Embiid powers 76ers in win over Celtics

Joel Embiid had 38 points and 11 rebounds, Tobias Harris scored 23 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the visiting Boston Celtics 122-110 on Friday night.

Seth Curry returned to the Sixers’ starting lineup following a seven-game ab- sence because of a positive COVID-19 test and scored 15 points.

Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 42 points and nine rebounds and Marcus Smart had 20 points.

Back at full health, the 76ers again played like a force in the East

Embiid followed a 42-point outing in a win over Boston on Wednesday with another fantastic effort. He made 14 of 15 from the free-throw line. CAVALIERS 125, NETS 113 >> Collin Sexton had 25 points and nine assists, Andre Drummond added 19 points and 16 rebounds and Cleveland beat Brooklyn for the second time in three days.

The Nets played without superstar forward Kevin Durant, who was held out as a precautionary measure as he continues his comeback from right Achilles tendon surgery.

Kyrie Irving scored 38 points and James Harden had 19 points and 11 assists for Brooklyn, which lost 147-135 in double-overtime to the Cavaliers in the debut of its high-scoring trio Wednesday.

Jarrett Allen — acquired from the Nets in the Harden megatrade on Jan. 14 — had 19 points and six rebounds off the bench for Cleveland, which has won three in a row and moved above .500 at 8-7.

BULLS 123, HORNETS 110 >> Zach LaVine compiled 25 points and nine assists, leading Chicago to its third win in a row.

The Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen chipped in with 23 points and Coby White added 18 points and eight assists.

Gordon Hayward scored 34 points for the Hornets. But Charlotte committed 20 turnovers, leading to 26 Bulls points, as it dropped it fourth straight.

ROCKETS 103, PISTONS 102

Eric Gordon led seven Houston players in double figures with 20 points and the Rockets held off host Detroit.

P.J. Tucker had 15 points and seven rebounds for Houston, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

Jerami Grant led the Pistons with 21 points and eight rebounds.

RAPTORS 101, HEAT 81 >> Norman Powell scored 14 of his game-high 23 points in the first quarter and Toronto went on to defeat Miami.

Powell, who got the start because Kyle Lowry did not play due to an infected toe, shot 10-for-18 from the field.

Pascal Siakam scored 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Toronto.

PACERS 120, MAGIC 118, OT >> Malcolm Brogdon made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3.6 seconds remaining in overtime to give Indiana the home win.

Brogdon finished with 23 points, Jeremy Lamb had 22 off the bench and Myles Turner added 22.

Orlando’s Evan Fournier scored 26 points.