EMBIID EXITS WITH LEG INJURY
On pace for their best season and first conference championship in two decades, the Philadelphia 76ers are suddenly “praying” for the health of their best player.
Joel Embiid scored 23 points but departed midway through the third quarter following an apparent leg injury in the 76ers’ 127-101 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night on the road.
Embiid, an MVP candidate for his role on the Eastern Conference-leading Sixers, was in his first game back following a week-long absence for contract tracing. He entered Friday averaging 30.2 points and 11.6 rebounds.
He had also grabbed seven rebounds before his exit with 6:20 left in the third.
“It looked like a hyper-extension. That’s what we all hope it (is),” said fellow starter Tobias Harris. “We’re just praying that he’ll be OK and be healthy (today).”
Following a dunk for his last points, Embiid landed awkwardly on his left leg, his knee joint appearing to bend slightly forward. He writhed in pain on the floor for several minutes, and a stretcher was briefly brought onto the court, but the center eventually limped off under his own power.
Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said Embiid would be examined today in Philadelphia.
“We don’t do anything right now, because we don’t have any information,” Rivers said. “Listen, it’s a long season. At the end of the day, hopefully it’s not something where we lose him, obviously. But our guys will be good. We’ll be ready.”
Even with Embiid’s exit and Ben Simmons also out for contact tracing after both players were exposed to the same barber who tested positive for COVID-19, the 76ers cruised to a second straight comfortable win following the All-Star break.
Shake Milton scored 18 points off the bench for Philadelphia,
which led by 17 after the first quarter, 10 at halftime and 18 after the third.
Furkan Korkmaz added 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Sixers completed a three-game season sweep of the Wizards.
Russell Westbrook scored 25 points and Bradley Beal added 19 for the Wizards, who lost their second straight after the break and had their home win streak against the Sixers snapped at 10 games.
Lakers 105, Pacers 100:
Los Angeles outscored visiting Indiana by 13 points in the fourth quarter to rally for the win. Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers with 24 points off the bench.
Jazz 114, Rockets 99:
Donovan Mitchell had 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, and host Utah opened the second half of the season by beating Houston.
Playing for the first time since March 3, the NBA leaders handed the Rockets their 15th straight loss. Mike Conley added 20 points and Rudy Gobert had 14 points and 13 rebounds as the Jazz got back on track after dropping their final two games of the first half.
Heat 101, Bulls 90: Jimmy Butler scored 28 points against his former team, Goran Dragic added 20 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and visiting Miami beat Chicago for its ninth win in 10 games.
Spurs 104, Magic 77: Rudy Gay had 19 points, Dejounte Murray and Derrick White each added 17 and host San Antonio to beat short-handed Orlando.
Pelicans 116, Cavaliers 82: Brandon Ingram scored 28 points, Zion Williamson added 23 and host New Orleans bounced back from a lopsided loss with a rout of
Cleveland.
Nuggets 103, Grizzlies 102: Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists and scored Denver’s final five points to help the Nuggets hold off Memphis on the road.
Notable
Lakers forward Anthony Davis will be out for at least two more weeks with the leg injuries that have kept him sidelined since Feb. 14. The defending NBA champions announced Davis is making progress and has been cleared to enter the next phase of his rehabilitation after an examination by team doctors. He will be reevaluated in late March.
The Pistons agreed to trade Svi Mykhailiuk and a 2027 second-round draft pick to Oklahoma City for guard Hamidou Diallo, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.