After a four-game road trip, the Sixers were back in Philly taking on the Detroit Pistons. Joel Embiid made his much-anticipated return after missing the previous five games with a sprained shoulder. Josh Richardson also made his anticipated return after missing the previous three games with a concussion.
Recap
The Sixers came out ready to score with a balanced offensive attack. Matisse Thybulle made an impact early on both ends of the court with one of his trademark energy-filled performances tonight. Embiid looked well-rested and eager to make a difference.
As the game progressed, the Sixers continued to show their offensive will. Tobias Harris and Furkan Korkmaz along with Joel Embiid led the way for the offense as everybody found a way to contribute.
Al Horford was hitting threes, Richardson was everywhere, Mike Scott caught a body, it was an electric half. The Sixers had minor struggles defensively but the offense outmatched Detroit.
No matter what the Pistons threw towards the Sixers they had an answer offensively. Christian Wood was having himself an offensive game but both Al Horford and Joel Embiid were dominant.
Sixer of the Game – Joel Embiid
Speaking of Embiid, he was active from the jump. Embiid looked to dominate and assert his will against the Pistons. Finishing the game with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Embiid was able to put in work against the Piston’s soft defense. It was a great sightseeing Embiid come back as strong as he did. The whole team played well but coming off an injury, in limited minutes, Embiid gets the nod tonight.
A Healthy Win
The Sixers won this game handily and though it was against the lowly Detroit Pistons, it was nice to see the team get back on the right track. The offense was rolling as players found opportunities for open shots left and right. Brett Brown also coached a good game allowing certain players to get offensive looks in their comfort zones. A great example of this is Al Horford; Brett Brown found ways to move Horford around the half-court so he could shoot corner threes and be found for the easy pass in the post.
Matisse Thybulle
Sixers’ rookie Matisse Thybulle had himself a great game. No one was more active defensively and Thybulle was able to convert turnovers into easy opportunities. He served his role perfectly and though he may not have led the team in points, he was one of the top contributors.
Thybulle has shown this promise all season long, defensively he’s already a mastermind. He currently leads all rookies in total steals this season and barring injury, that won’t end anytime soon. Matisse Thybulle is the real deal and if he can develop more of an offensive game, the NBA has a serious problem on their hands.
The Bad
Unfortunately, the Sixers’ season is now facing a new form of uncertainty as the season will be suspended as of today. While the Sixers wait, they will have time to rest up, especially those still afflicted with injury, namely Ben Simmons and Josh Richardson who, though he played, is still recovering from a concussion.
There is no timeline for the NBA season resuming, once there is we will be sure to provide an update.
