76ers Close Out West Coast Trip 1-3 After Disappointing Loss to Warriors

When the Philadelphia 76ers were heading into their four-game stretch last weekend, the team didn't expect it to be easy. With Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons down for the count, the Sixers had to lean on Tobias Harris, Al Horford, and Josh Richardson to help keep them alive as they embarked on four-straight away games.

During the first game, the Sixers had an admirable effort. Unfortunately, the effort didn't translate to a win. And not only did the Sixers lose to the Clippers, but they also lost to the injury bug once again as their starting shooting guard went out with an injury. Since then, Richardson has remained in the NBA's concussion protocol and missed the last three games.

While shorthanded, the Sixers managed to win one of their previous three games before Saturday night's matchup with the Golden State Warriors. With a chance to close out a tough road trip at 2-2, the Sixers came up short in a disappointing way.

The nationally televised game between Philly and Golden State wasn't an appealing one around the NBA considering the circumstances. For the Sixers, they were without Embiid, Simmons, and Richardson. On the other end, the Warriors were without some key starters too, as Draymond Green and Steph Curry were ruled out that afternoon.

Although both teams were shorthanded, the Sixers were undoubtedly the superior squad. However, Golden State kept it close throughout the entire battle. While Philly shot another decent night, draining 48-percent of its shots from the field, the Warriors did even better by knocking down 55-percent of their own.

Once again, Sixers' max contracted forward Tobias Harris put up a strong offensive effort with 24 points, but his leadership in the scoring column wasn't enough. The Sixers were not only outplayed in the fourth quarter, but they were also outcoached. And big-time mistakes eventually cost the Sixers the game. Though they were in it to win until the end, a 118-114 loss will send the Sixers back to Philly with one win and three losses during this tough West Coast road trip.

Now, the Sixers are just 10-24 on the road this year, and their overall record drops to 38-26. Philly will remain in the Eastern Conference's sixth-seed behind the Indiana Pacers for the time being. The team will return to the court at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday night for a matchup against the Detroit Pistons.