By: Kylan Watson

The Philadelphia 76ers were riding high after beating the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. They faced a hungry Golden State Warriors team who are fighting to get into the playoffs in the Western Conference. The Warriors played like a desperate team as they were able to ride an offensive surge to cook the Sixers 107-96.

The Sixers started out the game well they were able to get out to an early 13-point lead in the first quarter. Thanks to a strong performance by guard Seth Curry who scored 15-points by half-time. He was able to impose his will early in the game. He was hitting contested three-pointers and attacking the paint. Unfortunately for him Philly still had another 24-minutes to play against Golden State.

The Warriors opened the flood gates on Philly by half-time they had comeback to tie the game. Behind a strong performance by guard Stephen Curry. He scored 49-points and the Sixers had no answer for him.  It did not matter who they put on him. Nobody could stop him especially from the three-point line. He hit ten threes and willed his team back into the game. They were able to retake the lead mid-way through the fourth quarter.

The Sixers just did not have it on either side of the ball tonight. They were missing forward Tobias Harris (sore knee) and guard/forward Ben Simmons (non-Covid illness). The team played like they were missing their second-best offensive weapon and best defensive weapon. Without Simmons’ length on the perimeter. The Warriors shooters were able to hit plenty of shots and when they were ran off the three-point line they were able to attack the paint. Everything fell on center Joel Embiid who did his best, but he could not outduel Curry.

The Sixers will need to get it together as they now get ready to face the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. They will need to have a better defensive performance to hold the backcourt of Devin Booker and Chris Paul down. They will also need another scorer to make an appearance in that game besides Embiid.