Sixers nab elusive road win
Joel Embiid scored 20 points and Ben Simmons nearly posted a triple double to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 100-94 win over the Indiana Pacers last night in Indianapolis for their first road win this season.
Simmons had 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Philadelphia ended a five-game losing streak on the road. The 76ers also snapped an eight-game losing streak at Bankers Life Fieldhouse that dated to April 2013.
Victor Oladipo scored 24 points in the first half on 10 of 16 shooting and finished with a season-high 36 points for the Pacers. Domantas Sabonis had 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Thunder 95, Cavaliers 86 — Dennis Schroder scored a season-high 28 points in replacing injured star Russell Westbrook and visiting Oklahoma City beat Cleveland.
Westbrook sprained his left ankle Monday, but the Thunder withstood Cleveland’s fourth-quarter run without the two-time MVP to win its sixth straight game after starting the season 0-4.
Cleveland rallied from an 11-point deficit early in the fourth quarter to go ahead. Oklahoma City led 78-67 before the Cavaliers went on a 13-0 run. J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver each hit two 3-pointers and the Cavaliers led 80-78 with 7:02 remaining.
Knicks 112, Hawks 107 — Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 27 of his 34 points in the second half, Enes Kanter added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and New York beat host Atlanta.
In a matchup of rebuilding clubs, Allonzo Trier finished with 16 points and Noah Vonleh had 11 points and 13 rebounds to help New York snap a two-game skid.
Pistons 103, Magic 96 — Andre Drummond had 23 points and 19 rebounds and visiting Detroit beat Orlando to snap a five-game losing streak.
Blake Griffin added 20 points, Reggie Jackson had 15, and Stanley Johnson 13.
Evan Fournier led Orlando with 27 points, and D.J. Augustin had 16.
Heat 95, Spurs 88 — Hassan Whiteside had 29 points, 20 rebounds and an NBA season-high nine blocked shots, and host Miami snapped a four-year drought against San Antonio.
Wayne Ellington scored 20 points and Justise Winslow added 16 for the Heat, who had dropped their last nine regular-season games to the Spurs.
The Heat were down to an eight-man rotation for the second half because of injuries and Dwyane Wade sitting out for personal reasons.
Pelicans 107, Bulls 98 — Anthony Davis had 32 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in his best game since spraining his right elbow two weeks ago, and host New Orleans ended a six-game skid with a victory over Chicago.
Jrue Holiday had 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists while being guarded primarily by brother Justin.
Grizzlies 89, Nuggets 87 — Jaren Jackson Jr. and Marc Gasol each scored 20 points and host Memphis edged Denver.
The league fined Nuggets center Nikola Jokic $25,000 for using derogatory and offensive language during a postgame interview on Oct. 31.