Joel Embiid sits out 76ers-Jazz game with back tightness
The anticipated matchup of All-Star centers on Monday didn’t come to fruition as Joel Embiid was a late withdrawal from the game against the Utah Jazz due to a tight back. Embiid, the towering figure for Philadelphia, had been in excellent form, scoring 35 points in two consecutive games, despite his team suffering losses. His team currently holds the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Jazz topped the 76ers 134-123 thanks in large part to a stellar performance from Utah reserve Jordan Clarkson. He had a season-high 40 points off the bench to help offset a career-best 42 points from 76ers star guard Ben Simmons.
Game Recap: Jazz 134, 76ers 123
Without his All-Star teammate, Simmons almost achieved a triple-double with 12 assists and nine rebounds. He surpassed his previous record of 34 points from Dec. 7, 2019, with ease.
“Frankly, I’ve been focusing heavily on my mindset and strategy in recent weeks,” Simmons commented about his recent surge in scoring. “Altering your playing style isn’t simple. Some aspects of the game just come more naturally to some people. I believe I’m starting to get the hang of it.”
Embiid is averaging a career-best 29.6 ppg on 54.3% shooting, including 40% from 3-point range. The game would have pitted the best team from each conference against each other, and Embiid against former two-time Kia Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
Following a disappointing first-round defeat to Boston in the last season, Doc Rivers was brought in as the new coach of the 76ers with the aim of propelling Embiid and Simmons to greater success. Their collective goal is to guide Philadelphia past the semifinals in the playoffs, something the team hasn’t achieved since its 2001 Finals appearance.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
