Donovan Mitchell Drops 22 as Jazz Beat 76ers with Joel Embiid Playing Through Injury
Donovan Mitchell finally cooled off some on Thursday night. No biggie—the rest of the Utah Jazz picked up the slack.
Led by eight players scoring double-digit points, the Jazz beat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-96.
Mitchell came into the game en fuego, with 30 or more points in four straight games. While he couldn't keep that streak going, he and the Jazz outdueled Sixers superstar center Joel Embiid, who has been excellent since returning from a three-week COVID-19 absence in mid-November but left Thursday's game late in the third quarter with abdominal pain.
By the time he returned with just over nine minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Sixers found themselves in a 16-point hole, a deficit they wouldn't overcome.
The result bumped the Jazz up to 18-7 on the season, while Philly fell to 14-12.
Key Stats
Donovan Mitchell, Utah: 22 points, six assists
Rudy Gobert, Utah: 17 points, 21 rebounds, two blocks
Mike Conley, Utah: 10 points, four assists
Joel Embiid, PHI: 19 points, nine rebounds, three steals
Tobias Harris, PHI: 17 points, seven rebounds
Seth Curry, PHI: 18 points, four assists
The Sixers Can't Seem To Catch A Break
Ben Simmons wants to be traded and hasn't played a game for the team thus far this season. Countless players have missed time due to injuries or the NBA's health and safety protocols. Both Tyrese Maxey and Embiid temporarily left Thursday's game with knocks.
The Sixers have struggled to maintain any positive momentum this season given all of those adversities, and in many ways the loss to the Jazz felt like a microcosm of their season as a whole.
Granted, it didn't help that they shot 6-of-33 (18.2 percent) from three.
So long as they have Embiid, the Sixers are a threat. But their margin for error is razor-thin, especially while the Simmons ordeal remains unresolved. Against the league's top teams like the Jazz, that becomes more obvious.
Utah's Balance And Depth Continues To Be A Strength
Joe Ingles, Rudy Gay, Jordan Clarkson and Hassan Whiteside came off the bench and combined for 46 points. Utah held a 48-31 advantage in bench points. Four starters scored in double digits.
You don't need Mitchell to play like a superhero when the supporting cast shows up like that.
While the Sixers struggled to hit their perimeter shots, the Jazz finished 15-of-40 (37.5 percent) from deep. They played excellent team basketball, with 22 assists. This was quality, efficient basketball, the type coaches love.
The Jazz's lack of a second true superstar next to Mitchell tends to hurt them come the postseason. But there's no doubt that their depth and balance make them a threat to compete for the top seed yet again.
What's Next?
Utah travels to Washington, D.C., to face the Wizards on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET, while the Sixers host the Golden State Warriors that same day at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
