NBA Roundup:
Embiid scores career-high 50 points as 76ers beat Bulls,
PHILADELPHIA » All-Star Joel Embiid scored a career-high 50 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 112-105 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.
Embiid added 17 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals in a dominating performance at both ends.
Tobias Harris had 22 points and 12 rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading 76ers. They played without Ben Simmons (illness) for the second straight gamem and clinched coaching duties for Doc Rivers at the AllStar Game.
Zach LaVine scored 30 points for the Bulls.
With the 76ers clinging to a 107-103 lead, Embiid blocked LaVine’s driving attempt with 1:02 remaining, then hit a 17-foot baseline jumper with 41 seconds left. When the Bulls called timeout, Embiid jogged to center court and put both hands up as if requesting cheers from the empty seats while the speakers played artificial “M-V-P!” “M-V-P!” chants. NUGGETS 120, CAVALIERS 103 » Jamal Murray scored a career-high 50 points, All-Star starter Nikola Jokic had a triple-double and Denver adjusted to a schedule change by handing Cleveland its ninth straight loss in a matchup hastily arranged by the NBA due to COVID-19.
Murray hardly missed, making 21 of 25 shots, including 8 of 10 3-pointers. He didn’t attempt a free throw. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he’s the first player in league history to score 50 or more points without shooting a free throw.
SUNS 132, PELICANS 114 » Chris Paul had 15 points and a season-high 19 assists, spearheading an 11-point, fourth-quarter comeback in Phoenix’s victory over New Orleans.
Paul, who rose to stardom with New Orleans after being drafted fourth overall in 2005, appeared to be gesturing that he owned the arena after hitting a step-back 3 that gave Phoenix a 118107 lead with less than five minutes to go. The Suns outscored the Pelicans 41-12 in the final quarter.
BUCKS 98, THUNDER 85 » Giannis Antetokounmpo had 29 points, a season-high 19 rebounds and eight assists, and Milwaukee beat Oklahoma City to snap a fivegame skid.
The Bucks avoided their first six-game losing streak since March 12-22, 2015. They hadn’t lost five straight since Jan. 25 to Feb. 3 in 2017.
CELTICS 121, HAWKS 109 » Kemba Walker scored a season-high 28 points and Boston held off Atlanta.
Jayson Tatum added 25 points and eight rebounds, and Jaylen Brown and Tristan Thompson each finished with 17 points to help Boston take the second of back-to-back meetings between the teams. The Hawks won the first meeting Wednesday night.
GRIZZLIES 109, PISTONS 95 » Ja Morant scored 21 of his 29 points in the second half, Jonas Valanciunas added 17 points and 15 rebounds and Memphis rallied to beat Detroit.