NBA: Tatum propels Celtics to Game 7 win over Sixers for Eastern Conference finals berth

LOS ANGELES -- Jayson Tatum poured in an historic 51 points on Sunday to lead the Boston Celtics to a 112-88 Game 7 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers and into the NBA Eastern Conference finals.

Tatum added 13 rebounds five assists and a couple of steals and the Celtics' suffocating defense neutralized newly minted NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid as Boston booked a return date with the Miami Heat -- the team they beat in seven games in last year's conference finals.

Jaylen Brown added 25 points for Boston, who broke open a close game in the third quarter as they out-scored the 76ers 33-10.

Philadelphia went six minutes of the period without a basket and trailed by 26 heading into the fourth, when Boston pushed the lead to 30 with less than four minutes to play.

His 51 points eclipsed the game-seven record of 50 set by Golden State's Stephen Curry against the Sacramento Kings in the first round this month.

It was a bounce-back performance for Tatum, who struggled for long stretches in the series and endured a horrific shooting night until drilling four crucial three-pointers in the fourth quarter of the Celtics' series-extending game-six win on Thursday.

He began fashioning his game-seven masterpiece in the opening minutes.

The 76ers turned an early six-point deficit into a 29-23 lead through one quarter, while a nip-and-tuck second period saw the Celtics up 55-52 at halftime.

Then the Celtics blew it wide open in the third. Tatum scored 17 points in the period, draining four of his six three-pointers as the shell-shocked 76ers struggled, and failed, to find a response.

"Going into game six I was too locked-in, I was too tight, thinking about what I need to do, how many points I need to score," Tatum said.

After a lighthearted practice on Saturday, Tatum said he was more himself.

"That's when I play my best is when I'm having fun."

It was another crushing playoff exit for the 76ers and Embiid, who was held to 15 points on five-of-18 shooting.

Philadelphia's Doc Rivers fell to 6-10 in game sevens as a coach. That's the most game seven defeats of any NBA coach in history and Rivers remained without a game-seven win on the road in his coaching career.

The 76ers had the third-best regular-season record behind the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston, but even with Embiid enjoying an MVP season it failed to translate into post-season success.

They have reached the playoffs for six straight seasons but haven't made it out of the second round.

Tobias Harris led the 76ers with 19 points but Boston limited the Sixers to 37.3% shooting from the floor and harried them into 14 turnovers.

- Turnover trouble -

Star guard James Harden scored just nine, making three of his 11 shots from the field.

Boston veteran Al Horford did a terrific job guarding Embiid. He scored just six points but grabbed 10 rebounds with two steals and three blocked shots.

Rivers said the rot set in for the 76ers in the second quarter.

"We were playing so well. We trusted, the ball was moving, and then we had I think it was three or four turnovers in a row," Rivers said.

Rivers pointed to a flagrant foul called on Harden after his arm hit Brown in the face as the ball slipped out of Harden's hands on a layup attempt.

Instead of going up by 10, the Sixers gave up the ball.

"After that, we never played right again," Rivers said.

The Celtics will host the Heat in game one of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday with an NBA Finals berth on the line.

Last year the Heat were the top seeds in the East. This year they are the first eighth-seeded team to reach the conference finals since the 1999 Knicks.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Tatum comes through as Celtics hold off 76ers to level series

Jayson Tatum scored 16 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Boston Celtics held off the Philadelphia 76ers, 95-86, on Thursday to force a decisive Game 7 in their NBA playoff series.

The star Boston forward was enduring a dismal shooting night, making just one of 13 attempts from the floor through the first three quarters before erupting with four three-pointers in the final period as the Celtics thwarted Philadelphia's rally bid and leveled their Eastern Conference semifinal at three games apiece.

They'll host Game 7 on Sunday, trying to deny the Sixers a first trip to the conference finals since 2001.

James Harden epitomized the 76ers' offensive struggles. He scored 13 points on four-of-13 shooting while newly minted NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid scored 26 points with 10 rebounds.

Tatum, who averaged 30.1 points per game in the regular season, said he never lost confidence even as he struggled.

"It's a long game," Tatum told broadcaster ESPN. "Thankfully I've got some great teammates that held it down."

Marcus Smart led the Celtics with 22 points. Jaylen Brown added 17 and Malcolm Brogdon scored 16 off the bench.

Even amid Tatum's troubles the Celtics raced to a 15-3 lead, Smart and Brogdon carrying the early load before the Sixers began to find their feet.

Philadelphia cut the deficit to three points before the Celtics pulled away again, pushing their advantage to 16 points twice in the second period.

But the Sixers clawed back, taking advantage of 17 Celtics turnovers and finally taking the lead on two free throws from Harden that put them up 64-62 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Philadelphia led 73-71 going into the final frame and were up by two when Tatum made his first three-pointer of the game to put Boston ahead.

Tatum then drilled a step-back three-pointer over Tyrese Maxey.

Another pair from beyond the arc pushed the Celtics' lead to 11 points with 37.6 seconds remaining.

"All that mattered was we won this game," said Tatum, who also had seven rebounds, six assists, a steal and two blocked shots. "It's game seven, it doesn't get any better than that."

Later Thursday, the banged-up Phoenix Suns tried to fend off elimination when they hosted Western Conference top seeds Denver in Game 6 of their series.

Phoenix were again without veteran point guard Chris Paul, who missed games three four and five after suffering a groin injury in game two. Center Deandre Ayton was ruled out with a rib injury that has reportedly affected his breathing while All-Star guard Devin Booker went into the contest nursing an ankle injury.

The Nuggets, who routed the Suns on Tuesday to take a 3-2 lead in the series behind a 29-point triple-double from Nikola Jokic, listed ailing Jamal Murray as questionable.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Celtics spoil Embiid MVP moment, grab 2-1 playoff series lead

LOS ANGELES -- Jayson Tatum scored 27 points to lead six Boston players in double figures on Friday as the Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-102 to take a 2-1 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Jaylen Brown added 23 points and Al Horford scored 17 for the Celtics, who regained home court advantage with a second straight victory after dropping game one in Boston.

They kept the momentum going on an emotional night in Philadelphia, where Sixers center Joel Embiid accepted his Most Valuable Player trophy from NBA commissioner Adam Silver in a pregame ceremony.

Embiid scored 30 points with 13 rebounds and four blocked shots in his second game back from a sprained knee.

But teammates James Harden and Tyrese Maxey struggled. Harden connected on just three of 14 shots on the way to 16 points while Maxey scored 13 points on 4-for-16 shooting.

Geared up for the hostile environment at the Wells Fargo Center, the Celtics got off to a quick start, powering to a 14-4 lead.

Tatum, who scored just seven points in game two, bounced back with a vengeance adding 10 rebounds five assists, two steals and a blocked shot, putting up 10 points in the first fur minutes.

The Sixers, however, kept it close and led by one after the first quarter.

They couldn't maintain momentum, however. They were down by seven at halftime and never led after the break.

Embiid's tip-in basket with 3:51 remaining pulled Philadelphia within four points, but Horford responded with a three-pointer and Tatum sank a turnaround basket and the Celtics were up by nine again.

Philadelphia fans were soon heading for the exits, a disappointing end to a night that began with loud chants of "M-V-P" for Cameroon's Embiid, who received his trophy with his parents standing by, and addressed spectators holding his toddler son, Arthur -- clad in a "My dad is the MVP" shirt.

"Honestly, he's the main reason why I'm really here," Embiid said "Becoming a father really changed my whole life. I just wanted to show him a good example."

The Celtics made sure the feel-good moment didn't last.

"We knew we could win," Tatum told broadcaster ESPN. "This is a great team, the crowd's electric, you love being in that environment.

"But we are not surprised. To win a championship you've got to win one on the road. We'll take it."

In the second game of the day's double-header, the Phoenix Suns aimed to turn things around on their home floor against the top-seeded Nuggets, who won the first two games of their Western Conference semifinal in Denver.

Agence France-Presse

Sixers' Joel Embiid named NBA Most Valuable Player

LOS ANGELES  -- Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player on Tuesday, comfortably winning a ballot ahead of the Denver Nuggets' two-time award winner Nikola Jokic.

Embiid, who finished runner-up behind Jokic the past two seasons, earned the accolade after a dazzling regular season campaign that saw him average 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 66 games.

Embiid beat out fellow MVP finalists Jokic and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo in a preferential ballot. Results revealed Tuesday showed Embiid garnered 73 first place votes, with Jokic 15 and Antetokounmpo 12.

"I don't know really where to start, it's been a long time coming," a delighted Embiid told the TNT network on Tuesday after his award.

"A lot of hard work, I've been through a lot. And I'm not just talking about basketball, I'm talking about life, my story, how I got here and what it took for me to be here.

"It feels good. I don't know what to say. Amazing."

The towering 29-year-old Cameroonian power forward helped the Sixers finish third in the Eastern Conference, but has sat out Philadelphia's last two playoff games after suffering a knee injury in the game three first round defeat of Brooklyn last week.

Tuesday's MVP honor cements Embiid's status as one of the elite players in the NBA, the latest milestone on a journey that began when he was discovered at a basketball camp run by Cameroonian compatriot and former NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute.

After playing a single season of US college basketball, Embiid was chosen by Philadelphia with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

- 'Be a leader' -

A foot injury meant he missed the entirety of the 2014-2015 season, and further surgery in 2015 ruled him out of the 2015-2016 campaign.

He finally made his regular season debut for the Sixers in October 2016, notching 20 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in a defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While Embiid's talent was apparent from the outset of his NBA career, it is under Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, who took over the Sixers in 2020, that he has flourished.

Rivers has built his team and game plan around the 7ft (2.13), 280-pound (127-kilo) big man, and was also instrumental in Embiid's improved fitness.

Embiid hired a personal chef and works with a nutritionist after being urged to stay in peak physical condition by Rivers.

"He told me that I needed to be a leader," Embiid said of Rivers' advice in a 2021 ESPN interview.

"If I came back in shape, it also meant to my teammates, 'It's time to go. Joel is ready, he came back, he's in great shape, that means you guys have no excuse to not be in shape.'

"So that's what I did. I took it to heart."

Embiid has repaid Rivers' faith this season with a series of superb performances during the Sixers journey to the playoffs.

His average of 33.1 points helped him win the NBA's scoring title for a second straight year, and his performances have included three 50-point games this season.

Last month he became only the second player in NBA history after the legendary Wilt Chamberlain to record 50 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and 80 percent shooting in a game as he inspired Philadelphia to a 103-101 win over the Boston Celtics.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Ice-cool Harden scores 45 as Sixers stun Celtics, Jokic downs Suns

NEW YORK  -- James Harden scored 45 points as the Philadelphia 76ers stunned the Boston Celtics in the NBA playoffs on Monday before Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Phoenix Suns.

In a pulsating Eastern Conference duel in Boston, Harden produced a vintage performance -– including a pivotal go-ahead three-pointer with 8.4 seconds remaining -- to leave the TD Garden in stunned silence as the Sixers snatched a 119-115 game one victory.

The Sixers' win was achieved without their best player, injured talisman Joel Embiid, who watched from the bench after failing to recover from a knee injury.

"We're just a resilient team," Harden said. "Even without Joel, we've got the confidence to come here and win games.

"We've been doing it all year long, that's a good one for us."

Harden's points haul came from 17-of-30 shooting and included seven three-pointers.

"He was awesome," Sixers coach Doc Rivers said. "Kept his cool, knew when to attack, knew when to give it up."

Tyrese Maxey provided offensive support with 26 points while Tobias Harris added 18 and De’Anthony Melton 17.

The Celtics were led by 39 points from Jayson Tatum while Jaylen Brown chipped in with 23 points and Malcolm Brogdon 20.

With Boston exploiting the absence of Embiid to score freely in the paint, the Celtics jumped out to lead by 12 in the second quarter.

But Harden and Maxey's scoring ensured that the Sixers remained in touch coming down the stretch with only a handful of points separating the two teams in the closing stages.

A loose pass from Brogdon with 32 seconds left on the clock handed Maxey an easy uncontested layup to put Philadelphia 114-113 up, before Tatum hit back with two free throws to give Boston a slender 115-114 advantage.

But with the clock running down, Harden advanced up the court and took his time before nervelessly sinking a sublime three-pointer from 25 feet to give Philadelphia a 117-115 lead with just seconds remaining.

Rivers said Harden's ice-cool three-pointer at the death was a rebuttal to critics who have long accused the 33-year-old former NBA Most Valuable Player of folding under pressure.

"I thought he had just the perfect mindset tonight," Rivers said. "I'm so happy for him because it just tells you what he can do on a given night.

"It's amazing -- the guy's a Hall-of-Famer and all you hear is the other stuff about him. He's fantastic."

Game two of the best-of-seven series takes place in Boston on Wednesday.

- Suns eclipsed -

In Monday's other playoff game, Denver's reigning two-time NBA MVP Jokic finished with 39 points as the Nuggets staged a fourth-quarter rally to eclipse the Phoenix Suns 97-87 and take a 2-0 series lead.

Devin Booker finished with 35 points for Phoenix while Kevin Durant added 24, but the Suns were unable to respond as Denver pulled away to outscore the visitors 27-14 in the fourth quarter.

Jokic's 39-point haul included 26 after half-time as the Nuggets took control of a low-scoring contest that saw Phoenix lead by eight points in the third quarter.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope delivered a crucial cameo for Denver with a flurry of three three-pointers in the fourth quarter, helping to take the game away from Phoenix as the clock ran down.

A gloomy night for Phoenix was compounded by an injury to veteran Chris Paul, who limped to the locker room near the end of the third quarter after appearing to injure his groin.

"Both teams didn't shoot well, it was a low-scoring game 87-97, it was a tough, rough game -- but we won the game and that's the most important thing," Jokic said.

The victory came as Jokic prepares to discover on Tuesday whether he has won the NBA's regular season MVP award for a third straight year.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Jokic had delivered an MVP-caliber performance to drag Denver over the line.

"Nikola's an MVP for a reason. He can take over a game. He can beat you in a lot of ways. I love an aggressive Nikola Jokic," Malone said.

The Denver coach said Jokic however was only focused on ending the Nuggets' wait for a first NBA Championship.

"I know what motivates Nikola Jokic, myself, and the rest of the guys in that locker room - it's not the MVP," Malone said.

"If he wins it, we'll be celebrating and very happy for him because it's a huge accomplishment, three years in a row.

"And if he doesn't win it I'm going to give him a hug because he's still the MVP in my eyes."

The series now heads back to Arizona for game three on Friday.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: 76ers' Embiid doubtful for Game 1 against Boston

WASHINGTON -- NBA scoring champion Joel Embiid is doubtful to play in Monday's opening game of Philadelphia's second-round playoff series against Boston on Monday, 76ers coach Doc Rivers said on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Cameroonian 7-footer (2.13m) suffered a sprained right knee in game three of the 76ers' sweep over Brooklyn in their best-of-seven first-round series.

Embiid, who averaged 33.1 points and 10.2 rebounds a game for the Sixers, will have rested for 10 days before the 76ers visit Boston for the opener against the Celtics.

"He didn't do anything today," Rivers said after a weekend workout. "If I was a betting man, I would probably say doubtful for at least game one, but we'll see."

In four games against Boston this season, Embiid averaged 36.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists.

The Celtics went 3-1 against the 76ers this season.

Embiid missed the first two games of last year's second round of the playoffs against Miami with a right orbital bone fracture and the Sixers lost to the Heat in six games.

Embiid also missed playoff games in 2018 with a left orbital fracture.

Boston has won five consecutive playoff series against Philadelphia, which last ousted the Celtics in the post-season in 1982 Eastern Conference finals.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Wild win carries 76ers to 3-0 lead over Nets

The Philadelphia 76ers pushed the Brooklyn Nets to the brink of elimination on Thursday as the Golden State Warriors clawed back in their NBA playoff series against Sacramento with a 114-97 rout of the Kings.

A rugged clash in Brooklyn featured two ejections and a controversial kick from Joel Embiid, who nevertheless remained in the game.

Philadelphia's MVP candidate scored just 14 points but pulled down 10 rebounds and produced a crucial block with eight seconds remaining that helped the Sixers hang on for a 102-97 victory.

When the dust settled the Sixers had a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round series -- the Nets well aware that no NBA team has come back from 3-0 down to win a best-of-seven set.

Across the country in San Francisco, the reigning champion Warriors avoided a 3-0 hole despite the absence of star Draymond Green, who was suspended one game for stamping on Sacramento's Domantas Sabonis in Game 2.

The Warriors, who were 33-8 at home in the regular season, led wire-to-wire, pushing the advantage to as many as 23 points to cut the series deficit to 2-1.

The Phoenix Suns, fueled by Devin Booker's 45 points, were also up 2-1 after a 129-124 victory over the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 36 points. Center Kevon Looney pulled down 20 rebounds -- including nine offensive boards -- winning the battle with Sabonis.

Sabonis scored 15 points and grabbed 16 rebounds for the Kings, who were led by De'Aaron Fox's 26 points.

"Losing both games (in Sacramento) was a tough way to start," said Curry, leader of the Warriors' four-title dynasty but who had never before been down 2-0 in a series.

Curry said the Warriors were stung by Green's suspension but knew "we couldn't change the decision that we knew was wrong.

"But," he added, "if we could come out and win tonight and change the momentum of the series, that gives us an opportunity to make it about basketball."

Embiid controversy 

While Curry believes the Warriors have put the Green stamping debate behind them, there will be plenty of discussion around Game 3 of the Sixers-Nets series.

Down by five with 2:15 to play, the Sixers surged home. Tyrese Maxey scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, his step-back three-pointer with 44.7 seconds left giving the Sixers a 99-96 lead.

Spencer Dinwiddie cut the deficit by one with a free throw and looked headed for a game-tying layup when Embiid soared up to reject the shot and the Sixers held on.

Nets coach Jacque Vaughn expressed frustration that Embiid was even in the game at that point, marvelling that he wasn't ejected when he aimed a kick from the floor at Nic Claxton's groin as the Nets player stepped over him in the first quarter.

Embiid had hit the deck when he tangled with Claxton as the Nets player threw down an alley-oop dunk.

"For a guy to intentionally kick someone in an area that none of us want to be kicked at or toward, and for him to continue to play -- I've never seen that before," Vaughn said.

Sixers star James Harden was tossed late in the third quarter after piling his shoulder and arm into Royce O'Neale's body on a drive to the basket.

And Brooklyn's Claxton was ejected early in the fourth when he picked up a second technical foul for a muscle-flexing taunt of Embiid.

"We stayed together," Embiid said of the key to the hard-fought victory. "We kept playing through everything that was going on."

'Natural reaction' 

Harden was steaming at his ejection -- for a flagrant 2 foul -- over what he insisted was a normal basketball play.

"When somebody's draped over you like that defensively, it's just a natural basketball reaction," he said.

Mikal Bridges led the Nets with 26 points and Dinwiddie added 20, but Brooklyn are in danger of being swept for the second straight season.

Embiid, who went to the locker room briefly in the first quarter and could be seen limping later in the game, said the Sixers need to be better in Saturday's game four -- and that he'd be ready.

"I took a lot of shots today, but I'm fine," he said.

In Los Angeles, the Clippers had to make do without star Kawhi Leonard, who was ruled out with a knee sprain as they returned home after splitting the first two games with the Suns in Phoenix.

It was a heavy blow for a team already without injured star Paul George, and even 42 points from Norman Powell and 30 points from Russell Westbrook weren't enough against a Suns team that had 28 points from Kevin Durant.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Embiid 52 as Sixers hold off Celtics, Bucks on brink

Embiid – one of the front-runners for the NBA's regular season Most Valuable Player award – produced a towering performance in a 103-101 victory in Philadelphia that all but extinguished second-placed Boston's hopes of winning the top-seeding in the East.

The Celtics must now win all three of their remaining regular season games and hope that Milwaukee lose their final three fixtures to snatch first place and the all-important home advantage in the playoffs.

Embiid finished with 52 points from 20-of-25 shooting while hauling in 13 rebounds and laying on six assists, while James Harden finished with 20 points.

P.J. Tucker was the only other Sixers player in double figures, with the bulk of his 11 points coming from a flurry of three-pointers late in the fourth quarter.

However the third-placed Sixers were given a scare down the stretch, when they almost blew a 103-96 lead with just 10 seconds remaining to allow Boston to get back to within two points.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum missed a late two-point effort on the buzzer that could have forced overtime.

Embiid was unhappy with the Sixers' late wobble that almost cost his team their first victory over Boston this season.

"I don't know what we were doing," Embiid said. "We've got to be better than that, me included. We've just got to be better.

"Offensively we were not good enough and defensively we got stops when we needed them. But we've got to be better than that - we might see them down the road."

- 'MVP race is over' -

Sixers coach Doc Rivers said Embiid's virtuoso performance ought to settle any debate about the identity of this season's MVP award-winner.

"There were so many things we did wrong tonight -- but what we did right was Joel Embiid," Rivers said.

"The man just scored half our points in an NBA game. I'm biased, but the MVP race is over."

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Giannis Antetokounmpo bagged a triple double as Milwaukee took a giant stride towards sealing top spot in the East with a 140-128 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Antetokounmpo finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to leave the Bucks within touching distance of first place.

The Bucks need only win one of their final three games to guarantee the No.1 seeding.

Once again, the Bucks balanced offense came to the fore in a comfortable victory, with six players finishing in double figures.

Jrue Holiday finished with 26 points and Brook Lopez 20 points while Bobby Portis and Jae Crowder added 19 apiece.

Joe Ingles finished with 12 off the bench -– all from three-point range.

But while the Bucks remain firmly on course to clinch first place in the East, the Denver Nuggets missed a golden opportunity to seal top spot in the Western Conference after slumping to a shock 124-103 defeat on the road to the Houston Rockets, who are bottom of the West with a 19-60 record.

Jalen Green's 32 points led Houston to victory while Denver star Nikola Jokic –- the reigning two-time MVP –- was held to just 14 points.

The battle for the last two remaining automatic playoff places from the Western Conference is poised for a nail-biting finale with the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers all vying for the two berths.

The Warriors improved to 42-38 to move into fifth place in the standings with a 136-125 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in San Francisco, Steph Curry scoring 34 points and Jordan Poole adding 30.

The Warriors trailed by 10 early in the third quarter but outscored the Thunder 34-19 in the fourth quarter to claim a precious victory.

The Lakers meanwhile are just outside the automatic playoff places after securing a 135-133 overtime win over Utah on Tuesday.

LeBron James led the way for the Lakers with 37 points -- including the game-winning layup in overtime -- to clinch a fourth straight win.

The Lakers are now tied with the sixth-placed Clippers on 41-38, with the two teams due to meet in what promises to be a titanic local derby in the Western Conference on Wednesday.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Antetokounmpo sparks Bucks in Sixers rout, Dallas on brink

LOS ANGELES -- Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points as the Milwaukee Bucks returned to form with a statement 117-104 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.

Eastern Conference top seed favourites Milwaukee -- routed 140-99 by Boston in their last outing on Thursday -- bounced back in style to score an emphatic win over the third-placed Sixers.

Antetokounmpo led a balanced Milwaukee offensive display that saw five players finish in double figures in a wire-to-wire victory at Fiserv Forum.

Antetokounmpo finished with 14 rebounds and six assists in addition to his 33-point haul, while Brook Lopez (21 points), Khris Middleton (19) and Jrue Holiday (18) all contributed.

Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers scoring with 29 points while Joel Embiid added 28.

The win edged Milwaukee closer to sealing top spot in the Eastern Conference.

With four games remaining in the regular season, the Bucks lead the East on 58-22, with Boston second on 54-24.

Philadelphia remain third on 51-27 following Sunday's loss.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer meanwhile said Antetokounmpo's performance confirmed his belief that the Greek star should be the front-runner for the regular season MVP award.

"We certainly feel like Giannis is the MVP," Budenholzer said. "What he does at both ends of the court -- he does everything," Budenholzer said. "We feel like he's in the conversation and he should be the guy."

In other games on Sunday, Western Conference leaders Denver -- still missing Nikola Jokic -- held on for a tense 112-110 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray combined for 55 points as the Nuggets withstood a late Warriors rally to hold on.

Warriors star Klay Thompson missed a last-gasp three-point attempt before a desperate block from Murray thwarted another effort as time ran out.

- Lakers march on, Mavs fading -

In Los Angeles, LeBron James bagged the 107th triple-double of his career as the Lakers continued their late season resurgence with a 134-109 romp over the Houston Rockets.

James finished with 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, while Anthony Davis led the Lakers scoring with 40 points.

The Lakers third consecutive victory leaves them seventh in the Western Conference, just one spot outside the automatic postseason places.

In Oklahoma City meanwhile, Kevin Durant scored 35 points against his old club as the Phoenix Suns romped to a 128-118 win over the Thunder.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander scored a game-high 39 points for Oklahoma City, who are 10th in the Western Conference, just one win ahead of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks' hopes of forcing their into the postseason suffered another blow despite a 41-point performance from Kyrie Irving in Atlanta.

A thrilling duel in Atlanta saw the Hawks squeeze home 132-130 in overtime after Irving gave up a costly foul with 1.8 seconds remaining to hand two game-winning free throws to Trae Young.

It was the final act of a nail-biting encounter which saw Irving lead Dallas back from a 15-point deficit to tie the game after a wild ending to regulation where momentum swung back and forth in the closing seconds.

But Irving's heroics were in vain as he bundled over Young in overtime to give the Atlanta playmaker the chance to win the game that he converted.

Young finished with 24 points and 12 assists while Dejounte Murray led the Hawks scoring with 25 points. Seven Atlanta players finished in double figures.

The victory left Atlanta on course for a place in the play-in tournament with four games of the regular season remaining.

The Hawks are eighth in the East with a 39-39 record.

But Dallas's hopes are fading fast after another costly defeat that followed Saturday's loss to Miami.

"We know the situation we're in -- we're playing catch up," Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. "We've got to find a way to win.

"Right now we're coming up short when we need to win games. Unfortunately we're not winning right now."

Elsewhere Sunday, the New York Knicks assured themselves of a first playoff appearance since 2021 with a 118-109 win over the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden.

Jalen Brunson and Quentin Grimes scored 27 points apiece while Immanuel Quickley (22 points) and Obi Toppin (21) also came up big for New York.

In other games on Sunday, Chicago staged a stunning comeback from 23 points down to rout the Memphis Grizzlies 128-107 in the Windy City.

Memphis roared into a 68-53 halftime lead but were then blown away after the break as the Bulls poured in 75 second-half points.

Zach LaVine scored 36 points while DeMar DeRozan added 31 to power the Bulls to victory.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: DeRozan, Bulls leave Sixers waiting after OT thriller

DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points as the Chicago Bulls snapped Philadelphia's eight-game winning streak with a thrilling 109-105 victory in double overtime on Monday.

The red-hot Sixers had been looking to clinch their playoff ticket with victory in front of an expectant home crowd at the Wells Fargo Center.

But despite a 37-point performance from Joel Embiid -- the MVP front-runner's 10th straight 30-point game –- Philadelphia were left waiting to reach the postseason after a gritty road win from Chicago.

Embiid missed an attempted tip-in after Tyrese Maxey's attempted three-pointer at the end of regulation which would have snatched victory for the Sixers.

Embiid put Philadelphia 99-97 ahead in the final minute of the first period of overtime but DeRozan levelled with a driving layup. 

The Chicago star missed an attempted three-pointer with less than two seconds on the clock, to take the game to a second period of overtime.

The Sixers looked to have taken a grip on the contest after opening up a 105-101 lead in the second overtime period, but with Embiid absent after fouling out, the Bulls reeled off eight unanswered points to close out the win.

It was the first time in 12 career meetings against Chicago that Embiid has finished on the losing side.

DeRozan admitted that he was aware of that statistic prior to the game.

"I knew that," DeRozan told reporters. "It was only a matter of time. Not saying that was part of the motivation. We've got a bigger goal than just trying to beat him. But I'm glad we got the win."

Chicago improved to 34-37 and remain in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings, leaving them on course for a place in the play-in tournament for teams ranked between seventh and 10th, which determine the last two spots in the eight-team conference playoffs.

Philadelphia, third in the East with a 48-23 record, remain one win away from formally clinching their playoff spot.

Randle dazzles in vain 

In other games around the NBA on Monday, Julius Randle erupted for 57 points in a scintillating performance but it was not enough to stop the New York Knicks falling 140-134 at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Randle's masterpiece included eight three-pointers from 19-of-29 shooting, while Jalen Brunson added 23 points. Three other Knicks players finished in double figures.

However Minnesota's balanced offense was enough to give the Wolves victory, with Taurean Prince leading the visitors scoring with 35 points. 

All of Minnesota's starters posted double-digit points totals, while Naz Reid (12) and Jaylen Nowell (14) combined for 26 off the bench.

In Utah, the high-flying Sacramento Kings, who remain third in the Western Conference, came unstuck in a 128-124 loss to the Jazz, who are 11th in the standings.

Ochai Agbaji led the Utah scoring with 27 points, with no fewer than eight Jazz players making double-figures. De'Aaron Fox led the Sacramento scoring with 37 points.

In Houston, meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors finally snapped their miserable losing streak on the road with a 121-108 defeat of the Rockets.

The NBA champions had gone into the game on the back of 11 straight defeats away from home, but ended that sequence against a Rockets team who have just 18 wins this season.

Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 59 points, including 10 three-pointers yet the Warriors still made hard work of the win, coughing up 20 turnovers, 14 of them in the first half.

"We were not focused, but second half we did a better job of taking care of the ball," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

"I don't remember the last road game we won," Kerr added. "It's been a while. We needed it obviously."

In Memphis, the Grizzlies staged a late fourth quarter rally to down the Dallas Mavericks 112-108. Memphis outscored the Mavs, 29-12, in the fourth to seal victory.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Embiid dominant as Sixers cruise to seventh straight win

LOS ANGELES -- Joel Embiid maintained his dominant scoring streak as the Philadelphia 76ers extended their winning streak to seven games with a 121-82 thrashing of the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.

Embiid, one of the front-runners for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award, rattled in another 38 points during a one-sided road victory.

The Sixers star is averaging 35 points a game in March and has not scored fewer than 31 in eight games this month.

Embiid's latest tally came on 16-of-21 shooting, with 13 rebounds and five assists.

"Home or road, it doesn't matter," Embiid said afterward. "We know what it takes offensively and defensively, everybody doing their job... tonight we did it as a team."

James Harden had a rare off-night with only 11 points after shooting 4-of-15 from the field, but the Sixers still had far too much firepower and defensive savvy for a Charlotte team that is second from the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Tobias Harris added 18 points while Tyrese Maxey chipped in with 13.

Despite the one-sided nature of the win, Sixers coach Doc Rivers was pleased that his team emerged with a clean bill of health.

"It's just good to get the game over with and be healthy," said Rivers, who also took satisfaction from the Sixers' ruthless performance.

"It just shows that we are focused, and we are showing up and playing," he said.

"There is no guarantee each night how you're going to play, but there is a guarantee how you can show up -- and we're showing up every night."

Philadelphia improved to 47-22 with the win and are third in the East, behind leaders Milwaukee (50-20) and Boston (49-22).

- Boston revival -

Boston's revival continued with a 126-112 win on the road over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 34 points, while Jaylen Brown added 27. 

Damian Lillard poured in 41 points in Portland's losing effort.

In other games Friday, Maxi Kleber nailed a 27-foot buzzer-beater as the Dallas Mavericks put a dent in the Los Angeles Lakers' postseason charge to snatch a sensational 111-110 road victory.

Kyrie Irving scored 38 points -- and provided the late assist for Kleber -- to set up a thrilling win for Dallas. 

Irving's tally included 13 in the fourth quarter as Dallas overturned a late five-point deficit to claim the win.

The defeat dropped the Lakers to 10th in the Western Conference with a 34-37 record. Dallas meanwhile moved up to the sixth spot.

Elsewhere Friday, Golden State's poor road form continued with a 127-119 defeat at Atlanta, with Trae Young leading the Hawks' scoring with 25 points.

With the Warriors missing the defensive presence of the suspended Draymond Green, the reigning NBA champions dropped their 10th straight game on the road.

The Warriors are now 36-35 overall and sixth in a congested Western Conference table.

"Proud of our guys effort, we had our chances and had several shots in the last couple of minutes but just couldn't get anything to go," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the loss.

"These guys are fighting. I believe in them and I believe something good's going to happen with this group. We've just got to keep fighting and keep moving forward," added Kerr, brushing off suggestions that the Warriors' problems away from home were psychological.

"It's not mental," Kerr said. "We've been playing well... but it's hard to win on the road in this league. And we're just not getting it done."

Steph Curry led the Warriors scorers with 31 points, and six Golden State players finished in double figures.

In Chicago, DeMar DeRozan erupted for 49 points as the Bulls completed a 139-131 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves' defeat was compounded by a worrying injury to star Anthony Edwards, who yelled in pain after an awkward landing on his right foot in the first quarter.

Edwards left the game and did not return before appearing on the bench late on wearing a protective boot.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Embiid scores 53 to lead 76ers' romp as Pelicans dim Suns

Joel Embiid unleashed a spectacular 53-point performance Sunday to power the Philadelphia 76ers over Charlotte 131-113, becoming the first NBA player with multiple 50-point games this season.

The 28-year-old Cameroonian 7-footer (2.13 meters) made 20-of-32 shots from the floor, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 11-of-11 from the free throw line and grabbed 12 rebounds.

"He made scoring look easy tonight," said three-time NBA scoring champion James Harden, who had 19 points, 16 assists and nine rebounds.

"He was in attack mode the entire game... His jump shot was falling. He had an aggressive night."

Embiid, who scored a career-high 59 points last month in a victory over Utah, became only the third 76ers player to achieve multiple 50-point games in a season, joining Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain.

"I'm just happy I'm contributing when we're winning," Embiid said.

It was left for teammates to put his feats in perspective for the 76ers (14-12).

"It has been amazing to watch," said Montrezl Harrell.

"He's a skilled player. He does so many things for our team on the offensive end of the floor and defensively as well," he added.

"For him to come out and have a dominant game on both ends of the floor just shows you how great a player he is."

Zion Williamson scored 35 points to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to their seventh consecutive triumph, defeating Phoenix 129-124 in overtime to stay atop the Western Conference.

C.J. McCollum added 29 points for New Orleans (18-8), while Deandre Ayton led the Suns (16-11) with 28 points and 12 rebounds.

Phoenix's Chris Paul made a jumper with four seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to pull the Suns level at 117-117 and force extra time. But McCollum had four points in a 10-2 Pelicans' overtime run to grab the victory.

LeBron James had 35 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Anthony Davis contributed 34 points 15 rebounds and seven assists to power the Los Angeles Lakers over host Detroit 124-117.

"It was a must win for us. We knew that," Davis said. "We stayed resilient and kept fighting."

Bojan Bogdanovic had a game-high 38 points for the NBA-worst Pistons (7-22).

- Hawks win at buzzer -

The night's most incredible finish came in Atlanta, where 19-year-old rookie A.J. Griffin caught an inbounds pass from Jalen Johnson, twisted his body, shot the ball from the paint and made the game-winning basket at the buzzer in overtime to deliver the Hawks a 123-122 victory over Chicago.

"Coach drew up a great play and JJ, that was a great pass," Griffin said.

Bogdan Bogdanovic came off the bench to lead Atlanta with 28 points, while Trae Young added 19 points and 14 assists and Griffin had 17 points.

DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 34 points and 13 rebounds.

Jalen Green scored 30 points to lead host Houston's 97-92 triumph over Milwaukee, despite the Bucks getting 25 points from Jrue Holiday plus 16 points and 18 rebounds from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks saw the NBA's second-best record slide to 19-7, 1.5 games behind Eastern Conference leader Boston, while the Western Conference doormat Rockets improved to 8-18.

Germany's Franz Wagner scored 23 points and 2022 NBA Draft top pick Paolo Banchero added 20 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic in a 111-99 home victory over Toronto.

R.J. Barrett and Julius Randle each delivered 27 points to lead the New York Knicks over visiting Sacramento 112-99.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Embiid's 59 points lead Sixers past Jazz, Garland's 51 not enough for Cavs

LOS ANGELES -- Joel Embiid scored 59 points to carry the Philadelphia 76ers to a 105-98 victory over Utah on Sunday, just one of two 50-point performances that lit up the NBA night.

Cleveland guard Darius Garland scored 27 of his 51 points in the fourth quarter, but his heroics weren't enough to prevent the Cavaliers from surrendering their first defeat on their home floor, 129-124 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Embiid's epic, which improved on his prior career best of 50 points, proved to be all the 76ers needed to hold off the tenacious Jazz.

The Cameroonian big man added 11 rebounds and eight assists along with seven blocked shots, all just a day after he scored 42 points in a victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

"I've never seen a more dominating performance, when you combine defense and offense," 76ers coach Doc Rivers said after Embiid became the first player in league history with 50 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five blocks in a game since blocks became an official statistic in the 1973-74 season.

With the Jazz pressing late, Embiid scored 26 of Philadelphia's 27 points in the fourth quarter.

Chants of "M-V-P" were raining down at the Sixers' Wells Fargo Center as Embiid poured it on.

The teams were tied heading into the final period, and Embiid's turnaround jump shot with less than six minutes remaining knotted the score at 94-94.

He hit two free throws on Philadelphia's next possession for a 98-96 Sixers lead. His fadeaway jump shot with a minute remaining put Philadelphia up 103-98 and he closed out the scoring with a pair of free throws.

In Cleveland, Garland barely beat Embiid to the first 50-point performance of the season as he became the fourth Cavaliers player to hit the half-century mark along with LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Walt Wesley.

Garland's 10 three-pointers -- six in the fourth quarter -- were just the start as Garland dazzled with an array of agile jump shots and bullish drives to the basket.

"Special," Cavs veteran Kevin Love said of Garland's performance. "A masterclass by Darius that was just beautiful."

Cavs star Donovan Mitchell was cheering from the bench as he sat out with a sore ankle, but Garland's career night wasn't quite enough.

D'Angelo Russell scored a season-high 30 points on 11-of-13 shooting and handed out 12 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns scored 29 points for the Timberwolves, who led by 24 late in the third quarter.

- Thunder silence Knicks -

Elsewhere, the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into New York and thumped the Knicks 145-135 to the vocal dismay of the Madison Square Garden crowd.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points and Josh Giddey had a triple-double of 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists to lead the young Thunder squad.

Australia's Giddey, 20, joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to post triple-doubles in their first two games at the iconic Manhattan arena.

"We come here once a year, so you've got to have fun while we're here and luckily in my time we've had two wins, so it's been going good so far," Giddey said in a post-game interview.

Lu Dort also scored 24 points for Oklahoma City, who connected on 62.5% of their shots from the field. That included making 17 of 31 from three-point range.

The Knicks out-scored the Thunder 48-36 in the first quarter, setting a franchise record for points in the first period.

But Oklahoma City buckled down defensively in the second, holding the Knicks to 25 and scoring 43 to lead by six at the break.

They never trailed and led by as many as 19 in the second half.

In Washington, Kristaps Porzingis scored 25 points and Deni Avdija chipped in 21 to lead the Wizards to a 102-92 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Washington notched a fourth straight victory despite the continued absence of Bradley Beal. The Grizzlies were short-handed as well, with Ja Morant sidelined by a sore left ankle and Desmond Bane out with a troublesome toe.

Agence France-Presse

Harden eyes championship after inking new 76ers deal

James Harden says the Philadelphia 76ers have the pieces in place to challenge for an NBA championship after signing a new deal to remain with the franchise on Wednesday.

US media reported last week that the 10-time All-Star had agreed to a restructured two-year deal worth $68.6 million in a move that helps the Sixers bolster their roster.

The Sixers did not release terms of Harden's new deal in a statement confirming his re-signing on Wednesday.

Harden, who joined the Sixers in February in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets, expressed delight at the deal.

"This is where I want to be. This is where I want to win, and I think we have the pieces to accomplish that goal," Harden said. 

"From my first day with the 76ers organization, the team and the fans have helped me feel at home here in Philadelphia.

"I'm excited to build off of last season and I can't wait to get out on the court with the guys and start this journey."

Harden scored 442 points, 149 rebounds and 220 assists in his 21 games with the 76ers last season. 

Sixers coach Doc Rivers welcomed Harden's decision to pledge his future to the team.

"I couldn't be happier with James' decision to commit to our organization," Rivers said.

"Over the last two years we have taken major steps toward our ultimate goal of becoming champions. James shares our drive to win a title, and he believes being a 76er gives him the best opportunity to do that."

Reports have said Harden will make $33 million in the 2022-23 season in the deal that also includes a $35.6 million player option for 2023-24. 

He declined his $47.4 million player option for the coming season to help the Sixers strengthen their roster.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Harden agrees to 2-year, $68.6-M deal to stay with Sixers

WASHINGTON -- NBA star James Harden has agreed to a two-year, $68.6 million deal to remain with the Philadelphia 76ers, league sources told the Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday.

The newspaper was just one of the US media outlets reporting the deal, which comes less than a month after the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player declined his $47.4 million player option for the coming season so the 76ers could bolster their roster.

Harden will reportedly make $33 million in the 2022-23 season in the deal that also includes a $35.6 million player option for 2023-24.

As Harden waited for his deal to emerge, the Sixers signed veteran forward P.J. Tucker and forward Danuel House.

Harden, a 10-time All-Star, landed at Philadelphia from Brooklyn at the trade deadline last season in a blockbuster deal that sent Ben Simmons to the Nets.

He averaged 21 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds in 21 regular-season games with Philadelphia.

After the 76ers fell to the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs, Harden said he would do "whatever it takes to help this team continue to grow and put us up there with the best of them."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Jayson Tatum-led Celtics hang on to edge Sixers

Jayson Tatum had 26 points and a career-high 16 rebounds as the Boston Celtics outlasted the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 88-87 in a matchup of Eastern Conference contenders on Wednesday night.

Dennis Schroder added 13 points off the bench for Boston, which won its second straight game and has won five out of seven overall.

Al Horford totaled 10 points and eight rebounds, Robert Williams III added 10 points and Jaylen Brown finished with nine points on 3-of-11 shooting for the Celtics.

Brown played despite being questionable as the team continues to manage his return from a hamstring injury.

Seth Curry led the 76ers with 17 points. Shake Milton contributed 16 points off the bench while Boston-area native Georges Niang added 12 points for Philadelphia, which was defeated for the ninth time in 12 games.

76ers star Joel Embiid was held to 13 points on 3-of-17 shooting, but grabbed a game-high 18 boards and dished out six assists.

Boston led 44-40 at halftime and neither side was able to pull away in a back-and-forth closing half. The biggest separation came when Embiid knocked down a 3-pointer with 4:10 left in the third to put Philadelphia up 59-54.

The Celtics led 64-63 entering the fourth quarter. Embiid made one of two free throws with 2:14 to play to tie the game at 82. Boston scored six of the next eight points to go up 88-84 after Schroder's five-footer with 37.1 seconds to play.

Danny Green nailed a trey with 29.6 seconds on the clock to bring the 76ers within a point. Schroder missed a jumper on the other end with seven seconds left to give the ball back to Philadelphia.

After a timeout with 6.1 seconds to play, Niang's desperation corner 3 at the buzzer was blocked by Williams to seal the Boston victory.

Brown's 3-pointer at 6:35 of the first quarter capped a game-opening 16-4 run for the Celtics. Tobias Harris' ensuing dunk sparked a 16-5 push for the 76ers to pull within 21-20 after one period.

-reuters-

NBA: Pacers' bench provides boost in win over 76ers

Justin Holiday scored a team-high 27 points off the bench and T.J. McConnell scored six of his eight points on three consecutive possessions in the fourth to put away the host Indiana Pacers' 118-113 defeat of the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday in Indianapolis.

Indiana's bench trio of Holiday, McConnell and Kelan Martin, who scored 13 points, gave the Pacers a boost against a depleted 76ers roster.

Philadelphia got just 21 points from its reserves, and the lack of depth with Joel Embiid, Matisse Thybulle and Ben Simmons all unavailable showed after the first quarter.

The Pacers opened up a lead of as many as 19 points in the second quarter and kept the 76ers at bay with a balanced scoring effort.

Malcolm Brogdon helped set the tone with a triple-double of 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Domantas Sabonis recorded a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Myles Turner led the Indiana starters with 20 points.

Caris LeVert, returning from healthy and safety protocols, chipped in 12 points.

Philadelphia chipped away at the deficit behind a game-high 32 points from Tobias Harris, and Tyrese Maxey -- who had consecutive games of 30-plus points coming into Saturday's matchups -- maintained his hot hand with 24 points.

The 76ers cut the deficit to single digits in the fourth quarter, but McConnell's eruption of buckets pushed the Pacers' lead back to 10 points and out of reach.

McConnell also dished nine assists.

Saturday's loss opened a six-game road trip for the 76ers with their fourth consecutive loss. Philadelphia has been without Embiid in each of the four losses, the result of health and safety protocols.

Thybulle, a defensive stopper for Philadelphia, also is sidelined due to health and safety protocols.

-reuters-

NBA: Joel Embiid dominates as 76ers go up 3-0 on Wizards

Joel Embiid scored 36 points before sitting out the fourth quarter as the visiting Philadelphia 76ers cruised to a 132-103 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid's point total served as a playoff career high. His previous best was a 34-point performance in Philadelphia's 128-101 loss to Boston in Game 2 of a first-round series on Aug. 19, 2020.

Embiid made 14 of 18 shots from the floor on Saturday. He added eight rebounds and three steals.

Tobias Harris collected 20 points and 13 rebounds for the 76ers, who shot 58.6 percent from the floor and 51.5 percent from 3-point range to seize a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven series. 

Top-seeded Philadelphia can close out eighth-seeded Washington in Game 4 on Monday night.

Danny Green sank five 3-pointers to highlight his 15-point performance and Seth Curry made three from beyond the arc en route to finishing with 15 points. Ben Simmons added 14 points and nine assists.

Washington's Russell Westbrook recorded 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists despite being hampered by an ankle injury sustained in Game 2. Bradley Beal added 25 points in defeat.

Curry, Green, Harris and Embiid each drained a 3-pointer as part of an early 17-2 run for Philadelphia. The spirited surge gave the 76ers a 29-13 lead before Washington was able to halve the deficit by the end of the first quarter.

Undaunted, Green sank a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions to push Philadelphia's advantage to 62-50 with 4:16 left in the second quarter. 

Washington slowly chipped away before Embiid provided the signature moment of the half by using a ball-fake before powering home a one-handed dunk to set up a three-point play.

Westbrook sank a pair of 3-pointers to give Washington some momentum to begin the third quarter before the 76ers steadily took control of the game.

Harris made a pair of floating jumpers and Curry connected from 3-point range to highlight a quick 7-0 surge that gave Philadelphia an 87-69 lead.

The outcome was never in doubt after that.

-reuters-

NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks batter 76ers

Giannis Antetokounmpo collected 24 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists to lift the host Milwaukee Bucks to a convincing 132-94 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Antetokounmpo moved into second place in franchise history in points scored (12,023) passing Glenn Robinson (12,010). Antetokounmpo trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (14,211) for top honors on the Bucks.

Bobby Portis added 17 points, Bryn Forbes and Jordan Nwora each had 13 and Jrue Holiday had 12 points and four steals. Pat Connaughton and Donte DiVincenzo contributed 11 points each for the Bucks (37-22).

The Sixers already were without Ben Simmons for a fourth straight game with an illness. Shortly before tip-off, the Sixers scratched fellow All-Star Joel Embiid with right shoulder soreness. Embiid has now missed 19 games this season.

Shake Milton and Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 15 points apiece. Seth Curry added 13 points and Dwight Howard recorded 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Sixers (39-21) have dropped four in a row after their largest defeat this season.

The Sixers missed 16 of their first 18 attempts from 3-point range but trailed by only four, 36-32, with 5:01 left in the second quarter.

Antetokounmpo scored the next two baskets, Portis had a tip-in and the Bucks' advantage quickly extended to 10.

The Bucks surged to an 50-40 halftime lead thanks in large part to 11 points and 12 rebounds from Antetokounmpo.

Milton paced the Sixers with 12 points off the bench.

Milwaukee used a 17-3 run in the third to pull ahead 72-57 with 5:27 remaining.

The short-handed Sixers appeared to tire with the depleted lineup playing heavy minutes. The Sixers trailed 86-63 at the end of the third.

The Bucks came out aggressive to open the fourth and moved out to a 94-67 lead with 9:30 left when Portis dropped in a 3-pointer from the corner.

Milwaukee led by 31 with 4:53 left and cruised to the win with a group of reserves finishing the game.

-reuters-

NBA: Short-handed Nets snap 76ers' win streak

Joe Harris scored a team high 28 points as the short-handed Brooklyn Nets snapped the Philadelphia 76ers' five-game NBA winning streak with a 122-109 victory on Thursday.

Caris LeVert scored 22 points and had 10 assists as the Nets cooled off the NBA's hottest team despite missing their two top players Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

"We are a totally different team when those guys are out here," guard LeVert said, "but I think we've done a great job of having a next-man-up mentality, guys stepping into those roles and fulfilling what we need as a team.:

Durant sat out due to Covid-19 protocols and Irving missed the game due to "personal reasons".

Nets coach Steve Nash said before the contest that Irving's absence came as a surprise to him and he remained unsure of the exact issue.

"I sent him a message in the last half-hour and haven't heard back yet," Nash said. "But obviously thinking about him and hope that all is well. It's a private matter."

Nash did say that Durant, who had to quarantine after possible Covid-19 exposure, could return on Sunday.

In the meantime, Harris got the job done, finishing two points shy of his career high as the Nets posted their second straight double-digit win after dropping four of five. 

LeVert, who started in place of Irving, made the most of his opportunity. He scored 18 points by halftime as the Nets shot 45.4 percent and scored 35 points off 20 Philadelphia turnovers. 

"When we play connected and we have that fighting spirit, we give ourselves a great chance every night no matter who's available," Nash said.

Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons had quiet nights for the 76ers. Embiid scored 20 points on seven-of-14 shooting while Simmons had just 11 points. 

Shake Milton started in place of injured Seth Curry and led the Sixers with 24 points and seven assists. 

Curry, who made the trip with the team, was reported after the game to have returned a positive test for coronavirus, forcing the Sixers to remain overnight in New York so they can conduct further testing to see if the virus has spread to any of the other players.

Elsewhere, Damian Lillard delivered 39 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as the Portland Trail Blazers breezed past the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves 135-117.

C.J. McCollum tallied 20 points and Jusuf Nurkic finished with 17 points and seven rebounds for Portland, who snapped a two-game skid and posted its highest-scoring effort of the season. 

D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards scored 26 points apiece for the Timberwolves. 

Naz Reid chipped in 13 points in 16 minutes as Minnesota dropped its sixth straight game. 

The Trail Blazers set a franchise record with 47 points in the second quarter. The team's previous high for second-quarter points was 45, achieved twice, first in 1973 and then again in 2014. 

In Memphis, Andre Drummond posted game-highs of 22 points and 15 rebounds, Larry Nance Jr. added 18 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies 94-90.

Jonas Valanciunas finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds to lead Memphis, which dropped its third straight. Brandon Clarke added 14 points and nine rebounds, Dillon Brooks tallied 11 points and Kyle Anderson scored 10.

Just before tipoff, both teams knelt at the sidelines in response to Wednesday's riots by a mob of President Donald Trump's supporters on Capitol Hill which resulted in five deaths, including one police officer who succumbed to his injuries on Thursday night.

Agence France-Presse