All-Star Joel Embiid scored a career-high 50 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 112-105 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
Embiid added 17 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals in a dominating performance at both ends.
Tobias Harris had 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading 76ers.
All-star Joel Embiid hit 50 as the Philadelphia 76ers scored a 112-105 win over Chicago Bulls
They played without Ben Simmons (illness) for the second straight game and clinched coaching duties for Doc Rivers at the All-Star Game. Zach LaVine scored 30 points for the Bulls.
With the 76ers clinging to a 107-103 lead, Embiid blocked LaVine’s driving attempt with 1:02 remaining, then hit a 17-foot baseline jumper with 41 seconds left.
When the Bulls called timeout, Embiid jogged to center court and put both hands up as if requesting cheers from the empty seats while the speakers played artificial ‘M-V-P!’ ‘M-V-P!’ chants.
NUGGETS 120, CAVALIERS 103
Jamal Murray scored a career-high 50 points, All-Star starter Nikola Jokic had a triple-double and Denver adjusted to a schedule change by handing Cleveland its ninth straight loss in a matchup hastily arranged by the NBA due to Covid-19.
Murray hardly missed, making 21 of 25 shots, including 8 of 10 3-pointers. He didn’t attempt a free throw. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he’s the first player in league history to score 50 or more points without shooting a free throw.
With the Cavs still hanging around in the fourth, Murray made three 3-pointers in 1:05 to push Denver’s lead to 21. He scored 20 points in the final quarter before being replaced with 2:23 left.
Jokic, on his 26th birthday, had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season. Collin Sexton scored 23 points, and Jarrett Allen had 20 for Cleveland.
Jamal Murray made 21 out of 25 shots for the Denver Nuggets as he also scored 50 points
CLIPPERS 116, JAZZ 112
Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points, Lou Williams had 19 and Los Angeles ended Utah’s winning streak at nine games.
The Clippers avenged an 18-point loss to Utah two nights earlier, when starters Leonard, Paul George and Nicolas Batum were sidelined. George had 15 points in his return from a toe injury.
Donovan Mitchell scored 29 of his 35 points in the second half for the NBA-leading Jazz. They lost for the second time in 22 games.
Donovan Mitchell’s 29 points was not enough for the Utah Jazz who lost their winning streak
SUNS 132, PELICANS 114
Chris Paul had 15 points and a season-high 19 assists, spearheading an 11-point, fourth-quarter comeback in Phoenix’s victory over New Orleans.
Paul, who rose to stardom with New Orleans after being drafted fourth overall in 2005, appeared to be gesturing that he owned the arena after hitting a step-back 3 that gave Phoenix a 118-107 lead with less than five minutes to go. The Suns outscored the Pelicans 41-12 in the final quarter.
Paul’s decisive 3, his third of the game, was one of 22 the Suns hit from deep on 39 attempts (56.4%). Jae Crowder hit six 3s on his way to 20 points, and Frank Kaminsky made five 3s for the bulk of his 17 points. Devin Booker scored 23 points to help the Suns rebound from a tough home loss to Brooklyn to win for the 10th time in 12 games.
Brandon Ingram scored 25 points for the Pelicans, and Zion Williamson added 23. They’ve lost five of six.
Chris Paul provided a season-high 19 assists as the Phoenix Suns took a comfortable victory
MAGIC 124, WARRIORS 120
Nikola Vucevic had 30 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists for his third career triple-double and Orlando overcame a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Golden State.
Vucevic made two free throws with 16 seconds left to put Orlando ahead 123-120 after Warriors star Stephen Curry hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the final minute.
Curry missed an off-balance 3-pointer from 27 feet with five seconds left that could have tied it. He finished with 29 points, 11 assists and six rebounds. Golden State was trying to win three straight games for the first time this season, but failed to get past two in a row for the seventh time.
Evan Fournier scored a season-high 28 points for Orlando, and Terrence Ross had 24 points and four 3-pointers. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 26 points for Golden State.
Orlando Magic held off a late Golden States Warriors charge thanks to Nikola Vucevic
BUCKS 98, THUNDER 85
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points, a season-high 19 rebounds and eight assists, and Milwaukee beat Oklahoma City to snap a five-game skid.
The Bucks avoided their first six-game losing streak since March 12-22, 2015. They hadn’t lost five straight since Jan. 25 to Feb. 3 in 2017.
Khris Middleton added 20 points for the Bucks. Lu Dort had 17 for the Thunder.
Giannis Antetokounmpo ended the Milwaukee Bucks end their five-game losing streak
CELTICS 121, HAWKS 109
Kemba Walker scored a season-high 28 points and Boston held off Atlanta.
Jayson Tatum added 25 points and eight rebounds, and Jaylen Brown and Tristan Thompson each finished with 17 points to help Boston take the second of back-to-back meetings between the teams. The Hawks won the first meeting Wednesday night.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 31 points. Atlanta has lost five of six.
Boston Celtics got revenge on the Atlanta Hawks following their defeat on Wednesday evening
GRIZZLIES 109, PISTONS 95
Ja Morant scored 21 of his 29 points in the second half, Jonas Valanciunas added 17 points and 15 rebounds and Memphis rallied to beat Detroit.
Kyle Anderson added 16 for Memphis. Jerami Grant and Delon Wright led the Pistons with 16 points each.
Ja Morant drives to the basket as he scored 21 of his 29 points in the second-half
RAPTORS 86, TIMBERWOLVES 81
Norman Powell scored a season-high 31 points and Toronto closed with an 11-0 run to beat Minnesota for its third straight victory.
Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
Norman Powell inspired the Toronto Raptors to victory with a season-high 31 points