Sixers vs. Pistons takeaways: Joel Embiid achieves more milestones; Tobias Harris steps up; Detroit is woeful

The Detroit Pistons were the latest team Joel Embiid made a mockery of.

Tobias Harris showed why he needs to be more aggressive. And the Detroit Pistons are the NBA’s worst team since The Process 76ers.

Those three things stood out in the Sixers’ 129-111 victory over Detroit at Little Caesars Arena.

Back in the Sixers’ Nov. 10 victory, Pistons coach Monty Williams complained that Embiid benefited from questionable calls. On Wednesday, he could have easily complained about his team’s non-existent defense against the reigning MVP.

Embiid finished with 41 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists for his third game this season with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds.

It also marked Embiid’s 38th 40-10 game in his career, extending his franchise record. Wilt Chamberlain is second with 31.

But the 7-foot-2, 280-pound center scored at least 30 points for the ninth consecutive game, one behind his franchise record. And it didn’t take long to realize he would dominate on this night.

Embiid had 19 first-quarter points en route to finishing the first half with 30 points and 10 rebounds.

That enabled him to join Hall of Famer Allen Iverson (14) as the only Sixers with at least five 30-point halves since the 1996-97 season. With his 10 first-half rebounds, Embiid joined Antetokounmpo as the only players with multiple 30-10 halves during that timespan.

The Sixers power forward played with the aggressiveness he displayed at the beginning of the season.

Harris got himself going with an early catch-and-shoot three-pointer and several transition baskets to score seven first-quarter points. That start enabled him to finish with 21 points on 7-for-10 shooting along with seven rebounds in just 26:12. It was his eighth game of the season with 20 or more points, and first since Nov. 21.

This is how Harris needs to play to be successful. Yet, recently, he appeared to rely on getting the ball from teammates when he would be better suited in attack-mode.

Detroit (2-22) extended their single-season franchise losing streak to 21 games. It also equals their longest losing streak of any span. They had a 21-game skid that stretched from the end of the 1979-80 season to the beginning of the 1980-81 campaign.

The Sixers hold both league marks for losing streaks.

They tied the single-season record of 26 straight losses during the 2013-14 season. Then they set the overall record of 28 straight losses from the end of the 2014-15 season and beginning of the 2015-16 campaign. Both of those records were set during The Process.

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The Pistons have one of the league’s best young players in point guard Cade Cunningham, who finished with 21 points, seven assists, and six rebounds.

But they are doomed by injuries, poor shooting, and being a league-leader in fouls committed. The Pistons never had a chance against the Sixers on Wednesday night.

Expect another lopsided victory by Philly when they meet again Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.