Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers’ two stars don’t get much help in ugly loss to Cleveland

Note: No traditional recap post for this game.

Sixers Bell Ringer Season Standings:

Joel Embiid - 14
Ben Simmons - 7
Tobias Harris - 6
Shake Milton - 3
Tyrese Maxey - 1
Dakota Mathias - 1
Matisse Thybulle - 1

Tonight is the night Tobias Harris became an All-Star. With Philadelphia’s third star sidelined with a bruised knee, the team’s two headliners didn’t receive any help from the supporting cast, losing 112-109 to Cleveland, a defeat all the more painful because we had to suffer through five extra overtime minutes. The Sixers are now in a dead heat with Brooklyn for first place in the Eastern Conference. By the time, you’re reading this, the Nets could have moved into sole possession of first by beating Dallas. Oh well, let’s choose a Bell Ringer and wipe this game from the old memory banks.

Joel Embiid: 42 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3 turnovers

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Joel did his best to carry the Sixers offensively, pummeling the Cavs in the post on a night he also had the outside shot working — basically the unstoppable Embiid combo package. He finished 13-of-22 from the field, 2-of-3 from downtown, and 14-of-16 from the foul line. A stepback jumper near the end of the first half was something an All-NBA guard would have in his arsenal. Down the stretch in regulation, Embiid twice faced up and drove left on Jarrett Allen, dunking right in the new Cavs center’s face. In overtime, JoJo was still the only Sixer who could get anything going, scoring 12 of the team’s 17 points in the frame. This would have been a career night for a lot of guys. It wasn’t even Joel’s top game this month.

Ben Simmons: 24 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 7 turnovers

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

Not the greatest Ben game, to be honest, as six of his seven turnovers were out-of-character bad passes. But it was good to see him in attack mode. He pushed the pace for a handful of thunderous finishes in transition, which we’ve seen that plenty of times, but Simmons also expanded his repertoire with nearly a half-dozen hooks on the interior against stout rookie defender Isaac Okoro. Oh, and for the “shoot a 3, you coward” crowd, Ben hit a completely meaningless 3 at the end of overtime.

Mike Scott: 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 turnover

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After Furkan Korkmaz was extremely ineffective, Scott replaced him alongside

the starting group in the second half. Mike hit both his field-goal attempts, making a well-timed cut off a Simmons post-up, and then nailing a top-of-the-key 3 off a Joel kick-out. The veteran forward was also solid in his defensive rotations; overall, good minutes from Scott, which the team will certainly need while Tobias remains out.