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The sky over Sacramento was just a little darker Saturday night time than it has been on current evenings after the Philadelphia 76ers handed the Kings one of many extra shocking defeats of the season. Philadelphia, enjoying with out James Harden and Joel Embiid on the final night time of a prolonged street journey, fell behind by 21 factors within the second quarter of a recreation many groups would have handled as a schedule loss. Instead, the 76ers, combating for an undefeated street journey, clawed their method again into the sport.
Tyrese Maxey’s 15 third-quarter factors sparked the comeback, however the recreation itself was gained on the glass. A 76ers workforce enjoying with out Embiid managed to tug in 16 offensive rebounds in comparison with solely 4 for the Kings. Sacramento completed with simply 25 defensive rebounds for the sport, and the second-chance factors they gave a Sixers workforce that merely wasn’t outfitted to outscore them in any other case proved to be the distinction. Ironically, although, the Kings had an opportunity on the largest rebound of the night time, however hey merely could not convert.
Philadelphia’s 129-126 lead appeared protected within the waning seconds, however a Matisse Thybulle foul on a Harrison Barnes 3-pointer gave the Kings hope. The foul was considerably controversial, as Thybulle was making an attempt to commit it instantly, and in a pure instance of the “ball do not lie” phenomenon, Barnes missed the primary shot. He hit the second, however down two with solely a single try left, he wanted to overlook the third and hope for a putback. He did his half, and Domantas Sabonis had an opportunity to tie the sport, however he could not fairly put it in.
For the primary time since Jan. 7, the Kings won’t be lighting the beam after a recreation. This defeat was their first in two weeks, ending a six-game successful streak that helped them soar as much as third place within the Western Conference. Their streak could also be over, however Philadelphia’s is ongoing. The 76ers have now gained 5 video games in a row, all of which have come on their West Coast street journey, however issues will not get simpler once they return house. After dealing with the banged up Nets, they may face off with Embiid’s MVP rival Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in one of many extra anticipated video games of the common season. If the Sixers can deal with the Kings with out their two finest gamers, although, they need to be able to face off with the Western Conference’s finest workforce at full power.
