Sixers launch rockets as fencers miss fire, Embiid dominates

PHILADELPHIA – Sixers fans roar when Joel Embiid blocks James Harden's shots. They sang the name of Corey Brewer while it was annoying Harden and screaming at every victory, big or small.

They were ready to celebrate and delighted every moment. But soon, there did not seem to be much point.

All the emotion of the Sixers and the full house of the Wells Fargo Center had turned the waiting into a happy wait for the Sixers to complete their Rockets smash, pbading through a fourth quarter past with the starting on the bench before 121. The Rockets strike was completed.

Harden scored 37 points in 31 minutes, 12 of 26 shots. Kenneth Faried, signed a few hours before the match, gave hope that the Rockets would be an ideal substitute while Clint Capela come out and help beyond, scoring 13 points on 5 shots.

The Rockets, however, would have little help shooting perimeter fencers until Gerald Green put the final three-point touch in the fourth quarter.

Until then, the Rockets had played nearly 24 minutes of field against two other goals than Harden and Faried. When Harden was sitting at the end of the third quarter, Eric Gordon was 2 years old out of 13 (and was soon going to make room for his right knee), Austin Rivers was 0 to 5 and Green was 1 to 6. Except for Harden, the Rockets had made 2 of 19 3-pointers as the Sixers had built a 31-point lead.

The Rockets were not stopped at the other end either, with Embiid in particular. Embiid had 32 points and 14 rebounds in 26 minutes. But unlike the Rockets unable to find fencers around their star, Landry Shamet and J.J. Redick had C.J. McConnell come out of the Sixers bench to make 9 of 14 shots for 21 points.

Even with Ben Simmons only 3 out of 12 and Jimmy Butler not playing at all, wrist injury that put Brewer (10-day contract) in Harden, the Sixers punished the Rockets until the Rockets seem demoralized in the third quarter. a match after their return from a deficit of 21 points to knock out the Lakers.

It took the Rockets nearly seven minutes to get their first goal of the second period, a three pointer Harden that did not fall until the Sixers took their lead to 28. He followed with another. But his 10 points in 7 and a half minutes were all the Rockets could do.

The Rockets only managed 13 points in the third quarter, seeming to be defeated every time the Sixers were thrilled with every success.

Although the Rockets were unable to defend Embiid or anything else, the Sixers had the most trouble coming, but the next step was to work under the skin.

Brewer ran to Harden and stood above him after a fall, causing a small push, but nothing else. Embiid went through Harden after tripping over a switch, with Harden's more demonstrative push having earned both technical faults. Finally, Brewer crouched in front of him after a fumble strike, while Harden pushed him in the back for an offensive foul.

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