Short-handed Sixers spoil Simmons’ return

PHILADELPHIA — Tobias Harris scored 24 points as a spirited Philadelphia 76ers team playing without Joel Embiid and James Harden ruined Ben Simmons’ homecoming with a 115-106 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night.

Simmons had 11 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds to the tune of steady boos. Kyrie Irving scored 23 points and Kevin Durant had 20 before coach Jacque Vaughn pulled his starting lineup with 3 minutes left.

The expected marquee matchup was dimmed with Embiid out with a sprained left foot, Harden out with a tendon strain in his right foot and starting guard Tyrese Maxey out with a broken left foot.

Simmons was heckled, drew a flagrant foul, shushed the crowd on a layup, and even shrugged after hitting free throws. Most important for a player who has battled mental health issues, he played with poise as boos rained on him for the bulk of his 32 minutes.

SUNS 115, LAKERS 105

Mikal Bridges and Devin Booker each scored 25 points to lead host Phoenix, playing without point guard Chris Paul for the seventh straight game, to its eighth consecutive win over Los Angeles including the playoffs.

Things got chippy in the fourth quarter. With 3:55 left in the game, the Lakers’ Patrick Beverley was ejected for shoving Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton after a foul called on Booker against Austin Reaves that was assessed a flagrant-1.

Anthony Davis had 37 points and 21 rebounds for the Lakers, who had won three in a row.

KINGS 113, GRIZZLIES 109

De’aaron Fox had 32 points and eight rebounds, Harrison Barnes added 26 points, and visiting Sacramento won its seventh straight.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 34 points, six assists and seven rebounds.

PISTONS 110, NUGGETS 108

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 22 points as Detroit won in Denver to snap a seven-game skid.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds fter missing the past three games while in the NBA’S COVID-19 protocols.