Sixers gut out impressive win over streaking Kings, 119-111

Tonight, the Sixers defeated the Kings in Sacramento, 119-111.

Here is a running diary, quarter-by-quarter, to serve as your recap.

Q1: Richaun has gotten so much better since he was in Philly. Good for that dude. After, like, two possessions of Danny Green guarding De’Aaron Fox, Ben Simmons now takes the assignment. Ben Simmons continuing his aggressive, under control play as he bowls through Bagley and converts an and-1. Joel is so much bigger than Holmes and is already causing problems for him on the interior. Bagley with 2 fouls already, halfway through this quarter. Really strong start from Seth Curry, who thankfully looks like himself again. Hassan Whiteside came in and Embiid immediately posted him up and drew a foul. Just like the good old days. Very good first quarter offensively for the Sixers, who lead 42-32 after 1.

Q2: Tobias + bench unit starts the quarter, as it has lately. Shake Milton, Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, Harris and Dwight Howard comprise the lineup. Milton off to a good start, 3-3. Korkmaz dunk! Fox and Tyrese Haliburton are really, really good. Haliburton running the show early in the 2nd for the Kings and he’s shooting, driving and passing with deft skill. Korkmaz started the game 5-5 from the field including two threes for 12 points. First stint for the Tobias + bench lineup was a -2. Man, the Kings play at an extremely frenetic pace. They rip off a 25-7 run, led by Fox, Haliburton and Hield. It puts the Kings up 71-66 at half, with Fox leading the way with a game-high 23. Curry with 16.

Q3: Hoping to see Embiid recover from a lackluster half on both ends. Also, the Sixers badly need to raise the team’s three-point volume. Seth Curry carrying the Sixers. Two consecutive threes by him. The Kings have hands in every passing lane, forcing lots of turnovers. Sixers need to find a way to get Embiid going to generate offense. Monstrous dunk from Embiid in traffic, that’s more like it. The Kings have been fronting Joel in the post and the Sixers have had a hard time getting him the ball. Bagley is now frustrating the Sixers on the defensive end, drawing offensive fouls on Embiid and now Simmons. Embiid went back to the locker room. He’s back on the sideline at the end of the 3rd. Kings 91, Sixers 87 entering the final frame.

Q4: Tobias + bench lineup out there to start the fourth. Really nice passing from Shake in this game, he’s led the second units well. Getting the full Dwight Howard experience tonight: some blocks, a ton of fouls, lots of rebounds, a blatant goaltend. Embiid is back in with 9:30 left in the game — earlier than usual. Sixers down 4. Embiid ties the game at 97 with two free throws with 7:40 left, which is also the timestamp for when Ben Simmons re-entered the game. Shake Milton hits a really tough midrange jumper while being fouled after a broken play. Tremendous sequence: Embiid blocks Fox on a drive, then challenges another King at the rim, and the Sixers find Harris in semi-transition for three on the other end. Doc Rivers is giving Shake Milton and Matisse Thybulle some crunchtime minutes and he’s being rewarded. On one end, Thybulle blocks Fox. On the other, Shake nails a corner three. Sixers up 6 with about 5 minutes left. Thubulle has thus far been the only Sixer with the footspeed to keep up with Fox. Embiid drains a jumper and then firea a brilliant cross-court pass to Tobias for three out of a double team. Ugh, Shake hurt his ankle. Curry back in. Kings intentionally foul Simmons with 55 seconds left, Sixers up 5. He makes one of two. Embiid is money from the line late, he and the Sixers put this one out of reach. Really impressive win on the road against a tough Kings team.

Next up for the Sixers: the team continues its West Coast road trip in Portland on Thursday night, 10pm Eastern time.