When the Los Angeles Lakers last faced the Philadelphia 76ers, Joel Embiid had his way to the tune of 46 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocks. He set career highs in points, assists and blocks.
Embiid did his damage from inside the paint and out on the perimeter, regardless of which defender the Lakers deployed. Heading into Thursday’s rematch, L.A. was keyed in on the talented big man.
While Embiid finished with a game-high 33 points, seven rebounds, six assists and five blocks, he was involved in key plays late that went in the Lakers’ favor. More specifically, ones that Julius Randle was part of.
As the 76ers were mounting their rally in the fourth quarter, Randle responded with key baskets and stellar effort on defense. The end result was a thrilling victory that snapped a season-worst five-game losing streak.
After the win, Lakers head coach Luke Walton commended Randle for his play when matched up against Embiid, via our own Serena Winters:
Luke Walton on Julius Randle tonight vs. Embiid: “When he gets challenged like that, he’s pretty darn good…And, Embiid is probably as big and talented as a player as we have in our league."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) December 8, 2017
Randle’s 16 points tied with Jordan Clarkson for most off the Lakers bench. He grabbed three rebounds, handed out four assists, and one steal on a ball knocked away from Embiid late in the fourth quarter.
Moreover, Randle’s 30 minutes played were third-most on the team. He’s now scored in double-digits in eight of the past nine games. All the while Randle has provided needed energy and thrived in a role off the bench that he initially was leery of.
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