Harden’s assists help Sixers end three-game skid
Joel Embiid had 29 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and the host Philadelphia 76ers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 144114 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.
Philadelphia tied its franchise record of 21 three-pointers, last set March 1, 2020.
Tobias Harris added 23 points and had a seasonhigh five three-pointers.
James Harden had 12 points and 13 assists for Philadelphia, which can clinch a playoff berth with a win Sunday against Cleveland. Tyrese Maxey added 19 points.
Miles Bridges had 20 points for Charlotte, which has wrapped up a berth in the East’s play-in tournament.
Philadelphia’s offense seemed to flow well through Harden, who was 4-for-15 from the floor in the Sixers’ 102-94 loss at Detroit on Thursday night. Harden became more of a distributor Saturday, getting the ball to Embiid down low and Harris in the corner.
“We’re balancing everything game by game and possession by possession,” Harden said. “When Tyrese and Tobi have it going on and they are being aggressive, we can put up 140.”
Forward Gordon Hayward returned to the Charlotte roster Saturday for the first time after missing 22 games with a left ankle sprain Feb. 7. He scored five points in 16 minutes.
● Cavaliers 119, Knicks 101: Darius Garland had 24 points and 13 assists to lead Cleveland in New York.
Garland led seven Cavaliers in double figures as Cleveland snapped a twogame losing streak.
Obi Toppin scored a career-high 20 points for the Knicks.
New York forward Julius Randle missed the game with an injured quadriceps, and coach Tom Thibodeau said it is “most likely he will be out the rest of the way.”
Randle, 27, averaged 20.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 72 games this season.
New York (34-44) has four games left and won’t make the playoffs.
DAVIS, JAMES RETURN IN LOSS
On Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers were home and the band was back together: LeBron James was tossing chalk dust in the air and Anthony Davis was leaping into the team huddle after introductions. They joined Russell Westbrook to play in concert for the first time in a month and a half.
But even fully assembled, the Lakers (31-45) couldn’t stop their slide, falling 114-111 to the New Orleans Pelicans for their fifth loss in a row.
“The big picture is that it pretty much was a mustwin for us,” James said. “And we didn’t get the job done.”
James scored 38 points in his return from a sprained left ankle, and Davis added 23 points and 12 rebounds in his first action since Feb. 16 because of a sprained foot.
The Lakers entered Saturday’s games in 11th place in the Western Conference, one game behind the San Antonio Spurs for a berth in the play-in tournament.