Lakers’ LeBron James Issues Props to 76ers’ De’Anthony Melton

Joel Embiid’s 20-point first-quarter showing on Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers made it seem as if the Philadelphia 76ers center was going to have one of those games where he carries his team on his back, willing them to victory.

But the big man got plenty of help beyond the first quarter on Friday night. As expected, James Harden did his thing with a double-double, scoring 28 points and generating 12 assists. No player shined brighter than De’Anthony Melton, though, as he had a career night in 43 minutes of action.

Draining 11 of his 16 shots from the field, with all but three of his attempts coming from beyond the arc, Melton produced 33 points for the Sixers on Friday night, coming second to only Embiid, who put up a game-high of 38 points.

“Honestly, on offense, my teammates were just finding me,” Melton said after the game. “I mean, some of those passes, the way they got through, I mean, I’m pretty sure they didn’t think it would get through, but it was getting there, they kept finding me, and [the Lakers] kept leaving me open, so I just kept shooting it and shooting with confidence.”

According to Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, he saw it slightly differently.

“We didn’t lose him,” said the superstar. “He made shots.”

Playing like a man on a mission, Melton felt nearly automatic from the field on Friday night. And while the guard has been heating up lately, thriving in his temporary starting role for the 76ers, James credited the Sixers for the Melton acquisition as he understood the former Memphis Grizzlies guard always brought a lot of value to the table for the team he’s on.

“He’s a very good player,” LeBron continued. “A good signing for them in the offseason. We have a game plan, and we know who the head of the snake is. We didn’t lose him. We were out and contesting a lot of his shots. He played extremely well, and he was definitely an X-Factor for them.”

Melton and the Sixers couldn’t hold onto their significant lead late into Friday’s game, which caused the Lakers to force overtime. While the Sixers were disappointed to head into a fifth period to close out the matchup, they managed to get it done by winning 133-122.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.

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