NBA roundup: Embiid returns as Sixers top Heat

[April 20, 2018]  Joel Embiid scored 23 points in his first career playoff game to lift the Philadelphia 76ers past the host Miami Heat 128-108 on Thursday.

Dario Saric and Marco Belinelli added 21 points each for the Sixers, who took a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 looming Saturday. Ben Simmons had a terrific all-around game with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Embiid had been out with an orbital bone injury and was forced to wear a protective mask. He went through three different masks during the game and looked uncomfortable at times in the first half.

Goran Dragic led the Heat with 23 points while Justise Winslow added 19.

Pelicans 119, Trail Blazers 102

Nikola Mirotic and Anthony Davis led the way as New Orleans dominated from start to finish in a dismantling of visiting Portland, giving the Pelicans a 3-0 lead in a Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Mirotic scored 30 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Davis collected 28 points and 11 boards for New Orleans, which will try to sweep the best-of-seven series at home on Saturday. Rajon Rondo chipped in 16 points and 11 assists for the Pelicans, who led by 33 points with seven minutes to play.

CJ McCollum scored 22 points, Al-Farouq Aminu 21 and Damian Lillard 20 for the Trail Blazers, who committed 24 turnovers.

Warriors 110, Spurs 97

Kevin Durant scored a game-high 26 points as Golden State won at San Antonio and moved within one game of a first-round playoff sweep.

The only negatives for Golden State were Durant rolling his left ankle and Shaun Livingston turning his right ankle in the fourth quarter. Durant left the game for good with the Warriors ahead by 15 points. Afterward, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, "Both sprained ankles, but I think they'll be all right."

The Spurs played Game 3 without coach Gregg Popovich, whose wife, Erin, died Wednesday. Assistant coach Ettore Messina filled in for Popovich. LaMarcus Aldridge posted an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double for San Antonio.

--Field Level Media

[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.