NBA ROUNDUP
Top prospect Sarr declares for NBA draft
French big man Alex Sarr, projected among the top three picks in the 2024 NBA draft, made his intentions official Friday on ESPN.
The 7-foot-1 center with a 7-foot-4 wingspan played this season with Perth of Australia’s National Basketball League.
“I had a great year playing professional basketball in the NBL,” Sarr said in the ESPN interview. “There was a lot of growth in my game and as a person.
“I’m ready for the next step, so it was obvious for me to declare for the draft. I’m grateful for the year I spent in the NBL with the Perth Wildcats.”
Still just 18 years old, Sarr scored 9.7 points per game for Perth, adding 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in only 17 minutes per game. He hit 52 percent of his field-goal attempts (30 percent from 3-point range) and 71% from the freethrow line.
Sarr left France at the age of 14 to join Real Madrid. After two seasons there, he joined Overtime Elite in Atlanta for the next two seasons.
In September, during a closely watched two-game series in Las Vegas against G League Ignite, Sarr averaged 21.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 6.0 blocks per game.
The 2024 draft is not seen as a particularly strong one, and Sarr is in the conversation to be the top pick, which would make French big men the past two No. 1 selections. Victor Wembanyama, odds-on favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year, went first in 2023.
Friday’s games
76ers 125, Magic 113: Joel Embiid racked up 32 points and 13 rebounds to lead the host 76ers.
Embiid also had seven assists for Philadelphia (46-35), which ran its winning streak to seven games. Tyrese Maxey added 28 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. supplied 21 to go along with nine boards.
With the victory, the 76ers jumped into the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference while simultaneously dropping Orlando (46-35) to the No. 7 spot.
Franz Wagner (Michigan) paced Orlando with 24 points. Paolo Banchero finished with 22 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists and Jalen Suggs netted 20 points as the Magic got outshot 47.7 percent to 45.3 percent from the field.
Celtics 131, Hornets 98: Payton Pritchard scored a career-high 31 points and had 11 assists to help the host Celtics end a two-game losing streak.
Boston (63-18) was without the top six players in its rotation, as Jaylen Brown (hand), Jayson Tatum (knee), Jrue Holiday (knee), Al Horford (toe), Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) and
Derrick White (ankle) were downgraded from questionable to out.
Nick Richards (foot) and Grant Williams (ankle) didn’t play for the Hornets, who received 19 points and eight assists from Tre Mann plus 15 points from Nick Smith Jr.
Luke Kornet added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who are locked into the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and will have home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Boston will wrap up the regular season Sunday with a home game against the Washington Wizards.
Bulls 129, Wizards 127: Javonte Green scored 24 points and Dalen Terry led a late surge for the visiting Bulls.
Adama Sanogo contributed 22 points and 20 rebounds off the bench while Coby White and Jevon Carter added 20 points each as the Bulls (39-42) pulled off the victory with a lineup full of reserves.
Cavaliers 129, Pacers 120: Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 33 points, helping lead the host Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen added 29 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland (48-33), which clinched a playoff spot with Friday’s win.
Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam led eight players in double figures with 19 points apiece for the Pacers, who had their threegame winning streak snapped.