With three starters (Christian Wood, Victor Oladipo, and PJ Tucker) out injured, the reeling Houston Rockets were no match on paper for the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference. For the most part, that’s how it played out Wednesday at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center.
The 76ers (19-10) dominated the Rockets (11-17) for much of the game, leading to a 118-113 final (box score) and extending Houston’s season-long losing streak to seven games. Philadelphia entered with a point to prove after three straight losses, and Joel Embiid (31 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists) and the Sixers showed it on national television.
Led by John Wall (28 points, 7 assists), the Rockets fought back from a 29-point deficit to cut the lead to as small as four in the final two minutes. But ultimately, the hole was too deep for Houston to fully dig out from. Seth Curry (25 points) and Tobias Harris (24 points, 15 rebounds) were key contributors for the 76ers, while DeMarcus Cousins (19 points, 7 rebounds), Eric Gordon (17 points, 7 assists), and Jae’Sean Tate (19 points, 6 rebounds) played well in supporting roles for the Rockets.
The Rockets are scheduled to return to action on Friday night at home versus Dallas, though it remains to be seen whether that game will go forward given the ongoing power crisis in Texas. The Mavs (13-15) had their planned home game on Wednesday postponed due to outages.
If Friday’s game at Toyota Center is played, it will tip off at 7:00 p.m. Central. For now, here’s a sampling of Houston’s highlights and postgame reaction from Wednesday night in Philadelphia.
