76ers’ Embiid goes for 53 points
Joel Embiid had 53 points and 11 rebounds, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 131-113 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
With the home crowd serenading him with MVP! chants, Embiid became the first player in the NBA this season to post two 50-plus point performances, adding Sunday’s performance to a league-best 59-point effort on Nov. 13 against Utah.
“The ball just found me,” Embiid said. “I thought we moved the ball well all night and the ball just found me.”
Embiid became the third player in Sixers history to have multiple 50-point games in the same season, joining Allen Iverson (2000-01 and 2004-05) and Wilt Chamberlain (1965-66 and 196768). It is also the 30th game in Embiid’s career with 40 points and 10 rebounds. The only other player in franchise history to accomplish that feat was Chamberlain.
James Harden had 19 points, 16 assists, and nine rebounds to help Embiid’s effort.
Charlotte was led by Kelly Oubre Jr. and Terry Rozier, who each scored 29 points. The Hornets have lost five straight games.
Knicks 112, Kings 99: Julius Randle and RJ Barrett each scored 27 points and host New York ran its winning streak to a season-high four games. Randle had all 27 points by halftime, then was ejected with 3:35 left in the third quarter after arguing a non-call and receiving two technical fouls. Damantas Sabonis led Sacramento with 20 points. Keegan Murray added 18 as the Kings were held under 100 points for the first time this season.
Kings scoring leader De’Aaron Fox (right foot soreness) missed his second straight game.
Magic 111, Raptors 99: Franz Wagner scored 23 points, Paolo Banchero added 20 points and 12 rebounds and host Orlando won its third straight game after not doing so at any point last season. Gary Trent Jr. led the Raptors with 24 points. Fred Van Vleet added 20 and Pascal Siakam 19.
Hawks 123, Bulls 122: A.J. Griffin hit a 6-footer on an alley-oop pass at the overtime buzzer and host Atlanta snapped a threegame losing streak. DeMar DeRozan sank three free throws with 0.5 seconds left in overtime to finish with 33 points as it appeared the Bulls had the game wrapped up. But Griffin took the alley-oop pass from Jalen Johnson on the sideline and scored on a turnaround jumper.
Rockets 97, Bucks 92: Jalen Green had 30 points and seven rebounds, Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points and seven assists and host Houston beat Milwaukee. Houston was coached by assistant coach John Lucas with head coach Stephen Silas away from the team following the death of his father and longtime NBA player and coach Paul Silas. Jrue Holiday had 25 points and eight assists for Milwaukee.
Pelicans 129, Suns 124: Zion Williamson scored 35 points and host New Orleans beat shorthanded Phoenix Suns in overtime for its seventh straight victory. CJ McCollum added 29 for the Pelicans, who beat the Suns — without guard Devin Booker because of tightness in his left hamstring — for the second time in three days as they’ve surged to the Western Conference lead.
Lakers 124, Pistons 117: LeBron James scored 35 points, Anthony Davis had 34 points and 15 rebounds and visiting Los Angeles ended a three-game skid. Jaden Ivey had 16 points for Detroit.