The 76ers take on the Nets, and Embiid has had a great season, and although he won the regular season MVP last season, he has clearly reached new heights this season. Harden's departure was a disservice to the team, but for Embiid, he became the league's most-used player and achieved his dream guard play. This high usage rate has also led to frequent injuries to Embiid, who has missed 13 games in half a season, and will miss all the awards if he misses five more games.
In this game, the 76ers faced the Nets at home, but Embiid was again sidelined due to injuries. The Nets, who have a poor record so far, have been on a recent upswing, winning two of their last three games, including the Rockets and Jazz. In the first quarter, the Nets quickly took the lead, and the performances of Bridges, Thomas and Johnson sent the team to a 38-point blast in a single quarter, while the 76ers scored only 22 points at home. In the second quarter, the 76ers gradually regained their form, Maxey scored 12 points alone, leading the team to 29 points in a single quarter, but the difference still did not narrow. At the end of the first half, the Nets led 67-51.
At the start of the second half, the 76ers tried to catch up, and Maxey and Oubre gave the team another 31 points in a single quarter, but the Nets still maintained the lead and cemented the victory in the final quarter. Despite the 76ers bench players playing catch-up and Springer and Martin playing well, the Nets still won 136-121. In the absence of Embiid, the 76ers were weak, Maxey scored 23 points, but the shooting percentage was poor, and Oubre was unable to recover the decline. The Nets' Thomas proved his scoring prowess once again, scoring 40 points in the game and being an underrated player. Players such as Bridges, Claxton, and Lonnie Walker also contributed well in the game.
The 76ers looked uncompetitive after losing Embiid. Embiid is faced with surgery for a displaced meniscus in his left knee, and if he does, he won't be able to compete for any awards this season. Thomas' strong performance once again caught the eye, while the Nets won the game with great teamwork and individual player play, injecting new impetus into the team's current recovery momentum.