Minnesota Timberwolves @ Philadelphia 76ers
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA | Game ID: 22300367
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
PHI 28 36 26 37 127MIN 24 36 27 26 113
ESPN UpdateESPN Update
Joel Embiid scores 51 points as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-113
PHILADELPHIA -- — Joel Embiid scored a season-high 51 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers used a big fourth quarter to close out the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 127-113 win on Wednesday night.
Tyrese Maxey scored 35 points as Philadelphia (19-8) won for the seventh time in eight games, bouncing back nicely after a 108-104 loss to Chicago on Monday night.
“I felt like I was playing within the offense and not forcing anything,” said Embiid, who is averaging 38.3 points in the last 12 games and has scored 40 or more in four of his last five contests. “I took what was being given to me. And I've been trying to figure out is when to be aggressive and when to let my teammates do their thing.”
Minnesota (20-6) got 27 points from Anthony Edwards , 23 points from Karl-Anthony Towns and 21 from Jaden McDaniels . The Timberwolves entered Wednesday night as winners of nine of its last 10 games and possessors of the league's best record.
“We didn't play a clean or pretty game,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “I thought we would find a run or a rhythm. Thirty-seven points (for Philadelphia) in the fourth quarter is way too much — we needed it to be under 30 for sure.”
It was Embiid's seventh career game with at least 50 points. He also recorded his 12th straight game with 30 or more points and 10-plus rebounds. It is the NBA's longest such streak since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it in 16 straight games for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1971-72 season.
“We're winning and that's all that matters,” Embiid said. “Stats are great and it's great to put up stats. But if it comes with a loss, then that's a different story. If it comes with a win, it means a lot.”
“He's continuing to get better and he's just doing enough different things rhythmically to keep those guys guessing," Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. “He has a feel that if guys step into him, he can get them. And I like when he goes downhill.”
A game that was billed as a clash of defensive styles turned toward the Sixers during an impressive display of offensive moves by Embiid in the third quarter. He scored 19 of Philadelphia's 26 points in the period and kept the Sixers in the lead at 90-87 going into the fourth.
Embiid was 17 for 18 from the foul line on the night, taking advantage of foul trouble for Minnesota forward Rudy Gobert .
“Certainly, Rudy exiting the game in the first four minutes certainly hurt us,” Finch said.
Maxey scored 15 points in the final quarter, most of that coming during a five-minute stretch at the beginning of the period when Embiid was on the bench. No other Philadelphia player scored in double figures for the second game in a row.
“You have to use speed and be decisive,” Maxey said. “I think that if anyone is going to pick me up high (off the arc), they can't keep up with me with speed, skill and work. I tried to be extremely aggressive.”
Philadelphia ended up losing starting guard De'Anthony Melton in the second half with a left thigh contusion.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: Return home for a Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Lakers .
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
CoEdGoMcTo 3 8 +6 3 9 33 1 2 50 1 1 100 1 5 6 1 0 0 0 1
MIN Conley, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Towns
in Conley, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Towns
out ---
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
CoEdMcReTo 4 4 -8 2 7 29 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 2
MIN Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Towns
in Reid
out Gobert
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
AnEdMcReTo 2 5 +3 2 4 50 0 1 0 1 1 100 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 1
MIN Anderson, Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Towns
in Anderson
out Conley
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
AlAnJrEdRe 3 5 -5 1 2 50 1 1 100 2 2 100 0 1 1 1 0 0 3 2
MIN Alexander-Walker, Anderson, Brown Jr., Edwards, Reid
in Alexander-Walker, Brown Jr.
out McDaniels, Towns
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
AlJrCoGoMc 1 0 -4 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1
MIN Alexander-Walker, Brown Jr., Conley, Gobert, McDaniels
in Conley, Gobert, McDaniels
out Anderson, Edwards, Reid
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
JrCoGoMcTo 1 4 +1 1 1 100 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1
MIN Brown Jr., Conley, Gobert, McDaniels, Towns
in Towns
out Alexander-Walker
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
CoGoMcMiTo 2 7 +2 1 1 100 1 1 100 4 4 100 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0
MIN Conley, Gobert, McDaniels, Milton, Towns
in Milton
out Brown Jr.
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
EdGoMcMiTo 3 11 +2 5 7 71 1 1 100 2 2 100 1 3 4 2 0 0 0 2
MIN Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Milton, Towns
in Edwards
out Conley
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
CoEdMcReTo 3 11 0 3 5 60 3 3 100 0 0 0 1 0 1 3 0 0 2 1
MIN Conley, Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Towns
in Conley, Reid
out Gobert, Milton
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
CoEdGoMcTo 6 15 +9 7 12 58 0 2 0 1 1 100 3 5 8 3 1 0 1 0
MIN Conley, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Towns
in Gobert
out Reid
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
AlEdGoMcTo 2 3 -1 1 2 50 0 1 0 1 1 100 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0
MIN Alexander-Walker, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Towns
in Alexander-Walker
out Conley
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
AlAnEdReTo 2 5 -3 2 5 40 1 2 50 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 2
MIN Alexander-Walker, Anderson, Edwards, Reid, Towns
in Anderson, Reid
out Gobert, McDaniels
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
AlAnJrEdRe 2 2 -3 1 4 25 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 1 2
MIN Alexander-Walker, Anderson, Brown Jr., Edwards, Reid
in Brown Jr.
out Towns
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
AnCoMcMiTo 3 3 -2 1 4 25 0 1 0 1 3 33 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 1
MIN Anderson, Conley, McDaniels, Milton, Towns
in Conley, McDaniels, Milton, Towns
out Alexander-Walker, Brown Jr., Edwards, Reid
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
CoMcMiReTo 2 6 -1 3 3 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1
MIN Conley, McDaniels, Milton, Reid, Towns
in Reid
out Anderson
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
CoEdGoMcRe :48 0 -3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
MIN Conley, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Reid
in Edwards, Gobert
out Milton, Towns
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
AlEdGoMcTo 3 8 0 2 4 50 0 1 0 4 5 80 0 2 2 0 1 0 1 2
MIN Alexander-Walker, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Towns
in Alexander-Walker, Towns
out Conley, Reid
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
JrGaMcMiJr 2 9 0 3 5 60 1 2 50 2 2 100 0 1 1 2 1 0 2 2
MIN Brown Jr., Garza, McLaughlin, Milton, Moore Jr.
in Brown Jr., Garza, McLaughlin, Milton, Moore Jr.
out Alexander-Walker, Edwards, Gobert, McDaniels, Towns
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
EmHaMaMeJr 7 14 0 4 11 36 2 4 50 4 4 100 1 7 8 2 0 1 3 3
PHI Embiid, Harris, Maxey, Melton, Oubre Jr.
in Embiid, Harris, Maxey, Melton, Oubre Jr.
out ---
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
BeEmJrMeSr 5 14 +4 3 6 50 2 4 50 6 6 100 0 2 2 2 2 0 1 2
PHI Beverley, Embiid, House Jr., Melton, Morris Sr.
in Beverley, House Jr., Morris Sr.
out Harris, Maxey, Oubre Jr.
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
BeHaMaSrRe 2 7 +3 2 5 40 0 0 0 3 3 100 1 1 2 0 2 0 0 1
PHI Beverley, Harris, Maxey, Morris Sr., Reed
in Harris, Maxey, Reed
out Embiid, House Jr., Melton
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
HaJrMaJrRe 1 2 -1 1 3 33 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1
PHI Harris, House Jr., Maxey, Oubre Jr., Reed
in House Jr., Oubre Jr.
out Beverley, Morris Sr.
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
EmHaJrMaJr 2 5 -3 2 5 40 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 2
PHI Embiid, Harris, House Jr., Maxey, Oubre Jr.
in Embiid
out Reed
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
EmHaMaMeJr 4 17 +3 6 6 100 1 1 100 5 5 100 0 2 2 2 1 0 0 0
PHI Embiid, Harris, Maxey, Melton, Oubre Jr.
in Melton
out House Jr.
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
BeEmHaMaJr 3 2 -9 1 5 20 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 3
PHI Beverley, Embiid, Harris, Maxey, Oubre Jr.
in Beverley
out Melton
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
EmHaJrMaJr 2 4 0 2 3 67 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0
PHI Embiid, Harris, House Jr., Maxey, Oubre Jr.
in House Jr.
out Beverley
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
EmHaJrMaSr 2 7 +2 2 4 50 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 2
PHI Embiid, Harris, House Jr., Maxey, Morris Sr.
in Morris Sr.
out Oubre Jr.
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
BeEmJrMaSr 4 10 +6 5 7 71 0 1 0 3 4 75 0 4 4 2 0 1 0 0
PHI Beverley, Embiid, House Jr., Martin, Morris Sr.
in Beverley, Martin
out Harris, Maxey
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
BeHaMaSrRe 3 5 +2 2 5 40 1 1 100 0 0 0 1 4 5 2 0 0 1 2
PHI Beverley, Harris, Maxey, Morris Sr., Reed
in Harris, Maxey, Reed
out Embiid, House Jr., Martin
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
HaMaSrJrRe 3 10 +4 4 7 57 1 3 33 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 2
PHI Harris, Maxey, Morris Sr., Oubre Jr., Reed
in Oubre Jr.
out Beverley
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
EmMaMaSrJr 2 6 +2 2 2 100 0 0 0 2 3 67 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1
PHI Embiid, Martin, Maxey, Morris Sr., Oubre Jr.
in Embiid, Martin
out Harris, Reed
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
EmHaMaSrJr 3 8 +1 3 5 60 0 1 0 2 2 100 0 2 2 1 1 0 0 2
PHI Embiid, Harris, Maxey, Morris Sr., Oubre Jr.
in Harris
out Martin
Lineup MIN PTS PM FGM FGA FG% 3PM 3PA 3P% FTM FTA FT% OR DR REB AST STL BLK TO PF
BaKoMaReSp 2 6 +2 2 3 67 0 0 0 2 2 100 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
PHI Bamba, Korkmaz, Martin, Reed, Springer
in Bamba, Korkmaz, Martin, Reed, Springer
out Embiid, Harris, Maxey, Morris Sr., Oubre Jr.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
MINAE A. Edwards
JM J. McDaniels
KA K. Anderson
KT K. Towns
LG L. Garza
MC M. Conley
MC McLaughlin
NA N. Alexander-Walker
NR N. Reid
RG R. Gobert
SM S. Milton
TB T. Brown Jr.
WM W. Moore Jr.
PHIDH D. House Jr.
DM D. Melton
FK F. Korkmaz
JE J. Embiid
KM K. Martin
KO K. Oubre Jr.
MM M. Morris Sr.
PB P. Beverley
PR P. Reed
SP Springer
TH T. Harris
TM T. Maxey
MIN/PHI the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur