Source: Jacob Kupferman / Getty
The Charlotte Hornets were no match for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers as the visitors earned a wire-to-wire victory over the hosts 135-82 at Spectrum Center Saturday.
The 53-point defeat marked the most lopsided defeat in Hornets history, surpassing a 50-point loss on January 10th, 2000, a 137-87 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Embiid had a double-double with just his first half numbers, totaling 42 points & 15 rebounds for the game. Tyrese Maxey played a part as well with 21 points for Philadelphia.
The Hornets, already playing without LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams & PJ Washington suffered two crushing blows, one pregame and one midgame. Gordon Hayward was a late scratch before the contest for Charlotte because of a stomach virus, and then Terry Rozier went down after a blow to the nose early in the third quarter.
Charlotte shot the ball poorly, and had no answer for Embiid, who has scored 30 or more against the Hornets in seven of his last eight head-to-head matchups against them. The Sixers lead by 29 at halftime and the Hornets couldn’t get it closer than 24 in the second half.
Saturday night marked the end of a long home stretch for the Hornets (7-17), who will play nine of their next ten games away from home. A two-game road trip begins for Charlotte in Toronto, facing the Raptors on Monday night. Coverage between the Hornets and Raptors Monday begins on Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ at 6:30 PM with the tip at 7:30 PM.
