Joel Embiid’s stellar performance with 33 points and 16 rebounds led the Philadelphia 76ers to their seventh consecutive victory, defeating the struggling Detroit Pistons 114-106 in the NBA In-Season Tournament opener.
Tyrese Maxey’s impressive contribution included 29 points and 10 assists with zero turnovers for the 76ers, who remain undefeated since their opening loss to Milwaukee.
Former Piston Tobias Harris added 24 points, contributing to the starters’ impressive 104 points.
Despite a strong effort from Killian Hayes (23 points) and Cade Cunningham (21 points), the short-handed Pistons suffered their seventh consecutive loss, compounded by Jalen Duren’s ankle injury.
Embiid capitalized on Detroit’s defense, drawing 19 free-throw attempts, converting 16.
A brief injury scare occurred in the third quarter when Cunningham slid into Embiid’s legs, prompting a temporary exit for Embiid, who returned after a timeout.
