SIXERS BLAST LAKERS
Embiid hits 37 in 143-point effort
Joel Embiid notched 37 points and 14 rebounds, Tobias Harris scored 22 points in his second game with Philadelphia, and the new-look 76ers beat LeBron James and the Lakers, 143-120, on Sunday.
JJ Redick added 21 points for the Sixers, who have won two straight after acquiring Harris and four others at Thursday’s trade deadline. Jimmy Butler finished with 15 points in front of a packed Philly crowd that brought a playoff-like feel to the nationally televised game.
“The East better watch out,” Lakers president Magic Johnson said. “This is a stacked team.”
Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers with 39 points while James totaled 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
DUCKS FIRE COACH
Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray tried to give Randy Carlyle as much time as possible to turn things around. But a seven-game losing streak and freefall into last place in the Western Conference showed Murray that a turnaround wasn’t coming soon.
Murray announced that he would take over as interim coach for the remainder of the regular season after firing Carlyle on Sunday. Anaheim will hire a new coach following the season.
“What has happened here lately and how we have played, it was time for change,” Murray said during a conference call. “Some people thought I waited far too long, but this team has a history of coming on and charging late. I realized it wasn’t going to happen a few days ago.”
After no firings last year, the Ducks are the sixth team to make a change this season, joining Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis, Edmonton and Philadelphia.
BOISE ST. FROSH BOOKED
A Boise State University freshman guard has been arrested and charged with two misdemeanors after fighting with a bar employee who asked him to leave because he’s underage, police said.
Jaycson Bereal, 19, was booked early Sunday and charged with battery and a loitering-related charge, according to online arrest records from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office.
Bereal was in a 21-and-over bar, according to a Boise police arrest report, and “when an employee at the business found out the suspect’s age, the suspect was asked to leave and the suspect began physically fighting with the employee.”