76ers rout Hornets, reach cusp of clinching playoffs
Joel Embiid had 29 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists and the 76ers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 144-114 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia tied its franchise record of 21 3-pointers, last set on March 1, 2020.
Tobias Harris added 23 points and had a seasonhigh five 3-pointers as the 76ers placed seven scorers in double figures and was able to play their bench for the majority of the fourth quarter.
James Harden had 12 points and 13 assists for Philadelphia. Tyrese Maxey had 19 points and four assists for the 76ers (47-30), who can clinch a playoff berth with a win today against Cleveland.
HAWKS 122, NETS 115>> Trae Young scored 36 points, including nine in the final minute, and the streaking Hawks overcame Kevin Durant's career-high 55 points to hold off Brooklyn in Atlanta for their fifth consecutive win. Atlanta moved into eighth place in the Eastern Conference, a game ahead of Brooklyn and Charlotte. Durant set another career high by making eight 3-pointers. The Nets' second consecutive loss left them locked into the playin tournament, eliminating their slim hopes of moving up to sixth in the conference. Kyrie Irving had 31 points to complement Durant, but the Nets had no other scorer in double figures. Backup point guard
Goran Dragic did not play after he was placed in the NBA's health and safety protocols with COVID-19 symptoms.
ETC.>> Nets guard Ben Simmons filed a grievance to challenge the nearly $20 million of salary withheld to him by the 76ers this season, setting up a potentially significant showdown, ESPN reported. The grievance — which will now go to an arbitration process — could have larger league implications amid future issues of mental health matters and NBA contracts. The 76ers have insisted that Simmons breached his player contract upon failing to show up for the start of training camp and refusing to play during the preseason and regular season. Simmons arrived in Philadelphia near the end of the preseason but cited his mental health for the reason that his participation in team activities was so limited. HEAT 127, BULLS 109>> Jimmy Butler scored 22 points, Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro added 19 apiece and Eastern Conference-leading Miami won in Chicago. Bam Adebayo scored 16, and the Heat (50-28) reached the 50win mark for the first time since the 2013-14 season. Miami also increased its lead over second-place Milwaukee to 11/2 games and moved within a win of securing home-court advantage in Round 1 of the postseason. CAVALIERS 119, KNICKS 101>> Darius Garland had 24 points and 13 assists to lead Cleveland in New York. Garland led seven Cavaliers scorers in double figures as Cleveland snapped a twogame losing streak.