Sixers Bell Ringer: Sixers squander 24 point lead, lose at home to Tyronn Lue’s Clippers

Sixers Bell Ringer regular season standings:

Joel Embiid: 17

Tyrese Maxey: 9

Seth Curry: 8

Tobias Harris: 3

Andre Drummond: 3

Matisse Thybulle: 2

Furkan Korkmaz: 1

Charles Bassey: 1

Joel Embiid came into Friday’s game vs. the Los Angeles Clippers fresh off a sensational performance. Embiid has continued to build a case for himself as the league MVP, and tied a career-high 50 points Wednesday vs. Mo Bamba and the Orlando Magic.

Looking to make it two wins in a row Friday, the Philadelphia 76ers hosted a shorthanded but very well-coached Clippers team. Without Kawhi Leonard (ACL) or Paul George (elbow), the Clips are far from a juggernaut these days, but Reggie Jackson and company still play very hard. The Sixers were a bit shorthanded themselves, as Seth Curry, Danny Green, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, and Ben Simmons were out.

The Sixers led 68-44 at one point, but let this one slip away in heartbreaking fashion. They lost at home 102-101 in one of their worst losses of the season. They’re now 26-19 in sixth place in the East. They’re just 10-10 at home, and have won three of their last six.

Now let’s make like T. Rex, and bang a gong.

Joel Embiid: 40 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3-3 from downtown, 7 of 10 from the line

On Thursday, Sixers’ President Daryl Morey took to the airways to say Embiid had changed the equation for the Sixers in terms of their Ben Simmons trade pursuit. Morey hinted he had felt they needed a top-30 impact player in return for Simmons, but now maybe they’d entertain landing a top-40 player, since Joel has played at such a high level.

This game was another reminder that Embiid is playing as well as anyone in the NBA, but still needs more help.

On one play, late in the game, Brandon Boston Jr. had a breakaway opportunity with no one in front of him but Joel tracked it from behind and forced a tough reverse which spun out. It won’t go down as a block, but it was another two points Embiid saved that won’t even make the final box score. As wild as it sounds, he was even better than that 40-point, 16-board double-double line suggests. He hit a cutting Charlie Brown with a gorgeous should- have-been-a dime but the floater rimmed out. Joel had it all working.

What will make the box score was the block he had on a Ivica Zubac layup when it was 93-91 with just over 3 minutes to go. Then on the next possession he drained a triple. That was a one-man five-point swing. He had two-way sequences like this all evening long.

Embiid went to the line down 3 with 22 seconds left and drained a pair of clutch free throws as some MVP chants rained down. He left it all on the line scoring 10 of the team’s final 11 points, making life tough for the Clips on the other end. He continues to present unbearable problems for everyone in his way.

Tyrese Maxey: 19 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 of 6 from deep

The Sixers rattled off a 42-14 run between the end of the first to the middle of the third period. Tyrese helped them run up the score during that onslaught. He put the pressure on the Clips early and often. Driving left, then finishing with his right, using some slick reverses, he finished amongst the trees in this one.

The Clippers made their big run and it was a four point game with just over seven minutes to go. That’s when Maxey played a little two-man action with Joel. Embiid found Maxey for a big three to put the team up seven with just over seven minutes to go.

The eight dimes are just one shy from trying his season-high nine for that category.

Tobias Harris: 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block

Tobias finished with a solid line. He was one of a few players who actually found ways to get buckets once the Clippers made their epic run. At a few points in this one, the Clips tried some two-three zone. That slowed down the Sixers overall, but it may have worked in Harris’ favor.

The Tennessee product found a few soft spots in the zone during that fourth period. Once, Tobias caught the ball just below the foul line area and turned to the hoop to shoot a short floater. Shortly after, he hit a baby bank shot, then later found another seam to release a driving floater.

He had a chance to tie the game with 1:21 remaining, but split the pair.

No other Sixer hit double-digit points, so we’ll leave it at three contestants.