PHILAELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 53 points and 11 rebounds to power the Philadelphia 76ers to a 131-113 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
With the crowd serenading him with MVP chants, Embiid had his second 50-plus point performance of the season and the fourth 50-plus point game of his career. He was 20 for 32 from the field and hit all 11 of his free throws.
Tobias Harris added 17 points and James Harden had 14.
Kelly Oubre Jr. and Terry Rozier each scored 29 points for Charlotte. The Hornets have lost five straight games
before being pulled with two minutes left.
LAKERS 124, PISTONS 117
DETROIT (AP) — LeBron James scored 35 points, Anthony Davis had 34 points and 15 rebounds and Los Angeles beat Detroit to end a three-game losing streak.
Davis also had seven assists as the Lakers overcame 38 points from Bojan Bogdanovic. Lonnie Walker IV added 18 points for Los Angeles and Russell Westbrook had 11 points and nine assists.
Rookie Jaden Ivey had 16 points for Detroit. The Pistons have lost three in a row.
ROCKETS 97, BUCKS 92
HOUSTON (AP) — Jalen Green had 30 points and seven rebounds, Kevin Porter Jr. added 18 points and seven assists and Houston beat Milwaukee to extend its home-winning streak to four games.
Houston was coached by assistant coach John Lucas with head coach Stephen Silas away from the team following the death of father and long-time NBA player and coach Paul Silas.
Jrue Holiday had 25 points and eight assists for Milwaukee, Bobby Portis added 17 points and 15 rebounds and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 16 points and 18 rebounds. The Bucks had won four in a row.
PELICANS 129, SUNS 124, OT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson scored 35 points and New Orleans beat short-handed Phoenix in overtime for its seventh straight victory.
CJ McCollum added 29 for the Pelicans, who beat the Suns — playing without star guard Devin Booker because of tightness in his left hamstring — for the second time in three days and won for the 12th time in their last 14 games as they’ve surged to the Western Conference lead.
Deandre Ayton had 28 points and 12 rebounds for Phoenix, but fouled out on Williamson’s drive with New Orleans clinging to a two-point lead in the final minute of regulation. Mikal Bridges scored 27 points for Phoenix.
HAWKS 123, BULLS 122, OT
ATLANTA (AP) — A.J. Griffin hit a 6-footer on an alley-oop pass at the overtime buzzer and Atlanta beat Chicago to snap a three-game losing streak,
DeMar DeRozan made three free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime to finish with 33 points and give the Bulls the lead,
But Griffin took the alley-oop pass from Jalen Johnson on the sideline and scored on a turnaround jumper.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 17 of his 28 points in the first half for Atlanta. Trae Young had 19 points and 14 assists.
KNICKS 112, KINGS 99
NEW YORK (AP) — Julius Randle and RJ Barrett each scored 27 points and New York beat Sacramento for its winning streak to a season-high four games.
Randle had all 27 points by halftime, then was ejected with 3:35 left in the third quarter after arguing a non-call and receiving two technical fouls.
Domantas Sabonis led Sacramento with 20 points. The Kings were held under 100 points for the first time this season.
MAGIC 111, RAPTORS 99
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Franz Wagner scored 23 points, Paolo Banchero added 20 points and 12 rebounds and Orlando beat Toronto for its third straight victory.
Orlando’s last three-game winning streak was in February 2021.
Gary Trent Jr. led Toronto with 24 points.
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The Associated Press