Korkmaz gets hot, scores 24 to lift 76ers over Bulls, 100-89
PHILADELPHIA — Furkan Korkmaz had six 3-pointers and a career-high 24 points, and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls, 100-89, Friday night.
Ben Simmons and Al Horford each scored 20 points for Philadelphia. Simmons had 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Zach LaVine led Chicago with 23 points, while Cody White had 14 and Luke Kornet added 13.
Korkmaz helped the 76ers take over in the third quarter after trailing 48-47 coming into the second half. He hit all four of his shots from deep in the quarter, allowing Philadelphia to surge ahead 81-71 at the end of the quarter.
The Bulls never drew closer than eight in the fourth.
Korkmaz finished 6 of 9 from 3-point range and was 8 of 11 overall.
Early in the fourth, Korkmaz brought a big ovation from the sold-out crowd with an isolation drive and windmill dunk over Bulls forward Cristiano Felicio. Korkmaz’s previous high was 21 points at Detroit on Dec. 21.
Simmons had his third straight game with at least 20 points amid the absence of injured Joel Embiid.
Tobias Harris added 13 points for Philadelphia, which improved to 20-2 at home.
Chicago was making its lone national television appearance, which allowed the Bulls to try and make a push to get LaVine into the All-Star Game at the United Center in February.
LaVine is averaging 24.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game coming into Friday’s game.
Nunn’s 22 points lead Heat past Thunder, 115-108
OKLAHOMA CITY — Kendrick Nunn scored 22 points to help the Miami Heat top the Oklahoma City Thunder 115-108 on Friday night.
Nunn, the two-time Eastern Conference rookie of the month, was coming off a 33-point effort Wednesday in a win over San
Antonio.
Bam Adebayo had 21 points and eight rebounds to help the Heat win their second straight. Jimmy Butler added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Danilo Gallinari scored 27 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder each had 18 for the Thunder, who lost for the third time in four games.
Miami led 61-47 at halftime behind 16 points from Adebayo on 7-for-8 shooting. The Heat entered the fourth quarter with a 92-78 edge.
Miami expanded its lead to 105-83 with 8 minutes remaining before the Thunder made a push. Oklahoma City cut the deficit to seven on a 3-pointer by Chris Paul with just over 2 minutes remaining but never got closer. TIP-INS
Heat: The team said Justise Winslow will miss at least two more weeks while recovering from a back injury that has allowed him to play just one game since Dec. 4.
The team originally called Winslow’s injury a back strain, then updated the diagnosis to a bone bruise.
He’s averaging 11.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 11 games this season.
Thunder: C Steven Adams did not play. He left Wednesday’s game against the Toronto Raptors with a right knee contusion. He averages 11.8 points 10.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. … C Nerlens Noel returned to action. He missed the previous six games with a left ankle sprain. … Noel opened the scoring with his first 3-pointer of the season. … G Terrance Ferguson left the game ill and did not return. … Coach Billy Donovan was called for a technical early in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Heat: Visit San Antonio on
Saturday.
Thunder: Host Portland on
Saturday.