Embiid scores 41, 76ers beat Celtics
76ers 108, Celtics 103: Joel Embiid scored 17 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter, hitting three jumpers in the final minutes and three free throws in the last four seconds to ice it as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 108-103 on Monday night.
With both teams fighting COVID-19 outbreaks, Embiid also had 10 rebounds and a steal on the Celtics’ lastchance inbound pass while playing 40 minutes, 14 seconds – a season high for a game that didn’t go to overtime.
Seth Curry scored 26 points and Tobias Harris had 25 for Philadelphia.
Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, Jayson Tatum had 17 and Enes Kanter Freedom had 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who had seven players in COVID-19 protocol, with Robert Williams III a late scratch for personal reasons. After trailing the entire first half, the Celtics took an 80-75 lead into the fourth quarter and went ahead 97-90 on Brown’s 3-pointer with 4:14 left. Matisse Thybulle hit a 3-pointer and then Embiid made a pair of foul shots.
Boston led 98-96 when Danny Green made a 3-pointer, and then Embiid made three straight mid-range jumpers to hold the Celtics at bay.
The game was delayed for seven minutes after the national anthem and before the introduction of the Celtics players when a fire alarm went off in the building, accompanied by an announcement telling the crowd it may need to evacuate. After a few minutes of people nervously looking around, the Celtics mascot began waving his arms to pump up the fans; the pregame festivities resumed soon after.
A TD Garden spokesman said the problem was a malfunctioning sprinkler head in a concession area in the balcony level and set off a fire alarm. Building operations coordinated with the Boston Fire Department before giving the all-clear.
Bulls 133, Rockets 118: DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points and the Chicago Bulls beat the Houston Rockets 133-118 on Monday night. DeRozan, who scored 38 points in Sunday’s win over the Lakers after missing three games due to the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols, received help from five teammates who scored in double figures. The Bulls never trailed and led by 25 points during the first half. They have won two consecutive games and six of their last eight.
Christian Wood had 23 points and 11 rebounds, but the Rockets lost for the fifth time in seven games. Jae’Sean Tate added 16 points.
Bulls guard Alex Caruso sprained his left foot with 5:56 remaining in the first quarter, went to the locker room and didn’t return. Bulls coach Billy Donovan, mindful of the minutes logged by several starters in Sunday’s win over the Lakers following a seven-day layoff caused by the NBA’s coronavirus protocols, inserted Alfonzo McKinnie after Caruso departed. He sank two consecutive 3-pointers.