Sixers edge Heat in OT

PHILADELPHIA

Joel Embiid had 45 points and 16 rebounds, Dakota Mathias’ only basket of the game was a go-ahead 3-pointer with 26.1 seconds left and the Philadelphia 76ers hung on to beat the undermanned Miami Heat 137-134 in overtime on Tuesday night.

Embiid had one of the great games of his career and carried the Sixers with a perfect third quarter and clutch buckets in OT to put them on the brink of victory.

It was little-known Mathias with the stunner that won it. Mathias, who went undrafted in 2018 and signed this season with the Sixers as a two-day G

League player, got the ball from the top of the arc and buried it for the 134-132 lead.

NETS 122, NUGGETS 116 NEW YORK — Kevin Durant had 34 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds, Bruce Brown made a huge contribution while starting for the absent Kyrie Irving, and Brooklyn rallied from 18 down to beat Denver.

Brown scored 16 points, including the tying and goahead baskets down the stretch. Durant followed with Brooklyn’s next six points, including a 3-pointer that essentially put it away at 120-113 with 27 seconds to play.

Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the Nuggets, who were trying to sweep a three-game road trip. But they were outscored 68-46 in the second half and squandered their chance to climb above .500 for the first time this season. JAZZ 117, CAVS 87 CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Utah rolled to victory over injury-depleted Cleveland, wrapping up their six-game road trip.

The Jazz are headed home with a victory, albeit a little earlier than expected. Utah was scheduled to play Wednesday at Washington, but the NBA postponed the game because the Wizards do not have the minimum eight available players.