Philadelphia 76ers rookie sensation Joel Embiid sat out due to scheduled rest, since it was the second game of a back-to-back. Jahlil Okafor started in Embiid’s place even though Okafor has recently seen very little playing time. Prior to the start of the game, Washington All-Star John Wall received a trophy as the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December.
Starting Strong
Okafor showed no signs of rust as he scored 9 quick points, asserting his dominance in the post in the first five minutes of play.