Philadelphia 76ers: The last unbeaten team this NBA season
The 76ers have now won all 5 of their games so far this season.
It hasn't even been a month since the start of the NBA regular season. Now, there's only one team left that has yet to lose a game. Their win against the Minnesota Timberwolves was marred by the scuffle between Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns, resulting in both players' ejection. However, a win is a win and the Philadelphia 76ers remain undefeated for the season.
They played against the Portland Trailblazers on Saturday night without their all-star center Embiid, who's suspended for two games. They won the game by the skin of their teeth to keep their lead in the Eastern Conference and the entire NBA with a record of 5-0. If they lost the game against Portland, they would have dropped to 4-1, sharing the same record as the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and the defending champions, Toronto Raptors.
The Western Conference leaders also hold 4-1 records. The San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Los Angeles Lakers share the top spot.
Portland led for most of the game including a commanding 68-57 lead during half-time. A strong burst by the 76ers in the final quarter came as a surprise to Portland, who are also playing with two starters injured. Rodney Hood was also injured in-game. The depth of the young 76ers pressed the advantage in the closing minutes of the game. A shocking three pointer from Furkan Korkmaz in the final second gave the 76ers the lead and the win.
According to NBA.com, the last time the 76ers went 4-0 was back when Allen Iverson led the team to the 2000-01 finals. Now at 5-0, they have to fight harder to stay on top. Al Horford, who led the team in rebounding for the Timberwolves game, will have to put in similar numbers with more minutes.
The two-game suspension of Embiid and Towns is going to affect both the Timberwolves and the 76ers. Minnesota's loss to the 76ers gave them their first loss of the season. If they lose one or both games during KAT's suspension, it is also going to lose them their top spot in the Western Conference. So far, the 76ers are coping well but they still have a match to play without Embiid.
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