The Philadelphia 76ers earned a hard-fought 120-113 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, snapping their four-game skid and improving to 17-2 at home this season.
All five starters scored in double figures, led by 23 points from Josh Richardson. Joel Embiid nearly recorded a triple-double with 18 points, nine rebounds and a season-high eight assists, while Tobias Harris added 18 points, Al Horford 13.
Ben Simmons filled it up with 17 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, turning the screws down the stretch with several hustle plays to help seal the win.
Philadelphia is now 7-1 when all five starters score in double figures, per Sixers Stats.
Simmons was huge late in the fourth, producing a string of offensive rebounds to create second-chance opportunities for his team. Much has been made of his limitations late in games, but when his energy and activity is on that level, he finds other ways to help his team win.
"I hate losing," Simmons said post-game. "In my head I’m coming home to play in front of my fans, so I’m going to give everything I got and do what I can to get that win."
Ahead of the game, coach Brett Brown acknowledged that his team needs to do a better job to 'hunt' three-point opportunities and they responded knocking down 13-of-26 from beyond the arc, led by Harris (4), Richardson (2), Mike Scott (2) and Trey Burke (2).
Philly took a 10-point lead into half-time after closing the second quarter on a 16-5 run, led by Richardson and Simmons. The backcourt duo worked effectively in the pick-and-roll with Simmons as the screener, freeing Richardson up on the perimeter for some clean looks from deep.
They extended the lead to 13 in the third quarter, but the Thunder refused to go away, pulling to within one point with 7:44 remaining in the fourth.
After Dennis Schroder's bucket cut the lead to 108-106 with 3:14 remaining, the 76ers went on a crucial 7-0 run to push the lead out to nine points with 55 seconds to go, capped off by this dagger three from Harris.
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 7, 2020
Embiid suffered a gruesome-looking dislocated left finger early in the game, heading to the locker room. After getting treatment from the trainers, he returned at the start of the second quarter and played the remainder of the game, however there are concerns he could miss Friday's blockbuster against the Boston Celtics, who they have beaten twice this season.
"There's a possibility," Embiid said of missing the Celtics game.
"I want to play, it's a big game. Last time we played them we had great success but then again whatever they want me to do obviously I'll try to fight it, but they care about me, whatever they want me to do, I guess, we'll see."
Embiid re-entered the game after dislocating his finger...badly. 🥴🥴 pic.twitter.com/u0Eg1a5IbD
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) January 7, 2020
For the Thunder, Steven Adams led the charge, with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Schroder added 21 points and Chris Paul and Danilo Gallinari chipped in 18 apiece.
The Thunder now sit at 20-16 on the season as their five-game win streak comes to an end.
