Joel Embiid records triple-double in Sixers’ double-digit victory over Milwaukee Bucks
On a night when LeBron James sat out due to injury management, Embiid picked up the baton to record his 11th career triple-double and keep the Sixers' early-season win streak alive.
Joel Embiid collected the ball off the offensive rebound and dished it to Jaylen Brown for the three-pointer from the right wing.
It gave Embiid his 10th assist to accumulate his 11th career triple-double. The former NBA All-Star finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and those 10 helpers. And it helped clinch the 76ers’ 127-116 victory without LeBron James, who sat out to manage his lower back and sciatica on the front end of a weekend back-to-back set.
After two strong defensive performances to open the season, the Sixers (3-0) struggled on that end of the floor for much of Saturday’s matchup against a Milwaukee team expected to be an Eastern Conference bottom-dweller after trading two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat during the offseason. The Sixers surrendered 58 points in the paint, 31 fastbreak points, and 20 second-chance points to the Bucks, who were playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Sixers on Sunday will host the Detroit Pistons, who last season posted the Eastern Conference’s best record but will be without All-NBA big man Jalen Duren (hamstring).
Life without LeBron
Sixers coach Nick Nurse said he expected his team to most miss James’ ability to facilitate and push the pace.
Instead, The Sixers’ offense ran through former MVP Embiid early and often. Brown, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Saturday, led the Sixers in scoring for the first time, with 27 points and five assists.
The Sixers also bombed away from three-point range (19-of-44), including three early deep shots from VJ Edgecombe (17 points, 12 rebounds). They did not record a fastbreak point until late in the second quarter, yet finished with 13.
And Tyrese Maxey’s 26 points included deep shots to end the first and third quarters, including a halfcourt heave to beat the buzzer in the opening frame.
Dean Wade’s debut
Dean Wade made his Sixers debut Saturday, after missing the first two games with a sprained ankle. The key free-agency signee, best known for his defensive versatility and floor-spacing, slid into the starting lineup spot vacated by James.
He buried a corner three-pointer on the Sixers’ first possession, then hit another to give his team a 108-92 lead in the fourth quarter. He played shorter stints en route to 28 total minutes, including some in the fourth as a small-ball center.
The Sixers’ rotation again featured Anfernee Simons (four points on 1-of-7 shooting) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (12 points on 4-of-6 from long range) as the first players off the bench. Adem Bona (zero points in 10 minutes) was the backup center, and Jabari Walker (six points, three rebounds in 12 minutes) was another frontcourt option until appearing to knock knees with another player in the third quarter.
Welcome to the NBA, Labaron Philon Jr.
VJ Edgecombe’s brief first-quarter absence to address an apparent ankle/foot injury opened the door for Labaron Philon Jr.’s NBA debut. The former Alabama star, whom the Sixers drafted 22nd overall in June, missed his only shot attempt in three minutes.
Philon, whom the Sixers initially thought would be part of the guard rotation, has been squeezed out after the additions of James, Simons, and Caldwell-Pope.
