NEW ORLEANS _ Streaks, like records, are made to be broken. The 76ers have challenged many losing streaks, and broken some, over the past four seasons. They stopped one Thursday, a big one, as they won a road game for the first time after 23 consecutive losses, a 99-88 decision over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The game turned toward the Sixers in the third quarter, when they limited the Pelicans (7-16) to 5-for-25 shooting and held them to only 12 points, taking a two-point advantage into the fourth quarter. There, they grew the lead to as much as 10 and did enough to hold back the struggling Pelicans, who have now lost four straight.
The Sixers (5-18) benefited from balanced scoring as Ersan Ilyasova dropped 23 points, while Sergio Rodriguez had 16. Joel Embiid and Nik Stauskas scored 14 each, while Dario Saric chipped in 13. The win also snapped an eight-game overall losing streak.
When it comes to learning basketball at the NBA level, Embiid doesn't limit his resources to his coaches. A true student of the game, Embiid keenly watches other players in the league, learning their nuances, copying their abilities.
His tutorial Thursday night was delivered by MVP candidate Anthony Davis, who entered the game as the league's leading scorer and shot blocker and who was near the top in rebounding. He finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Davis' game encompasses everything, an attribute Embiid hopes to garner someday.
The Sixers did get some reinforcements for this one, as Robert Covington, who missed the last three games with a sprained knee, was back in the starting lineup, as was Embiid, who didn't play Tuesday in Memphis as part of his recovery.
Embiid didn't have a spectacular performance or even one that many are becoming accustomed to. But his return certainly changes the way opponents view the Sixers.
"He's different than anybody that's been in this league in a long, long time," said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry. "I'm happy that he's healthy, but I wish this would have been the second game of a back-to-back. He's a tremendous talent. He really is. I've never seen a guy that size and with that kind of strength that has such a soft touch. He shoots the ball, with the touch of Steph Curry. It's so soft when it leaves his hand. And then he can post up and some of the things that he can do down there because of his size and his skill level, he's really, really good.
"He has a desire to want to be in the game and help the team win a game. I think he's a smart player when you look at some of the things that he does when he catches the ball, and the footwork that he has. He's got an unbelievable bright future in the league."
With a win for the first time in nine games and first on the road since January, brightness surrounded the team following the game.
