Embiid up for Wembanyama, scores 70 to top Wilt's record
Joel Embiid scored a franchise-record 70 points, the most in the NBA this season, to lead the 76ers to a 133-123 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night in Philadelphia.
Embiid also set a career high with 18 rebounds. He was 24 of 41 from the field, including 1 of 2 from 3-point range, and made 21 of 23 free throws. He broke Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain's 76ers record of 68 points, set on Dec. 16, 1967, with a layup with 1:41 to play.
Chamberlain was playing for the Philadelphia Warriors when he set the NBA record with 100 points.
A six-time All-Star and the league's reigning MVP, Embiid has scored at least 30 points in 21 straight.
Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama had 33 points and seven rebounds in 29 minutes in the first matchup between the 7-footers.
All eyes were on Embiid and Wembanyama from even before the first tip when fans lined the court to watch the Spurs' French phenom in warmup. The home fans already know what Embiid can do, and Philadelphia's star might have wanted to make sure they didn't forget. HORNETS 128, TIMBERWOLVES 125 >> Karl-Anthony Towns scored 62 points, 44 of them coming in the first half to set a pair of a franchise for host Minnesota in their loss. Towns topped his previous career best of 60, which was also the Minnesota record. Towns finished 21 of 35 from the field, 10 of 15 from 3-point range and 10 of 14 from the foul line. He missed a 3 at the buzzer. Miles Bridges had 28 points and Brandon Miller 27 to lead Charlotte.
BUCKS 122, PISTONS 113 >> Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double and Khris Middleton added 26 points as Milwaukee won in Detroit. Antetokounmpo finished with 31 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists as the Bucks won for the fifth time in six games. Brook Lopez finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
CAVALIERS 126, MAGIC 99 >> Sam Merrill scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half, and visiting Cleveland won its eighth straight game. Donovan Mitchell added 25 points and 13 assists for the Cavaliers, who shot 20 for 38 (53%) from 3-point range. Cleveland never trailed and led by 36 points midway through the fourth quarter. The Cavs' win streak is one short of the NBA's longest this season (set by the Magic and the Clippers), and all of it has been accomplished without Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, the team's second- and thirdleading scorers. GRIZZLIES 108, RAPTORS 100 >> Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 16 of his 27 points in the first quarter, Luke Kennard had a season-high 19 points, and visiting Memphis won a fourth straight north of the border. Vince Williams had 18 points and 10 rebounds.