Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Embiid, Harden help 76ers beat Clippers for homestand sweep
PHILADELPHIA >> Joel Embiid scored 44 points, James Harden had a career-high 21 assists in a triple-double and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame a 20-point firsthalf deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 119-114 on Friday night.
“That’s big-time for us. That just shows that we stayed together, we trust each other, and we know what we have to do,” Joel Embiid said about the comeback. “We started off the game soft, especially defensively, and as soon as we turned it up it changed the whole game.”
Harden also had 20 points and 11 rebounds to help Philadelphia sweep a seven-game homestand and improve to 19-12. Harden tied Wilt Chamberlain and Maurice Cheeks for the franchise game assist record.
“That’s some great company. Mo Cheeks was one of my coaches (in Oklahoma City), and then Wilt, I feel like he has every record,” Harden said. “So just being in the conversation with some of the best basketball players to ever touch a basketball is always a blessing.”
Harden’s performance, approach to the game and the evolving chemistry between Embiid and Harden drew praise from the coach Doc Rivers.
“This is a generational scorer that has taken and decided to be a point guard, who still scores, but to be a point guard for this team,” Rivers said. “That’s hard to do. A lot of people, most people, can’t do that, or will
not do it is a better way of saying it. The fact that he is willingly doing it, running the team, organizing us, is huge for us.”
Rivers took a timeout after Nicolas Batum’s 3-pointer gave the Clippers a 108-107 lead with four minutes left. The 76ers then had a 10-0 run.
Kawhi Leonard had 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting for Los Angeles. Paul
George added 22 points and Norman Powell had 21. The 76ers limited George to five points in the second half, led by a standout performance from De’Anthony Melton.
“We knew how good of an offensive team they were,” Harden said. “They caught us in that first half. The second half we picked up our defensive intensity, got out in transition and it made the game a lot easier for us.”
TIP-INS
Clippers: John Wall sat out because of a sprained right ankle.
76ers: Harden’s previous career high for assists was 17, accomplished 10 times. Before the game, Rivers said Tyrese Maxey is getting close to returning from a fracture in his left foot that has kept him out since Nov. 18.
UP NEXT
Clippers: At Detroit on Monday night.
76ers: At New York on Sunday.
Nets 118, Bucks 100
NEW YORK Kevin Durant scored 24 points and the Nets held Giannis Antetokounmpo scoreless in the fourth quarter to beat the Milwaukee, winning their eighth straight to match their longest winning streak since moving to Brooklyn a decade ago.
Nic Claxton made his first nine shots and finished 9 for 10 for a season high-tying 19 points for the Nets. They have won 12 of their last 13 games.
Antetokounmpo finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists, but didn’t take a shot in the fourth,
Magic 133, Spurs 113
ORLANDO, FLA. >> Cole Anthony had 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, Franz Wagner added 21 points and Orlando beat San Antonio for its eighth victory in nine games.
Paolo Banchero had 18 points and six rebounds, and Mo Bamba broke open a close game with three 3-pointers in a 51-second span in the fourth quarter.
Keldon Johnson led San Antonio with 17 points.
Celtics 121, Timberwolves 109
BOSTON >> Jaylen Brown scored 23 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter to help Boston beat Minnesota and end a season-worst threegame losing streak.
Jayson Tatum added 30 points, eight rebounds and five assists, Derrick White scored 18 points and Al Horford had 17 points. Boston won for only the second time in seven games but moved back atop the NBA standings.