Embiid scores 41 in return to lead 76ers past Rockets
Joel Embiid returned from his latest injury to score 41 points and grab 10 rebounds and lead the host Philadelphia 76ers to a 124115 victory over the Houston Rockets on Monday.
Embiid had his 16th straight 30-10 game. Tyrese Maxey added 27 points for the Sixers.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 19 points. Dillon Brooks scored 18.
The 29-year-old Embiid missed the previous three games with left knee in- flammation (the 76ers went 1-2). He had played just two games this month after he missed all four games on the 76ers' holiday road trip. The Sixers are 3-7 this season without Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP and the twotime defending league scoring champion.
MAVERICKS 125, PELICANS 120 >> Kyrie Irving scored 42 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 41 and host Dallas split a two-game home set with New Orleans. The second game in franchise history with two 40-point scorers came with superstar Luka Doncic missing his third consecutive game with a sprained ankle.
Zion Williamson scored 30 points but was 6 of 11 on free throws, including a miss with 17 seconds left when he had a chance to get New Orleans even.
PISTONS 129, WIZARDS 117 >> Alec Burks came off the bench to score 34 points to lead visiting Detroit over Washington, giving the Pistons only their fourth win of the season, Jalen Duren had 20 points and 19 rebounds for Detroit, which snapped a seven-game losing streak.
Tyus Jones had 22 points, seven assists, and six rebounds to lead the Wizards (7-32).
HAWKS 109, SPURS 99 >> Trae Young sank his first six 3-point attempts to spark host Atlanta's hot-shooting start and the Hawks beat San Antonio. Young scored 36 points, passing 10,000 for his career, with 13 assists. Dejounte Murray had 13 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.
Victor Wembanyama had nine dunks while scoring 26 points with 13 rebounds for the Spurs.
CAVALIERS 109, BULLS 91 >> Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points, Jarrett Allen had 10 points and 14 rebounds for his ninth straight double-double for host Cleveland. Caris LeVert added 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists off the bench as the Cavaliers extended their winning streak to five.
Coby White scored 18 points and Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic had 17 apiece for Chicago.
CELTICS 105, RAPTORS 96 >> Jayson Tatum had 19 points and 14 rebounds, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White each scored 22 points and visiting Boston won its eighth straight meeting with Toronto. Kristaps Porzingis scored 15 points and Al Horford had 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics.
RJ Barrett scored 24 points in the Raptors' fourth straight loss.
HEAT 96, NETS 95 (OT) Jimmy Butler returned after missing seven games with a sprained toe and scored 31 points, including two free throws with 11.8 seconds left in overtime to help visiting Miami beat Brooklyn. Tyler Herro had 29 points and 11 rebounds and Bam Adebayo added 11 points and 20 rebounds for the Heat. Mikal Bridges scored 26 points and Cam Thomas added 23 for the Nets.
MAGIC 98, KNICKS 94 >> Paolo Banchero scored 20 points, Cole Anthony had 10 of his 15 in the fourth quarter and visiting Orlando beat New York to snap a three-game losing streak. The Knicks' Deuce McBride scored 20 points. OG Anunoby had 17.