LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers finally lost their 10 games away winning streak as the Philadelphia 76ers defeated them 107-106. The 76ers were in cruise control of the game, and with 3:07 remaining on the clock, they had a healthy 12 point lead.
But some clutch three pointers from Dennis Schroder, Caldwell Pope and Alex Caruso helped the Lakers cut down the lead to a single point. With 18 seconds remaining, the Purple and Gold took the lead with a nice finish from Anthony Davis.
However, a sweet finish from Tobias Harris in the last possession of the game sealed the deal for the 76ers. With this win, the 76ers now have a record of 13 wins and 6 losses and see themselves as the number one seed in the Eastern Conference.
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LeBron James says Philadelphia 76ers a championship contender
Lakers’ superstar LeBron James was at his usual best against the 76ers, scoring a game high 34 points for the team. Despite his heroics, the Lakers fell just short of a win.
In his post game press conference, the King commented on the new look 76ers. He said, “I think it’s a really good team they put together. … There’s a lot of teams in the Eastern Conference that are going to play championship basketball down the stretch. I know they think they are going to be one of them.”
LeBron on revamped 76ers: “I think it’s a really good team they put together. … There’s a lot of teams in the Eastern Conference that are going to play championship basketball down the stretch. I know they think they are going to be one of them.”
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) January 28, 2021
The 76ers certainly have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and put up a solid display against the champions tonight. Apart from Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris continued his brilliant form as he scored 24 points in the game, including the game-winning shot.
Are the Philadelphia 76ers favorites in the East?
The 76ers made a firm statement with an all-round performance against the Lakers. This performance certainly shows the overall progress the franchise has made from last season.
After a disappointing playoff series against the Celtics, the 76ers made multiple moves in the off-season. Despite having some tradable young stars like Simmons, the 76ers did not add any big superstars to the side; instead, they kept their faith in the duo of Embiid and Simmons.
They added some much needed shooters in Danny Green and Seth Curry and drafted a great backup guard in Tyrese Maxey. There were still doubts whether Embiid and Simmons would fit and whether this new-look Sixers could succeed.
So far, it has worked. With 13 wins and 6 losses, the 76ers have the best record in the East. The addition of shooters like Seth Curry and the resurgence in form for Tobias Harris has taken the offensive load from Simmons. This has led to the 24-year-old becoming an integral piece in their defense.
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Embiid, meanwhile, has dominated the paint and is a front-runner for the 2021 MVP race. Doc Rivers has built a system around Joel Embiid, which has maximized his potential to average 27.7 points, 2.7 assists, and 11.5 rebounds per game.
The Philadelphia 76ers are finally looking like a cohesive unit. Can they maintain this level of performance and become the best in the East?
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