Philadelphia star Joel Embiid help his side secure victory over Golden State Warriors on Friday night
Joel Embiid had 34 points and 13 rebounds, James Harden added 27 points and nine assists as the 76ers defeated Golden State Warriors 118-106 on Friday night.
“The main thing is that everybody has bought in,” Embiid said. “That’s the thing. Everyone knows where they have to go and everyone knows where the ball has to go and everybody knows that the ball can not stick, that it has to be moving around.”
Stephen Curry didn’t feature in the game after he suffered injury on his left shoulder in a loss at Indiana. Draymond Green (right quadriceps contusion) and Andrew Wiggins (strained right adductor) also missed the game, while Klay Thompson played through soreness in his left knee to score 12 points. He was 4 of 17 from the field, missing 10 in a row at one point.
“It was a tough night for Klay,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Just his effort was there, but the shots were not going. Just wasn’t his night, but he will bounce back.”
Playing without guards Tobias Harris — a late scratch due to a back injury — and Tyrese Maxey (broken left foot), Philadelphia overcame a sluggish start to post its first four-game winning streak of the season.
“I didn’t think we played with great life tonight,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers said. “But we won the game, so I’ll take it.”
De’Anthony Melton had 17 points and seven assists for Philadelphia.
Jordan Poole led the defending champion Warriors with 29 points. Donte DiVincenzo scored 17 points in his return to the arena where he played in college at Villanova, and Kevon Looney had 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Golden State dropped to 2-14 on the road and 14-16 overall.
“I thought (Poole) was much better in terms of staying poised,” Kerr said. “He did a better job tonight not getting frustrated emotionally, not getting frustrated.”
