Joel Embiid scored a season-high 39 points to lead the 76ers to 115-105 win over the Pacers on Friday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia and Rick Carlisle was denied on his first attempt at 1,000 career coaching wins.
The Pacers fell to 6-19 after winning four of their previous six games. The 76ers improved to 14-10.
Former Pacers All-Star Paul George added 23 points, six rebounds and five assists for the 76ers. Rookie V.J. Edgecombe added 22 points. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 20 points. Point guard Andrew Nembhard had 18 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Veteran point guard T.J. McConnell scored 15 points off the bench and Ethan Thompson had 12.
Here are three observations.
Joel Embiid was too much
Joel Embiid has played in just 68 games over the last three seasons since winning the 2022-23 MVP award due to numerous injuries but mostly his knees. Heading into Friday’s game, he had made just nine appearances this season and still hasn’t played in more than two consecutive 76ers games. He made just 4 of 21 field goal attempts in his last game, a loss to the Lakers on Dec. 7.
But Embiid has usually found a way to dominate against the Pacers, and on Friday night he put together a vintage performance, overwhelming Pacers defenders in the paint but also getting loose from outside. He scored 15 points in the second quarter alone including a critical 3-pointer just before halftime.
In the second half, the Pacers knew he was coming but still couldn’t stop him as he added 20 points on 6 of 13 shooting to go with seven rebounds. He finished with 39 points on 12 of 23 shooting to go with 13 of 18 shooting at the free throw line. He also had nine rebounds and three assists.
Pacers collapse in final minutes
The Pacers rallied back from an 11-point third quarter deficit to not only make it a shot-for-shot game but to take a two-possession lead at 100-95 with a Pascal Siakam floater with 8:24 to go in the fourth quarter. However, the 76ers outscored them 20-5 the rest of the game to put it away.
After Siakam’s field goal, the Pacers made just one field goal — a 3-pointer from Jay Huff with 2:36 to go in the period. By that point, the 76ers were already up 108-105 and the Pacers didn’t put up a further fight. The Pacers ended up 5 of 20 from the floor in the fourth quarter including 1 of 8 from 3-point range in the fourth and posted 0.74 points per possession.
T.J. McConnell strong in return to Philly
Trips to Philadelphia are always meaningful for T.J. McConnell, who spent his first four professional seasons with the 76ers, a team with which he endured one of the worst seasons in NBA history and also one of the most heartbreaking Game 7 losses of all time against the Raptors in the 2019 Eastern Conference semifinals. He played motivated Friday with one of his best performances in a trying season.
McConnell scored 15 points on 7 of 11 shooting, dished out five assists and recorded two steals.
Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Sixers vs Pacers: Joel Embiid with 39 points, Rick Carlisle stays at 999 wins
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