CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Joel Embiid’s dominating performance of 42 points and 15 rebounds spearheaded the Philadelphia 76ers’ historic 135-82 rout of the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night. The 76ers’ victory marked the Hornets’ worst defeat in franchise history, surpassing their previous largest loss from January 10, 2000.
Embiid’s explosive start was pivotal as he outscored the entire Hornets team in the first quarter. This set the stage for a 29-point halftime lead for Philadelphia, who cruised to their sixth consecutive win without facing any significant challenge from Charlotte.
The Hornets, severely hampered by injuries, missed the services of three starters – LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward, and Mark Williams – along with key reserves P.J. Washington and Cody Martin. Compounding their woes, top scorer Terry Rozier, averaging over 28 points in recent games, left in the third quarter due to a nose injury from an elbow collision.
Despite the setback, Rozier’s injury was not deemed serious, and he did not require stitches. However, his absence further weakened an already depleted Charlotte lineup.
Philadelphia’s domination was evident from the outset, with Embiid amassing 18 points and nine rebounds in the opening quarter. His aggressive play continued throughout the game, fueled by an early non-call that he perceived as unfair. “I was going to be aggressive anyway, but the fact that I didn’t get (the call), I felt that I had to go harder and be more aggressive,” Embiid stated.
Tyrese Maxey contributed significantly with 21 points, including five 3-pointers in the second quarter alone. By halftime, Embiid had already tallied 25 points and 10 rebounds, helping extend the 76ers’ lead to a commanding 73-44.
Embiid’s outstanding performance, characterized by efficient shooting (18 of 23 from the field), earned him chants of “MVP! MVP!” from the crowd as he took his leave late in the third quarter with the 76ers leading by 41 points.
76ers coach Nick Nurse praised Embiid’s confidence and rhythm in shooting, while Hornets coach Steve Clifford acknowledged the unique challenge posed by Embiid, comparing him to Denver’s Nikola Jokic in his ability to disrupt traditional defensive strategies against centers.
For the Hornets, Brandon Miller led the scoring with 14 points, though his 4-of-16 shooting reflected the team’s overall struggles. The loss leaves Charlotte with a 7-17 record, facing a daunting upcoming schedule including matchups against the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings.
Clifford emphasized the need for the Hornets to regain their injured players to navigate the challenging weeks ahead, “This is a brutal stretch, the next two weeks. There are no easy weeks in this league, but if you look at the upcoming schedule it’s going to be hard. And we’re not sure when those guys will come back.”
Meanwhile, the 76ers, tied for second in the East, face a more favorable schedule for the remainder of the calendar year, presenting an opportunity to climb higher in the standings.
UP NEXT
76ers: The team returns home to host the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
Hornets: Charlotte faces another tough test as they travel to Toronto to play the Raptors on Monday night.
