76ers complete sweep of Nets 96-88 with Embiid sidelined
NEW YORK >> Tobias Harris had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame the absence of Joel Embiid to beat the Brooklyn Nets 96-88 on Saturday, completing a sweep that made them the first team to reach the second round of the playoffs.
James Harden added 17 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds for the thirdseeded 76ers, who will wait for the winner of the series between the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks. The defending Eastern Conference champion Celtics have a 2-1 lead.
The 76ers hope Embiid will be recover from his sprained right knee in time for the start of the next series.
Tyrese Maxey finished a strong series with 16 points and Paul Reed added 10 points and 15 rebounds after replacing Embiid in the starting lineup.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points and Nic Claxton had 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets, who were swept for the second
Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey (0) drives past Brooklyn Nets’ Joe Harris (12) during the first half of Game 4in the NBA first-round playoff series on Saturday in New York.
straight year and have lost 10 straight postseason games. They went 0-8 this season against the 76ers.
LOS ANGELES >> Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Devin Booker added 30 and Phoenix defeated Los Angeles without Kawhi Leonard to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.
The Clippers, who lost Game 3 by five points, again made a strong run with Leonard watching from the bench. He has
missed two straight games with a sprained right knee. They’re also without Paul George, who hasn’t played since March 21 because of the same injury as Leonard.
Russell Westbrook carried the Clippers in the fourth quarter. He had 14 points, including nine in a row when they twice pulled within two points.
Westbrook finished with a game-high 37 points. Norman Powell added 14 points and Terance Mann had 13 off the bench.
Game 5 is Tuesday in Phoenix.