0
0 In a thrilling NBA game on Friday night, Trae Young led the Atlanta Hawks to a 127-121 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Young had a game-high 37 points and 12 assists, while Onyeke Okongwu added 21 points and Saddiq Bey had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Atlanta. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points and Tobias Harris had 21 for Philadelphia, who were playing with a makeshift lineup due to injuries, illness, and new arrivals. The Sixers were without Joel Embiid, their reigning NBA MVP, due to a meniscus tear, and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey due to illness, among others.
Despite the absence of key players, the 76ers fought hard and managed to cut their deficit to six on multiple occasions and four in the game’s waning moments. However, Trae Young repeatedly countered with drives down the lane, capitalizing on Embiid’s absence and getting to the rim and the foul line. Young had 13 points in the final quarter and finished with 77th career game of 30 or more points and 10 or more assists, fifth-most in NBA history.
Atlanta used their 3-point shooting to build a big lead, going 16 for 31 from beyond the arc in the first three quarters for a seemingly safe 22-point lead. However, Philadelphia denied Atlanta’s shots at the 3-point line (0 for 5) and Oubre got to the foul line for 14 points in the final quarter, cutting the lead to just four points. Despite the Sixers’ relentless effort, the Hawks managed to hold on to win the game, ending their two-game skid.
Before the game, 76ers team president Daryl Morey expressed optimism that Embiid would return from his knee injury in time for a possible postseason run. He said, “We’re hopeful and we’re building the team to make it better this year. Obviously, it’s not at 100 percent. But with Joel playing at an MVP level, hopefully, he could get back to that. And this is a year that we have a real shot.”
About The Author
