76ers try to avoid letdown ahead of Celtics clash
CHARLOTTE, N.C. >> Ben Simmons scored 28 points, JJ Redick had 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and the Philadelphia 76ers held on to beat the Charlotte Hornets 118-114 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory.
Jimmy Butler added 23 points and nine assists, and Tobias Harris chipped in with 22 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers (46-25), who remained in third place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Redick finished with seven 3-pointers, one shy of his career high.
Jeremy Lamb led the Hornets with 26 points and 11 rebounds, but missed a floater that would have sent the game into overtime. Kemba Walker had 21 points for the Hornets (31-39), who have dropped four of their last five and continue to fall out of playoff contention.
The 76ers won despite their bench getting outscored 61-14.
In a back-and-forth game in which neither team led by more than nine points, the 76ers got a 3-pointer from the wing from Butler with 1:26 left to take the lead. Lamb answered with two free throws to cut the lead to one.
But after a Butler missed a jumper, Harris grabbed a key offensive rebound leading to an open 3-pointer jumper in left corner for James Ennis with 18 seconds left.
Lamb followed with three more free throws on the other end, cutting the lead to one with 12.1 seconds left.
Harris made 1 of 2 free throws at the other end with 8.2 seconds left, giving the Hornets one last chance to tie or win the game before Lamb’s floater rimmed out.
Redick was the story of the first half, pouring in 21 points with five 3-pointers.
The Hornets were able to stay close, trailing 62-59 at the break despite Walker only playing six minutes after picking up three fouls in the first quarter. Charlotte’s bench kept the game close, outscoring the 76ers 31-4 before intermission.