Simmons puts Sixers past the Hack-ing Wiz
Ben Simmons scored 31 points, grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds and overcame the Hack-a-Shaq strategy, leading the 76ers to a 118-113 victory over the Washington Wizards last night in Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and Dario Saric added 24 points.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 22 points and Bradley Beal and Jodie Meeks each had 21 for the Wizards, who have lost five of seven. John Wall missed his third straight game with a sore left knee.
Washington nearly overcame a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter and spent the final five minutes intentionally fouling Simmons, who entered the game shooting 56.6 percent from the line. He went 15-for29.
Timberwolves 120, Pelicans 102 — Andrew Wiggins scored 28 points to help visiting Minnesota past New Orleans in a game that saw Pelicans forward Anthony Davis ejected for the first time in his career.
Jimmy Butler and Gorgui Dieng had 19 points each for the Timberwolves.
The turning point of the game came midway through the second quarter. With Minnesota leading 45-43, Davis was called for a technical foul. Fifteen seconds later he picked up his second tech and was ejected.
Rockets 118, Pacers 97 — James Harden had 29 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds and host Houston rolled to its sixth straight victory.
Thaddeus Young cut the lead to 10 with a hook shot with about eight minutes left. The Rockets put it away with a 16-4 run that made it 110-88 with about four minutes left.
The Rockets improved to 12-1 this month, with the only loss coming on Nov. 14 against Toronto.
Magic 121, Thunder 108 — Aaron Gordon had 40 points and 15 rebounds to help Orlando end a nine-game losing streak with victory over visiting Oklahoma City.
Russell Westbrook hit five 3-pointers and scored 20 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter for the Thunder, who lost for the fifth time in six games and dropped their seventh straight on the road. Westbrook shot 7-for-10 on 3’s and added 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals.
Elfrid Payton had 19 points and Evan Fournier added 16 for the Magic.
Raptors 126, Hornets 113 — Kyle Lowry scored a season-high 36 points, DeMar DeRozan had 30 and Toronto improved to 7-1 at home by beating shorthanded Charlotte.
Lowry set a new career-high by hitting eight 3-pointers.
Dwight Howard had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who lost their seventh straight road game.
Pistons 131, Suns 107 — Reggie Jackson scored 23 points and host Detroit beat Phoenix for its third straight victory.
Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley each scored 20 points. The Pistons improved to 8-2 at home in their first season at Little Caesars Arena, and 7-1 against the Western Conference.
Knicks 115, Heat 86 — Enes Kanter had 22 points and 14 rebounds, and host New York prevailed over Miami despite losing star Kristaps Porzingis to a sprained right ankle after 21⁄2 minutes.
Back after missing three games with back spasms, Kanter had his way against a Heat team missing starting center Hassan Whiteside because of left knee soreness, going 7-of-9 from the field.
Porzingis was hurt when Justise Winslow stepped on his foot. The Knicks said X-rays were negative.
Kelly Olynyk had 18 for the Heat.
Spurs 104, Grizzlies 95 — LaMarcus Aldridge set his San Antonio high with 41 points and the Spurs spoiled J.B. Bickerstaff’s debut as Memphis coach and handed the visitors their ninth straight loss.
Aldridge established a season best for the second consecutive game, topping his 33-point outing Monday against Dallas.
Nets 109, Mavericks 104 — DeMarre Carroll scored 15 of his 22 points in the third quarter to help visiting Brooklyn beat Dallas.
Trevor Booker had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Spencer Dinwidde added 19 points, and Caris Levert had 13.
Elsewhere in the NBA — Atlanta Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon is expected to miss 3-6 weeks with an injured left leg.