On Wednesday night, the Golden State Warriors extended their winning streak to five games with an impressive 116-96 come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins starred for the Warriors, who moved one game clear of the sizzling Phoenix Suns atop the Western Conference standings.
Warriors use 2nd half spurt to rally past 76ers
The Warriors entered Wednesday's clash with one of the best home records in the league, winning nine of their first 10 games at Chase Center this season. The Sixers were not intimidated by that record one bit as they stormed to a 34-23 lead after the opening quarter. The Sixers extended that advantage to 19 points in the second quarter before settling for a 61-52 lead at the halftime break.
The Sixers' performance in the opening half was impressive because they were playing the league-leading Warriors without star players Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Ben Simmons. Seth Curry stepped up big time in their absence, scoring 17 points during that period. He even outscored his big brother Steph, who recorded just 14 points in the first two quarters.
Unfortunately for the Sixers, the Warriors woke up from their offensive slumber in the third quarter as they quickly erased that nine-point deficit. Golden State went on a 14-2 run to start the third and grabbed a 66-63 lead. The Warriors scored 34 points during that period to head into the fourth quarter with a two-point lead.
Golden State piled on the pressure in the payoff period, with the Warriors outscoring the 76ers, 30-12. Steph Curry finished the game with 25 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds. He shot 9 of 16 from the floor, including 6 of 11 from beyond the arc. Andrew Wiggins scored 19 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Warriors, who have won 16 of their first 18 games this season and improved to 10-1 at home.
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Joel Embiid targets return vs Minnesota Timberwolves
There is great news, though, for the suffering Sixers fans. Joel Embiid's long layoff due to COVID-19 may soon be coming to an end, with the star center targeting a return on Saturday when the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Embiid has not played since testing positive for the coronavirus on November 8 following Philadelphia's win over the Chicago Bulls. Embiid joined Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle, and Isaiah Joe on the league's health and safety protocols, and the Sixers have struggled since then.
They have gone just 2-7 in Embiid's absence after starting the season 8-2. The Sixers are currently tied for eighth with the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference standings, with all three teams carrying similar 10-9 slates.
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