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Joel Embiid had 21 points and nine rebounds in three quarters and the Philadelphia 76ers handed the Orlando Magic their first loss with a 116-92 victory Thursday night (Friday AEDT).
Starting 4-0 for the first time in franchise history, the Magic never had much of a chance of securing a fifth win due to the surprising outside shot from the 76ers, who even got a 3 point from Ben Simmons. .
Philadelphia, who entered Game 27 in the NBA with a 3-point accuracy, made eight of their first 12 attempts over the arc and built a 37-point lead in the first period.
Seth Curry added 21 points and five 3-pointers, and Tobias Harris had 20 points, nine rebounds and three 3-pointers for Philadelphia (4-1), who had 38 points in the first quarter and 75 at halftime.
The Sixers set a season record 15 3 points.
Simmons, who sank just the third 3-point of his career in the first quarter, finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
The Magic (4-1) were the last undefeated team in the NBA.
Nikola Vucevic finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, while rookie goalie Cole Anthony scored 16 points off the bench.
Orlando was without reserve goalie Terrence Ross – his top scorer with 21 points per game – due to hamstring irritation.
The Magic also lost starting goaltender Evan Fournier eight minutes into the game due to back spasms.
He had three points and two assists and watched the second half unbalanced from the bench.
Already up 38-22 after a quarter, the Sixers made 14 of 22 shots and four of seven three points in the second period to extend their lead to 72-35 at the end of the first half.
Bucks breaks NBA 3PT record
Harris and Curry each hit three 3-pointers early on, while Matisse Thybulle sank two shots from across the arc in the first half.
TIP-INS
76ers: Dwight Howard, who played in Orlando from 2004-2012, was booed on his first recording in the game and fans cheered derisively when he made his first foul nine seconds later.
Howard pierced Philadelphia’s 14th 3-point of the game – and 10th in his 17-year NBA career – in the fourth quarter.
Howard had seven points and five rebounds in 14 minutes.
Thursday’s game (Friday AEDT) was the second of the season in Philadelphia with fans in attendance.
Sixers coach Doc Rivers said he was “surprised” by the number of “maskless” citizens walking around downtown Orlando a day earlier.
When asked if he felt safe, Rivers replied, “I do it in the arena. You go from state to state, but you still have the same NBA protocols and that’s really important. “
Magic: James Ennis III, who the Magic acquired last February in a trade with Philadelphia, underwent drills on Thursday (AEDT Friday) and Clifford said the forward is set to return.
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