In a phenomenal battle for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers went on the road last night and defeated the Detroit Pistons by 112-106, creating separation at the top of the Conference with an 8-1 record, while the Motor City squad fell to 6-2.
Nick Nurse's men controlled the entire game, maintaining the lead for most of the night from the first quarter onward in a matchup that truly had it all. Jaylen Brown was phenomenal on both ends of the floor, finishing the game with 30 points and seven rebounds, supported by Joel Embiid with 25 points and 15 rebounds and LeBron James with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.
Tyrese Maxey dipped below 20 points for the first time this season on his 26th birthday; Embiid nearly got into a fight with Tolu Smith, while James fell just short of becoming the oldest player in history to record a triple-double and the first ever to reach an incredible 16,000 field goals made .
After the game, the vibes in the Sixers' locker room were sky-high, best illustrated by an interaction between James and Embiid. When the four-time NBA champion told the Cameroonian center to move away because he was standing too close to his locker, Embiid responded in classic troll fashion.
"I'm sorry, Mr. 16,000 field goals. I forgot the question, but yeah," Embiid said while laughing.
Once again, LeBron and Joel connected on several great plays that led to points for the Sixers, further confirming that they have opened the season with great chemistry.
However, despite his dominant numbers, Embiid struggled once more from beyond the arc and currently sits at an unbelievable 11.5 percent, stating after the game that he might never shoot a 3-pointer again.
In the grand scheme of things, that might actually be the best news for Philadelphia fans: if Embiid finds his perimeter stroke while the team is already rolling at 8-1, the rest of the league is going to have a massive problem on its hands.
Also, these lighthearted moments prove how great things are in Philly's locker room after this amazing start. It also seems those who were worried about the lack of chemistry on the squad were completely wrong.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
