Joel Embiid Builds MVP Case; Leads Philadelphia 76ers to Back-to-Back Wins Over Hornets

(Photo : Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives to the basket against Cody Martin #11 of the Charlotte Hornets during the second half of the game at Spectrum Center on December 06, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Charlotte Hornets are getting sick and tired of the Philadelphia 76ers. For the second time in three nights, the 76ers defeated the Hornets, with Philadelphia pulling off a 110-106 victory over Charlotte on Wednesday night. Three players scored in double figures for the Sixers, who have now won their last 16 meetings with the Hornets.

Embiid punishes Hornets again with a 32-point outing

Joel Embiid again starred for the Sixers, scoring 32 points on 8 of 17 shooting from the field. He did most of his damage on the free-throw line, going 15 of 19. Embiid filled the stat sheet as he also had eight rebounds and four assists. In the previous game, he also went berserk against Charlotte, scoring a season-high 43 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and dishing out seven assists in Philadelphia's 127-124 overtime win.

Seth Curry also stepped up big time for the Sixers, recording 23 points and eight assists. Tobias Harris added 18 points and six rebounds for the 76ers, who improved to 14-11 for the season. They ended their four-game road trip with a 3-1 record after starting their travels with a one-point defeat at Boston.

It was another disappointing loss for the Hornets, who, for the second consecutive game, crumbled down the stretch against the 76ers. They wasted a superb performance by Gordon Hayward, who recorded a season-high 31 points and seven assists for Charlotte.

Kelly Oubre Jr., who scored 35 points in Monday's loss to Philly, failed to connect from deep this time around. He shot just 3 of 12 from beyond the arc and missed a costly free throw with seven seconds left that prevented the contest from being a one-possession game.

Hornets' losing woes continue as COVID-19 outbreak hits team

The Hornets have now lost five of their last six outings as they dropped to ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 14-13 record. They are trying their hardest to remain competitive despite playing the last few games without five key rotational players. COVID-19 struck the Hornets this week, sending the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball to the league's health and safety protocols.

However, Charlotte showed plenty of heart in its last two games against Philadelphia. In the first meeting, they lost by just three points in overtime to the Sixers. The Hornets kept the game close once again in their immediate rematch, with Wednesday's contest featuring 16 lead changes and 12 ties.

They even took a 98-97 advantage with 3:25 left following a banked 3-point shot by PJ Washington. But, the Sixers responded with their own 8-0 run, to silence the home crowd. Danny Green and Embiid nailed back-to-back 3s to give Philly a five-point lead. Embiid delivered the dagger with a thunderous dunk with 1:53 remaining that extended the advantage to seven points.