INDIANAPOLIS – Ninety-seven minutes before tipoff Rick Carlisle was asked a question about defending 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid.
The Indiana Pacers coach snickered at the question before playfully deferring it.
“Will Ferrell is going to be here tonight,” Carlisle said. “He’s going to be sitting near our bench. I’m hoping he can help us with Joel and be the next answer I have for you.”
But the focus should have been on defense on a night when entertainers Ferrell and 50 Cent were in attendance Monday night at Gainbridge Arena.
The Sixers prevailed, 147-143, in a game where making defensive stops were rare.
Philly (42-22) shot 58.5% from the field while the Pacers were slightly better at 58.9%. There were a total of 13 double-digit scorers.
Indiana led, 79-78, at intermission thanks to Tyrese Haliburton’s three-pointer before the buzzer. That shot capped a 61.1% first-half shooting by Indiana, while the Sixers shot 61% during that time.
The Sixers played without starting forwards Tobias Harris (bruised left calf) and P.J. Tucker (back spasm). The duo is expected to return Tuesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center.
With Harris and Tucker out, the Sixers unveiled a starting lineup of De’Anthony Melton, Jalen McDaniels, James Harden, Maxey and Embiid.
Embiid had a game-high 42 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Harden added 14 points, a game-high 20 assists and nine rebounds. Tyrese Maxey had 24 points, while Jalen McDaniels contributed 20 points and eight rebounds. Shake Milton (15 points) and Danuel House Jr. (10) were the Sixers’ other double-digit scorers.
The team also finished with a season-high 37 assists.
Meanwhile, Haliburton, an All-Star point guard, paced the Pacers with 40 points and 16 assists.
Embiid dominance
Carlisle was right about the Pacers not having any answers to stopping Embiid.
The Sixers’ six-time All-Star mostly did what he wanted to against Myles Turner and anyone else who tried to defend him.
Embiid made 11 of 16 shots and went 19-for-19 from the foul line. The 7-foot-2, 280-pounder’s best quarter was in the third, scoring 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting and making all four of his foul shots.
Turner was only on the floor for 2 minutes, 39 seconds in that quarter due to picking up his fourth foul. However, Embiid appeard to get injured while picking up his third foul on a Turner dunk attempt. The Pacers center appeared to hit Embiid in the face. The Sixers center gingerly walked over near his team’s bench before falling to the floor.
But Turner later fouled out with 45.3 seconds left. Embiid made both foul shots to give the Sixers an eight-point cushion.
Great point guard play
After Harden’s three-point attempt with 8:20 play sailed out of bounds, the Pacers crowd chanted, “Airball!” But that play aside, Harden was the best ball handler on the floor. His 20 assists were one shy of his season-high of 21 that he collected on Dec. 23 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Harden came into the game averaging a league-best 10.6 assists per game.
Maxey’s impact
As dominant was Embiid was, he took a backseat to Maxey early on.
The Sixers shooting guard scored 14 of his points in the first quarter while making 4 of 5 three-pointers and shooting 5 of 6 overall. Maxey was unstoppable early on and appeared to set the tempo for both teams.
Up next
Tuesday’s contest against the Timberwolves will be a rematch of Minnesota’s 112-109 victory at the Wells Fargo Center. The game also pits McDaniels against his brother and Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels.
