Hawks at 76ers
Joel Embiid has been outstanding so far for the Philadelphia 76ers, who enter Monday’s home contest against the Atlanta Hawks looking for back-to-back victories after ending a two-game losing skid with Saturday’s victory over Charlotte. Embiid’s streak of 30-point, 10-rebound efforts ended at four games following the 105-103 victory over the Hornets, but the center pulled down 14 rebounds to go with 27 points despite a left-ankle injury suffered in practice Friday.
Embiid received plenty of help as the Sixers displayed the depth that makes Philadelphia an Eastern Conference contender, getting double-doubles from Ben Simmons and Robert Covington to improve to 3-0 at home. “Covington’s best game of the year,” Philadelphia coach Brett Brown told reporters after the forward scored 18 points with 10 rebounds, hit a late 3-pointer and hounded Charlotte’s Kemba Walker all night. The Hawks, projected by many to be one of the worst teams in the NBA, saw their two-game winning streak end with Saturday’s 97-85 defeat to Chicago, a game in which the trio of Trae Young, Taurean Prince and Kent Bazemore combined to shoot 11-of-35 from the field and commit 15 turnovers. “It was a lesson in how you handle success,” Atlanta coach Lloyd Pierce told the media afterward.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), NBCS Philadelphia
ABOUT THE HAWKS (2-3): Young, the fifth overall pick in this summer’s draft, is averaging 19.8 points and 6.8 assists through five games, but recorded season lows in both categories (13 points, four assists) Saturday. Backup center Dewayne Dedmon shined in his second game of the season, scoring 13 points with 13 rebounds and five blocked shots off the bench. Atlanta ranks 25th in the league in free-throw percentage (72.4 percent).
ABOUT THE 76ERS (3-3): Embiid opened the season with six consecutive double-doubles, averaging 29.2 points and 12.7 rebounds on 48 percent shooting from the field. Philadelphia played much better defense after giving up 123.7 points per game in its previous three contests, holding Charlotte to 38.9 percent shooting from the field overall and just 18 fourth-quarter points. Guard J.J. Reddick is shooting 45.4 percent from 3-point range in his past four games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Atlanta F DeAndre Bembry is 7-of-13 from 3-point range through five games, finishing 2-of-5 Saturday.
2. The 76ers entered Sunday eighth in the NBA in turnovers per game (12.8), while the Hawks rank last out of 30 teams (18.4).
3. The Hawks play seven of their next 11 on the road starting Monday.