PHILADELPHIA – Tobias Harris scored 23 points, Seth Curry had 21 and the Philadelphia 76ers won their first game since Joel Embiid was lost with an injury, beating the San Antonio Spurs 134-99 on Sunday night.
The Sixers’ hold on the top spot in the Eastern Conference appears tenuous with Embiid out for at least two weeks with a bone bruise on his left knee. Embiid had emerged as an MVP candidate, averaging 29.9 points and 11.5 rebounds in 31 games until he was injured Friday at Washington. Embiid landed awkwardly on his left leg after a dunk, his knee joint appearing to bend slightly forward.
“He was happy that it isn’t as bad as a lot of people thought it was, probably including himself,” coach Doc Rivers said. “Now that he knows all it takes is rehab, he has a game plan, we have a game plan and we’re moving forward with it.”
With Embiid out, the 76ers welcomed back Ben Simmons after he missed the first two games after the All-Star break because of COVID protocols. Simmons and Embiid were set to play in the All-Star game only to learn the night before they were flagged for contact tracing. Though neither player tested positive for COVID-19, the barber they visited did.
Simmons had 14 points and nine assists in the romp and the oft-maligned guard for his inability to shoot beyond 15 feet -- 4 for 31 lifetime on 3s -- has a defender in San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
“It would enhance his game, obviously. That can’t be argued with,” he said. “He’s so elite already, who gives a damn if he can’t shoot.”
Simmons didn’t need to flex his long-range skills in a game the Sixers largely dominated -- and their first one in Philly with fans since the pandemic.
“We missed you,” Harris told the crowd of about 3,000 before the game. “We look forward to seeing you guys in the second half of the season and into the playoffs.”
The crowd cheered and was energetic for most of the game -- breaking out a familiar anti-ref chants when calls went against the home team -- waving rally towels and dancing to the Carlton Cam.
The Sixers gave them plenty of reason to have fun. The Sixers went just 1 of 3 from the free-throw line while the Spurs were 12 of 13 and still led 60-52 at the break. The reserves got the bulk of the scoring time in the second half and built a 35-point lead.
Derrick White and Drew Eubanks led the Spurs with 17 points.
Simmons waved for fans to get loud after a dunk and flexed his muscles after a bucket in the third that sent a crowd of 3,000 into as much of a frenzy as a crowd of 3,000 can get. Simmons will need to carry the load with Embiid out -- even if that means weeks or more without the big man.
“We wouldn’t bring him back earlier or later,” Rivers said. “We would bring him back when it’s time to play.”
TIP-INS
Spurs: DeMar DeRozan remained out of the lineup because of personal reasons.
76ers: Tony Bradley started for Embiid and scored four points ... The Sixers outscored San Antonio 46-21 in the third quarter.