Joel Embiid

As Thursday's NBA trade deadline inches closer, the Philadelphia 76ers will be forced to maker a decision on whether to deal Ben Simmons or retain him.

When asked about the possibility of Simmons returning to the team if he isn't traded, 76ers star center Joel Embiid said he would have no problem with it.

"Whoever wants to play is welcome," Embiid told reporters after Tuesday's loss to the Phoenix Suns. "If someone wants to play, they're welcome. But we've got guys here that want to be here, that show up every night."

Simmons has been away from the 76ers for the entire season as he's been holding out in hopes of being traded. He said earlier in the season that he was "not mentally ready" to be with the team, but he later refused to cooperate with the team's doctors. The fines he's accumulated for missing games this season make him the most fined player in NBA history.

It's been rumored that the 76ers have been trying to trade the three-time All-Star to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden. But the Nets reportedly dismissed any potential deals.

Philadelphia fell to 32-22 with Tuesday's loss. Embiid had 34 points and 12 rebounds, as he remains a frontrunner for the MVP award. The All-Star big man is averaging 29.3 points and 10.9 rebounds this season.

Embiid went on to send a message to any player that is added to the 76ers roster, saying they need to be ready to the team's mission of contending for an NBA title.

"And if you want to be part of us, I'm sure everybody is gonna be fine with it, but you got to show up," he said. "You got to want to be here. And I'm sure everybody is going to accept whoever that is.

Embiid added, "But ... I'm just worried about the guys that are here, and if you're here, I'm going to challenge you and we're going to challenge each other to be better and try to win a championship."

Philadelphia 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid commented Monday on rumors that the Sixers are pursuing Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden ahead of Thursday's NBA trade deadline.

Appearing on the Mike Missanelli Show on 97.5 The Fanatic (h/t SNY's Garrett Stepien), Embiid said:

"I mean, I don't know. I haven't heard anything, but I've seen the stuff coming out. I mean, he plays for the Brooklyn Nets. There's nothing I can do about that. And like I said, I love all my teammates. But that's like you asking me a question like, 'Would you love playing with Steph Curry?' Obviously, the top players, they all make each other better. And he's in that category of just being able to—and he's gotten close before. He's gotten to the conference finals, he's gotten close to making it to the (NBA) Finals.

"But that's something I really can't comment about because he plays for another team and it's not realistic. And to me, we all see the same thing on the internet. And I don't know what's true and what's not. But I do believe that, with the guys we have and my teammates, I do believe that we have a chance together. But like I said, it's going to take all of us to play at the highest level possible to be able to compete."

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported last week that the Sixers are expected to pursue Harden before the deadline, adding that the Nets are open to talking about a package that includes guard Ben Simmons.

The Sixers' reported interest in Harden comes as little surprise since 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was the Houston Rockets general manager when Harden enjoyed the best seasons of his career in Houston.

Morey acquired Harden from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 and allowed him to be the Rockets' go-to player. That led to eight All-Star selections, eight playoff appearances, three scoring titles and one NBA MVP award in Harden's eight full seasons with the Rockets.

In a follow-up to Charania's report, however, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne reported that Morey and Nets general manager Sean Marks had a discussion one month ago in which Marks shot down the idea of trading Harden.

Wojnarowski and Shelburne added that Morey and Marks haven't engaged in any trade talks since then.

A lot has changed over the past month, however, including the fact that the Nets are just 5-11 since Jan. 9. Kevin Durant has missed the past 11 games with a knee injury, and in those games, Brooklyn is 2-9.

The Nets are in the midst of an ugly eight-game losing streak that has dropped them to 29-24 overall and seventh in the Eastern Conference.

That would suggest the Nets could be open to making some changes, but trading Harden would be a significant one given that he was acquired from the Rockets last season in an effort to form a "Big 3" with Durant and Kyrie Irving.

With Durant out and Irving only able to play in games in cities without vaccine mandates such as those enforced in New York, Harden has been left to carry the load by himself at times this season.

The 32-year-old veteran's numbers look good on the surface with 22.5 points, 10.2 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 three-pointers made per game, but his 41.4 percent field goal percentage is the second-worst mark of his career and his 33.2 percent conversion rate from beyond the arc is a career worst.

One can only assume he would be a fantastic fit in Philadelphia, though, due to the presence of Morey and the fact that he would be teaming up with Embiid, who would be an ideal inside complement to Harden's outside skills.

One thing that could push the Nets to trade Harden is the fact that he has a player option for next season, and Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer has reported Harden is not completely happy in Brooklyn.

Trading him to Philly would at least help the Nets land a three-time All-Star in Simmons and some more pieces to boot.

Such a trade would also make the Sixers—who are fifth in the Eastern Conference and only two games out of first— serious contenders to represent the East in the NBA Finals, which is something they haven't done since 2001.

The NBA trade deadline is two days away, and the biggest trade chip of them all, a 25-year-old, 6'11" unicorn of a point guard, remains very available. While multiple league executives polled by Bleacher Report predict Philadelphia won't find a partner before the trade deadline for Ben Simmons, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported last week the Sixers are pursuing a trade package prior to Thursday's deadline that's centered around Brooklyn's James Harden. 

There's plenty of good reasons to infer a Simmons trade is imminent, and plenty of good reasons to dismiss those theories. 

The main reasons for skepticism: No superstars are truly available for trade right now, and Philly will not accept a trade for anything less. 

The main reasons for belief: The Sixers are among the top contenders in the East and have an All-NBA player who might age out of his prime quickly in Joel Embiid.

But a look between the lines reveals a layered dynamic. Zoom out and the likelihood of a Simmons trade looks different.

       

Has Simmons' absence hurt his trade value?

Good luck finding an NBA team that couldn't use Simmons' tremendous size, strength, length and court vision. He's a three-time All-Star (2019-21) who can effectively defend all five positions on the floor. He was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team each of the last two seasons. 

The Sixers, better than any franchise, are aware of his mercurial talent and the kind of haul they should get in exchange for him. But has the rest of the league forgotten? 

"He hasn't played all year," said an Eastern Conference executive. "Teams want to see what they're getting. And, no, those individual workouts where he's shooting threes and doing all this stuff that we never see in games won't cut it." 

Simmons must also learn how to play with a different team, with different attitudes and egos, in a different culture than the only one he has known as a player. There will be an adjustment period both in terms of playing as well as embracing and understanding his new surroundings.

Add that to the list of reasons executives don't believe teams will pay Philadelphia's asking price, which executives across the league have said is "ridiculously" high. The price? At least one All-Star-caliber player or one who is well on his way to All-Star status.

       

Would Simmons agree to play for Philadelphia if he's not traded?

Simmons is just the latest NBA player who has made an effort to take a firmer grip of control when it comes to his basketball career, regardless of contractual obligations. 

After Simmons' trade demand went public, his camp had reason to believe things would work out for his best interest, akin to some current NBA All-Stars essentially talking their way out of town. 

Anthony Davis convinced his former team, the New Orleans Pelicans, to trade him to his preferred destination, the Los Angeles Lakers. A similar power play was made by James Harden in getting the Houston Rockets to trade him to Brooklyn. 

But Simmons' position is unique. He is trying to exit Philadelphia with several years left on a five-year, $177 million extension that runs through the 2024-25 season.

The Sixers have expressed hope Simmons will have a change of heart, but most indications from Simmons' camp suggest he won't agree to anything other than a trade. Simmons wanting out has nothing to do with money or winning. 

Instead, his issues stem from his late-game struggles in Philadelphia's second-round series against Atlanta last season, and the disconnect those struggles created between Simmons, head coach Doc Rivers and Embiid.

It has created an uncomfortable scenario for all involved, leaving very few appealing paths for Simmons. If he returns to play for Philadelphia, he'll get hell from fans and media. Keep skipping games, and risk getting the John Wall treatment.

       

The Embiid factor 

Simmons has little leverage to dictate anything, but there's an opportunity cost for Philadelphia without its second-highest-paid player at the season's crossroads. Remove any contender's second-best player and it is not playing in June. 

"We want to, for Joel, we have to make sure we get this right and that we move ourselves into a higher tier of championship, ability to win the championship," Morey said in a recent radio interview with Mike Missanelli. "Not just nudge ourselves from having the seventh-best chance to maybe the sixth-best chance in the league. It just doesn't make sense." 

A year ago, Embiid finished runner-up to Denver's Nikola Jokic for league MVP. This season he's been just as good, entrenched among the top-tier players in the NBA. He will once again garner some MVP votes. 

The 7-footer has missed only two games since the beginning of December. If Embiid plays in every game for the rest of the season, he will have made 70 appearances—six more than the career-high 64 games he played in during the 2018-19 season. 

One of the keys to Embiid's success: maintaining relatively good health, far from a given when you consider the arc of his NBA basketball career. Embiid missed all of his first two NBA seasons (2014-15 and 2015-16) due to injuries. 

Here's some concerning math: Embiid has missed more regular-season games (307) than he's played (301). It's a cold calculus, but how many games should Morey expect Embiid to play over the next five years of his contract, which will take the 7-footer into his 30s? 

Embiid's long-term viability should be part of the Simmons trade urgency. But would Morey or Embiid act from a position of fear? If it happens now, let's just say that won't be the spin from Philly.

       

Simmons and Rich Paul have a lot to lose 

With less than a week remaining before the trade deadline, it's desperate times. Speaking a trade into existence may be Rich Paul's only remaining recourse to save face.

If the Sixers can't get a deal done, Simmons will likely miss a year of his prime, not to mention loads of money. According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the Sixers have fined Simmons more than $19 million this season. If the trade deadline passes and Simmons continues to withhold his services, that number climbs indefinitely.

It's possible Simmons recoups some of the money he's lost in arbitration. Multiple league executives contacted by Bleacher Report expect Simmons' camp, led by Klutch Sports' Paul, and the NBPA to fight for that money. 

Still, a no-trade scenario is a bad look for Paul, who has presided over Simmons' trade request and holdout. Paul has built a reputation for strong-arm negotiation tactics, the limits of which we are witnessing.

        

Eastern Conference rival realities 

The Sixers (32-21) are fifth in the Eastern Conference, just two games out of first place. They have the profile of a potent playoff team: a top-10 defense and inside-outside balance on offense. But as one executive told B/R, the Sixers are going to need Simmons or a player of equal impact to be on the short list of legit title contenders.  

Hitting the most important stretch of the season with their second-best (and second-highest-paid) player out of the equation is simply a dream-killer. 

But a Nets trade seems unlikely. Read what you want into their recent skid and public discord, but they have three still-in-their-prime superstars, none of whom are late-game liabilities in the playoffs. Harden may be unhappy in Brooklyn, as B/R's Jake Fischer reported in late January, but if you already have a title shot, why give a conference rival better odds?

And are the Sixers really desperate for Harden instead of some of the other stars who may end up available for trade this offseason, like Bradley Beal or Damian Lillard? ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday night there's a good chance Harden is still a Net after the trade deadline, and there's a good case to be made Harden and Embiid don't fit well.   

Joel Embiid isn't closing the door on a Ben Simmons return.

The Philadelphia 76ers big man discussed his teammate who has yet to play in a game this season during a discussion with Mike Missanelli of 97.5 The Fanatic (h/t Sixers reporter Derek Bodner) and said his primary focus is on winning.

"I mean, honestly, I'm trying to win," Embiid said. "I'm trying to win a championship. Whatever's gonna help me achieve that, I'm fine with whatever. I've always said that, obviously, we're a better team with him on the floor."

Embiid also opened up about how he believes the entire ordeal is "deeper" than some of the criticisms Simmons received after the 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the playoffs last season:       

Joel Embiid when asked by @MikeMiss25 whether anything could have been done differently after the Hawks series to prevent the Simmons situation:

"I mean, the only thing I can think about is the comments...But I really believe that it's really deeper than that." pic.twitter.com/UyL5MU2IEs

— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 7, 2022

The comments Embiid mentioned came from both him and head coach Doc Rivers after Philadelphia lost Game 7.

Rivers told reporters "I don't know the answer to that question right now" when he was asked if a team could win a championship with Simmons as its point guard. Meanwhile, Embiid told reporters the "turning point" in the loss came when Simmons decided to pass up an open dunk opportunity when the game was still hanging in the balance.

Simmons struggled throughout that series at the free-throw line, and the Hawks stopped guarding him on the perimeter for extended stretches to cut off opportunities for Embiid and others elsewhere on the court.

The playoff defeat eventually gave way to an offseason of trade discussions and questions about whether Simmons would even suit up for the team.

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported in September that Simmons thought his time as a one-two punch with Embiid had "run its course." Shams Charania of The Athletic then reported in October that Simmons met with Rivers and his teammates and said he was not yet ready to play again in Philadelphia.

The 76ers are winning without him at 32-21, which is good enough for the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and just 1.5 games behind the top-seeded Miami Heat in an extremely tight race.

While Simmons may not return to the court for the team this season, Philadelphia could trade him prior to Thursday's deadline to get some more help around the dominant Embiid.

The big man said he just wants to win a title, whether with Simmons or someone else.            

LeBron James is seeking his fifth straight win as an All-Star Game captain and his second against Kevin Durant, but the 2022 All-Star Game could come down to the draft.

The full list of All-Stars from each conference was announced Thursday, providing the pool of eight starters and 14 reserves for the two captains.

2022 #NBA All-Stars pic.twitter.com/yEyayfEiIr

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) February 4, 2022

All that's left is determining the rosters for each team through the All-Star draft, which will take place on Feb. 10 on TNT.

Team LeBron will get the first pick after the Los Angeles Lakers star led the fan vote once again, totaling 9,128,231 votes. It could give him an advantage over Team Durant as he looks to follow up on last year's 170-150 dominant performance.

Here is a prediction for the upcoming player draft for the Feb. 20 game. 

---

Mock Draft (Starters)

1. LeBron: Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Milwaukee Bucks

2. Durant: Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors

3. LeBron: Ja Morant, G, Memphis Grizzlies

4. Durant: Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers

5. LeBron: DeMar DeRozan, G, Chicago Bulls

6. Durant: Trae Young, G, Atlanta Hawks

7. LeBron: Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets

8. Durant: Andrew Wiggins, F, Golden State Warriors

---

When these two captains picked teams a year ago, Giannis Antetokounmpo was LeBron's first overall pick and then went on to become MVP of the All-Star Game with 35 points on 16-of-16 shooting. It seemed like a good pick at the time, and it's a great one the second time around.

Durant picked his teammate Kyrie Irving with the second pick last year, but he doesn't have any Brooklyn Nets to choose from as starters. That could allow him to pick his former teammate Stephen Curry.

With Durant unlikely to play in the game due to a knee injury, his side will need scoring. No one available can provide that as much as Curry.

The third pick becomes a tougher call, especially with Joel Embiid and Ja Morant both playing at an MVP level. The difference could be LeBron seeming to be more of a fan of Morant than Embiid. 

Personal preference could also put DeMar DeRozan high on LeBron's draft board. He nearly joined the Lakers this summer before instead signing with the Chicago Bulls. 

That helps Durant put together an exciting team that can pour in points between Curry, Embiid and Trae Young.

---

Mock Draft (Reserves)

1. Durant: James Harden, G, Brooklyn Nets

2. LeBron: Chris Paul, G, Phoenix Suns

3. Durant: Luka Doncic, G, Dallas Mavericks

4. LeBron: Devin Booker, G, Phoenix Suns

5. Durant: Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics

6. LeBron: Zach LaVine, G, Chicago Bulls 

7. Durant: Donovan Mitchell, G, Utah Jazz

8. LeBron: Jimmy Butler, F, Miami Heat 

9. Durant: Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves

10. LeBron: Darius Garland, G, Cleveland Cavaliers

11. Durant: Khris Middleton, F, Milwaukee Bucks

12. LeBron: Rudy Gobert, C, Utah Jazz

13. Durant: Fred VanVleet, G, Toronto Raptors

14. LeBron: Draymond Green, F, Golden State Warriors (Will Need Injury Replacement)

---

Durant finally gets a chance to select a teammate in James Harden, just like he did in last year's draft. The two haven't gotten as much on-court time together as expected over the past two seasons, but the relationship is still there.

With the second pick of the reserves, don't be surprised to see LeBron take another friend in Chris Paul. The one-time All-Star Game MVP has the ability to throw some perfect lobs to his high-flying teammates in this exhibition. 

Luka Doncic becomes a steal this late in the draft as one of the top overall talents in the NBA.

A group of high-scoring guards come next, with Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, Zach LaVine and Donovan Mitchell, all capable of lighting up the scoreboard in the upcoming exhibition. They can rain threes throughout the game and provide a lot of help to whichever team lands them.

Team LeBron also adds some defense with its picks of Jimmy Butler and Rudy Gobert, which could help as the game has transformed from essentially a pickup contest to one with a bit more intensity. They each could be valuable in the fourth quarter if the game comes down to a few baskets. 

Darius Garland is the Cleveland Cavaliers' first All-Star since James left in 2018, so don't be surprised to see him also end up on Team LeBron.

Team Durant will get some versatile players in Karl-Anthony Towns, Khris Middleton and Fred VanVleet, who can help on both ends of the court. 

Draymond Green announced on TNT that he will not participate in the All-Star Game due to his back injury, but LeBron could get his injury replacement when announced. Potential options include Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dejounte Murray as representatives from the Western Conference.

---

Team LeBron Roster

LeBron James, F, Los Angeles Lakers

Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Milwaukee Bucks

Ja Morant, G, Memphis Grizzlies

DeMar DeRozan, G, Chicago Bulls

Nikola Jokic, C, Denver Nuggets

Chris Paul, G, Phoenix Suns

Devin Booker, G, Phoenix Suns

Zach LaVine, G, Chicago Bulls 

Jimmy Butler, F, Miami Heat 

Darius Garland, G, Cleveland Cavaliers

Rudy Gobert, C, Utah Jazz

Draymond Green, F, Golden State Warriors (Will Need Injury Replacement)

---

Team Durant Roster

Kevin Durant, F, Brooklyn Nets

Stephen Curry, G, Golden State Warriors

Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers

Trae Young, G, Atlanta Hawks

Andrew Wiggins, F, Golden State Warriors

James Harden, G, Brooklyn Nets

Luka Doncic, G, Dallas Mavericks

Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics

Donovan Mitchell, G, Utah Jazz

Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota Timberwolves

Khris Middleton, F, Milwaukee Bucks

Fred VanVleet, G, Toronto Raptors

Ben Simmons apparently didn't take too kindly to criticism from Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal about his holdout from the Philadelphia 76ers.

On his podcast, O'Neal said Simmons sent him a direct message on social media about comments O'Neal made during a recent episode of Inside the NBA.

"He acting like a baby.”@Shaq went IN on Ben Simmons and says the Sixers star DM'd him mad for comments Shaq recently made on @NBAonTNT 

More on #TheBigPodcast: https://t.co/v263O0hCCc pic.twitter.com/LGl9dtOYHJ

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2022

O'Neal made the comments Jan. 27 on the TNT studio show when comparing Simmons to Joel Embiid (via CBS Sports' Michael Kaskey-Blomain):

"I stay on big guys because I care about them. I want them to play a certain way. I want them to play at a certain level. The difference between [Embiid] and his soft partner [Simmons] is, he can take criticism without being a crybaby, and he still wants to play.

"Me and Charles [Barkley] ... we told [Embiid] to his face what he needs to do. He didn't cry, he didn't say 'I want to get traded,' he didn't complain about mistreatment. And that's the difference. That's why I like and respect him. The other guy, I don't respect him. ...

"Great players get criticized. But the great players also step up to the criticism and perform. So this other guy, I don't respect him. I would get rid of him."

Simmons has been away from the Sixers since head coach Doc Rivers kicked him out of a preseason practice Oct. 19. He was subsequently suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Oct. 22 that Simmons told the Sixers he wasn't mentally ready to play up to expectations and needed to take time away to meet with medical professionals.

Per a report Tuesday by ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Simmons has been working out at the 76ers' practice facility with his personal trainers to stay ready in the event he gets traded.

"It has been seven months since he asked the Sixers to explore a trade for him and nearly four months since he returned to Philadelphia," Shelburne wrote. "He has not meaningfully participated in a practice or even a film session since. He has just been there: in body but never in spirit."

There have been no signs that the Sixers are close to moving Simmons before the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

Per The Athletic's David Aldridge and Josh Robbins, Bradley Beal is among the players for whom Philadelphia would trade Simmons, but there is no indication the Washington Wizards are going to trade the three-time All-Star.

Simmons is under contract through the 2024-25 season. He is owed $113.7 million over the next three years.

Even without Simmons, the 76ers are in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 31-20 record. They have won 15 of 19 games since a 98-96 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 23.    

Joel Embiid's recent hot streak in real life has paid off for his overall rating in NBA 2K22. 

Per the latest update for the video game, the Philadelphia 76ers star has been given a one-point boost to 96 overall:

This season, the Sixers' superstar is averaging 29 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists per game, and 1.4 blocks per game. Those numbers are already impressive, but when you consider what he's doing without Ben Simmons and Tobias Harris, who's been injured on and off this year, his numbers are even more jaw-dropping. Over his last 10 games, Embiid is scorching the opposition by averaging 35.2 points per game, while adding 11 rebounds per game. The former Kansas Jayhawk is seeing red right now and has more than earned this bump to his overall rating.

Other notable players who saw an increase in their overall rating include Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (94 OVR, +1), Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden (91 OVR, +1) and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (87 OVR, +1). 

The Sixers are currently sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 29-19 record overall. They have won 13 of their past 16 games since a 98-96 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 23. 

During this 16-game stretch, Embiid is averaging 34.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists per contest. He has put himself squarely in the MVP discussion thanks to this recent hot streak. 

Embiid's 96 overall rating ties him with four other players, including LeBron James and Kevin Durant, for the second-best mark in the game. Giannis Antetokounmpo leads all players with a 97 OVR mark. 

Doncic is still trying to find his shooting form, but his ability to impact the game in other ways has made him a driving force behind the Mavs' recent surge. The 22-year-old is averaging 26.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game in his past nine starts, despite shooting 42.5 percent from the field. 

Dallas has climbed up to fifth in the Western Conference with a 28-21 overall record. The team is 10-3 in the last 13 games Doncic has played. 

Harden, who missed Wednesday's game with a hamstring injury, has had an interesting season.

The nine-time All-Star is not playing at his MVP level, but he's looked better since Kevin Durant went down with a sprained MCL on Jan. 13. He nearly averaged a triple-double with 25.0 points, 11.5 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game in six starts from Jan. 15-25. 

It's not easy to get attention playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder right now, but Gilgeous-Alexander continues to solidify his status as a franchise player. The four-year veteran has put up 26.2 points, 6.8 assists and 5.0 rebounds in six games since the last update on Jan. 14. 

Like Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander is still struggling to find consistency with his shot. He's only connecting on 42.4 percent of his field-goal attempts this season. The 23-year-old has to get better in that area, but there should be no other complaints with his game right now. 

This marks the sixth update to NBA 2K22 since the start of the regular season. The next update should be available in two weeks on Feb. 11. 

The Philadelphia 76ers earned a 105-87 home win over the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday at Wells Fargo Center.

Three-point shooting made all the difference: Philadelphia made 13 shots from downtown, while L.A. went 6-of-29 from three.

Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 26 points, Tobias Harris scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting and Tyrese Maxey's 10 assists led all players. Thanks to their efforts, the 76ers ran away with this one in the third quarter after outscoring L.A. 34-20.

The Lakers missed James, who sat with a sore left knee. Head coach Frank Vogel relayed the news to reporters pregame:

Vogel said that LeBron woke up with some soreness in the knee, enough to rule him out for tonight’s game. No further testing or anything is planned. They’ll see how he feels tomorrow.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 27, 2022

Anthony Davis did all he could to keep the Lakers in this game, scoring 31 points on 14-of-21 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds. The rest of the team largely struggled, though, making 22-of-67 field goals.

The 29-19 76ers have now won four of their last five games. The 24-25 Lakers have alternated losses and wins over their past seven matchups.

     

Notable Performances

Lakers F/C Anthony Davis: 31 points, 12 rebounds

Lakers G Russell Westbrook: 20 points

Lakers G Malik Monk: 11 points, 5 assists

76ers C Joel Embiid: 26 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists

76ers F Tobias Harris: 23 points, 5 rebounds

76ers G Tyrese Maxey: 14 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds

         

76ers Cruise in 3rd Quarter To Put Game Away

Early in the third quarter, the Lakers trailed just 54-52 with Davis' latest bucket giving him 19 points. The big man was the best player on the floor despite suffering a right wrist injury that briefly sent him to the locker room in the first quarter.

However, the rest of the Lakers couldn't follow suit, and the 76ers took advantage in the third quarter.

Maxey got rolling in the third, scoring eight points in under three minutes during one stretch. A Tobias Harris three-pointer following that spurt and another Maxey layup gave the 76ers a 72-58 lead.

Matisse Thybulle's defense also took center stage, with a pair of steals leading to four points during the spurt. The second of them led to the run-ending Maxey bucket.

Matisse ThyBULLY. pic.twitter.com/rd4EVhSv2I

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 28, 2022

Tisse 👉 Rese 💥 pic.twitter.com/gwLlY6rTSK

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 28, 2022

Embiid took over for the rest of the third quarter, dropping seven points and adding two dimes. This three-point play gave Philly a 79-63 lead:

I am so happy he's on our side. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/q2lXuSkFBi

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 28, 2022

The big man later took advantage of a double-team and found Niang for a wide-open three:

https://t.co/aQrjB0Ulsv pic.twitter.com/BOkjp9wC41

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 28, 2022

The 76ers went up by as many as 22 in the third. The Lakers chipped away in the fourth and knocked the lead down to 12 points, but Philadelphia held L.A. off for the comfortable win thanks to its third-quarter cushion.

     

AD Does It All for Lakers

The Lakers' lone silver lining is that Davis looked like his best self in his second game back after missing over a month with a sprained MCL.

Davis looked spry early when he ran up the court and caught Malik Monk's Hail Mary pass for two:

Monk with the perfect pass up the floor! 👀 #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/aFCawQy0ue

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 28, 2022

He frankly outplayed Embiid all night, dunking on the big man here to tie the game at 14:

🔨 @AntDavis23 🔨 pic.twitter.com/2FpxTypiLd

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 28, 2022

The Monk-Davis connection kept working, with AD going up top to finish off the guard's alley-oop pass:

Monk tosses it up high for the @AntDavis23 oop! 💥 pic.twitter.com/E7LFaSIBpN

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) January 28, 2022

If not for Davis' efforts, this game may have been over early in the third quarter. His work was made more impressive by the fact that Davis dominated against Embiid, who has typically gotten the best of AD over the years:

AD (23 points, 5 boards, 2 blocks) out-dueled Joel Embiid (13 points, 6 boards) in the first half, hitting 10 of 13 FG’s, including 7 for 7 in the paint, plus 3 jump shots.

But Philly was +15 from three, and holds a 54-48 lead.

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 28, 2022

Unbelievable first half from Anthony Davis, who Embiid has played well against in his career: 23 points on 10-13 shooting. A nice mix of easy ones from his teammates but also a few tough, well-contested mid-rangers.

Sixers still lead the LeBron-less Lakers at halftime, 54-48.

— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) January 28, 2022

        

The second half was largely a disaster for L.A., as the 76ers dominated on both ends. James' absence clearly played a part, and the Lakers' inability to produce much offense outside AD did as well.

Still, the Lakers could perhaps (finally) get on a consistent winning track if they have a healthy James and Davis together, especially with the latter looking great.

Having the two on the court together has been a luxury all season, but they could hit their stride if that pairing is finally realized on anything more than a sporadic basis this year.

    

What's Next?

Philadelphia will host the Sacramento Kings on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Lakers will visit the Charlotte Hornets on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Spectrum Center.

Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid was named an All-Star starter on Thursday night, and TNT analyst and Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal took a swipe at his teammate, Ben Simmons, while praising the big man.

 "The difference between [Embiid] and his soft partner is he can take criticism without being a crybaby, and he still wants to play," O'Neal said on Inside The NBA. 

O'Neal went on to add that one of the reasons he respects Embiid is that former players like himself and Charles Barkley have been tough on him in the past and he's continued to improve. Meanwhile, Simmons has yet to play this season for the Sixers and has requested a trade after facing criticism in the offseason. 

After the Sixers lost to the Atlanta Hawks during the Eastern Conference Semifinals last year—a series in which Simmons attempted only three fourth-quarter shots across seven games—Sixers head coach Doc Rivers told reporters that he wasn't sure whether Simmons could be the point guard on a championship team.

"I don't know that question or the answer to that right now," he said. "I don't know the answer to that."

According to reports, Simmons felt as though Rivers threw him under the bus. How much of a factor that has played in this season's holdout is unknown. In October, he told the team "that he wasn't mentally ready to play to his expectations and needed time to step away," according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

But O'Neal clearly doesn't respect the approach Simmons has taken.