PHILADELPHIA — Led by a career night from All-Star center Joel Embiid, the Sixers (36-22) squashed a Hawks’ comeback, dealing them a 129-112 loss Monday and dropping them to 17-42 on the season.
Below are some takeaways from the loss:
1. With his size and skill, Joel Embiid was simply too much for the Hawks to handle — all night, but particularly in the fourth quarter. Embiid scored a career-high 49 points (17-24 FG, 1-3 from 3, 14-15 FT), to go with 14 rebounds, three assists and steals. Although the Hawks had a one-point lead going into the fourth quarter after a deep 3 by Trae Young just before the buzzer, Embiid had 22 points in the fourth to bury the Hawks’ chances, including a killer dunk after shaking off Kevin Huerter to take a 115-104 lead with about three and a half minutes to go.