Player Observations After Sixers Dominate in Houston

After a hot start to the season, the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves dropping in the Eastern Conference standings as they battled through COVID-related setbacks and injuries. And every time the team got slightly healthy, more setbacks piled on and made it harder for them to establish a rhythm again.

Lately, the Sixers have been getting back on track, though. Before closing out December, the Sixers followed up one of their most disappointing losses of the year with three-straight road wins over the Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, and the Brooklyn Nets.

When their 2022 stint started last Monday at home, the Sixers dominated the Houston Rockets on their own court to make it four in a row. Then, they took a road trip to Orlando and downed the Magic to make it five-straight.

Before closing out last week's slate of games, the Sixers hosted the San Antonio Spurs. As expected, they dominated from the jump and tied their season-high win streak by collecting their sixth victory in a row.

After getting Saturday and Sunday off, the Sixers returned to the court on Monday night for a matchup against the Rockets. Initially, the Sixers and the Rockets were set to meet in Houston later this month but the league switched the plan.

So, the Sixers and the Rockets battled it out once again and had similar results as their first meeting. In the first quarter, the Sixers outscored Houston 36-27, getting off to an ideal start. While Houston had a better performance in the second quarter, the Sixers led the Rockets by 12 points at halftime. 

Searching for a way to get the starters on the bench early, the Sixers came out firing in the third quarter led the Rockets by as many as 19 points. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Sixers cleared their bench as they rested key starters and allowed some of the low-minute guys to pick up some playing time.

In the end, the Sixers defeated the Rockets for a second time by winning 111-91. That victory made it seven in a row for the Sixers, who are set to head back home to face the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.

76ers vs. Rockets Player Observations

How did the Sixers individually perform against the Rockets in Houston on Monday?

Matisse Thybulle

Thybulle picked up his 15th start of the season on Monday night and continues to make a case for staying there. Defensively, Thybulle’s always been a menace and is productive on that side of the ball as long as he doesn’t land in foul trouble. 

However, Thybulle’s offense has shown some improvement and he had another solid night on that side of the ball. Putting up seven shots in 25 minutes, Thybulle collected ten points. Launching five threes is a promising sign. Even though Thybulle only knocked down two of his three-point attempts, the fact that he’s less hesitant to shoot from deep is a positive sign for his development.

Tobias Harris

Monday wasn’t Tobias’ sharpest performance but Philadelphia’s dominance kept him off the court for longer than usual. The veteran forward checked in for 24 minutes. He drained just six of his 17 shots from the field for 13 points. Harris launched five three-pointers, which is something he’s been hesitant to do lately, and didn’t help improve his three-point percentage much as he hit on just one of his shots. Harris wrapped up the night with 13 points.

Joel Embiid

Right out of the gate, Embiid was extremely dominant as he collected 17 points in ten minutes during the first quarter. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Embiid’s night was complete as the Sixers were in total control of the game. Embiid finished the matchup with 31 points in 26 minutes. Scoring over 30 for the seventh-straight game is a great accomplishment for Embiid. Doing it in under 30 minutes makes his performance even sweeter as any rest for the big man is a good scenario for Philly.

Danny Green

The veteran forward’s been in and out of the starting lineup lately. Ahead of Friday’s game, Sixers coach Doc Rivers mentioned that Green would be on a minutes restriction until further notice. On Monday, Green checked in for just under 20 minutes. He drained just one of his four shots from beyond the arc. It’s understandable that Green’s been battling through several setbacks this year, but the veteran has yet to find a groove on offense this season.

Furkan Korkmaz

Lately, Furkan Korkmaz has climbed out of his slump. As he played with the starters on Monday as Tyrese Maxey and Seth Curry were out of the lineup, Korkmaz made the most of his 28 minutes. From the field, he knocked down five of his ten shots. From three, he drained 50-percent of his attempts. In total, Korkmaz was one of four starters to notch double digits in scoring with 12 points.

Myles Powell

Due to a lack of ball-handlers available, Sixers two-way guard Myles Powell picked up some notable playing time for the first time this season. His Monday night showing was his best yet. While Powell didn’t light it up from the field, he still scored six points off of eight shots. He also collected four rebounds and two assists. 

Isaiah Joe

After missing the last game with leg soreness, Joe was back in the rotation on Monday night. As he’s established himself as a sharpshooter, Joe is expected to light it up from deep when he’s on the floor for Philly. But he’s had better nights. Getting up ten shots in 25 minutes, Isaiah Joe drained just four of his attempts. From deep, he went 2-6. Joe’s proven to be a fearless shooter on the Sixers but the young guard has to be more consistent to keep his playing time when the team gets healthy once again.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.