Wizards at 76ers
All-Star center Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are developing one of the best homecourt advantages in the NBA. Philadelphia looks to improve to 12-1 at home this season as well as win for the 35th time in the past 37 games at Wells Fargo Center when it hosts the Washington Wizards on Friday.
Philadelphia's home floor fortunes started to rise once Embiid was fully healthy and the big man is dominating foes this season with averages of 28 points and 13.3 rebounds overall. Embiid registered his NBA-best 21st double-double when he had 26 points and 14 rebounds in Wednesday's 117-91 rout of the visiting New York Knicks. Washington is 2-8 on the road and was pounded 125-104 by the host New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. Dealing with Embiid could be troublesome after Anthony Davis-led New Orleans outrebounded the Wizards 64-38 and turned 17 offensive rebounds into 28 points.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, NBCS Philadelphia
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (8-13): Shooting guard Bradley Beal recorded a season-high 11 assists to go with 16 points against the Pelicans but was highly disturbed that his team dug a 20-point halftime deficit en route to another road loss. "Our effort just wasn't good, Beal told reporters. "Without the ball, we didn't help each other out and our transition was terrible. As to why, I don't really know. It's a little frustrating, but it's fixable. It's just a matter of getting used to those good habits." Point guard John Wall tallied 17 points against New Orleans after topping 20 in four of the previous five games, including outputs of 36 (a season high) and 30.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (15-8): Shooting guard JJ Redick was a season-best 10-of-14 shooting against the Knicks while scoring 24 for his eighth 20-point effort of the season. Redick helped set the tone for the easy win by hitting nine of his 10 first-half shots and the 34-year-old raised his season average to 18.3. "I always feel like when I shoot the ball it's going to go in, but there's a different feeling I think when you haven't missed and you've taken a few shots and you just keep seeing the ball go in," Redick told reporters. "It certainly increases the dopamine levels in your brain."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Wizards have lost four straight visits to Philadelphia.
2. The 76ers lead the NBA in first-quarter scoring (30.3 average) after exploding for 41 in the win over the Knicks.
3. Washington F Markieff Morris scored 22 points in each of the last two games and has reached double digits in five straight contests.