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What Had Happened Was

What Had Happened Was: 11/16/17

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    Philadelphia 76ers v Los Angeles Lakers
    Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers boxes out against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 15, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
    Aaron Dodson By @aardodson

    Game. Blouses.

    • Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid had a career night against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, finishing with a career-high in points (46, the most for a Sixers player since Allen Iverson in 2006), assists (7) and blocks (7) in the Sixers’ 115-109 victory at Staples Center. Embiid, playing in just his 43rd game since being drafted third overall in the 2014 draft, also grabbed 15 rebounds, one shy of a career best, as well. The 7-footer scoring at least 40 points with seven assists and seven blocks was the first since Sixers legend Julius Erving did it against the Detroit Pistons in 1982, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Embiid wasn’t finished when the game ended, though, posting on Instagram a game photo of him scoring on Lakers guard Lonzo Ball (Embiid has been feuding with LaVar Ball and his family since the summer) with the location geotagged to Lavar, Fars, Iran.
    • UCLA men’s basketball players LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill have been suspended indefinitely after returning from a team trip to China, where the three freshmen were arrested and questioned for allegedly shoplifting. “They will have to earn their way back,” UCLA head coach Steve Alford said in a news conference Wednesday, adding that Riley, Hill and Ball, the younger brother of Los Angeles Lakers rookie guard Lonzo Ball, will not suit up, travel or practice while the university investigates the situation. The trio of players read statements of apology at the news conference. “I didn’t exercise my best judgment,” LiAngelo Ball said, “and I’m sorry for that. This does not define who I am. My family raised me better than that.”
    • The Buffalo Bills benched quarterback Tyrod Taylor and announced plans to start rookie Nathan Peterman in his place against the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend. “As I continually evaluate our roster and our goal to become better, I’ve decided to start Nate Peterman as our quarterback this week,” Bills head coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday. “I remain confident in Tyrod Taylor and his ability to help our football team moving forward.” Peterman, a fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft, took the place of Taylor, a third-year starter, with five minutes left in Buffalo’s 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Stacking up against other starting quarterbacks in the NFL, Taylor has been a middle-of-the-pack to below-average signal-caller this season, ranking 19th in Total QBR (51.2), 16th in passer rating (91.4), 14th in completion percentage (64.2) and 26th in yards per pass attempt (6.63). The roster decision likely sets up Taylor to move on from the Bills after the season. ESPN’s Dan Graziano breaks down every potential landing spot in 2018 for the 28-year-old quarterback.
    • Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott withdrew his appeal to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, despite a hearing for a possible preliminary injunction scheduled for Dec. 1, meaning the second-year player will serve his full six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. “This decision arises from a practical assessment of the current legal landscape,” Elliott’s agents, Rocky Arceneaux and Frank Salzano, said in a statement. “Mr. Elliott’s desire for closure in this matter is in his best interests, as well as the best interests of his teammates, family and friends.” Elliott will be eligible to return to the field on Dec. 24 against the Seattle Seahawks.

    Top three tweets

    1. MASKED KYRIE IS THE BEST KYRIE … DON’T @ US

    2. IS THAT YOU, DERAY? OR YOU, TIM?

    3. BABY KAT!

    ICYMI

    On this day in sports history

    On Nov. 16, 1966, Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente was named National League MVP. During the 1966 season, Clemente, who was born in Puerto Rico, hit .317 with 29 home runs, 119 RBIs and a career-high 342 total bags. Clemente’s 18-year career was cut short in 1972, when he died in a plane crash at the age of 38. He was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame a year later, having made 15 All-Star appearances besides winning two World Series titles (1960, 1971), one World Series MVP (1971), 12 Gold Glove Awards (1961-72), four NL batting titles (1961, 1964, 1965, 1967) and his lone MVP award in 1966.

    Picture-perfect

    Aaron Dodson is a sports and culture writer at Andscape. He primarily writes on sneakers/apparel and hosts the platform’s Sneaker Box video series. During Michael Jordan’s two seasons playing for the Washington Wizards in the early 2000s, the “Flint” Air Jordan 9s sparked his passion for kicks.

    This Story Tagged: Roberto Clemente Kyrie Irving What Had Happened Was Philadelphia 76ers Pittsburgh Pirates … View All Tyrod Taylor LiAngelo Ball Lonzo Ball LaVar Ball Joel Embiid Ezekiel Elliott