NBA 2018-19: 3 Talking points from Golden State Warriors vs Philadelphia 76ers

The Golden State Warriors ended their two-game losing streak after beating the Philadelphia 76ers 120-117 at the Wells Fargo Center.

All-Stars Klay Thompson (knee soreness) and Joel Embiid (knee tendinitis) were ruled out due to injuries but the game lived up to the hype. Kevin Durant came up big and scored 34 points to lead the Dubs to a victory.

The Warriors came into the game after back-to-back losses against the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

A win against the 76ers means that the Warriors maintain their No.1 spot in the Western Conference and better their record to 44-19.

Steve Kerr's men ended the road trip with a win as they head back to the Oracle Arena to host the Boston Celtics in their next match.

For the Philadelphia 76ers, they remain 4th in the Eastern Conference after this tough loss. The team clearly missed Joel Embiid who leads the teams in points per game averaging 27.3 points every night.

They will host the Orlando Magic in their next game before heading for a two-game road trip.

Here three talking points from the game.

#1 Ben Simmons continues to impress

Simmons, who had himself a triple-double against the Oklahoma City Thunder continued to ball out as he scored 25 points, grabbed 15 boards and dished out 11 assists against the Warriors. He is averaging 20 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 7.6 assists a night in his last 5 games.

In this game, Simmons couldn't carry his team past the finish line but he lead the 76ers in all major statistical categories.

He played a versatile role in this match as a player playing at the point guard spot but got into the paint often and caused a lot of problems for the Warriors defense.

Not only was he a scoring threat during the entirety of the game, but he was also a great facilitator setting up easy shots for his teammates.

After making his debut All-Star appearance, Ben Simmons has been on a roll. He has to lead the 76ers without Joel Embiid for a positive record through the last 5 games.

#2 The Trio of Curry, Durant, and Cousins was just too good for Philly to deal with

The Warriors' lineup took care of business without Klay Thompson

With five All-Stars in the starting line-up, the Warriors are a team that has luxuries not everyone can afford. With Klay Thompson out with injury, the other players stepped up and made sure that they got the crucial win.

Kevin Durant scored the game-high 34 points and had 5 rebounds and 5 assists to show for his offensive prowess.

Steph Curry struggled from beyond the arc making just 5 3 pointers after attempting a total of 15 3 pointers in the game.

However, he still managed to score 28 points in the game. DeMarcus Cousins scored a season 25 points as he extended his streak of 20 points in a game for the third game in a row. He also grabbed 8 boards and had a couple of steals.

#3 The outcome was decided in the fourth Quarter of the game

Mike Scott scored three 3 Pointers in the 4th Quarter but ended up on the losing side.

The 76ers had led by as much as 14 in the game but the Warriors was up by three points at the end of the third Quarter and the game was nicely set up for an exciting fourth Quarter.

Mike Scott got hot for the 76ers and scored three big three-pointers late in the game as the score was tied at 111 points each with three minutes left in the last quarter after the 20th lead change of the game.

Steph Curry then came up clutch and scored the next 6 points for the Warriors as they took a commanding 6 point lead with under 40 seconds left in the game.

However, there was still more drama to be had as sharp-shooter Tobias Harris knocked down a 3 to make it a three-point game. Durant and Simmons scored on the next 2 possessions. The Warriors ultimately managed to close the game and won by three points.

Edited by Alan John