KJ Martin will quickly go his three-point makes an attempt from all of final season. He knocked down his second of the evening from the nook to chop the result in six. Like a lot of his teammates although, he cut up his pair of free throws when he received to the road a couple of moments later. Despite taking 15 extra free throws than Indiana the Sixers shot 71.9% from the road. Leaving that many factors on the board is turning into a standard prevalence for a crew that got here into tonight twenty first in free throw share.
• An prolonged 12-0 run that unfold over a timeout was the nail within the coffin for tonight. On high of the harm and harm scare, the Sixers performed properly for possibly like seven minutes tonight, and on most nights that’s not going to get it achieved.
• The Sixers can attempt to bounce again as they kick off a home-and-home with the Hornets. The first of these will tip off Monday evening in Charlotte at 7 p.m. ET.