Lakers use Lonzo’s 36 to come back and knock off Sixers late

By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor 

In a game that came down to a lot of different factors, the Sixers fought and they fought and they fought, but the Lakers just had the upper hand at the end and took the victory away.

The Sixers played well throughout, and held a pretty large lead for a little while, until the Lakers slowly started to chip closer at the deficit, eventually forcing the Sixers into an area of desperation that they unfortunately know all too well.

For quite awhile, the Sixers had to resort to other options in order to get their points and stay in games, especially due to the injury to point guard Markelle Fultz.

Players who aren't usually relied on in certain situations stepped up to the challenge and contributed on a level they aren't usually used to.

One challenge on this night for the Sixers was the difficulty of containing Lonzo Ball and his night of 36 points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, five steals, and two blocks. He impressed once again and in all actuality, Lonzo has been on the steady incline ever since his first game that for a lack of a better word, was a disaster.

Lonzo played pretty tough to start the game, but his level of play got to the next level especially towards the end of the game in super clutch situations. For all of the negative attention surrounding the Ball Family, Lonzo backed up his father's talk with a night that will be remembered for a long time.

Every once in a while, a player will put up gaudy numbers, but Lonzo took his game to the next level and went on a scoring spree more so than a passing spree, something he is more accustomed to doing.

Going along with my original preview prediction, Alex Poythress was as much of a game impact as I originally predicted, as he played very well for the Sixers, especially in the first half. Poythress finished the game with 16 points, five boards, and a block.

Furkan Korkmaz outplayed his Summer League so far, and really put on a highlight real show especially with the way he wheeled-and-dealed the ball. 19 points, three assists, and a steal to his credit.

15 points for Larry Drew II, who played well specifically in the first half. He also had two rebounds, and a team-high eight assists.

James Blackmon had a nice game, and really put a cherry on top with his clutch shot to put the Sixers ahead with five seconds left on the clock. Blackmon had 12 points for the Sixers.

The Lakers may have finished with the most points, but the game really came down to the wire, and the Sixers showed that even without Markelle Fultz on the floor, they have a ton of potential to look out for in the coming months heading into the regular season.

The Sixers will have another chance to compete in the consolation round on Friday, but for now, the Lakers will advance to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers.