76ers end losing streak.

Joel Embiid’s 25 points and 16 rebounds help Philadelphia snap a five-game losing streak with a 105-98 victory over the New York Knicks. »

YORK» Joel Embiid has endured NEW too much misery in the NBA to miss one of the fun days on the schedule.

So as soon as he knew his back felt up to it, he couldn’t wait to get on the court for his first Christmas Day game.

Embiid had 25 points and 16 rebounds and JJ Redick scored 24 points as the 76ers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 105-98 victory over the Knicks on Monday.

“Especially after what we’ve been through the past four years, I was so excited to play tonight because we’ve been through so much losing,” Embiid said. “And to be able to be one of the few teams in our league that can play on this day, it just shows you how much we’ve improved.”

Neither Embiid nor Redick was cleared to play until going through pregame warm-ups, and their presence gave the 76ers just enough to win their first Christmas Day appearance since 2001.

Embiid, who has been battling a bad back, powered through a big-man duel with Enes Kanter, who had a season-high 31 points and tied a career best with 22 rebounds. Kanter joined Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Bob Lanier as the only players with a 30-20 game on Christmas, according to research provided to the Knicks by Elias.

“I respect the guy a lot because that guy didn’t play three, four years and coming back (at the) level he’s playing right now,” Kanter said of Embiid. “So it’s cool to play against, go against a guy like that.”

Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 points for the Knicks, who fell to 22-30 on Christmas with their fifth straight loss on the holiday.

MONDAY’S HIGHLIGHT

Russell Westbrook had 31 points and 11 assists to help the Thunder stay hot with a 112-107 win over the Rockets. Paul George scored 24 points and Carmelo Anthony added 20 for the Thunder, which won its fifth straight game. Oklahoma City shot 54.4 percent from the field. James Harden led the Rockets with 29 points, but he made just 7-of-18 field goals. The league’s leading scorer was coming off back-toback 51-point games. Trevor Ariza and Eric Gordon each scored 20 points and Clint Capela added 19 points and 10 rebounds for Houston, which lost its third straight. Houston point guard Chris Paul sat out with a groin strain. The Rockets are 15-1 when he plays and 10-6 when he doesn’t.