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Young haunts former mates as Pacers win see-saw contest
LOS ANGELES, Dec 15, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Thaddeus Young torched his former
team for 26 points and 10 rebounds as the Indiana Pacers overcame a huge
performance from Joel Embiid with a 113-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers
on Friday night.
Embiid added 21 rebounds to become the first player in the league this
season with at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a single game. He is the
first 76ers player to score 30 points and 20 rebounds since Charles Barkley
in December 1990.
Indiana’s Victor Oladipo returned from missing 11 games with a knee injury
to tally 14 points and nine assists in the battle of Eastern Conference
contenders. Oladipo especially made his presence known in the fourth quarter
by draining some clutch jump shots.
Bojan Bogdanovic had 18 points, and the Pacers won their sixth straight to
pass the Sixers in the standings.
JJ Redick added 22 points and Ben Simmons had 18 for the Sixers, who
dropped to 19-11 overall.
They also lost their second consecutive game at home after beginning the
season 14-1 at home.
Philadelphia played without injured all-star Jimmy Butler, who has missed
the last two contests.
The 76ers started quickly building a 12-2 lead to open the contest.
Indiana went on a 12-0 surge to tie it 38-38 in the second quarter.
Embiid then took over, scoring 14 points in the final five minutes of the
second quarter to put Philadelphia ahead 59-49 at the half.
The Pacers then went to work, erasing that 10 point halftime deficit with
the help of consecutive three-pointers by Bogdanovic.
Bogdanovic’s three with 3:46 left stretched Indiana’s lead to 102-92 and
they never looked back.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1034 hrs