Thomas gets 40 to lead Nets past depleted Sixers
Cam Thomas scored 40 points, Mikal Bridges had 23 and the visiting Brooklyn Nets routed the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers 136-121 on Saturday night.
Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP who missed his second game after sustaining a left meniscus injury Tuesday night at Golden State. Philadelphia is 4-10 in the 14 games without Embiid this season.
Lonnie Walker IV added 20 points to help Brooklyn win for the third time in four games after losing 10 of 12. Ben Simmons — the former 76ers All-Star guard who was the subject of boos every time he touched the ball in his second game as a visitor at Wells Fargo Center — failed to score and had nine rebounds and five assists in 14 minutes for the Nets.
Two nights after scoring a career-high 51 points in a victory at Utah, Tyrese Maxey had 23 points for Philadelphia on 8-for-23 shooting. Terquavion Smith had 17 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. 16 as the 76ers lost for the fifth time in six games.
Besides Embiid, the 76ers were without starters Tobias Harris (illness) and Nicolas Batum (left hamstring tightness) in addition to key reserves DeAnthony Melton (back) and Robert Covington (left knee meniscus injury).
The Nets were able to take advantage of the short-handed lineup with crisp ball movements that left Philadelphia's reserves scrambling.
KINGS 123, BULLS 115 >> De'Aaron Fox scored 41 points and Domantas Sabonis had a triple-double with 13 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists to lead visiting Sacramento. Fox shot 13 of 24 overall, 5 of 11 from deep. He also had five steals.
Coby White led Chicago with 26 points an DeMar DeRozan and Nikola
Vucevic each scored 24. BULLS' LAVINE TO HAVE SEASON-ENDING
FOOT SURGERY >> Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine is going to have surgery on his right foot, sidelining the high-scoring guard for the rest of the season.
LaVine and his agency, Klutch Sports Group, made the decision in consultation with the team's training and medical staff, the Bulls announced on Saturday. The two-time All-Star is expected to have the surgery next week, and he will be out for four to six months.
LaVine, 28, played in just 25 games this season. He averaged 19.5 points and 5.2 rebounds.