The Sixers dominated the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, with Joel Embiid recording his sixth triple-double of the season.

The Sixers returned to Philadelphia on Monday evening to face LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Sixers were victorious, winning 138-94. 

Here are some highlights from the victory:

First Quarter

• Sixers head coach Nick Nurse gave Tobias Harris the job of guarding James in the first quarter, but swiftly changed things around. Nurse has previously said that he does not want to show great players the same coverages over and again. Nic Batum readily shifted onto James on screens early in the game, and the Sixers then resorted to a 2-3 zone defense – in part because Joel Embiid was fouled after a controversial call. 

• After a quick start by the Lakers, which was aided by eight Davis points, the Sixers got scorching and raced out to a 13-point lead at the conclusion of the first. They made some spectacular shots, particularly Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who combined for 22 points and six assists in the first quarter. However, their defense and rebounding were the most important aspects of their game. They mobbed the ball on defense on the boards, making life tough for the Lakers, who were shorthanded.

· One of Nurse’s tweaks that resulted to the big first-quarter run: ultimately giving Batum the Davis assignment to help Embiid avoid his third foul, letting Embiid roam and allowing the team’s size advantage speak for itself. The Lakers used small lineups, which the Sixers took advantage of. 

• Consider this: the Sixers utilized Batum to guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, James, and Davis over the course of five quarters. His defensive flexibility is incredible.

Second Quarter

 • The Sixers received big minutes from Patrick Beverley, who hit three first-half three-pointers on way to his greatest offensive performance of the season. In the first half, Beverley also had two assists. The Sixers are desperate for offensive performance from Beverley — or whomever takes his rotation place — so seeing him contribute on the offensive end was a breath of fresh air.

• Marcus Morris Sr. also hit three three-pointers in the first half, along with a long two-pointer, giving him 11 points before halftime. He has been providing the Sixers with extremely nice minutes recently, and if he can continue to provide them with shooting performances like this, he might become a rotation regular. It will be difficult for a guy with defensive limitations to be a constant useful element, but for the time being, he is getting the job done.

• Embiid’s passing in this one was — one again — incredible. He continues to improve his facilitating and playmaking, maybe game by game. When he gets into a scoring flow and then learns to read defenses and pass it out, the Sixers become almost hard to defend. The Sixers scored 68 points in the first half, paced by Embiid (17 points, seven assists) and Maxey (20 points, six assists).

• The Sixers had a chance to go into halftime with a large, maybe insurmountable advantage, but they finally surrendered to a Los Angeles surge that cut the lead to 25 at the half. The Lakers’ scorers, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, were able to get rolling for the Lakers, who eventually began getting stops in the closing few minutes of the half.

Third Quarter

 • As if Embiid’s passing hasn’t gotten enough attention lately, he handed up four assists in four minutes to start the second half – an unbelievable playmaking masterclass. Embiid was constantly moving the ball up the floor and starting offense, possibly more than he has ever done in a game.

• After going scoreless in the first half, De’Anthony Melton came up big when the Sixers needed it most, hitting three three-pointers. Melton’s three-point shooting has been spectacular in recent weeks, and when spot-up shooters are on fire, it makes things much simpler for Embiid and company. Melton, Batum, and Harris are all excellent spot-up shooters who assist to open up the court for Embiid when he posts up and Maxey when he drives to the basket.

Fourth Quarter

 • A particularly noteworthy aspect of Maxey’s performance in this one: the majority of his five three-pointers came on the run and as an off-ball player. One of the benefits of Beverley’s good performance is that it allows the Sixers to sometimes use Maxey as an off-ball threat, where his amazing shooting talents make him highly dangerous. 

• Despite the Lakers’ best efforts, the Sixers were able to easily win this game. Their all-night three-point shooting did the job. Having a club as excellent as the Lakers empty their bench with more than eight minutes remaining in the game speaks something about the Sixers’ amazing all-around performance.

• Despite finishing with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, Embiid only had to play 31 minutes in this one. The Sixers’ ability to put games away while he is on the bench is very significant, not just for the points they score and the games they win, but also for the rest they allow Embiid.