Joel Embiid scores 50 as Sixers fend off Bulls

[February 20, 2021]  Joel Embiid scored a career-high 50 points to go along with 17 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots Friday night to lift the host Philadelphia 76ers past the Chicago Bulls 112-105.

Embiid was 17 of 26 from the field and 15 of 17 from the free-throw line as he surpassed the 49 points he scored against the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 24, 2020.

Tobias Harris added 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for the Sixers. Danny Green contributed 13 points and Dwight Howard came off the bench to grab 10 rebounds.

It was Philadelphia's second win in succession without Ben Simmons, who sat with a stomach illness.

Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 30 points, Wendell Carter Jr. added 15 and Thad Young scored 12. Tomas Satoransky, Ryan Arcidiacono and Garrett Temple had 10 apiece for Chicago, which had its two-game winning streak snapped.

After the 76ers led throughout the first quarter, the Bulls gained the lead, only to have Philadelphia surge behind Embiid's 25 points, and the Sixers led at the half, 58-53.

Carter, who hit his first four shots, kept the Bulls close with 15 first-half points on 7-for-9 shooting. The Bulls missed 11 of 13 shots from beyond the arc in the opening half yet trailed by only five.

Less than three minutes into the third quarter, Embiid converted a three-point play for a 63-53 Philadelphia advantage. Still, LaVine hit a deep 3-pointer from the wing and the Bulls closed to 68-66.

Howard's late dunk pushed the Sixers to an 85-79 lead entering the fourth quarter.

 Chicago Bulls guard Garrett Temple (17) drives for a score past Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle (22) during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Bulls kept coming, as Arcidiacono's three-point play with 8:31 left capped an 8-0 Chicago run for an 89-87 Bills advantage.

Embiid scored the next seven points to put the Sixers ahead by five.

Chicago closed to within 98-96 after LaVine threw down a thunderous dunk with 4:23 remaining. Embiid's pair of free throws with 3:05 left made it a five-point Sixers lead, but LaVine's trey with 2:11 to go cut the deficit to 105-103.

Two more free throws and a tough corner jumper by Embiid extended the advantage to 109-103 with 41.3 seconds left, and the Sixers held on.

--Field Level Media
 

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